Worried I have carbon monoxide poisoning; need reassurance badly

[J0HN_TIT0R]

Hey,

This event happened last night, and I'm still panicking from it, I didn't even sleep.

I was at the train station waiting for my ride home in the parking garage, and all of the cars picking people up were idled a few feet in front of me. Normally I don't need to wait, and my ride is there on time, but yesterday, they were late, and I was waiting fir at least half an hour. About 5 to 10 minutes before I was picked up, I noticed a strong smell of exhaust that the wind was blowing into my face from the cars. I kind of ignored it, but then a few minutes later I realized that it was still there, and I had been breathing in this exhaust the whole time! I moved out of the way then, but it was too late, and I already started panicking.

My mom finally picked me up, and at that point, I was feeling off, almost duller. I don't know if it was the exhaust or not, but I felt like I couldn't actually express how worried I was about the issue. I developed an irritated throat, and about 2 or 3 hours later I began to develop a headache (a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning), and felt like my life was over. I didn't even sleep last night...

I'm so worried that permanent damage was done to my brain. I don't even have any motivation, and just want to give up. Has anyone gone through something similar and been OK? I really would appreciate reassurance right about now.

Thanks!

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Not a chance hun, you're fine!

Like please do not stress over this for one more second.

[Sphincterclench]

youda had to wrap your lips around that pipe and huff a while before you had anything to worry about.

Take it easy and youll be fine.

[Panicer]

Hi John

As I'm sure you know breathing in exhaust fumes isn't a great idea but you'll be fine as it was for a relatively short period of time in a large area. Just think everyone else in the garage including all the car drivers were breathing in the same thing, car pollen filters don't remove carbon monoxide. You've probably got a cold with those symptoms, so lots of liquids and rest :D

[J0HN_TIT0R]

Thanks everyone, your comments truly do help.

I saw the doctor, and he doesn't seem to be worried about carbon monoxide. He thinks that the irritation is from particulate matter in the exhaust. Still, I just can't shake the fear that if I inhaled that much particulate, then maybe I inhaled too much CO too! IDK, maybe I'm overthrowing it all...

[ServerError]

It's not worth another second of your time. Firstly, it's not like you can go back and change it. This situation has arisen, and you're stuck with it. But you won't have come to any harm, so why let it eat away at you. You either need an overwhelming contamination or a long period of exposure before you have anything to worry about.

If I'd have been there with you, the thoughts you're having wouldn't have even entered my head, even if I felt a bit ropey later on.

[J0HN_TIT0R]

Hey everyone,

I hate to bump this thread again after all of the encouraging replies I got saying I'm fine, but I'm still having very bad anxiety about this event.

The lung irritation is gone, but I keep worrying that the headache proves that I had a significant exposure, and I'm kicking myself for not realizing I was breathing in fumes earlier and for not getting checked out that night. I also feel like I can't concentrate, and am worried it is due to brain damage...

And another problem is I keep googling carbon monoxide poisoning, like for multiple hours a day, trying read everyone's experiences about the issue, and it makes me depressed. All the articles I read make carbon monoxide exposure out to be some sort of life altering event that leaves you disabled. And even though my exposure was likely small. I feel like my life may be changed negatively.

I really want to talk to someone, but I don't know who. I talked to my doctor the next day, but he sort of didn't seem to concerned. My next therapy appointment isn't for 2 more weeks. And I feel like I've already annoyed enough of reddit and Quora asking questions about carbon monoxide poisoning...

[ServerError]

What more would you like? Your doctor isn't concerned because there's nothing to be concerned about. You're doing this to yourself. I'm just not sure what more we can do for you. Make sure you talk this out with your therapist.

[J0HN_TIT0R]

I don't know. I'm just worried that when I told the doctor I was outside he outright dismissed any chance of poisoning, even though the wind was blowing the exhaust right in my face. I'll be sure to talk to my therapist, but I'm just overcome with worry in the mean time.

[Doug90]

I have had some experience with carbon monoxide, one day i was tuning the carburetor on a car i was fixing up fully enclosed in my garage.
After about 15 minutes i started feeling sort of weak in the legs and off balance and (its hard to explain) feeling faint, luckily i realized what was happening and shut the car off and opened the garage up.
I had a splitting headache for the rest of the day but woke up the next day feeling OK and no lasting effects.

I think you will be fine, you were outdoors with plenty of oxygen, i think its normal to get a headache from exhaust fumes sometimes (likely from the gasoline in the fumes rather than carbon monoxide) or just from working yourself up with anxiety.

Imagine somewhere like new york city where there are thousands of cars idling in traffic jams miles long, i think an environment like that would be much more damaging but people there don't have any trouble with CO poisoning.

Its not necessarily the CO itself that is hazardous but the lack of oxygen it causes in a confined space, the fact you had wind blowing in your face would negate any chance of getting poisoning.

[J0HN_TIT0R]

And you didn't need any oxygen treatment or anything like that to recover?

A big part of me is upset that I didn't seek out treatment right when I got the headache because many websites I've read say that you should seek treatment even if exposure is minor. I've been worried because I didn't do that.

[Sixpack]

Okay I am gonna give this to you straight


Your anixous thinking is LYING TO YOU. And, based on those lies, you have chosen to completely discount what your doctor told you and everything all of these lovely random strangers are telling you. You are couching it all in "Yeah buts", "what ifs", "I just can't helps"... All ways anxiety pushes its lies.

You and your anxious thinking are creating EVERYTHING you are feeling. This has ZERO to do with these fumes you smelled a few days or so ago. Many other people in the area at the time smelled same as you and I bet you anything NONE of them went off on a tangent like you have done.


Again your doctor is not concerned, none of these lovely random people on NMP are concerned. The only one who is is YOU and that is because you are listening to the lies your anxiety is telling you. It would be utterly FOOLISH for you to entertain this non-event for a second more. I mean FOOLISH.