I have had respiratory problems my entire life and was diagnosed 2 years ago with Reactive Airway Disease that has now been re-diagnosed as asthma after a recent acute episode and numerous pulmonary tests at the hospital. My question is, I am almost 51 years old and have always had a really good memory. The past several months I have become easily aggitated, confused and can't remember things I SHOULD be able to remember. Are these are normal symptoms of asthma or am I just getting old?? My employer REFUSES to accept my asthma and continues to put me in a position of being exposed to triggers (tobacco smoke, heavy perfumes & aerosol sprays) that cause asthma attacks and I work for a state agency. Do I have any recourse for this? I really appreciate this website and am finding TONS of information to help me adjust to and learn about my asthma.
- Resources
Concentraion & Memory Problems
9/21/07 12:17pm
Having worked for our State more than 12 years, I can assure you that you *do* have recourse in regards to your employer. You will need a doctor's letter confirming your diagnosis and excusing you from working in areas that put you at risk, but as previously noted, the HR people would be the right people to contact once you have this document in-hand.
However, the HR folks for your particular department may not be as responsive as going to the head HR department for the entire State. In our state, that would mean contacting the Dept. of Administration's Personnel Bureau.
You'll have to be assertive--just because "we've never had to make accomodations for other asthmatics" does not mean they therefore don't have to do so for you. In the end, your supervisor may wish he had tried to be more accomodating in the first place, once you know and exercise the full extent of your rights :)
Good luck!
(PS. I'm pretty sure the memory loss thing is age-related... I'm 54 and know exactly what you mean!)
9/21/07 9:21pm
Thanks Jan. I'm in Washington state and 23 years with Dept of Social & Health Services (which kinda makes it worse when our agency is *supposed* to help the public but my office doesn't seem to care about my health). I appreciate your advice. I have requested Reasonable Accomodations but they still don't seem to get what I am saying. I guess I need to be more assertive. I did get my blood work back today and my CO2 level is a bit high. The drs office told me that is due to reduced oxygen in my blood to move the carbon dioxide out but they feel that will improve once my new asthma medication has fully kicked in.
Liz
PS - I was *hoping* that the memory lapses were due to the asthma and NOT my age (LOL). On a serious note, I think it has a lot to do with the stress my employer is putting me through.
9/23/07 11:32am
Hi. Sorry to hear about your problems with your employer. In addition to the ADA, you have some other protections. First, I was very surprised to hear that you have smoke exposure problems in Washington state. I live in Olympia, and as you know, we have one of the most stringent smoking bans in the nation. I'm not sure how the smoke exposure is occuring, but please remember that smoking is prohibited even with 25 feet of building entrances, and if there's a smoking area near an air intake vent for the building, this must be corrected.
You can also report occupational asthma to the Department of Labor and Industries' SHARP Program:
http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/OccHealth/Asthma/ReportAsthma/default.asp
While you may not think your asthma qualifies as occupational asthma, if you read the linked page, you'll see that they define it as "any diagnosed or suspected case of asthma caused or exacerbated by workplace sensitizers or irritants in a worker employed in Washington State." So this would apply not only to the smoke, but also to the other triggers you've encountered at work. It appears that this program emphasizes reporting from physicians, so if you haven't talked to your doctor about your workplace yet (I'm assuming you have) you should talk about this.
If you have more questions about your asthma or the relevant laws, I encourage you to visit the WEGO Health forums, where I'm a moderator:
http://forums.wegohealth.com/forums/viewforum/27_25/
I recently started a thread on occupational asthma, because I think this is an incredibly important, though little-known aspect of this disease. I'd also be interested to hear more about how this all ends up, as I do hope you'll take action to alleviate your suffering.
As far as the memory and concentration loss, it's probably normal aging symptoms, but I think you should also talk to your doctor about this, because there are many other potential causes, including interactions with medications and hypothyroidism. Take a look at this Mayo Clinic page for a brief overview:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/memory-loss/HQ00094
I hope that helps. Good luck!
