Wendy M. asks, “What is the best way to cope with chemical sensitivity syndrome, especially when everything makes you sick but you need to take antibiotics or medications?”
A: Unfortunately, the only way to manage multiple chemical sensitivities is to avoid the offending chemical, odor,fume, or smoke. Exposures can trigger headache, nausea, respiratory symptoms, wheezing, and generally fling unwell. Chemical sensitivities can trigger a flare of CFS/ME/FM too.
Exposures can be limited or abated by alkalinizing. That is, take a pinch of sodium bicarbonate (such as Arm & Hammer Baking Soda) by mouth and wash it down with a swig of pure filtered water. This can be repeated every 5 minutes until the exposure is abated.
Specialists in chemical sensitivities frequently recommend scavengers (such as B12), antioxidants (pycnoganol, resveratrol, and others), and glutathione supplementation (nebulized, parenterally, or as N-Acetyl Cysteine ).
When it is necessary to take offending medications or antibiotics, an allergist can sometimes desensitize an individual.