Diesel fume headaches?

[dave1949]

Yeah - I'm kinda thinking it's the CO in my case. When I didn't operate my tractor for a couple of weeks I didn't get them. That what got me thinking. I think my sinuses have gotten more sensitive as I've aged and I've been exposed to a lot of wood dust because of my job.

I 'd hate to have to operate my tractor with a respirator on I also have hooked up my ballast box in the garage with door open and idling while it was warming up a few times. Not good probably.


Oh and I did actually have a drink one or two nights after operating, probably did make it worse. The headaches are very debilitating when they happen, it sucks.

Are you sure you aren't developing migraine headaches? When you say debilitating, that's what comes to mind. No personal experience but used to work with a guy who had them bad. He would sometimes take 1-2 days off work. Said all he could do is take the medicine and lay in a darkened room when they hit.
Dave.

 

[LBrown59]

I have an unproven medical theory that if you have ever had a dose of carbon monoxide poisoning, you remain very sensitive to it for a long time.

I also have a problem which may be related to bifocals. If I get under the tractor for maintenance laying on my back, I get this very strong seasick feeling that comes on rapidly. This is with the engine off, so no diesel fumes. I don't get it when I lay on my back in bed and read just about every night. Is it all in my head??
Dave.

mite b

 

[dave1949]

mite b

LB - That's what scares me the most :laughing:

How are you feeling these days?
Dave.

 

[Coyote machine]

I don't think it is in anyone's head. I have had headaches from just the slightest exposure to co from gas engines, lawnmowers, etc. There is a local wood fired oven baked who was detoxed by some sort of hyperbaric (sp?) chamber due to his blood being so saturated by co from burning the wood from his oven.
I know from exposure to car exhaust from my shop ownership days I can't be around any exhaust for even the shortest time without wicked headaches that take having to sleep, once I can, and by the next day i am usually OK.
Its cumulative too! Meaning whatever level of toxins are currently in your bloodstream further exposure just makes it worse.
Migraines, neck aches and the rest all play a part too, because it is stressful running machinery if one is contentious. Frequent breaks, lots of water for hydration and a hat, etc. for hot weather all help the other symptoms.
My advice is if you think your head aches due to exhaust exposure then limit your exposure to a minimum.

 

[LBrown59]

LB - That's what scares me the most :laughing:

*How are you feeling these days?
Dave.

Doing fine.
Thanks for asking about me .

 

[mrutkaus]

Could be additives you or someone else might have put in the fuel. As I posted in Fuels/Lubrication here, I was in a closed area with a diesel with too much Store-n-Start stabilizer in the fuel. Just 7 minutes or so and serious breathing problems later in the day. Pretty sure plain diesel fuel would not have done much.

Mike

 

[SkyPup]

It is definitely NOT from carbon monoxide since diesel engines produce next to none of this gas due to the large overabundance of air in a compression engine. If it were a gasoline spark ignition engine, there would be lots of carbon monoxide.

More than likely it is due to the aldehydes in the diesel exhaust stream, in particular formaldehyde, the irritable gas they use for embalming corpses at funeral homes.

 

[Duffster]

It is definitely NOT from carbon monoxide since diesel engines produce next to none of this gas due to the large overabundance of air in a compression engine.

Really?, I have never heard of that.

 

[SkyPup]

Really?, I have never heard of that.

You have probably never heard of some one committing suicide with a hose from their tailpipe into a closed automobile with a diesel engine either, because you will get covered with black diesel soot but not die like you had hoped you would if it had been a gasoline spark ignition engine that releases lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Maybe just to be safe you should look at doing some rerouting of the exhaust so it doesnt just shoot out the side as you said in your first post.