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General health

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Original poster

Sever headaches - worried

23 replies

Thornintherose · 30/01/2013 22:04

My husband and I have been feeling horrible most of the day. His day off today and we both stayed in to wait for a roofer to come round. Since about 5 o'clock we've had really bad headaches - throbbing in our temples, dizziness when we stand and just generally feeling shit. Now we're worried we have a gas leak or something. We are now both lying in bed with our toddler inbetween us with the window opening scaring ourselves.

Do we need to get a grip, are we both just getting flu or something?

OP posts:

Original poster

Thornintherose · 30/01/2013 22:07

That should say severe!

OP posts:

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 30/01/2013 22:08

There's no harm in getting it checked. www.headway.org.uk/carbon-monoxide-poisoning.aspx Found this for you. I hope you're OK.

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 30/01/2013 22:10

This is better!

If you smell gas or you think there has been an escape of other fumes such as carbon monoxide, call the free 24 hour national emergency number on 0800 111 999, straight away.

NomNomDePlumPudding · 30/01/2013 22:15

if you are worried it's caused by some sort of fumes, leave the house for a while and see if you feel better? don't just stay there with your toddler if you think it's a possibility.

Original poster

Thornintherose · 30/01/2013 22:18

We have just called that number and they are sending someone round now to check. Have turned boiler off and opened windows. Thanks

OP posts:

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 30/01/2013 22:18

I don't think Carbon Monoxide poisoning works like that, Nom. The OP needs to get it checked out.

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 30/01/2013 22:19

I hope all is well, Thorn.

NomNomDePlumPudding · 30/01/2013 22:26

i'm sure they do but i would have thought that leaving the building where there is a suspected gas leak would be a sensible precaution, myself.

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 30/01/2013 22:34

Makes sense. I briefly remember something about a saturation level though. I am rather knackered though so I'm probably wrong. Opening windows and getting it checked is a good plan.

Original poster

Thornintherose · 30/01/2013 23:06

So that was a waste of time. The lady on the phone said it could be a Carbon Monoxide leak so will send someone round. Husband went downstairs and answered the door to which the guy came in and just turned everything off. Then said you'll have to call a gasman round to get it out back on and checked! Can't actually check for a leak. So now we have no gas an have to pay someone to check it. I am so annoyed feel so ill still, I don't understand why they can't carry carbon monoxide checkers with them, we cannot afford to pay a gasman. I wish they'd told us what they were going to do!

OP posts:

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 30/01/2013 23:19

Bugger! Is your house/flat rented?

imogengladhart · 30/01/2013 23:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Thornintherose · 31/01/2013 10:05

Just waiting for a gasman to come round now and check everything at a cost of £102! Oh well better to be safe. A few people on the phone my husband spoke to whilst getting quotes have said that it may have been caused by the wind not letting the vent work properly. It was very windy here last night and seems as though it's just a vent going that could easily have been blocked by the wind iyswim.

So will see, if that is the case then I will let my landlord know and they can hopefully re-imburse.

Still feel rubbish today, light headed and dizzy with headaches but not as bad as last night. Husband is fine now but he's at work now.

OP posts:

Original poster

Thornintherose · 31/01/2013 12:24

The boiler had a leak, the gasman has old me to get to hospital for a blood test. Am there now waiting to be seen. So, definitely better to be safe!

OP posts:

sannaville · 31/01/2013 14:48

Oh dear poor you :( invest in a carbon monoxide alarm to be safe. Hope you better soon

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 31/01/2013 19:02

I'm so sorry to hear that and I'm so happy that you called them out.

I hope you're all on the mend quickly.

frustratedworkingmum · 31/01/2013 19:14

Gosh, that just goes to show doesn't it,, i was willing to say that there wasn't a problem. Do get a CO detector though, they are not expensive. It makes my blood run cold to think what could have happened, so glad you are all ok

elizaregina · 31/01/2013 19:25

Thorn how did your blood test go? I never look in here - general health - how funny we both had same thing!

National grid turned ours off too - and a guy came out today and said " AS I cant park next to your house, I am gonna have to charge you for walking " !!!!!!!!!!!!!LITERALLY two bloody mins away IF THAT.

We were charged £40 for telling us he did think it was carbon mon. He said he could see soot - but dont all flames give off soot? Good point about the wind - I wonder if that is what caused our probs too.

He had a prodder thing but didnt use it. We are now freezing with no cooker or heating . Hope your fairing better!!

Original poster

Thornintherose · 31/01/2013 20:39

Mine and ds' blood test were fine. I think if you ventilate the house and get fresh air and you weren't exposed to high quantities then you're generally fine (so I've read on the NHS and BBC websites)! My headache has only just started to go, it feels so good to feel normal again, I feel for people with persistant migrains - it must be awful.

The guy who checked mine this morning said that our Gas Safety Certificate wasn't worth the paper it was written on, yet my landlord has sent round the same company to do the job. He has reccomended a new boiler as this one is 25-30 years old yet they are just going to fix it and get a new seal.

Have ordered a CO detector off Amazon today.

Sat here with no cooker and heating as well Eliza, poor DS couldn't have his bath tonight and has gone to bed with dried yoghurt in his hair. Hoping it's fixed tomorrow though as I think tomorrow night is going to get cold. My Mum is fuming on my behalf and insisting I make my landlord get us a hotel, don't think they'll go for that somehow!

Am 6 weeks pregnant though and reading bad things about CO exposure and pregnant women - doctor is going to try and get me a scan for next week but feel really shit at the minute worrying about birth defects! That's just information from BBC and NHS as well not even googling too much.

OP posts:

narmada · 31/01/2013 21:39

Your landlord should be very very worried if he has not had a proper annual gas safety check done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. He could be fined thousands of pounds.

You poor things. What a lucky escape. please contact Shelter for advice, they are great.

narmada · 31/01/2013 21:44

Your landlord is also obliged to provide you with temporary heating until the problem is fixed.

narmada · 31/01/2013 21:49

Sorry for multiple posts

And another thing! Providing you contacted your LL aat the outset nd stressed the problem thetefore giving him an opportunity to rectify things immediately ..... there is no way you should have to pay any associated costs e.g. gas man callout fee. That is his or her responsibility.

elizaregina · 31/01/2013 23:31

we are private but it does seem very unfair that your landlord is making money from you being in a house you are surviving in.

i didnt feel ill thank goodness but i did feel tired i was about to go to sleep, and the alarm had been going a while but i was upstairs.

you have already ordered your alarm - see if it has a memory.

it turned out ours is bloody complicated with diff times of flashing lights!! as if i got my stop watch out to time a light flashing whilst holding my breath wondering what posion was already in my lungs, will i have time to call 999 before i collapse to tell them i have a baby upstairs etc! however DH said there is a more expensive one which has a memory which can tell you what the alarm was doing or something....

our boiler is v v old and i knew it would need replacing its just so hideoulsy expensive. we have been offered to get ours fixed but to be honest i wouldnt feel safe with it - even with an alarm. we have a small baby and i dont want even the tinest exposure to it. being pregnant i would be absoluty demanding the same.

The fireman who came out to us initally was asking his collegue if she was preggers before he went into the kitchen with her.

there is a big difference isnt there between heating not working and getting it back on to be warm - and heating that has leaked carbon monoxide..a killer....

I think we will be making do with electric heaters and hopefully getting our oven back on tomorow....and then trying to make do until we can find the cheapest way to replace our boiler.

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