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http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl General Mast Cell Disorders Discussion >> Mast Cell Triggers >> Neoprene is hiding everywhere!! http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1354909093 Message started by PamH on 12/07/12 at 07:38:13

Title: Neoprene is hiding everywhere!!
Post by PamH on 12/07/12 at 07:38:13

I am needing help from those of you who have knowledge of chemical make up of items!
I will give you a little background. I have been waking up in the mornings very swollen, looks like I participated in fight club just about every morning. These symptoms have actually been getting worse. I have a tendancy to ignore things I can't control. I have woke up two nights with my blood pressure sky high and heart rate really up there. This has been like around 4am. I have learned from Joan (thanks Joan!!) that our histamines are the highes in the early morning. Well I believe I was having a reaction to something and it can't be ingored anylonger. So systematically I started to remove the items I thought may be making me trigger in the middle of the night...sounds so stupid.
I have an allergy to Mercapto mix, this is found in neoprene and other rubber products. Neoprene is that squishy stuff, that they make so much out of. I know that my c-pap head gear is made of neoprene, infact I can't find it in any other material. So I made one, not ready to patent it yet! ;) I also realized the wrist support that I sleep in is made of you guessed it neoprene. The swelling has gone down just by removing these things!!
I am afraid this has been a constant trigger, could explain a lot of the itching! I started looking around and found quite a bit of it. It is on my cell phone, the keyboard support, and my mouse. So I touch it during the day and was sleeping with it at night. I can only guess it is one of those things the longer you are exposed the worse the reaction.

So, this is where I need help, it is my understanding that this chemical is in elastic. Does anyone have vast knowledge about this. Is it in elastic? I could use some help and probably some new undergarments!! ;D
About a year ago I tried to find and wear clothes that did not have elastic! Wanted to get input before I do it all over again.
Thanks! :)

Title: Re: Neoprene is hiding everywhere!!
Post by Starflower on 12/07/12 at 12:50:56

This question puts my "doctor" skills (PhD) to good use! Seriously... I teach a class about textiles :D

Narrow-band elastics are what make underwear stretchy... and they are made using rubber. It's not always true latex. Sometimes it's synthetic rubber... although that might not make a big difference in your case, if you're allergic to the chemicals used to process rubber. Here's one source I know of to buy latex-free undergarments: http://www.cottonique.com/pages/latex-free-underwear

That being said... the latex is always covered with another material, usually polyester. It doesn't actually touch your skin. For a while I was on an e-mail list for people with latex allergies, and they were constantly discussing ways to avoid even the slightest touch. I thought it was kind of odd. Maybe I'm an exception, but touching latex is not a big deal for me. Band-aids that are not latex-free give me hives, but they don't send me into anaphylaxis. Breathing latex, on the other hand... like when someone pops a balloon... now THAT is a killer.

My guess is that your problem with neoprene is not actually the latex (even if you're allergic to it), it's the pressure from having it wrapped around part of your body. Pressure is definitely a trigger for me! A pair of tight pants will have me looking like I'm about to give birth by the end of the day ;) A couple of years ago I hurt my wrist and wore a neoprene guard to give it a rest... it helped a lot, but I couldn't stand to wear it at night. The swelling was enough to make my fingers tingle and burn. Not good for sleeping!

Heather

Title: Re: Neoprene is hiding everywhere!!
Post by PamH on 12/07/12 at 13:05:14

Wow, thanks Heather thanks for your vast PHD knowledge! That is super exciting!
I never considered the pressure of the mask. The crazy thing has to be on so tight or it leaks. The new headgear I made hasn't worked great, I made it out of fleese so that it would have some give. It stretched out and became loose, could be why the swelling went down. I guess that would apply to the wrist support as well, because it has to be tight as well.
Thanks, I really didn't think of that.

Title: Re: Neoprene is hiding everywhere!!
Post by redbird on 12/07/12 at 13:06:52

what about the stuff that is the bottom of bras...it drives me nuts...itching etc.. that elastic kinda of stuff that is against your skin..to wear a bra I have to put a some kind of other cloth against my skin
redbird

Title: Re: Neoprene is hiding everywhere!!
Post by Starflower on 12/08/12 at 09:11:17

I don't wear that kind of bra :) In fact, I don't wear anything that irritates my skin... it's just not worth it! Irritation leads to chafing and bleeding. I'm too big to get away with not wearing a bra (at least at work), but I'm careful about what I do buy. Nothing tight, and nothing with that non-slip material around the band.

Heather