Formaldehyde Allergic Reactions anyone? - Maybe?

[samanthajo23]

HI! So I am in A&P and were on dissections!

About 3 weeks ago, we started on the cat (muscles)- which REALLY stunk. Granted, I didn't really do any of the touching or disecting because I was the one to direct the others in my group. I had no symptoms this day.

Last week, We did a sheep brain. As soon as I cut my sheep brain in half.. my eyes started to water (as if I was cutting an ONION!) Soon after my sinuses started to clog up and the itchy ear drain/throat started to get irratated and sore. That night (after lab) I started to get congested in the chest and even woke up with a fever the next day!! I have had horrible sinus issues all week and they were slowly starting to go away... until today.

We were doing a "game" to study for our practical. Guess what I got stuck with? Of course! - the sheep brain!

Instantaneously, again, after cutting the brain in half... eyes started watering, sinuses clogging up (more so than they already were from last week) and itchy throat/ears. This time I got dizzy and even experienced nausea!

So basically- I'm wondering if anyone else had this happen to them... OR do you think Its just a sickness that isn't correlated with this sheep brain dissection? Pyschosomatic maybe? Note* 3 other people in my class had SAME symptoms last week!

I also had never dissected anything until this year (I'm 23) - gotta love public school systems right? So I wouldnt know if I had these reactions when younger.

[samanthajo23]

Basically just wondering- do you think an allergic reaction could last... all week?

[Trenata]

I think the best way to find out, if you know you are going to do another dissection is to take an antihistamine. However, it does sound like you could have been sick yet aggravated by the chemicals. Dizziness and nausea, I would say it is probably the chemicals because that has happened to me from exposure to chemicals in the past, but then again, it could have been drainage too!

I am glad I am taking it online and get to look at online images - I don't think I could handle that!!! Noxious chemicals would have made me sick!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

This could be an allergic reaction or it could be something else. Please contact your provider as per our terms of service we can't provide medical advice.