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Light, sound, smell sensitivity?

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Posted 10/19/2008 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Does anyone else have this? If so, how do you deal? I work at Sephora, a makeup store, so you can imagine what smells and sounds trigger migraines. I'm also a fragrance expert, and I'm expected to be able to help people with fragrance! FM is making this so difficult! It's also a policy in our dress code to wear perfume and it's hard some days to even do this! Please help!
Posted 10/19/2008 5:13 AM (GMT 0)

Garnetstar - I have pretty extreme sensitivities to all that you mentioned.  I don't have any advice - sorry - other than trying to find another job.  I'm just confirming that I think this is fairly common in fibro and all those things can trigger flares....or keep you in a prolonged state of flare.  Hopefully others will be along with some practical advice....Good luck!

Lucy

Posted 10/19/2008 7:29 AM (GMT 0)

i am extremely sensitive to light and noise. i find even basic sunlight to be harsh and im super sensitive to noises that are metallic, jangly or high pitched. my only advice it to try and avoid whatever triggers your sensitivities, although i know that not always a practical, possible thing to do.

im sorry you are suffering, i know how you feel

Maz

:-)  

Posted 10/19/2008 9:07 AM (GMT 0)
Ms Garnet- I am really sorry that you are in this trap right now! I see this problem having two layers of solution- short term, perhaps speak to your manager about waiving the must wear perfume rule, this seems so asinine to me :) Maybe the mgr will understand that migraines are triggered by the intensity of fragrance. Long term, you may need to find another job where your health is not so compromised. If you are an expert, then that means you have spent years learning your business, and I am sorry to suggest that you need to leave the work you spent so much time mastering- but you may have no choice if you want to avoid those nasty flares. I deal with the same challenges, esp. smell and light. I can relate to what you are going through. Maybe an alternative is changing positions within Sephora, maybe in training, HR, something that would come natural to you, and where the company can maximize your gand experience. Good luck, we will be thinking of you, and keep us posted on your progress.
Peace!
Posted 10/19/2008 1:39 PM (GMT 0)

I also have these sensitivities.  I can't even go into a sephora store and have only found one perfume that doesn't irritate me.  I wish I could help you because I know how miserable this can be but my only answer would be to avoid the things that bother you.  Do you have options in your job that maybe you could work behind the seens where you could control some of your triggers?  I hope you find an answer!

Meggie

Posted 10/19/2008 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
You're not alone. I have all sorts of sensitivities. Light, sound, temperature, and smells. I know that smells are a big problem for me both natural and chemical ones. I can't handle being in the same room with a smoker or someone wearing scented products for very long or I start to get headaches and go into coughing fits, sometimes it even triggers my asthma or makes me dizzy and sick to my stomach. Many smells that most people wouldn't even consider being strong are a problem for me. One thing that drives me nuts is that products that are labeled as being hypoallergenic still have fragrance in them and the smells from those items often set me off coughing or give me headaches.

The only thing I can do is try to avoid the things that make me feel ill. I did ask my rheumatologist if there was a way to reduce my sensitivities because for me this is a much bigger problem then my pain and fatigue. Unfortunately he said that there was no way to treat these symptoms except avoidance.

I'm sorry to say that you will most likely have to leave your job. If you are constantly surrounded by something that is making you feel sick, then it's probably just going to get worse. Perhaps if you explain to your boss your situation, then maybe they can make some accommodations for you, but I find it unlikely that there will be much they can do for you in that sort of a job.
Posted 10/19/2008 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all your help, guys! Yeah, I guess I'm probably going to have to either deal or find a new job. I can't keep on working with migraines. I'll try to talk to my manager about maybe some alternatives, but for now unless I move into corporate I'm kinda stuck. I'm so sad because perfumes are one of my passions, and having to give that up sucks. This disease is so frustrating!!!! Well, thank you again!
Posted 10/19/2008 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
The only time I tend to have any sensitivity to light, and/or sound is during a flare up.  It's mostly noise that bothers me, not so much scents.

 

Maybe you can ask your mgr. for a transfer to another department.  Being that you're already well versed in their company policy, I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult for you training in another area.  Let them know that you enjoying working for the company, but your current job obviously isn't a good fit for your health.  If you have a decent manager, they'll open up other doors for you.

