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I transferred to a new apartment in my complex and ive been very sick since a few hours into moving in. It's been three days so far my eyes and throat are irritated, I have a sick taste in my mouth, I'm weak, my lungs feel a bit heavy, and my equilibrium feels a bit off. I've had maintainence come in and they don't smell anything or sense anything wrong. The apartment has new carpets and I noticed a chemical odor when I first came into the apartment so I thought I was suffering from vocs but the empty apartment next door has new carpets as well and when I was let in there to see how it compared to my apartment it was perfectly fine and I didn't feel like anything was off like I do here. Transferring to another apartment in the complex will take some time and unfortunately money. If I feel worse I will stay at a family members house until I can move out. I get the feeling the office manager doesn't believe there is anything wrong with the apartment just because the maintenance person isn't noticing anything, so when I arrange to transfer to the apartment next door I doubt they will discount or waive the transfer fee so I've been so stressed because of extra cost to essentially transfer twice as well as being sick. Has anyone here been in my situation before?
I transferred to a new apartment in my complex and ive been very sick since a few hours into moving in. It's been three days so far my eyes and throat are irritated, I have a sick taste in my mouth, I'm weak, my lungs feel a bit heavy, and my equilibrium feels a bit off. I've had maintainence come in and they don't smell anything or sense anything wrong. The apartment has new carpets and I noticed a chemical odor when I first came into the apartment so I thought I was suffering from vocs but the empty apartment next door has new carpets as well and when I was let in there to see how it compared to my apartment it was perfectly fine and I didn't feel like anything was off like I do here. Transferring to another apartment in the complex will take some time and unfortunately money. If I feel worse I will stay at a family members house until I can move out. I get the feeling the office manager doesn't believe there is anything wrong with the apartment just because the maintenance person isn't noticing anything, so when I arrange to transfer to the apartment next door I doubt they will discount or waive the transfer fee so I've been so stressed because of extra cost to essentially transfer twice as well as being sick. Has anyone here been in my situation before?
It could be the apartment and the rugs or nearly anything else in the apartment. I moved to an apartment two years ago and my husband and I could both smell something funny on the rugs. With mine, I think it was something they cleaned the carpeting with, something strong. We left windows open and it finally did go away but it was sickening for a while.
I knew some people who bought a brand new house and had to abandon it a year later. They lost a lot of money and were made sick from the carpeting. The husband had to go on disability, losing a great job that he loved. They kept some of the stuff they had removed from that house in a small room in their new apartments and I went into that room and took one whiff and felt dizzy and sick. I was so sick from it that I could taste the chemicals in my mouth. Turned out to be high levels of formaldehyde in the carpeting. They were "lucky" because they owned it and could send carpet samples to be tested.
But I don't know why the other apartment next door to you with new carpeting doesn't smell. The office manager can't smell it because s/he isn't sensitive to chemicals. Some people are and some aren't.
My advice would be to get out of there. When you are sensitive to chemicals, it will only get worse and it can takes years to reverse it. You can get really, really sick. I don't know if you'd be better off in the other apartment. Maybe it's a different kind of carpeting? Maybe yours was treated with something? Go and stay with someone until you know what to do. Maybe your apartment will be better in a few months like mine was. (You can spend a lot of money on high end air purifiers that could help but right now it sounds like you need to stay away from that apartment.)
I had problems after moving into my apartment. It was not immediate, but after I turned the AC on. There was literally dirt and fur coming out of the vents and the blower was making squealing noises. They had a duct and blower cleaning and said the blower was caked in grime and dirt that must have been coming out of the vents.
It could be many things - have you tried opening the windows and airing out the place? In addition to new carpets, it could be due to freshly painted walls, turning on the heating system etc.
Some of us are sensitive to things that 99% of the population have no reaction . I was sensitive to freshly painted walls due to a chemical in the paint. I had to stay out of the building where I worked for 3 days until the paint dried and the smell of fresh paint was no more.
