Breathing problems after handling old comics? 2 2

[kav]

20 minutes ago, bronze_rules said:

Sweet deal for 1st six sealed Creepy on EBAY right now! No one bid yet  (20 hours left) and that comes out to 33 per book. These six include the hardest to find and usually more expensive issues. Wish this deal was around when I started collecting them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Creepy-Archives-Volumes-1-2-3-4-5-6-New-SEALED-Dark-Horse-HC-1st-Printing/133585855138?hash=item1f1a5662a2:g:F2UAAOSwxwdfu~4r

 

 

@oakman29

[oakman29]

2 hours ago, kav said:

@oakman29

Thanks for the heads up, but I'm not one to actually collect the bound editions at all. I mean I have some, but every one I have has been given to me.

[kav]

2 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

Thanks for the heads up, but I'm not one to actually collect the bound editions at all. I mean I have some, but every one I have has been given to me.

Oh I didnt realize it was bound volumes I just saw creepy 1-6 and thought OAKMAN.

[VintageComics]

On 11/28/2020 at 3:08 PM, Heavy-ish Metal said:

Hi, got a weird but very troubling problem here and hoping to get some insight.

I've started collecting comics/magazines this year and that includes some of the Warren magazine series (Creepy, Vampirella, Eerie), which seem to be printed on pulp paper/newsprint (I'm not a scholar with printing techniques so forgive me for not knowing the technical details).

I've procured a bunch of these from eBay and local shops, and have found that after thumbing through them for not even a minute, I start coughing intensely and wheezing. This goes on for hours even after putting the comics away.

So what do you think is going on? Could the paper be releasing small particles that I'm breathing in? Mold spores? Dust mites (I'm allergic to these)?

I'd also be interested in hearing possible remedies. If nothing works then I'll need to sell these issues off as they're apparently a health hazard for me!

Don't you think you should contact a doctor about your health issues rather than a comic book chat forum?

[AJD]

6 hours ago, VintageComics said:

Don't you think you should contact a doctor about your health issues rather than a comic book chat forum?

This.

And my is ignore all of the advice on this thread that results in you being exposed to those books again, based on what you described. Kav - and I can't believe I'm typing this - is absolutely right.

[Poekaymon]

6 hours ago, VintageComics said:

Don't you think you should contact a doctor about your health issues rather than a comic book chat forum?

What if we have doctors on this here forum, then he's golden!  I know we have at least one dentist--I sold a book to him.

[wilbil]

33 minutes ago, Poekaymon said:

What if we have doctors on this here forum, then he's golden!  I know we have at least one dentist--I sold a book to him.

considering your respected profession (and my admiration of same), i am giving the benefit of the doubt that you are exercising a modern example of the bard satire technique.

 

[Neurosis138]

I got one of those pin tests where they poke you're back with a bunch of different things to find out your what you're allergic to.  One of mine was book mold.  I definitely have it but it's a minor allergy.  When I read a really musty old book my nose will get a little stuffy and watery eyed.  Most of the time it's very minor but it is an actual thing.

[Heavy-ish Metal]

11 hours ago, VintageComics said:

Don't you think you should contact a doctor about your health issues rather than a comic book chat forum?

 

4 hours ago, AJD said:

This.

And my is ignore all of the advice on this thread that results in you being exposed to those books again, based on what you described. Kav - and I can't believe I'm typing this - is absolutely right.

Too true! But I just needed to know if this was at all a known issue, as I'm new to collecting comics this year and have ramped up quite fast. Most of my collection is from the late 80s and 90s, but when I started grabbing older series like the Warren mags and Weird War Tales, I had two incidents of the breathing problems and wanted to check with you guys. Will be talking to my GP for sure!

2 hours ago, Neurosis138 said:

I got one of those pin tests where they poke you're back with a bunch of different things to find out your what you're allergic to. One of mine was book mold. I definitely have it but it's a minor allergy. When I read a really musty old book my nose will get a little stuffy and watery eyed. Most of the time it's very minor but it is an actual thing.

This is a good idea. I've never had this allergy test done, and not even sure I can arrange one right now due to covid, but I'll certainly try.