Good luck to you! 

Posted 10/19/2008 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
garnetstar,

 

First of all, welcome to the family.  I usually am around a lot, but I've spent the last week moving my life across the country-mainly because of fibro. rolleyes   Anyway, I have all of these sensitivities, too-especially the smells and sounds.  I really think that's why a lot of us have such a problem with sleeping.  I am a very light sleeper.  Any noise wakes me up (and trust me, it's extra hard to sleep when you have a mother who bangs everything around.  I swear, that woman could make stepping on an ant sound loud). eyes

 

On my plane trip back from LAX, my mom and I were sitting in front of a man who not only talked constantly (I mean, for y'all that know me, this man talked more than I do! shocked ), but he was so loud.  I was already frustrated and painful, so about an hour into the 4 hour flight, I couldn't take it any more and just blurted out, "SHUT UP!" mad   Not only did I crack my mom up, I got at least 10 people telling me, "thank you."  BTW-I am never rude like that, so I had been pushed beyond my breaking point. cry

 

The smells thing is really bad, too.  I cannot imagine having to work in a perfume store! shakehead   My mom has dozens of those plug in air fresheners in the house, and the first thing I did when I walked in my room was to unplug it and take it out of the room.  I can still smell it and this was 2 days ago.

 

I do have a light sensitivity, but I don't really have too many situations where I'm stuck in bright light or I can't turn the lights off.  Luckily, I don't have too much trouble with this one.

Posted 10/19/2008 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Haha! I am so glad you had the courage to tell a guy like that off. I hate it when people are on public transportation and won't shut up. And I never have the courage to tell them to be quiet! Yeah, my boyfriend started snoring in his sleep a while ago and it's gotten so bad with my sensitivity that he has to sleep on the couch. sad I really don't want to have to leave my job because I love it, but my health is more important, so if it comes down to it it's what I'm going to have to do. Thank you guys for being so welcoming, a lot of people are telling me I should snap out of it and just be thankful that I don't have anything worse, but to do that is really hard to do right now! Especially because of my age, people aren't understanding. I'm glad I have people to talk to who understand!
Posted 10/19/2008 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
garnetstar,

 

As I've gotten older (and sicker), I have a lot less patience, but like I said, I usually never yell at people like that.  Of course, I had just finished an entire week of packing up my life, moving, etc, so I was beyond stressed.  Also, as much as I love my mother, sometimes I just can't take it anymore.  OMG-the snoring thing?  My mom snores so loud that I can hear her all the way down the hallway. shocked   After the movers came to pick up my stuff, we spent the night in a hotel.  Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep. shakehead    When she lays on her back, it's the worst.  I kindly tried to wake her up and tell her to please turn over (OK, after asking her 3 times and her not hearing me, maybe I wasn't so kind).  She asked me what was wrong.  I was so exhausted and grumpy, I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.  I'm not sure what this means, but I said, "Turn over!  It sounds like you're trying to blow up a basketball!" smhair

 

Anyway...

 

If all of us got together and counted the times people have told us to "get over it," "suck it up," "it's not that bad," and my personal favorite, "but you don't look sick," we'd be in the millions.  LOL-and that's just counting our family members! wink    Believe me, we all know how much it sucks to feel like this and have no one understand or believe you.  People think we are just "tired."  If they only knew...

Posted 10/19/2008 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Garnetstar,      You may think I'm nuts but I'll tell you what works for me. I work around a lot of people with strong body odors (not perfume) if you know what I mean. I've also ministered in nursing homes. I do have a sensitivity to smells. It seems I smell everything to a ten when everyone else barely notices it.       I use a simple cough drop (menthol). It seems to block all the other smells. The only draw back is that you will smell like a cough drop all the time. I use the sugarless kind because I almost always have one in my mouth.      I hope you find some help. Sometimes the simplest things can be an answer.      
Posted 10/20/2008 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
I get that too! I can't even where lipgloss because I can smell it so strongly. I'm so sorry, but I have no cure for this. With the wearing parfume at work thing, just talk to your employer, if that doesn't work, just don't wear it, when there's so many scents around anyway, people probably won't even notice! :)
Posted 10/20/2008 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
I will definitely try the cough drop idea! I got a migraine today that was so bad I had to go home (again). I'm so over this! mad
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