# Wood Dust and Extreme Fatigue Reaction



## mrkurtz (Apr 4, 2019)

I worked on remodeling my old house for a number of years, and spent lots of time in my shop working with pine, fir, white oak, and occasionally cedar.
At one point I was working on a bench made of the white oak and the next morning I thought I had a sinus infection. The docs thought I was having a reaction, not sinus trouble. 
Since then, I started using a 3hp dust collector that is set up in a room that is separate from my shop. I also have a Jet 1000 air cleaner on the ceiling, I wear a good respirator, and I try and keep things clean(er). 
If I am not super-careful, as in running in and out of the shop for a few quick cuts or if I am just rummaging around the garage which I know raises dust, I suffer the consequences. It starts the same day, and lasts for 3 or 4 days.

I don't seem to react the same way almost everybody on these woodworking websites does.
I read about skin irritations and coughing and swollen eyes. I can handle all the wood I want, and never any skin-hand redness or itching. 
My nose gets a little stuffy, my ears feel stuffy, but my main symptom is that I get incredibly, tired, and I mean very, super, extremely exhausted. I have to take a nap. No choice. I have described it as flu-like symptoms. This lasts for at least 3 or 4 days.

I have checked in with my doctor, an allergist, a pulmonologist, a cardiologist, my sinus doc, and had my wellness checkup, i.e. blood tests, etc. They all seem to think I am in great shape. Nobody has explained the reaction or the fatigue.

As I see myself getting increasingly sensitized, I start to worry about the fact that I live in an old growth pine forest, that stacking firewood, or picking up pine needles will keep making things worse as time marches on.

Yesterday I stood in the wood trim aisle in Home depot for 45 minutes, sorting through wood, (mostly poplar), and making calculations. I would think that HD would be cleaner than my shop, but maybe not. When I got home, the fatigue hit. Looking back, I am wondering if it could have been that I was handling the wood. Could I be absorbing bad stuff through my hands, even though there is no rash or redness or itching or anything?

My common sense says to give up woodworking, but my heart says no.

One of the things that drives me nuts, is that as much reading and research I have done, I have only read ONE post where somebody mentioned experiencing extreme fatigue.

At this time, I am thinking about contacting NASA to see if I can acquire a slightly used spacesuit. Or jumping into a bathtub of Plasti-Dip.

I would be so grateful to hear any responses if this overly long post resonates with anybody.

AJ.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

Wow. Sorry to read about the trouble. 
You are not alone. 
Red Oak dust gives me flu like symptoms (including fatigue) for 3-4 days every time I sand on it, even wearing a respirator.

As someone who has suffered from various allergies for 50 years now, even being a year long case study for one allergist in 90's due life threatening issues, I share your pain everyday.

Will only offer a few suggestions?

Step Zero - Are you absolutely sure you want to spend time and money to 'fix' you body to allow more wood working? Sorry to say; fixes won't be fast, cheap, or perfect. :-0) 
No? Stop reading here.

Good, lets get started:

1) Need to figure out what is causing the fatigue inside your body. 
This requires a dedicated effort by one or more doctors to help you. If your GP and/or allergist didn't suggest blood testing for histamine, antigen, thyroid, and glucose levels during an episode, then you have wrong group of doctors! Get a new allergist at minimum. Maybe add immunologist. To chase the internal reaction down, you need a couple trips to vampire clinic as soon as you feel any tiredness and before the nap. Get one of the Dr to write you standing order(s) for blood work. When you have a reaction, run to nearest vampire clinic and have blood work done. Coupled with baseline data, after a couple events you can determine HOW you are reacting. Once you know what is changing to make you tired, then can work on chemical regime to help you combat it.

2) Severe environmental allergies are very common. One method to allow 'normal' interaction with allergens is a protective suit. But, you don't need a space suit. Can buy Tyvek bodysuits used for spray painting, coupled with full face mask respirator also used by paint industry. In most severe cases, you might need something like 3M Versaflow powered air filter face mask. 
FWIW - with any Oak wood working project, I have to wear the same personal protection equipment (PPE) or end up in bed for 3-4 days afterwards.. And don't forget, you need to find a change room/area to keep comtaminated suit/shoes out of house.

If you think the issue is allergy related, I could make some over the counter drug recommendations that would allow you test the hypothesis. Note - I am not a doctor, but PM me if you want details of what worked for me.

Best Luck.


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## PPK (Mar 8, 2016)

Well, I honestly have no idea what's going on with you, and I'm sorry to hear your story. But the thing that came to mind right away when I read your story is: Anxiety/Panic attack. Don't know if you have a history with that or not, but long story short, they can manifest themselves in odd/unexpected ways. Speaking from experience. Again, no idea if this is what's going on with you, but just one more thing to think about. I had fatigue/continue to suffer from fatigue a lot due to anxiety, and it's weird, because a lot of time the anxiety/fatigue occurs after the stressor, and when I wind down and start to breathe easily and enjoy myself (this is the key) In the SHOP.


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## leafherder (Jan 20, 2013)

I am not a medical doctor, but your description has me wondering if it is not the wood but another environmental factor that is associated with the wood - mold, fungus spores, chemical vapors released by the wood, or other substances in your shop and Home Depot (paints, stains, varnishes, etc.) perhaps a broader allergy screening could help identify the cause. I worked in a Archives for ten years and was constantly getting bronchitis - at least that is what the doctor thought the first few times I went to him - had me on antibiotics and asthma inhalers - turns out it was an allergic reaction to a type of mold spores found in old books. I think CaptainKlutz has a good idea of going to the doctor immediately when you start feeling the symptoms. Best of luck to you.


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## sgcz75b (Jan 21, 2019)

Just curious. Were/are you a smoker and did you smoke in the wood/workshop environment?


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I would do some checking on the different woods for their health risk effects. Especially if your working with wood flooring. Example, Red Oak is not supposed to be used as mulch in gardens, they may actually kill off your flowers or vegetation. Aromatic Red Cedar can be overwhelming to your sinuses over time. After a week I have to open the windows in my shop to get fresh air in when working on Cedar Chests. My wife notices the effects from Aromatic Red Cedar within a couple of days after I work it. So happens that I work with Red Oak and Aromatic Red Cedar more than I do with other woods. I would google 'Health Risks with wood'. Look at pages 3,4,5 and 6 of this pdf that's put out by HSE (Health and Safety Executive) http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis30.pdf


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