[James J Johnson]

On 11/28/2020 at 12:08 PM, Heavy-ish Metal said:

Hi, got a weird but very troubling problem here and hoping to get some insight.

I've started collecting comics/magazines this year and that includes some of the Warren magazine series (Creepy, Vampirella, Eerie), which seem to be printed on pulp paper/newsprint (I'm not a scholar with printing techniques so forgive me for not knowing the technical details).

I've procured a bunch of these from eBay and local shops, and have found that after thumbing through them for not even a minute, I start coughing intensely and wheezing. This goes on for hours even after putting the comics away.

So what do you think is going on? Could the paper be releasing small particles that I'm breathing in? Mold spores? Dust mites (I'm allergic to these)?

I'd also be interested in hearing possible remedies. If nothing works then I'll need to sell these issues off as they're apparently a health hazard for me!

Having had some time to think about this, I would imagine there has to be a comic restorer or somebody who works with the conservation of paper collectibles that would likely have a solution for you. This incidence of foreign matter dusting paper collectibles must come up on a regular basis. Old musty collectible books and such. I would get in touch with a bookbinder or book dealer and ask if they can make any recommendations for you prior to disposing these. Start your search online. Google removing mold, mildew, bacterial particles from old books, etc., and see what comes up in the searches. You may hit something applicable and affordable. 

[James J Johnson]

On 11/28/2020 at 12:08 PM, Heavy-ish Metal said:

Hi, got a weird but very troubling problem here and hoping to get some insight.

I've started collecting comics/magazines this year and that includes some of the Warren magazine series (Creepy, Vampirella, Eerie), which seem to be printed on pulp paper/newsprint (I'm not a scholar with printing techniques so forgive me for not knowing the technical details).

I've procured a bunch of these from eBay and local shops, and have found that after thumbing through them for not even a minute, I start coughing intensely and wheezing. This goes on for hours even after putting the comics away.

So what do you think is going on? Could the paper be releasing small particles that I'm breathing in? Mold spores? Dust mites (I'm allergic to these)?

I'd also be interested in hearing possible remedies. If nothing works then I'll need to sell these issues off as they're apparently a health hazard for me!

Having had some time to think about this, I would imagine there has to be a comic restorer or somebody who works with the conservation of paper collectibles that would likely have a solution for you. This incidence of foreign matter dusting paper collectibles must come up on a regular basis. Old musty collectible books and such. I would get in touch with a bookbinder or book dealer and ask if they can make any recommendations for you prior to disposing these. Start your search online. Google removing mold, mildew, bacterial particles from old books, etc., and see what comes up in the searches. You may hit something applicable and affordable. 

[Heavy-ish Metal]

12 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Having had some time to think about this, I would imagine there has to be a comic restorer or somebody who works with the conservation of paper collectibles that would likely have a solution for you. This incidence of foreign matter dusting paper collectibles must come up on a regular basis. Old musty collectible books and such. I would get in touch with a bookbinder or book dealer and ask if they can make any recommendations for you prior to disposing these. Start your search online. Google removing mold, mildew, bacterial particles from old books, etc., and see what comes up in the searches. You may hit something applicable and affordable.

I was thinking the same thing, about it being a known, if not common, problem that might have an explanation and solution. For now everything is bagged up in Mylar bags so they won't be bothering me in their current state. I'll be talking to my doctor, maybe doing an allergy test, and also looking into the preservation stuff in case there's an obvious solution beyond chucking these out. A cursory search already turned up special pads you can use to wipe down old books, newspapers, etc. with.

[THE_BEYONDER]

15 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Having had some time to think about this, I would imagine there has to be a comic restorer or somebody who works with the conservation of paper collectibles that would likely have a solution for you. This incidence of foreign matter dusting paper collectibles must come up on a regular basis. Old musty collectible books and such. I would get in touch with a bookbinder or book dealer and ask if they can make any recommendations for you prior to disposing these. Start your search online. Google removing mold, mildew, bacterial particles from old books, etc., and see what comes up in the searches. You may hit something applicable and affordable. 

Heard you the first time....