9/23/07 1:57pm
WOW - thanks for all the valuable information. The smoke is from people coming in that smoke HEAVILY so it just seems to billow off them - just like heavy perfumes do. I had a Reasonable Accomodations meeting last week and their idea of accomodating me is to put a fan in my cubicle and if that doesn't work, then an air filter. I determine eligibility for public assistance in a very small cubicle. I had asked for a separate, well ventilated space for the smokers, heavy perfume wearers or people who smelled like gasoline (you'd be surprised how many people smell like they just poured 5 gallons of gas over their heads). They also said we could not put a sign on our front door asking people to be considerate with heavy scents. There are two of us with asthma in the building. Is this true? My doctor is aware of what is going on and is very supportive. I will definitely go to the links you provided.
Liz
10/ 5/07 6:05pm
I have Multipile Chemical Sensitivity and Environmental Illness. I am 65 years old. I started years ago with just asthma (lung issues) The last five years or so I have finally found out it also can go into cronic brain fatigue, etc. I had to quite working. There are many web sites for MCS. Please check some out. There are very few allergy DR's that have heard about this condition, but they are out there.
10/ 6/07 12:47am
Sally, thank you SO much for this information. I will definitely check it out. I am now on Flovent & Serevent and they seem to be helping quite a bit. My biggest issue now is the stress my employer has me under. She REFUSES to accept that my asthma is causing problems for me at work and acts like it is just a cold or the flu. Her comment the other day was that "I believed that my asthma was causing me problems at work" - like she thought it was all in my head. I have even offered to bring her information on asthma so she can see how serious asthma can be but she is not interested. And the office has not provided the air purifier that the agreed to over two weeks ago in a Reasonable Accomodations meeting. It is so frustrating to learn how to live with my asthma AND struggle with an insensitive employer.
Liz
1/10/08 7:03pm
I am 52 year old woman with multiple chemical sensitivity to all chemicals even the additives in Tylenol. I discovered that the spleen is the organ that filters the chemicals out and if it is not able to do so, there are symptoms as serious as uremia(a kidney failure disease) to lysol and chills and fever from exposure to clorine, ammonia, petroleum based products including lotions, air pollution and nervous conditions from fumes or gases of any perfume and cleaners in stores.
I have studied for a long time to find a solution to building or recovering the spleen to be able to withstand this problem with little results. The only thing I found is "abnormal hair growth and chemical sensitivity" with explanation of spleen problems.
Please help me find the right information to treat the spleen and rebuild the organ as is done for liver conditions and kidney conditions.
3/21/08 1:26pm
Liz
What medications were you on when you noted short term memory loss? And has your memory loss cleared up after you no longer took the medication? I suspect that the memory loss is/was due to the medication you were/are on and not the "asthma". Please advise.
A friend of mine who works for the courts in Spokane WA. has faced "diciplanary" proceedings at work too, from the same type of memory problems at work. We know now that it is related to her medication, although "short term memory loss; confusion" are not listed on the label under "side effects", nor noted to physicians who prescribe it.
(She is very fortunate that she has a great doctor that caught it before she lost her job, or possiably her life).
Sherry
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Thanks Tom,
I will definitely check into the Americans with Disabilities Act. My doctor did complete the FMLA paperwork as I missed all last week because my asthma was so out of control & the doctor said I needed time to have tests asnd adjust to the new medication.
Liz
Liz;
Have read your story and have a friend with a similar story. We have tracked her memory problem to an asthma or COPD (often mistaken as asthma) drug. Please post your medications so that I can see if what is happening to your memory and mistakes at work are the same as what she is going through. We are sure that it is from her medication and this is varified by her doctor. She works for the State also, but works in the Local Court System in Washington State. All of her co-workers can varify that this drug has changed a normally responsible accurate person into a person that can hardly be left alone in her own home (serious short term memory problems). Please reply with your medication list and note if any medication corrisponds to your onset of memory loss.
Thank You,
Sherry
Sherry,
I had more problems with memory before I started the Serevent and Flovent. These were prescribed for me after I was correctly diagnosed with asthma. My problem now is that my supervisor that targeted me and has been bullying me and retaliating against me since last June and no matter what I do, it is ALWAYS wrong. The other day she wrote me up for saying that I had missed completing a few case narratives because the client had been wearing an "overpowering perfume". She said I had been disresprectful towards the client. I never said she smelled bad, just that her perfume was overpowering.
Liz