Nano-silica exposures
My health collapsed eight years ago. Coating sprays at work, the kind which are used on the outside of glass bottles to prevent scratching when they rub against each other, had been burning my airways and throat whenever I adjusted them. For a long time the only significant effect of this which I noticed was that it became impossible to breathe when there was any pressure on my chest, such as when in water. Management refused me PPE and the union complained that there was nothing they could do. When my health finally gave out it was sudden. A period of panic attacks and confusion, as I am now aware because of hypoxemia, before I experienced heat stroke. It took me years to learn that the polyethylene which the sprays were supposed to be were actually a manufactured mixture of nano-silica particles called silanols. These are the same particles which cause silicosis when people are exposed to silica dust. These silanols are sprayed on a wide range of things now; clothing, glass, plastics. Pretty much anything which they consider worth the effort. They are used as preservatives in food and as the coatings on medications. They are used as dental fillings. They are looking for further commercial uses all of the time. One of these silanols burned holes in my gastrointestinal tract. They induced the respiratory issues. I have read about people drinking alcohol and having the alcohol blamed for the damage, by physicians, when it was probably caused by the coating spray which had been returned to a liquid state. I keep reading and hearing experts claiming that these nano-silica particles will be the next huge toxic scandal which comes to light so there have to be others who have experienced similar stories to my own. I have read an Australian government report explaining that contents of sprays like these join with environmental dust around the workplace; inhaled throughout the day. Far too often I have heard people complaining that they have no idea why their health has collapsed so if you just have a similar story I would like to hear it because I may have answers which you have been looking for.
, wow! I am so sorry to hear you had this experience with your job and that they didn't take your concerns more seriously. I appreciate you sharing your journey with our community! How are you feeling today? All the best, Sam S. (COPD. net, team member). Hi Leon, I had pulmonary function testing early last year. The respiratory physician jokingly described me as having failed my tests as the results were that bad. My rheumatologist stated that I was lucky that I have never smoked, I presume because any damage to my lungs themselves would have further limited my oxygen supply. I have already received advice from lawyers, who are prepared to assist. I am also trying to obtain advice from the relevant union which represented us in the glass works. Unfortunately, as I have learnt, a lot of respiratory conditions can go for long periods misdiagnosed as psychiatric conditions and that was the case with my own difficulties. I have learnt that most people who develop an idiopathic diaphragmatic flutter are misdiagosed with some form of anxiety disorder. The general respiratory failure which overlaid that condition was overlooked because I almost always test as having near 100% blood oxygen levels, theoretically a measure of respiratory function. This just failed to account for muscle damage, resulting from heat stroke, and my muscles subsequent inability to draw oxygen from my blood. As the psychiatrists decided that clinical testing beyond this was unnecessary there was no way to obtain many investigations beyond that at the time Unfortunately, the doctors at my local hospitals just wouldn't acknowledge any possible error in diagnosis even though the initial psychiatrists recorded that they were just guessing as my symptoms didn't fit any of their diagnoses. I had to prove that I had a resulting autoimmune disease, Myositis, before they would even proceed to actual clinical tests. I've encountered and heard about many other cases where major disease has been ignored for the same reasons. I agree that I don't have a lot of support to try to take on both the medical establishment and the company which I worked for. Nonetheless, I do have lots of evidence of negligent behaviour by the psychiatrists and other physicians. Most of the professionals I have consulted have seemed confident that my local hospitals will want to avoid any of this reaching a court so my primary battle now is the company which I worked for. 
Hi again, Baz, and thanks for your prompt reply and further explanation. From what you've shared here, you appear to have a thorough understanding of your present medical diagnoses and an awareness of how to proceed next. Based on what you've said, I also would think the route is legal and to move forward with the attorney(s) leading the way.
My concern, of course (besides the legal resolution of all this), is how you're feeling and the treatment now that may provide you with some relief.
I know that a diagnosis of idiopathic diaphragmatic flutter is a very rare diagnosis. I didn't know that much about it and so, I did some reading. Here is an article from the medical literature (CHEST), which you may find helpful to read: https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(17)30175-7/fulltext. Do you think this is worth considering in your case? Is there a physician you can speak with about this?
Please know, you are always welcome here in our online community.
Wishing you well,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
that does sound extremely frustrating and confusing but I am glad to hear you are feeling okay as of late. Please keep us updated on how you are doing! All the best, Sam S. (COPD.net, team member).
Hi Leon, I had already read up about phrenic crush treatment and realised immediately that it went completely against my own wholistic perspective on treatment. Physicians don't even begin to claim to understand my condition because they have never even heard of the nanoparticles which I have been saying that I have been exposed to. I even had to purchase a toxicology report on the most toxic nanoparticle just so that they would understand its dangers and how they relate to my condition. The particles would have not only burnt the lining of my upper respiratory tract and throat but would also have coated it with the same kind of film which protects the outside of bottles. This would mean that many of the chemical receptors in my airways would have been either destroyed or covered over. My physicians realised the danger of that and aren't willing to even try using nasal sprays. Since the body requires carbon dioxide receptors in the airways and blood stream to detect high levels of CO2 in order to trigger breathing this means that my respiratory function is just completely messed up.
As the most toxic nanoparticle is also destructive of nerve tissue there may be phrenic damage but there's just so much other damage around my body, resulting from the same exposure, that trying to fix the diaphragm flutter alone would be kind of futile. While I still don't have any possible solutions to coating of my airways, as release of it could trigger gastrointestinal burns and chemical peritonitis all over again, I do have a lot of solutions to everything else going on. I located a nurse who was trying to cure her husbands myositis using diet and natural treatments. She had hit a dead end with her own research and was reaching out to try to find someone who had greater general knowledge of biology and natural therapies than herself. I knew nothing about myositis but am extremely good at the things which she required. Her husband is now almost as good as new. He isn't cured but his most severe issues have been completely reversed. Even a couple of my physicians have commented on the likely effectiveness of my dietary plan for reversing my condition. I can't hope to completely fix everything but I believe that I will be able to make it manageable. However, as my GP says, I need to wait until I receive all of my diagnoses before trying as I require them for the legal actions.
