Scent Sensitivity and Medical Office

[smokeyblue]

Like a previous poster, the unscented products make me feel ill. I also am extremely sensitive to some scents, especially florals. It's hard for me to choose soaps, shampoos, etc., because even some that seem okay in the store make me sick after about an hour of wearing them, so when I find something that works for me, I stick with it. I was assigned to a patient once who was extremely sensitive to scents, even to the soap I used. I ended up switching with another nurse because I couldn't switch up the products I was using to accommodate the patient and minimizing the amount I used didn't help the issue. I was certainly sympathetic, but accommodating the patient by using unscented products would have caused me to be ill.

I think if it were me, I would look for another physician's office - does your physician practice in multiple locations? If you could smell the scent before you even entered the office, that's pretty extreme. If I wanted to stay with my doctor, I would call ahead and explain my situation before coming in for an appointment and ask if they would wash off/refrain from using the lotion while I was there. I think, in general, people try to be accommodating, and they would probably be more receptive to trying to minimize your exposure during your visits rather than a blanket request for a completely scent-free office, especially if you only visit occasionally.

I live in a rural college town. We have a very large hospital, but lack of providers. There are 3 primary practices, 2 which do not take new patients. Switching is not an option. I brought my concern to the right person and they are going to address it with the clinic manager.

 

[smokeyblue]

If you couldn't see the label, how did you know it was scented?

I spared many details for the sake of brevity. My first question when I got to the window was is someone burning a candle in here? I explained that there was a very strong scent that smelled like a scented candle and it was giving me a really bad headache. The clerk said she had just put on lotion. The fact that the clerk offered that the lotion may be the culprit, it was in a bottle that looked like B&BW and was dyed pink; one could safely deduce from all of those facts, that the lotion was scented.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I live in a rural college town. We have a very large hospital, but lack of providers. There are 3 primary practices, 2 which do not take new patients. Switching is not an option. I brought my concern to the right person and they are going to address it with the clinic manager.

Smelling a lotion down the hallway and through the door doesn't sound possible. More likely a person ahead of you, wearing heavy perfume, walked down the hallway & into the office. You didn't even see the label on the lotion and yet decided that was the cause. The right person may look into it & find that it's a bottle of unscented lotion. There may be nothing the clinic manager can do for you other than possibly request that other patients don't wear perfume or heavily scented lotions when they come in but they won't be able to guarantee it because it's not really a reasonable request.

 

[Kellykins1218]

ok then

 

[anniemae]

Smelling a lotion down the hallway and through the door doesn't sound possible. More likely the a person ahead of you wearing heavy perfume walked down the hallway & into the office. You didn't even see the label on the lotion and yet decided that was the cause. The right person may look into it & find that it's a bottle of unscented lotion. There may be nothing the clinic manager can do for you other than possibly request that other patients don't wear perfume or heavily scented lotions when they come in but they won't be able to guarantee it because it's not really a reasonable request.

That's why I think it's just easier if OP carries around those disposable masks in her purse. That way she can just slip one on if a scent bothers her,. It is almost impossible to find out what is bothering her, the world is filled with scents. So many people in and out of the office wearing perfume, lotions, sunscreen, hair products etc. Not to mention cleaning products, candles etc. Just easier to use a mask IMO, not only in this office, but anywhere else people are congregated.

 

[design_mom]

I also have scent sensitivities, especially when headaches are involved. Sometimes prolonged exposure to scents gives me a headache, and at other extreme aversion to scents -- even "pleasant ones" -- is one of the first signs that a headache is coming on. I feel sorry for what you're going through.

I am glad it sounds like the office is going to help you out by removing the scented items, but I agree with some others that dictating what others can/cannot smell like is difficult to do in many situations (and if you had trouble with the smell of the cleaner they use, it might be more difficult for them to accommodate, etc.) I wonder, if you encounter a similar situation again, if you could check in, tell them you have a reaction to something in the waiting room, and ask if you can wait outside (in the hall, in your car, etc.) and have them call you when they are ready for you. In this day of cell phones, that seems like it would be reasonable and might make things more bearable for you.

 

[sam_gordon]

I spared many details for the sake of brevity. My first question when I got to the window was is someone burning a candle in here? I explained that there was a very strong scent that smelled like a scented candle and it was giving me a really bad headache. The clerk said she had just put on lotion. The fact that the clerk offered that the lotion may be the culprit, it was in a bottle that looked like B&BW and was dyed pink; one could safely deduce from all of those facts, that the lotion was scented.

OK. So then my next question would be how do you handle being out in public at all if you can smell a scented lotion outside an office in a hallway?

In many threads on the Dis, usually talking about children's peanut allergies and attending school, someone invariably posts "prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child". That sounds like the case here. Yes, it's nice the doctor's office is going "scent free". But that's not going to prevent a patient, a vendor, a repairman, etc from bringing a scent into the office. IMO, your efforts would be better suited to finding things YOU can do (like wearing masks) to prevent outbreaks than expecting/hoping everyone will abide by your needs.

 

[WorldWacky]

You'd hate our school, then, because they are very into aromatherapy. From the second you walk through the door, it smells fabulous. Many of the teachers have Scentsy warmers going all the time.

To YOU, it smells fabulous. Others may not agree. I work in a school and one of our teachers is constantly burning scented candles. I'm actually surprised that it's allowed given the many sensitivities/migraines/asthma that children have. I have no problem walking by her room, but would not be able to have an entire class with her without a headache or worse, migraine coming on.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I can tell you that as I have gotten older, I've gotten more sensitive to scents. It's actually kind of embarrassing because I know how people react so I have only told my closest friends/family just out of necessity.

