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>I have been GF for 5 years now (biopsy proven celiac) and I have
>noticed a very growing sensitivity to chemicals.  I was contacted by a
>nurse this past week who is diagnosed as chemical intolerant and I was
>struck by the parallel symptoms and suggested to her that she get
>tested for CD.  She had already put herself on a GF diet with excellent
>results.  She did ask me to inquire of this list as to the possibility
>of a correlation between the two.  She is of the mind that her CD was
>caused by the Chemicals, I am more inclined to thing the reverse is
>true.  Speaking for myself, I am beginning to feel that I will have to
>live in a glass ball in order to breath.  Any others out there with
>similar problems.  Anyone think we could ban perfume?
>Just a thought.......Carollee, living with, not for CD.
 
Just to give those with extreme chemical sensitivities some hope, I, too
had a dreadful time with anything related to petroleum fumes, any perfume,
any soap with fragance, etc.  I still am very aware of fabric softener in
clothes dryers as I walk around the neighborhood. And I am still bothered
by driving behind some cars.  Chevolet engines seem to have an offensive
exhaust for some reason.  But the good news is that now these things are
just smells and no longer cause me to flip my lid or burst into tears or
feel paranoid or angry with the world.  It just took time.  The more I
stayed on the gluten- free diet the more the air-born sensitivities faded.
The only thing I still try to avoid is stores that sell carpet and some new
(usually inexpensive) carpet in hotels, hospitals (!) and some homes.
Those fumes still strike me as excessively toxic.  I try to stand up-wind
when I put gas in the car.
 
Anyway, I am 90% past negative reactions to fumes and I hope the rest of
you who have had problems with out-gassing or perfumes, etc., will
eventually improve as I have done.
 
Gayle Kennedy