[kav]

9 minutes ago, Heavy-ish Metal said:

I was thinking the same thing, about it being a known, if not common, problem that might have an explanation and solution. For now everything is bagged up in Mylar bags so they won't be bothering me in their current state. I'll be talking to my doctor, maybe doing an allergy test, and also looking into the preservation stuff in case there's an obvious solution beyond chucking these out. A cursory search already turned up special pads you can use to wipe down old books, newspapers, etc. with.

people are allergic to different things.  It could be one specific species of mold, or dander from a pet wombat.  No way to tell.

[ADAMANTIUM]

11 minutes ago, Heavy-ish Metal said:

I was thinking the same thing, about it being a known, if not common, problem that might have an explanation and solution. For now everything is bagged up in Mylar bags so they won't be bothering me in their current state. I'll be talking to my doctor, maybe doing an allergy test, and also looking into the preservation stuff in case there's an obvious solution beyond chucking these out. A cursory search already turned up special pads you can use to wipe down old books, newspapers, etc. with.

Sounds like a plan, I hate to say trash'em, got to be a better way but idk.

Still, I know people who have had the test, and they were allergic to everything but horses, I don't know if it really improved their lives any.

But knowing is half the battle 

[THE_BEYONDER]

24 minutes ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

Sounds like a plan, I hate to say trash'em, got to be a better way but idk.

Still, I know people who have had the test, and they were allergic to everything but horses, I don't know if it really improved their lives any.

But knowing is half the battle 

The prik /grid test is BS.  I went to see a specialist after I started breaking out in hives and my eyes and hands swelled up.  She was a real straight shooter and explained that the grid approach proved nothing and that the only way to really know if you’re allergic to something is to schedule a controlled test ( where they expose you to a single specific item).   I scheduled an appointment, but on my way out the specialist asked if I had been taking Alleve.   I had, and the times I took it coincided with my allergic reactions.   Turns out I’m allergic to Naproxen.  

Edited December 3, 2020 by THE_BEYONDER

[kav]

3 minutes ago, THE_BEYONDER said:

The prik /grid test is BS.  I went to see a specialist after I started breaking out in hives and my eyes and hands swelled up.  She was a real straight shooter and explained that the grid approach proved nothing and that the only way to really know if you’re allergic to something is to schedule a controlled test ( where they expose you to a single specific item).   I scheduled an appointment, but on my way out the specialist asked if I had been taking Alleve.   I had, and the times I took it coincided with my allergic reactions.   Turns out I’m allergic to Naproxen.  

I always wondered about that grid test-there are trillions of things you can be allergic to and I dont see how they can spike ya with trillions of every antigen on earth.

[ADAMANTIUM]

1 minute ago, THE_BEYONDER said:

The /grid test is BS.  I went to see a specialist after I started breaking out in hives and my eyes and hands swelled up.  She was a real straight shooter and explained that the grid approach proved nothing and that the only way to really know if you’re allergic to something is to schedule a controlled test ( where they expose you to a single specific item).   I scheduled an appointment, but on my way out the specialist asked if I had been taking Alleve.   I had, and the times I took it coincided with my allergic reactions.   Turns out I’m allergic to Naproxen.  

Dang that's unfortunate to be allergic to pain reliever. My parent was allergic to hospital pain medication morphine, and my brother is allergic to penicillin.

I know that's tough.

[ADAMANTIUM]

1 minute ago, kav said:

I always wondered about that grid test-there are trillions of things you can be allergic to and I dont see how they can spike ya with trillions of every antigen on earth.

I believe the grid was just the general, what the most common for every category was, it wasnt life changing for them. But it confirmed ideas from experience and things he used to be allergic to, he no longer was.

Of course his back looked horrible

[THE_BEYONDER]

Just now, ADAMANTIUM said:

Dang that's unfortunate to be allergic to pain reliever. My parent was allergic to hospital pain medication morphine, and my brother is allergic to penicillin.

I know that's tough.

Aleve is the only pain reliever that contains Naproxen.  I assume that ingredient is what kept Canada from allowing Aleve to be sold here for so long.  
 

Had the specialist not mentioned that drug, I’d probably still not know what was causing the reactions.