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Without telling me how stupid I am for living under such conditions, can someone who actually knows things about this tell me how bad the risk is to get cancer (or something similar terrrible) in the (near) future ?
1. All the chemicals in the paint & thinneers as well as any chemicals that might be formed when the paint decomposed.
2. A really good estimate of how much you inhaled over how long a period of time. That's probably impossible to know without a really expensive air sampling project.
One of the important rules of toxicology is "the dose makes the poison." A simple example: one aspirin will most likely cause you no harm. A whole bottle will make you seriously ill.
Same thing with carcinogens. We know that cigarette smoking can cause cancer. However, those two or three experimental cigarettes that you snuck at age 10 are too low a dose to be responsible for cancer. Twenty years of daily smoking is a different story.
So although ti is possible to get a list of all the chemicals in that paint, and to see if any of the chemicals are on a list of known carcinogens, without knowing how much you personally inhaled, it's really not possible to give you a true assessment of your risk of future problem.
You could have yourself tested for things like lead in your blood or whether or not your lungs, liver, or kidneys have suffered damage that might cause problems in the future.
In practical terms, all you can do is:
1) get complete medical examinations regularly AND
2) describe your chemical exposure history whenever you see a new health care provider AND
3) get on with your life. Some medical problems associated with chronic exposure to a toxic chemical don't appear until 20-30 years have passed.
This usually goes away after you stop being exposed to the chemical. How long it takes for it to go away depends on the chemical and how much you were exposed to.
As mentioned, damage to liver, kidneys, or lungs may not result in problems for many years.
(I could also go on a long rant about the toxic things I have seen near my current home in 2 years of unsuccessful house-hunting, but that would be off-topic.)
I already did that. The MSDS for the chemicals involved, or even similar chemicals, did not say anything about chronical exposure except on your skin.
The very best of luck with everything.
I'm off for a snack on some fruit and veg. I've got teeth so I don't need a juicer. :-)
And, Mr. Smartypants, "Before the advent of modern technology" does generally mean before the industrial revolution.
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cancerous car paint ?
I have been living for an entire year in a place which is polluted with the fumes of old car paint and thinner. Many canisters of this were in a room next to the kitchen. The inhabitants of the house did not smell the fumes, but everyone felt very tired. We only found out after almost a year that the reason was these rusty canisters. It was next to the kitchen and a lot of our food also sucked in the chemical fumes I assume.Without telling me how stupid I am for living under such conditions, can someone who actually knows things about this tell me how bad the risk is to get cancer (or something similar terrrible) in the (near) future ?
1
Not without knowing1. All the chemicals in the paint & thinneers as well as any chemicals that might be formed when the paint decomposed.
2. A really good estimate of how much you inhaled over how long a period of time. That's probably impossible to know without a really expensive air sampling project.
One of the important rules of toxicology is "the dose makes the poison." A simple example: one aspirin will most likely cause you no harm. A whole bottle will make you seriously ill.
Same thing with carcinogens. We know that cigarette smoking can cause cancer. However, those two or three experimental cigarettes that you snuck at age 10 are too low a dose to be responsible for cancer. Twenty years of daily smoking is a different story.
So although ti is possible to get a list of all the chemicals in that paint, and to see if any of the chemicals are on a list of known carcinogens, without knowing how much you personally inhaled, it's really not possible to give you a true assessment of your risk of future problem.
You could have yourself tested for things like lead in your blood or whether or not your lungs, liver, or kidneys have suffered damage that might cause problems in the future.
3
Unfortunately, yes. But as nutrax has explained, the full catalog of potential problems depends on the exact chemicals involved. If the country you live in requires manufacturers to produce MSDSs (Material Safety Data Sheets), you could look up the MSDS for each product. You would then find the information on "chronic exposure" (in the language of the MSDS, of course).In practical terms, all you can do is:
1) get complete medical examinations regularly AND
2) describe your chemical exposure history whenever you see a new health care provider AND
3) get on with your life. Some medical problems associated with chronic exposure to a toxic chemical don't appear until 20-30 years have passed.
4
Any other surprises except cancer that might be lying in wait?
Any woman who might become pregnant needs to think about possible issues. Toxicologists call this "reproductive effect." This can include increased chance of miscarriage, premature birth, or birth defects. It can include low sperm count or malformed sperm in men. The higher the exposure, the greater the risk. This usually goes away after you stop being exposed to the chemical. How long it takes for it to go away depends on the chemical and how much you were exposed to.
As mentioned, damage to liver, kidneys, or lungs may not result in problems for many years.
6
This sounds rather familiar.
You can check previous posts on this branch by a "nordicone5" and draw your own conclusions. I will note that squatting appears to be far more popular in western Europe than in my own country. So as far as I'm concerned, there is some probability that the 2 posters are different individuals. (I could also go on a long rant about the toxic things I have seen near my current home in 2 years of unsuccessful house-hunting, but that would be off-topic.)
7
I agree with nrclibn. Get out, move on, and live a healthy lifestyle and eat LOTS of fresh organic fruits and (cruciferous) vegetables to start detoxifying. Buy a juicer and get to work.8
If the country you live in requires manufacturers to produce MSDSs (Material Safety Data Sheets), you could look up the MSDS for >each product. You would then find the information on "chronic exposure" (in the language of the MSDS, of course).
I already did that. The MSDS for the chemicals involved, or even similar chemicals, did not say anything about chronical exposure except on your skin.
9
http://healthmad.com/health/the-unhealthy-effects-of-paint-fumes/The very best of luck with everything.
12
I feel that I should make it my business to state the following matters arising from the link in #7:- it is obvious that having a huge blobby gut is unhealthy, I don't think much research is needed for that.
- 'detox' is babble, and no food 'detoxes'.
I'm off for a snack on some fruit and veg. I've got teeth so I don't need a juicer. :-)
14
I stand corrected for my babble. No food does "detoxify". That is the job of the liver and kidneys. If the liver and kidneys are not properly nourished, then they will not work at peak efficiency. Given that the OP may have been challenging his liver metabolism for some time now, a focus on supporting his liver might be a good idea.And, Mr. Smartypants, "Before the advent of modern technology" does generally mean before the industrial revolution.