It is exactly the same for me. I've always had a great sense of smell but even in the last 2 years things have begun to bother me much more. I've taken to wearing mostly unscented skin products (soap/lotion) and a single spray of perfume. If something smells bad I start gagging uncontrollably and have to remove myself before it escalates. This has happened to me several times at the gym the last few months...and it's super embarrassing because people think you are just being dramatic over their gym b.o. when I can't actually help it. With a coworker I didn't know well wore perfume that you could smell long after she left, I just moved my desk. When a coworker I did know well wore a particular scent that bothered me, I just asked her nicely to stop spraying it at the office and she did.

 

[SharonZ]

If I were the OP, I would look at the situation differently. How often are you at that doctors office, once a week, once a month, twice a year? What I'm saying is your time spent at that office is probably limited. If you aren't willing to wear some sort of surgical mask, maybe it's time for you to find a new medical practice.

 

[smokeyblue]

OK. So then my next question would be how do you handle being out in public at all if you can smell a scented lotion outside an office in a hallway?

In many threads on the Dis, usually talking about children's peanut allergies and attending school, someone invariably posts "prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child". That sounds like the case here. Yes, it's nice the doctor's office is going "scent free". But that's not going to prevent a patient, a vendor, a repairman, etc from bringing a scent into the office. IMO, your efforts would be better suited to finding things YOU can do (like wearing masks) to prevent outbreaks than expecting/hoping everyone will abide by your needs.

First I find it really funny how everyone is perseverating on the issue of me smelling the scent in the hall just outside the office. It was just in the little vestibule right by the door. Those of you who are "medical professionals", tell me if you can smell c-diff in the hall outside a closed patient room? Most rooms in any building have positive pressure to the corridor. That's why you can smell your patients in the hall even when the door is closed and why it is still possible that I could smell the lotion or whatever it was in the hall/vestibule or whatever. And no, I'm not blowing smoke up your nether regions, I actually do work for the heath system that oversees this clinic in plant operations and negative and positive pressure, door latching and air changes per hour are some of my most very favorite topics.

To answer your question, I handle being in public quite well; thank you for asking! The vast majority of scents don't bother me; I just smell them very strongly. The ones that do don't affect me very much. I can turn my head, put my hand over my face, breath through my mouth or walk away. I did have to ask a co-worker to stop wearing his cologne. He is a good guy and one of my favorite work people and has bad headaches too triggered by other things and he understood. The other scent that bothered me was an epoxy. I learned to walk away sooner when that comes out; which is rare.

In our department, we operate under the the premise that the patient comes first. The guys I work with are ridiculously militant about it! If anything that is related to a patient needs to be fixed or attended to, everything else is dropped and that comes first. No matter how minor; and it's usually minor like a broken window shade. I personally think refraining from using scented lotion is the very least my fellow employees in the clinic can do to make patients like myself comfortable (yes, its not just me). And no, I wouldn't be a total jerk and say, well Sally had lotion at her desk and it's a policy and you need to talk to her. I vaguely mentioned it to a third party colleague who is in the position to do something about it. All I said was scented product and such and such clinic and she didn't want to know or need to any more because our hospital policy extends to the clinic. She said she would take care of it. I would never ever bring something up to hurt or embarrass someone intentionally. I'm glad that easy, because I would have probably left it at that otherwise.

 

[Andrea]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves EVER. YOU have a problem with her lotion, that is fine. Why didn't you say something to HER but instead you go to her BOSS !! That is not fair, if you asked nicely for the lady to put it up and she didn't then go to her BOSS !!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You'd hate our school, then, because they are very into aromatherapy. From the second you walk through the door, it smells fabulous. Many of the teachers have Scentsy warmers going all the time.

I would have to pull my kid from a school like that!

Sensory Integration Disorder is a real thing.

My DH and DD have it. Sucks for me for sure.

OP find an office with a scent free policy, they are out there.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I sooooo agree.
IMHO, dispersed scents are toxic, and are olfactory assault.
There are very real and undeniable physical consequences.
They should be banned in any place that is mandated to provide public service, such as school classrooms and medical offices that are not exclusive private practices.

I have seen my son, at school, with his face swollen up so bad that it if were any worse, it would border on an anaphylactic response. When we brought it up, he told us about one teachers plug-ins.... She agreed that she wouldn't run the plug in, only while he was in the room (like nobody else mattered), then she moved it away from his desk, (like a few feet would help) and then ended up running TWO AND THREE OF THE THINGS AT ONCE.

We, as a society, have been smart enough to recognize the hazards of smoking in enclosed public spaces.
I only wish that dispersed scents, and over-use of heavily perfumed products, would be next.

 

[acebatonfan]

I don't know if this might be more irritating, but could you chew some really strong mint gum or wear a surgical mask with some Vicks or peppermint oil right around your nose (or a really strong mint chapstick)? Breathing through your mouth instead of your nose?

 

[smokeyblue]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves EVER. YOU have a problem with her lotion, that is fine. Why didn't you say something to HER but instead you go to her BOSS !! That is not fair, if you asked nicely for the lady to put it up and she didn't then go to her BOSS !!!

It is my pet peeve when people make assumptions and don't give people the benefit of the doubt.

I never blamed any one individual person; nor would I. This is a large office and there are dozens of clerks, nurses, MA's and other staff that work there. I have stated I wouldn't intentionally hurt or embarrass anyone.

And BTW, I did tell the clerk that I thought it may be her lotion that was bothering me (this was after the aforementioned is someone burning a candle in here question/comment). She was actually quite rude about it; maybe not on purpose though. I think she was very flustered and didn't know what to say and I gave her the benefit of the doubt that is why her behavior/reaction wasn't professional. She actually made a growling noise which was kind of weird.