Painting reminder....be careful around the fumes!

purplepickup · April 04, 2004, 04:17:10 PM

I'm writing this as much for a reminder to myself as for you guys. I've mentioned in the past that I've had some bad problems after being exposed to Isocyanates in catalyzed urethane paint a couple years ago and now I'm sensitive to even short exposures. For me, the reactions are nausea, asthma-like coughing & wheezing, chest tightness, fever, bad headache, fatigue, and muscle ache.

Well, yesterday I did some painting and was around some pretty heavy paint fumes at our get-together where we did some thrashing on Denise's car. I wore a respirator most of the time when I was spraying the small pieces and somebody else sprayed the car but there were still plenty of fumes around in the shop most of the day. And last night Jim C, Denise and I put the car back together in the paint booth where there were still plenty of fumes. By the time I left I knew I'd have troubles and sure enough I did. I had a real bad headache on my drive home and puked my guts out about every hour all night long. I was reminded what dry heaves feels like. Today I'm wheezing and real short of breath.

I'm not whining or looking for sympathy. I did what I did and that's that. I know I have a problem and I was a little reckless.

I just thought that I'd post something to remind others to be real careful around activated paint fumes. What I went thru last night and today is something I wouldn't wish on anyone.

SKR8PN · April 04, 2004, 05:16:52 PM

Darn good warning, George. Just sorry you had to reminded it the hard way,and I hope you are feeling better.
I have been around exhaust fumes for so long,I get an INSTANT headache and sick to my stomach as soon as I get a whiff of it. When I worked in the dealerships,I would get to work about a 1/2 hour early,get a cup of coffee and take 2 Tylenol,every single morning. I KNEW one of those dummies would be starting/running a car without using the exhaust hose.
Nothing like the smell of raw,unburned hydrocarbons,first thing in the morning!

phat46 · April 04, 2004, 05:48:07 PM

Quote from: "purplepickup"I'm writing this as much for a reminder to myself as for you guys.

I hear ya George; I did it only once and I avoid isocyanates altogether now. A few years ago I walked into my shop where i had just painted a bunch of parts a few minutes before. I had removed my respirator because i was just going to take a quick look. I was in the shop about one minute and when I left I couln't remember what year it was!!! That was scarey. I talked with my neighbor over the fence for five minutes and to this day I have no idea what we talked about, and I'm afraid to ask him!.
I hope you feel better and that there's no lasting damage!

40 · April 04, 2004, 06:35:01 PM

George,Hope you are feeling better today!I have never painted anything but a million square feet of wall and ceiling with house paint but have been around lots of shops where my streetrods have been painted and I immediately get nausea/heartburn as well as an instant headache from the fumes.Most of the guys that paint in my area,in my opinion,don't take nearly enough precautions and am sure will pay for it dearly someday.Talented painters are hard to come by...sure wish they'd take your advice

KustomLincolnLady · April 04, 2004, 06:58:38 PM

Yes, all of you need to be careful, the new "safe" according to the EPA paint stuff is wicked!!! It never used to bother me, sat in on many of robs paint jobs yrs back but not now. He comes home with that smell on his clothes and it makes me sick!!!
Thats why he hasn't painted in a while, just occasionals anymore. He gets the stuff George mentioned but also, nose bleeds!!!!
That paint is wicked stuff.

unklian · April 04, 2004, 08:29:19 PM

I had a similar chemical sensitivity to Contact Cement.

The human body can metabolize many poisons,like Alcohol.Some take longer than others.Isocyanates act differently,once they enter the system,they don't leave.Some people will be paying big time in a few years.

Now I remember why I don't use hardener in my 1-Shot,or do any airbrushing.

HotRodLadyCrusr · April 04, 2004, 09:04:08 PM

GEORGE! now why'd you go and do that??? Sure wish I would have known ahead of time I wouldn't have let you back into the paintbooth!

Even though you don't want to hear it, I'm really, really sorry your feeling so bad. What a crummy way to be reminded of a fun filled day. I sure hope it doesn't last long.

and thanks for the reminder about being careful. Even though I have no simptoms, I realize I should have been more careful around the "Rust Bullet" stuff as well as the primer fumes.

I hope your feeling better soon. :cry:

Rayvyn · April 04, 2004, 09:22:51 PM

The reactions are nausea, asthma-like coughing & wheezing, chest tightness, fever, bad headache, fatigue, muscle ache and nose bleeds.

Sounds more like the reactions I had to marriage a few years back...

Hope yer feelin' better...

Fat Cat · April 04, 2004, 11:32:15 PM

Quote from: "Rayvyn"Sounds more like the reactions I had to marriage a few years back...

