[Shangrala]

I have chronic pneumonia.....returns every year. Because of that, over the years, my lungs have become oversensitive and susceptible to the faintest of odors.

These past couple days, I began to smell faint odor of what I first thought was ether, but it subsided. Now, I smell a distinct odor of what seems to be acetone....like polish remover?

I looked everywhere for where the smell is coming from, but I can't figure it out.
I'm becoming quite sick from the odor quickly....in a matter of only a few hours now. Cold sweats, dizzy, blurred vision, nauseous. I tried to eat, thinking it was only from being hungry...only enhansed the ill feeling.

I presently have a cold washcloth on forehead, trying to feel better, front door wide open with fans going (even tho its only in the teens outside...lol), but I'm not feeling better.

The ex is due back in a few hours.....but til then, would anyone have any idea what could be the cause of an acetone odor seeping into a home?
Just wondering.

Thankies....

Shangrala

[Elysium]

Shang....

My suggestion would be to call the non-ER # for the fire dept or police department and let them know what you are smelling.

Unless something got spilled inside your home, your garage, or in your yard, there is no reason I am aware of that you should have this odor.

One thing I would like to point out is that Ether and acetone type chemicals are used to make certain drugs like PCP. Do you have any neighbors that might be into illegal drugs?

Regardless...if this is making you ill...call for asst now. Don't wait for your ex to get home. If someone's making drugs or mixing chemicals near by you that is very dangerous and unstable...not to mention a health risk.

Please call now and have someone check it out!!

And let us know that your okay.....okay?

[(JD)]

I wouldn't forget about this if I were you. I can't smell at all anymore, but rely upon my carbon dioxide detector for fumes from the car. Do you park the car in a garage attached to the home?

Do you have any gas elements in the home? (Stove, heater etc?) Have you turned on your electric heat recently? It could be "burning off" the bit of dust on it from not being used all year.

If you have gas appliances, check the pilot lights. Gas, in itself is odorless. They put a "smelling ingredient" into it so that you can detect a problem before it kills someone.

Now, do you only smell this odor after you've had you window or door open? It could be someone has a meth lab in your neighborhood. If you don't find anything within your home causing this odor, call your fire department to come check it out. Let them call the police if they sense the same thing I'm thinking.

Have you begun a new medication recently? Read the flyer on it, some SSRI/SSNRIs cause sensory changes including smells.

[Elysium]

The smell of acetone can also be related to your body going into a catabolic state....from being ill. Protein catabolism is the break down of proteins into amino acids. If you're ill...you could be exhaling off these acids and it could be on your breath.

Can you tell if it is your breath that has the odor...or is it definitely coming from somewhere else?

Either way...I still suggest having the FD come out and do a safety inspection.

Acetone can be used for making PCP, washing/cleaning cocaine, and also in Meth production, as Sky mentioned. If it is from one of these things...that is dangerous as acetone fumes are highly flammable and can be explosive.

[Shangrala]

I admit, that I have had a past (15+ years ago) indirectly associated to others (who i thot were friends at that time) who cooked meth in home made labs in their homes. Naive as I was then, I learned hard, but valuable lessons from that.

I'm fully aware of what meth labs reak of....ether. A VERY distinct odor....cannot confuse that smell with any other. And unless the chemists have changed their cooking methods, Acetone hasn't been a chemical used? And, yes...it is possible that neighbors are the culprit...tho I don't know them personally...hard to say what's what. Come to think of it...new neighbors JUST moved into the house across from us 2 days ago....Hmmmm.

At any rate, it isn't helping me much at this point. I'll see what local departments will say...I'll call them.

Thanks for your inputs...I greatly appreciate it.
I'll keep informed.

Shangrala

[Shangrala]

Oh wow. Really? Acetone IS used? I didn't know that.

Okay. I'll take care of this then.

I started feeling ill as a result of the odor....Granted, I may need to brush teeth atm....lol...but the ill feeling is a result of this odor....from somewhere. So long as I keep a moistened, cool washcloth to face and breathe through that, I seem ok....but after removing from face for about not even 5 mins....I begin to feel sick again.

I'll let you know how things go....
Thanks for all the concerns....appreciate it so much.

[Elysium]

Shangrala...

Hope I didn't anger you with my posts. I wasn't meaning to infer anything by bringing up drug issues.

I never know how aware people are of what these chemicals are used for so sometimes I offer info that they already know. Just wanted to give you info so you could have this looked into.

Hope everything works out for you!

[Shangrala]

Originally Posted by Elysium

Shangrala...

Hope I didn't anger you with my posts. I wasn't meaning to infer anything by bringing up drug issues.

I never know how aware people are of what these chemicals are used for so sometimes I offer info that they already know. Just wanted to give you info so you could have this looked into.

Hope everything works out for you!

Awwww, Ely~
No offense taken. I posted for input...and you've been honest, helpul and concerned. ....JUST what I seeks....lol....
All's perfectly good. Alright?

Thank you. I honestly do appreciate it.

Shangrala

[FooZe]

This may be something of a long shot, but...

Could your mystery odor be coming from the heating system? I once tracked down a plasticky odor, a bit like new carpeting, to frying insulation on a furnace blower motor.

If you can't stand to smell it then you're going to be at a disadvantage in locating the source and might want to bring in someone else to help with the sniffing. I'd proceed by keeping track of when and where I smelled it. If it was uniformly strong all over the house, I'd assume that either the heating system or some kind of draft was helping to circulate it. If it dissipated when the heating system wasn't in use, then appeared first near the heat vents, that would pretty much finger the heating system as the suspect. If it was strongest in one room, that would obviously be the place to focus.

If it did turn out to be neighbor-related, that wouldn't necessarily mean a drug lab. Some crafts use lacquers with acetone-like solvents, too. In that case, I'd hope they were taking precautions not to brain-damage themselves or burn the house down.

Good luck, Shangrala, and I'd love to know what you figure out.

[Shangrala]

Just thought I'd update....

The ex returned, looked throughout and discovered a bottle of solvent that had been tipped over in basement. Apparently, my son had been nosing about down there without my awareness and had dis concerned himself with the messy trail he left behind.
You'd think that being the age my son is (25), that he'd be a little more aware of his actions....but ehh, this isn't my place, I'm only visiting, and he's in his own world, I suppose. At least it didn't turn out for the worst.

Odor has since completely gone now, and I'm feeling better.

Thanks all for your concerns. You all are great..

Shangrala

[Sabrina]

Glad you were able to get to the root of the problem

[Rmdctc]

Glad to hear it was nothing that was very serious.