I *so* did not need this

[fenchurch]

Open letter to the woman at the YMCA who felt it necessary to *BATHE* in perfume before going to work out:
If people can smell your perfume when you're halfway around the track from them? You're wearing too freaking much of the stuff. You're wearing too much for going to the office or going to the store or even going to a party... and you're certainly wearing too freaking much for going to a place where people are exercising and might actually need to BREATHE.

Gah!! The air quality today already wasn't too good due to an inversion... but I not only ended up having to cut my workout short, but got to do the lovely I'm-not-going-to-panic-even-though-I-can't-get-any-oxygen walk down to the locker room, fumble way too long with my lock (because while I do a pretty decent job of remaining calm while having an asthma attack, there are limits to it) and finally get my inhaler out of my bag... and then I got to panic all over again, because I could barely get any of it into my lungs. I hate this. Hate it hate it hate it.

I don't want to have to carry my inhaler with me everywhere at the gym (for one thing, none of my workout clothes have pockets) and thankfully, this is the first time I've ever had to use it there. But seriously, what is *with* some people??!?

And now my lungs hurt and I'm still not breathing 100% and I'm all jittery from the inhaler and I'm a little bit worried I'm going to throw up (because I usually do after I use my inhaler) and I'm all angry at some stranger (and I hate being angry with people). NOT the way I was expecting to spend the day today. Way to spoil a mood.

Comments

[shakatany.livejournal.com]

The main problem is that her nose got got used to her own scent and so she thought the perfume had faded and so kept applying more and more. If someone else can smell you a dozen yards downwind or if your scent lingers in an elevator after you've gotten off, you are wearing far too much. Also so many new perfumes are far stronger than the old classics. I wear a little and hope it never bothers people (no one has ever said anything) but I really need to get close to my wrists to smell anything.

I'm sorry this wonderful day was spoiled fo you.

Shakatany

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it'd be worth it to mention it to the mgmt...maybe they could post a sign or something?

Anyway, yes, how annoying!

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

This is actually the first time I've had any sort of problem there... and it's possible I wouldn't have had such a bad reaction if the air quality hadn't already been bad. But still... geez louise, that was a pretty extreme amount of perfume.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Asthmatic solidarity.

Wishes you a fast recovery.

[shallanelprin.livejournal.com]

Yuck. People should realize that just because you can't smell your own perfume doesn't mean everyone else can't. I'm actually alergic to most perfumes, so I feel your pain. I had to cancel one gym membership because of it :(

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to say that this is the first time I've ever had a problem with it at this gym... and it was probably exacerbated by the general poor air quality. But still... sheesh.

[spikewriter]

Ugh. At RWA, they had to ask attendees to stop wearing perfume because it would often prove too much for people. And, every year, there's always someone who says indignantly, "But I don't feel dressed without my scent." Please, if you're going to wear it like a jacket, we'd rather you stay away.

Feel better, hon. ::hugs::

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

Please, if you're going to wear it like a jacket, we'd rather you stay away.

ROFL!!!!

[napalm_isis]

Ugg! That sucks! x_X;;;

[jerusha]

*pets you* Yeah, that's bad. Also, stupid. Anyone with a lick of sense knows that perfume can send people into asthma attacks. Anyone with a sense of courtesy knows that bathing in perfume before going to the gym is unnecessary and stupid.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

This is the first time I've had an asthma attack at the Y... which is pretty darned good, considering exertion is one of my triggers. I've gotten things under enough control in recent years that it takes several triggers to push me over the edge... which is what happened today (ans is also the reason I don't go walking outside once the temperatures drop below about 55 -- exertion and cold are not mixy things).

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

{{{Hugs}}}

Perfume to a gym? That does not make sense to me.

Hope someone spoke to her and she'll never do it again!

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

I hope you're feeling better by now. And is it worth talking to gym management about a no-perfume policy?

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

I think they may have one already, I'm not sure. And really, this is the first time I've had any problems there. My suspicion is that she may have just come from an Inauguration party or something and just not realized how bad it was, because she was also pretty "made up" which I also thought was odd.

[nextian-cutie.livejournal.com]

Oooh been there done that! Perfume and cigarette smoke send me into attack mode pretty quickly. Just yesterday, a guy walked past just as we were getting into the vehicle at a rest stop and he was all cologned up and even though it was well below freezing, the scent lingered so long that it got into the van! We had to air it out for the first mile back on the highway!

I would definitely mention it to the gym management (not just some desk jockey). It just might help and it certainly can't hurt!

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

This is the first time I've had any sort of problem at the gym since I started going there four years ago.. so I'm not too worried about it. If she starts up showing up every day drenched to the gills in perfume, I'll definitely be bringing it up to someone. I actually mentioned it to her as i was making my mad dash for the locker room, but I have no idea how comprehensible I was (considering I could barely breathe and I was trying not to panic).

[rosiewook.livejournal.com]

We had to institute that policy at CDC. They even took out the bathroom air fresheners. (A true tragedy in my crappy, no-circulation-in-the-bathrooms building.)

Don't hesitate to go in for a nebulizer treatment if you're still not feeling in control.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

I'm doing pretty good. The inhaler seems to have gotten things mostly under control and, I must admit, I used the asthma attack as an excuse to indulge in a Mountain Dew at lunch today... which is actually helping a LOT. In general, I'm rather pleased that I have my asthma under enough control that I don't take medication for it anymore and can beat stuff like this with the rescue inhaler and a good dose of caffeine. Even if I do spend the rest of the day with the jitters. :-p

[rosiewook.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Those jitters are a bitch. :)

I get them for a solid few hours, at least, after I have to use my rescue inhaler.

At least we don't have to use the inhaler enough that we no longer have jitters.

[sillymagpie.livejournal.com]

God, I hate that. We had one guy at a place I worked who used to bathe in cheap cologne to try to cover up a B.O. problem.

Kudos for keeping calm and getting to your inhaler. I know it's scary.

If your gym has a "no perfume" policy, you might mention it to them if you run into her again.

[missmurchison.livejournal.com]

Ugh, that's really inconsiderate behavior. I'm glad you're feeling better now.

[pmgoose.livejournal.com]

Yikes. That really sucks. *HUGS*

[wildrider.livejournal.com]

Condolences! I feel your pain - I cannot understand people who feel the need to bathe in perfume/cologne...

[saifai.livejournal.com]

I feel you. Same thing happens to me with perfume, though there's still the odd 30% chance it'll make me black out entirely.

Hope you can relax and get to feelin' better soon.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Some people seem to need to marinate in perfume don't they?? Really inconsiderate!!

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I feel it's okay to be angry at people who should have a little more respect for others.

[soundingsea.livejournal.com]

I sympathize. There's a co-worker who comes into my office and leaves me choking after he's gone. I have to vacate my office sometimes because his cologne lingers so strongly and I can't breathe. (I've complained directly to him; he's not from the US and doesn't understand what I mean.)

Hope it doesn't happen again, but maybe you could mention it to your gym's front desk? They could post a reminder.