Random fragrance sensitivity

[WarmthAndDepth]

I am just curious about this. DD has recently started using fragrance (one bottle given to her at a recent birthday, another as a secret santa gift and a can of aerosol deodorant for after PE), and they make me feel like I imagine being asthmatic might feel like: instant tightness in the chest, wheezing, coughing and a gurgly mucousy thing starting up in my throat. Really unpleasant. I have to air the room where she has spritzed herself and not be in the same room as her afterwards. Even handling her clothing to sort the laundry starts me off.

She's put out that I have asked her not to apply these fragrances in the house as she points out that I use fragrance and seem fine with my own EDT and perfume. Which is true. I'm offering to buy her a couple of fragrances she likes which don't give me such annoying symptoms but she's not keen as they're "her" fragrances now.

The symptoms take ages to subside and leave me breathless with a sore head for hours afterwards.

I also cough and get wheezy if I get into close proximity to fabric softener and strongly fragranced laundry detergent.

Anyone else with specific scents which trigger symptoms while others are fine?

I'm fragrance intolerant and struggle with air fresheners, reed diffusers, fabric softener and perfumes. Some things are worse than others and the cheap stuff is worst of all. I guess it depends on what chemicals are in them as some are worse than others for respiratory irritation. I had to give up working in care homes because they're all full of air fresheners and reed diffusers and I was in pain constantly with sinusitis headaches and my nose would bleed randomly so the problem has badly affected my life.

You shouldn't be subjected to inhaling substances that cause you pain and irritate your respiratory system, some of them are very harmful and carcinogenic. Tell your dd she'll just have to spray it outside and deal with the inconvenience because your health comes first. You're able to deal with your products because you can handle their ingredients for whatever reason, not all products are the same though.

www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/additive-and-natural-chemical-factsheets/inhaled-salicylates

I get ptsd triggered by a particular perfume after a horrendous incident as a teenager. It makes me faint

sounds like inducable larengeal obstruction or vocal cord dysfunction.

Thank you for your responses.
I'm so sorry you have had such a bad experience, AmI. I hope it is not a common fragrance that you have to worry about coming across too frequently.
Forion, that is a really significant impact!
Sand, useful!
Kimlo, just googled those -eeek!
It really does me in, so I am going to negotiate a compromise with DD, trading Moschino and Charlie for gentler (and tried and tested) Miller Harris and Diptyque , passing the former to a charity shop!

@WarmthAndDepth

Thank you for your responses. I'm so sorry you have had such a bad experience, AmI. I hope it is not a common fragrance that you have to worry about coming across too frequently. Forion, that is a really significant impact! Sand, useful! Kimlo, just googled those -eeek! It really does me in, so I am going to negotiate a compromise with DD, trading Moschino and Charlie for gentler (and tried and tested) Miller Harris and Diptyque , passing the former to a charity shop!

Ironically it’s Clinique Happy 🤦‍♀️

DP has this with lots of fragrances. When I first met him I was really when he asked me if I’d mind not wearing my favourite perfume. But then I realised it wasn’t just him being rude, he literally felt sick and couldn’t breathe.

AmI oh no, I'm sorry
Puppy, yes, that's how I feel! Have you found a new favourite, wearable fragrance?

@WarmthAndDepth he’s slightly better with a lighter citrus type thing. I can just about get away with Bobby Brown Beach, a tiny amount? I’ve had my bottle for years, I don’t know whether they still even do it.

Anything musk based makes me heave.
I bought a bamboo deodorant recently and it had the same effect on me.

Sorry you've hit on a bad one, can you afford to buy her a replacement that you can tolerate?

Jay, the thing is, I didn't buy them in the first place; her friends did, and "it's what everyone wears".
I think I might take her on a walkabout at a department store or somewhere like SpaceNK or L'Occitane and get her to sniff around for something she likes, and get me to do a wheeze-test on it.
I must confess that I only buy fragrance on eBay after finding stuff I like or smelling it on people, so affordability wouldn't be a worry .