Solvents, fuel (jet) and other toxic substances

Is there anyone who would like to compare notes about exposure to hazardous chemicals, jet fuel, solvents and the like? That's my story in a nutshell. The manufacturers of these substances state that exposure can cause or exacerbate arrhythmia. My cardiologist says I had a misdiagnosis 1n 1976, and now I'm sitting here with a squeeky new pacemaker after 33 years of headaches, shortness of breath, passing out on occasion...my guess is these are common symptoms experienced by many. I expect to start feeling better...?

2 Comments

RE Solvents

by Possum Larry - 2009-10-12 06:10:54

Wow! Your posting aroused my curiosity. I spent 21 years in the Navy working on electronics equipment.
I used to clean equipment first in CARBON TETRACHLORIDE and ten when that was outlawed we used 1,1,1 TRICHLOROETHYLENE. I used to have my bare arms totally in the liquid up to my elbows.

When I was discharged in 1983 I had an small entry in my health record that said "Bradycardia" but I was not told what that ment. Fast forward to 1996 I got my first PM due to Bradycardia.

After seeing your post I did a little research on te internet for these two chemicals and here is wat I found.

CARBON TETRACHLORIDE

TRICHLOROETHYLENE

Cardiovascular Toxicants
Exposure to chemical substances can cause adverse effects on the cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) or hematopoietic (blood) systems (Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicity). Exposure to cardiovascular toxicants can contribute to a variety of diseases, including elevated blood pressure (hypertension), hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), abnormal heartbeat (cardiac arrhythmia), and decreased blood flow to the heart (coronary ischemia).

Arrhythmias

by J.B. - 2009-10-12 09:10:36

Probably if many of us more than 60 or 70 looked at their past we would find many substances that we handled that are now considered hazardous to our health. In my case I have used carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, several different alcohols, benzene, ether, gasoline, kerosene, WD-40, you name it, if it would clean a greasy or oily residue from a surface I have probably tried it a few times. Those don't count the greases, lubricating oils, including used motor oils which contain a variety of heavy metals and other bad actors I have had on my skin many times.

In addition, in my younger days I would coat copper pennies with mercury it to make them silver. The best way to do that was take a small ball of mercury put it on the penny and rubs it between your fingers for several minutes. At the time we knew we should not ingest mercury, but so far as I can recall there were no other restrictions on the handling. Then there were the many small lead fishing weights I reshaped with my teeth.

So, it would seem it is no mystery why many of us have heart disease and the associated problems. However, take a look at others here that are much younger than us and have lived in a more protected environment that are talking about similar problems equal to or worse than ours.

Below is what people at Mayo Clinic published on heart arrhythmias. I found it surprising that none of the solvents we have talked about being mentioned
By Mayo Clinic staff

Bradycardia is caused by something that disrupts the normal electrical impulses controlling the rate of your heart's pumping action. Many things can cause or contribute to problems with your heart's electrical system, including:

Degeneration of heart tissue related to aging

Damage to heart tissues from heart disease or heart attack

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Heart disorder present at birth (congenital heart defect)

Infection of heart tissue (myocarditis)

A complication of heart surgery

Under active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) *

Imbalance of electrolytes, mineral-related substances necessary for conducting electrical impulses

Obstructive sleep apnea, the repeated disruption of breathing during sleep *

Inflammatory disease, such as rheumatic fever or lupus

Hemochromatosis, the buildup of iron in organs

Medications, including some drugs for other heart rhythm disorders, high blood pressure and psychosis *

I have put an (*) by the items that I have been told played a role in my arrhythmia.

You know you're wired when...

You take technology to heart.

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