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168348 tn?1379357075

Anybody out there allergic to Cedar Mulch?

My daughter who has severe pollen and env. allergies/asthma is reacting to the newly installed cedar mulch in our garden beds!  So much so, that she couldn't sit outside yesterday due to itchiness and then developed hives!  It's down for only 48 hrs so we are hoping it'll settle down and be ok once the dust stays put.  This is awful .

C~
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Avatar universal
Yes I am allergic to cedar mulch and also rosemary bushes. My brother is a contractor who builds houses and decks -also allergic to cedar. For me, I experience allergy symptoms to mulch (watery itchy eyes, sneezing etc. My brother's is worse - asthma symptoms. He must wear an industrial filter mask if client can't be persuaded to use another building material.

The aroma from rosemary bushes makes me sleepy after about an hour exposure and then I start to get forgetful like dementia symptoms, Fortunately, it goes away. Unfortunately, no "Olive Garden" for me even though I love the smell of the fresh baked rosemary bread,
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
In my case, I get a soar througth later in the day and for the next few days. I have a hard time swallowing and takes many days before it goes away.  
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Avatar universal
This is Harry. Glad to come back to this forum and from my doctor. I gave my doctor an detailed descritpion how my skin irritation happens ( now it is very very itching on all forearms). I also showed the doctor with the copied document from internet. My doctor gave me three prescriptions. one is Mometasone something lotion, one is prednisone tablets ( oral), and one is hydroxyzine something; I hope these can release my pain in a few days (?). Anyway, you guys can search internet with keyword "plicatic acid" and on the wikipedia.com for explanation too. Acturally I got red mulch from an internet mulch store. I changed the regular mulch to the red cedar mulch because I saw it is beautiful on the website picture. (too late to regret it). The mulch came from a truckload and I shove it into wheelbarrel to my backyard. When I shove it, the dry dust fell onto my forearm skin and some got into under the neck. At that time I felt something stung my skin ( like burning) but I did not pay attention just felt weird. After half day's work, I found the rash start to come out bigger and then I realized something just happened big. I washed my arm then but no use. I went to buy poison ivy lotion but no use. In the first place, I thought the mulch contained poison ivy (oak, etc) powder, after 4 days, I knew I need to do something about it and then I started to look for answer on internet, and then doctor.

This problem is not a quick cure; according to my doctor. I just called the internet mulch store telling them about the problem. I wonder if the local health department ( from government of some sort) should involve this problem.

I hoped that C alreday had her daughter see daughter. If you read enough document from the internet, you should find out cedar tree chips or dust casue serious allergy in some areas of US. this might be the cause of your daughter symptom. keep in touch

try this link : http://www.ehow.com/list_6958932_dangers-cedar-wood-shavings_.html#ixzz1ZmrKUvzu

Harry
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
WOW .. thanks for this awesome info about the plicatic acid, which may contain resins .. which, in turn, resins may contain latex .... WOW

I tried searching to no avail to see if there's a correlation between the plicatic acid, cedar tree family and latex.

If anyone knows that would be great info to be aware of.  In the meantime, we'll just avoid it.

C~
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
Harry,

Please definitely come back and let us know what your doctor says.  My daughter's reaction subsided about 4 days after we got the mulch.  Luckily, she dorms at college so wasn't here the entire time.  Plicatic Acid .. am going to look that up right now and see if I can find something to post about it.

She ended up on Benadryl.

Thank you to Dr. Buhpinder, too, for your thoughts.  Luckily she has all those meds on hand since she's a true asthmatic, has RAST + allergy tests to numeorus nuts & latex, and is extraordinarily + to tree pollens of all sorts + grasses and weeds (sigh).
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, there

I got  a lot of cedar mulch for my backyard 5 days ago and I got serious skin itching problem. first, I thought this is a problem from poison ivy, after I applied the calmine lotion and it did not work, I realized that this is something different. I searched the internet and found that the skin itching is caused from  the plicatic acid in the cedar mulch. I guess that your daughter also has same problem. I am going to see doctor tomorrow.

Harry
Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Since your daughter has a history of allergies especially air borne allergies and asthma, so it can be due to air borne allergies from cedar mulch. Diagnosis is done by skin testing. A diluted extract of cedar mulch is applied to a scratch or puncture made on your arm or back or injected under your skin. With a positive reaction, a small, raised, reddened area with a surrounding flush (called a wheal and flare) will appear at the test site. Confirmatory test is by blood tests (RAST).

Ask her to remain indoors till you get it removed from your garden. She can also use a pollen and dust mask. Use a clothes dryer instead of hanging the wash outside, where it acts as a filter trap. Make sure to clean and replace your air conditioner and air cleaner filters regularly. Also effective are various types of air-filtering devices, which can be added to the heating and cooling systems in the home.
If symptoms persist then she may need oral antihistaminics and nasal sprays of steroids for which you have to consult an allergist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

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Avatar universal
So sorry C~.

Does your daughter have mold allergies?  It could be mold in the mulch as well.  

I have bad cedar allergies, but cedar mulch doesn't usually bother me to just be around.

Keep us posted on how she is doing.

God bless.
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