A neighbor bought a house that belonged to a smoker with pets. No problem with smells until they turned on the heating system. While the place had been cleaned and painted before going on the market the issue only showed up when they turned on the heat. The duct work needed to be professionally cleaned and the house completely aired out for a week.
I can walk into an old book store for 20 minutes or be in a room with a wood burning fireplace going and even though I leave the area - I will be sick for 3 days! Minor exposure to something you are allergic to can take days for you to recover.
Could it have been exterminated recently? Maybe they did it before you moved in to get rid of any "previous" bugs.
Ew. That's possible. I know when I bought my house long ago, it had just been exterminated. The realtor told me that it stunk to the high heaven. That stuff is toxic and the realtor knew it. Luckily, I had a few weeks before I moved it and it never bothered me. There are less toxic ways to have it exterminated but these people used the worst and it could have made them really sick.
But if that's the case, it would be okay within a few weeks (if it's the same stuff they used in my house.)
Might be cleaners used on rugs or carpets.. air fresheners.. paint with VOCs..mould.. cigarette nicotine which sticks to everything.. I have MCS have had for nearly 60s years and everything makes me ill from soap powders to air fresheners. perfumes. everything petro chemical. you ll have to clean walls floors , in fact everything in the apartment and air it well for days if possible.
Ew. That's possible. I know when I bought my house long ago, it had just been exterminated. The realtor told me that it stunk to the high heaven. That stuff is toxic and the realtor knew it. Luckily, I had a few weeks before I moved it and it never bothered me. There are less toxic ways to have it exterminated but these people used the worst and it could have made them really sick.
But if that's the case, it would be okay within a few weeks (if it's the same stuff they used in my house.)
if this is the case the whole apartment will need aired and cleaned walls the lot .. pesitcides are very dangerous to health.
It could be the apartment and the rugs or nearly anything else in the apartment. I moved to an apartment two years ago and my husband and I could both smell something funny on the rugs. With mine, I think it was something they cleaned the carpeting with, something strong. We left windows open and it finally did go away but it was sickening for a while.
I knew some people who bought a brand new house and had to abandon it a year later. They lost a lot of money and were made sick from the carpeting. The husband had to go on disability, losing a great job that he loved. They kept some of the stuff they had removed from that house in a small room in their new apartments and I went into that room and took one whiff and felt dizzy and sick. I was so sick from it that I could taste the chemicals in my mouth. Turned out to be high levels of formaldehyde in the carpeting. They were "lucky" because they owned it and could send carpet samples to be tested.
But I don't know why the other apartment next door to you with new carpeting doesn't smell. The office manager can't smell it because s/he isn't sensitive to chemicals. Some people are and some aren't.
My advice would be to get out of there. When you are sensitive to chemicals, it will only get worse and it can takes years to reverse it. You can get really, really sick. I don't know if you'd be better off in the other apartment. Maybe it's a different kind of carpeting? Maybe yours was treated with something? Go and stay with someone until you know what to do. Maybe your apartment will be better in a few months like mine was. (You can spend a lot of money on high end air purifiers that could help but right now it sounds like you need to stay away from that apartment.)
your so right about all you say.. even Scotchguard on soft furnishings and carpets is hazardous to health.. scrub the whole apartment top to bottom and air it for days. dont use air fresheners or strong discinfectants to hide this smell. use eco washing up cleaners , vinegar too and hope you get better soon.
Hmm, never happened to me when moving into a NEW apt, but after a few yrs of living in my current apt, I've:
- developed allergic asthma
- developed on/off dizziness
I've had numerous tests re: the above and there's no answer to how/why it started. Now, this could have nothing to do w/ my apt. I have an air purifier here, but I can't notice any difference for better or worse.
Have you also thought about:
- mold in the apt - deep down where pipes are & way underneath things
- can you tell something different in your apt that's NOT or IS in the next door one? Really wrack your brain.
- radon
- gas leak
If I think of anything else, I'll post again. I'm sorry. I know how it feels to not feel good.
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