Aromatic Cedar (follow up sorta)

[Michael Weber]

Amazing what you pick up reading these forums. I've been feeling like s**t for the last week and half. Lethargic, heavy legs, sleepy but no fever/congestion. Ready to go see a doctor. Similar (but not as bad) to what I felt like when I took the antihistamine "Contact" years ago. Turns out, I was allergic to the active ingredient and it would knock me out. So I'm reading another thread entitled Aromatic Cedar and one of the posters mentioned people being sensitive or allergic to cedar dust. DOH! Just so happens I've been working on and off the last two weeks with some red cedar for an arched fence gate arbor, filing and sanding mortises to fit through tenons on front and back arches. Lots of fine dust generated in that process and of course the saw kicks up quite a bit even with a DC attached. So with no exposure for the last 36 hours I'm feeling normal. Might be a coincidence but I'm not taking any chances as it was too typical of a reaction for me to a allergen. I'll be wearing a mask or respirator from now on when generating dust from any kind of wood, particularly cedar.

[Ed Falis]

Mask or respirator is a great idea. Hope you're feeling better and stay that way!

[Mike Jones NM]

Well I'll be darned. For the last 2 weeks I have been feeling EXACTLY the same way. Go to bed tired, wake up tired, can't find the energy to do anything. Have taken several naps almost everyday as I just can't seem to stay awake.
I have been working with cedar in the shop for about 2 weeks.
Going to swap over to another project for a few days and see what happens.
I do wear a disposable mask when doing projects that produce alot of dust but it's not the best in the world.
Thanks for the heads up
Mike

[Michael Weber]

Well I'll be darned. For the last 2 weeks I have been feeling EXACTLY the same way. Go to bed tired, wake up tired, can't find the energy to do anything. Have taken several naps almost everyday as I just can't seem to stay awake.
I have been working with cedar in the shop for about 2 weeks.
Going to swap over to another project for a few days and see what happens.
I do wear a disposable mask when doing projects that produce alot of dust but it's not the best in the world.
Thanks for the heads up
Mike

Mike, very interesting, my symptoms exactly. Did your legs feel like you had just run a marathon? Maybe cedar should come with a warning label
Be sure to let us (at least me) know what your results are after giving the cedar a pass for a few days.

[Mike Jones NM]

Yup, or trying to walk through deep sand. No energy at all. I put the cedar away yesterday and have not messed with it. Feeling 100% better today, actualy got some things done both out at a job site and in the shop.

[Sean Kinn]

Me too! Me too! While it's not a big project, I've been working on an Adirondack chair made from some very aromatic Spanish Cedar I got a good deal on. At first the smell was somewhat pleasant and made it a nice experience (I've always liked the smell of cedar). However, after a big sanding session my eyes were really bugging me (dry and itching...much more than with other woods) and I was feeling pretty beat. I'm nearly done with it now, but the Cetol 1 I was using to finish it was also starting to get on my nerves.