You sure about that? There's a LOT of tests that can be run. Your symptoms sound indicative of potentially serious stuff. A surfboard design forum is the last place I'd be asking this sort of question...
Board builders who have died from cancer aren't around to ask.
A CT scan or MRI of the brain would be my first choice if it were me and I was authorized to choose.
Some fiberglass guys have died of brain tumors. Your safety precautions are A-OK but your occupational history should still be raising some red flags. The solvents in resin like Styrene and Xylene are known to be dangerous.
Double vision, nausea, dizziness, etc for 9 months should warrant more than 3 blood tests and a stool exam IMO.
Agree with the above. A urinalysis is worthwhile since the toxic fumes’ metabolites will be excreted in the urine. Red cells, even if they’re not grossly visible, will show up on a urinalysis and any at all in a male warrant explanation. Hairdressers, glassers and others who work with chemicals that are volatile are at risk for bladder cancer.
Oh Fuck.....hate to scare you.....but you might have a Brain Aneurysm. Get the CT scan and the MRI. My wife had the same symptoms.....the day we were scheduled to get a CT scan we ended up in ICU for nine days.........
My wife was told she had a migrane headache.....It can happen to anyone....health freak or smoker.....keep pushing on your health provider. Don't take no for an answer.....tell them you have the most pain anyone has ever had.....
stop making noise and you will be pushed aside.....fight the good fight!
Hey best of wishes with the testing mate but like the rest of the guys say you have to be very pro-active (to the point of being a pain in the ass) to get the tests booked in. If your basic tests haven’t been successful in diagnosing your problem then it’s so easy to get fobbed off. Doctors don’t always like being challenged but your health is worth shouting about and fighting for. I really hope it’s something insignificant but if its not then an early diagnosis is vital to make the best chance of recovery. We’ll all be thinking of you rest assured.
I was dismissed by doctors numerous times in my quest to get a medical problem diagnosed. They don't like to order expensive tests because in some cases, the cost can come right out their pockets. It's a sketchy deal the way insurance providers and doctors operate - at least in the US. You might even consider paying out of pocket and taking it up with your insurance company later?
I ended up purchasing my own medical devices, monitoring things/obtaining a recording, taking the recordings in and literally pounding on the desk in an effort to get my doc's attention. He told me my own supected diagnosis was "impossible." Turns out, it wasn't impossible. I should be dead and likely would be if I had gone along with their program and trusted their expert opinions.
I bought myself a new diagnosis of anxiety/anger management disorder as a result of my outbursts but I also got a referral to someone who could help.
Hang in there and stick to your guns. I hope all your tests turn out alright.
PS - Is that your skull x-ray? What happened in there? If I'm seeing that right, you might find your answer right there!
If you doc isn’t an internal medicine doc, have him refer you to one. Demand a CT scan of your stomach. whether liver, pancreas, stomach, gall bladder, it should show if something is seriously wrong. If it comes back clear, then you need a neurological workup.
I had some similar symptoms 12 years ago, dizzy, nauseous, eye pain, with massive headaches. I could’nt walk cause I was so dizzy and was bed ridden which sent me down a bad path. This went on for about 9 months of fighting with different docs until I had a CT and MRI done, turns out I had a massive sinus infection. It was so bad that it almost spread to my brain, it literally felt like my brain was boiling, ugh. I had a 4.5 hour surgery to clean out the diseased tissue. Sorry enough about me, my point as well as others is this isn’t something to mess with. Get a CT and an MRI and go from there, your body is telling you something. I had every test you could do and it showed nothing until those scans. See a nuerologist if you can too.
Hey Roger, How are things - your thread went quiet and I’m just hoping things are ok? If anything I would make sure you keep clean acetone - that sounds like the most likely culprit for illness due to it carrying the resin through your skin. Good gloves are also a neccessity - I’m guilty of the same and really need to smarten up my act.
I had an MRI the other day so i have to visit the Doc tomorrow for results. Im also booked in for the internal camera’s in the next coming weeks.
After going hard for the last 5 years working, young family, mortgage.trying to surf every day with 5 hours sleep a night and worrying about my father who had a stroke a year ago, i think i may have burnt out a little and the worrying has made me ill.
Ive taken my feet off the gas a little for the past two weeks and have started to feel a lot better.
Im still going through with the internal cameras to to make sure all is well.
I cange my acetone everyday sometimes twice depending on the amount of work, i also use a full face mask to avoid fumes in the eyes.
Maybe i need a holiday, but then i need to work twice as hard to save for one.
Please keep us posted on what you are dealing with. I suspect that a lot of us have been wondering about all those years we worked with fiberglass , resin and assorted chemicals,were we building our own medical ticking time bomb?
I have a similar illness going on right now. It started out a a stomach ache that would not go away. My doctor told me I had acid reflux although I had no obvious acid just the effects of swollen throat/stomach membranes, loss of appetite and an overabundance os saliva production. I’ve lost 30 pounds in 3 months and have zero energy. I’ve been to five different doctors and besides one who believes the valve between my small and large intestine is open causing toxic havoc none of them have been able to pinpoint the source of the problem. I’m taking western, homeopathic and kinesolgogy medicines to address the symptoms. My diet is the most bland menu of basic simple to diget food imaginable. I’m slowly recovering my appetite and energy but it’s the sickest I’ve ever been in my life. My girlfriend kept harping about it’s those toxic chemicals you use but I only use epoxy and wear a mask. On the downside I’ve been around aerospace composte structures for 30 years as a Mfg. Development Engineer. I can’t wait to feel normal again…