Are you sure those were not her reactions and you were just feeling sympathy pains.

midnight sun · April 04, 2004, 11:37:49 PM

Wow George! Hope you are feeling better by now.

Ive not ever been exposed that much to paint fumes but the first time I painted with PPG Concept I could hardly breathe two hours later. From then on I wore an air supply suit and mask. Just that one time must have done it for me. I can hardly paint with a rattle can without getting all tight and wheezy. That air supply suit is the only way to go. Its kind of a pain to drag around the extra hose and its hot but to me its worth it.

Take care and get well quick.

Later

slocrow · April 05, 2004, 10:00:40 AM

So George, did I miss read something or did the respirator not work? Maybe you're implying that you only had it on when spraying.
I don't spray but a word to the wise is always appreciated. I hope you're feeling better and there are no lingering effects......

rumrumm · April 05, 2004, 10:15:39 AM

Sounds like a lot of us have been exposed to those chemicals and had reactions. I felt the effects from epoxy primer a few years ago and decided that painting is no longer worth the risk even though I like doing it. All the work on the '32 is being jobbed out to a friend of mine. I only plan on being there when the ghost flames are taped out.

purplepickup · April 05, 2004, 11:05:05 AM

Quote from: "slocrow"So George, did I miss read something or did the respirator not work? Maybe you're implying that you only had it on when spraying.

I wore a fresh carbon filter respirator while spraying, plus most of what I did was outdoors, but masks don't filter out all the isocyanates. Plus the bad things can still enter your body thru exposed skin and eyes. A fresh air system is the only sure protection. I've got one I use at home. My problem is that I've had an overexposure in the past and now am what they call "sensitized" I get a reaction to any exposure at all. Because of it I have to have annual chest ex-rays and the Dr pays close attention to my lungs and throat.

Isocyanates gas out of the paint for hours after spraying while the catalysts are hardening the paint. They are odorless and real harmful. They are present even after the solvents have evaporated. Just being in the same building where the painted car is curing isn't good. It doesn't affect most people as much as those of us that have had problems in the past but it still is causing damage.

I'm not vomiting sick today but my lungs hurt and I have a gurgley cough and still have a killer headache.

Again, I'm not looking for sympathy but more interested in making people aware. I can't believe the number of people that paint the new generation of paint products without any protection at all. It's just plain STUPID!!

HotRodLadyCrusr · April 05, 2004, 01:44:33 PM

Yes STUPID for you to be anywhere near Big Olds after he was primed. If I would have known, not only would I have NOT let in you the paint booth, I would NOT have let you paint all those other pieces. Be prepared, I'm going to kick your butt for this little stunt when I see you next Saturday.
If something ever happened to you, who could I call whenever I felt like it and breath heavy to??? :?

Jimc · April 05, 2004, 01:48:23 PM

Quote from: "purplepickup"
Quote from: "slocrow"So George, did I miss read something or did the respirator not work? Maybe you're implying that you only had it on when spraying.

I wore a fresh carbon filter respirator while spraying, plus most of what I did was outdoors, but masks don't filter out all the isocyanates. Plus the bad things can still enter your body thru exposed skin and eyes. A fresh air system is the only sure protection. I've got one I use at home. My problem is that I've had an overexposure in the past and now am what they call "sensitized" I get a reaction to any exposure at all. Because of it I have to have annual chest ex-rays and the Dr pays close attention to my lungs and throat.

Isocyanates gas out of the paint for hours after spraying while the catalysts are hardening the paint. They are odorless and real harmful. They are present even after the solvents have evaporated. Just being in the same building where the painted car is curing isn't good. It doesn't affect most people as much as those of us that have had problems in the past but it still is causing damage.

I'm not vomiting sick today but my lungs hurt and I have a gurgley cough and still have a killer headache.

Again, I'm not looking for sympathy but more interested in making people aware. I can't believe the number of people that paint the new generation of paint products without any protection at all. It's just plain STUPID!!

I witnessed some of George's reactions.
I love to paint, although i am no whiz at it.
I do wear a respirator, but as George has pointed out, it is not enough.
I have been fortunate, but have a friend whose son was an excellent painter. His dad furnished Darrin a fresh air suit at some expense. Darrin is a sweater, and would not wear the suit. He sprayed Imron at truck repair facility and on his own Camaro.
Today, he gets sick just being exposed to fumes, so his involvement with paint is limited to working in a paint sale store, and currently, as a hich school auto/body teacher.
I have been lucky as to this point i have not suffered any symptoms, But George's reactions have hit home with me.
Jim