Is this the same as breathing the chlorine tabs?

Really now you breathed in a chlorine based substance and obviously burned your lungs and still figured a engineering forum was a better place to contact at 4 Am on a Monday morning rather than a medical professional?

Ever heard of the Darwin awards?

Ever heard of manners?

They are way over rated and besides I am not the one with burnt lungs asking clueless online half wits medical advice. You get what you get.

I screwed up.....so what. Like you never have. Actually, there was a gentleman that had an amazing answer on here for something similar. Just seeing if it was the same thing. That's how I found this site. Love you lots!!! Big hugs. (You obviously need them) Your comments make me feel sorry for you and show the level of your intelligence.

I just looked up the MSDS sheets for pool shock products. Personally if I was you I would not be spending my remaining time on line arguing with me.

BTW my wife hugs me too much as is and as far as my intelligence goes well.... Lets just say MENSA doesn't hand out certificates for manners and besides the thing that brought me into this conversation ain't looking so good for you either.

So you going to the ER or should I start watching the news reports for the next few days? Slowly suffocating and/or drowning in your own fluids sounds like a pretty miserable way to go.

In matters of health, most of us around here will strongly advise you, to seek medical help.

GO TO THE DOCTOR.

You have inhaled dust from or fumes of a chemical which is a strong oxidizer, as well as (likely) being acidic. This can react with the fluids in your mouth, nose, throat & lungs to to form hypochlorous acid- the component that makes bleach work. You've just bleached your lungs.

No one here is qualified to make a decision based on a web post as to how much you inhaled & what the acute or chronic effects will (not just could) be. You don't want lung damage as a result.

GO TO SOMEONE WHO IS QUALIFIED TO ASSESS THIS. ASAP.

Sorry, but I have to agree with Tcmtech that you should have called an urgent care center, a poison center, or even your doctor's answering service rather than CR4.

Even if there were doctors on this forum they would not be able to advise you by law.

However, chlorine inhalation will have a delayed effect and can lead to pulmonary edema as the lining of the lung tissues produce fluids in response to the insult. This compromises the respiratory function of the lungs and reduces O2/CO2 exchange.

I would call your doctor this morning for an appointment or just go to an urgent care center or ER for an evaluation.

As other have pointed out, when chlorine vapors contact moist tissue, chlorine mixes with the H2O and forms hydrochloric acid in situ. This is what causes the burning of mucus membranes, eyes, and bronchial airways.

The short term effects are the problem (as you have noted). Longterm effects are usually not an issue and there is no links to cancer from chlorine vapor. You should recover fully from this lesson, but hear that from a doctor.

I would stop worrying about the civility of other members and put your own health as priority-one.

Here are a couple good resources for those times when you're not sure if you have a medical emergency or just some temporary discomfort. They'll help you decide if you need to go to an emergency room or immediate care clinic, or whether you should see a doctor when it's convenient, or just have a glass of wine and relax.

I know from personal experience that it can be difficult to call 911 for a medical emergency, because you know that once you do you'll be swamped with EMTs and fire-rescue vehicles and personnel, with lights flashing and sirens blazing. If it's definitely a life-threatening emergency call 911. If you don't think it's an immediate threat, contact either of these services.

Nurse On Call: http://www.nurseoncall.org/

Am. Assoc. of Poison Control Centers: http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/default.aspx

Found this....somebody with the same problem...this is the recommendation from somebody who had this happen before....You need a breathing machine - saline nebulizer....

"...Go with the saline nebulizer treatments six or more times a day, to counter what is in there. Chlorine is water soluble. It can rupture the scilia / cilia (?). Lung damage. I am paying now, many years later. COPD.

Also get a pneumonia(?) shot quick!. You probably have an odd taste in your mouth when you do get phlegm up. Chlorine kills tender tissue. Then it rots. In your lungs. The pneumonia comes from white blood cells (infection fighters) trying to carry away dead stuff and are over-whelmed. Go to the Doctor now or E.R. If they will not give neb treatments & a prescription for the equip & solution, go somewhere else till you get what you need."
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080513210753AAwQhCp

OP please go to a doctor immediately before consulting any further message boards. Once you have received proper care, please let us know you're ok.