Am I Going to Die?

My father worked with asbestos for 40 years (brake linings). I recall him coming home still in his overalls with asbestos "fluff" still in the pockets.

He lived to 79 years of age, I've not popped my clogs after playing with the "fluff", I'm near 60.

The worse thing you can do is worry about it.

Yup, you've nailed it.
If we all started worring about the number of brake drums we'd blown the dust out of there would be a lot of worrying going on.
I just hope the bags were safely disposed of at the dump.
Gotta admit Mrs Cat is always telling me to use a face mask.. but that's just cos I'm butt ugly
Del

I've worked with asbestos, all types of hazardous materials and chemicals ( including "Methelethylkillyafast" ) and explosives and I'm still around at 47 years of age. (Not to mention that my 27 year old fiancee says that I'm amazing for a man of my age ) I would say not to sweat the small stuff and you'll likely be fine!

I'm still alive at 50.

I was running a crew once, back around 86. We were painting a large old church with a high arched ceiling. We had to rip out cracks in the ceiling and patch them. All of us became sick with flu like symptoms. Turned out it had asbestos in it. We all got better within a few days.

Before that, it was ripping out and replacing asbestos insulation from time to time, while working in the engine room in the Navy.

I don't think you're going to die, but when doing work like that, asbestos or not, you should at least be wearing a particle mask.

The knee jerk panic that the US government flew into, over asbestos, cost millions of dollars, and did more harm than good. It was fine as long as it was bound up in flooring and ceiling tiles.............................the mandates to tear it all out caused it to become airborne, the only time it poses any risk at all.

Have people died from asbestos exposure?

Probably. They are people that worked in it their entire lives. Symptoms typically set in when they reach their 70s and 80s.

Think of in the same light as smoking tobacco, it takes years of exposure, one pack of cigarettes is negligible.

There may even be a hormesis effect associated with it, in which case you may live longer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormesis

****** In the case of asbestos, I think a heavy sarcasm alert should be added to your post.

Actually, no sarcasm was intended. The phenomenon of hormesis applies to a variety of stressors, and it may apply to asbestos as well. One small study in Canada of men exposed to a low dosage of a particular type of asbestos showed a slightly longer life expectancy than the normal population. Granted, that's just anecdotal, so it may mean nothing. I don't think a rigorous study has been done over a large number of people. Conversely, the benefits of radiation hormesis have been known and studied for a number of years.

I didn't want anyone to get the impression that small doses would build an immunity.............like snake venom, and go out and do it intentionally. We get all kinds around here. You never know.

Most likely if it's mixed with a cementous product then you have nothing to worry about, just like the old cementous asbestos siding shingles and rood shingles. That is, as long as they don't fall apart and particles float around in the atmosphere and you breathe them in.

We had sad news recently of a family friend, who worked with asbestos for years, and is now being treated for the cancer caused by that long exposure.

You have nothing to worry about, for your weekend tear up.

Anyone who works with it should be wearing protective gear, all the same. And what the hell, I'm ok with 'leave it in the ground and don't mess with it'. This crud was in everything from oven mitts, not so long ago, and a lot of people exposed without understanding the risks.

I may suggest the following

1. Clear your mind off the incident as if it never happened,

2. See a doctor at once if you have choking or breathing problem

3. Relax and take some expectorant for 10 days so your lungs get cleared of the extraneous stuff inhaled

4. Take a few ampoules of ginsing for a week

5. Don't mention the incident to any or all

6. Get up early in the morning,go to a park or beach and deep breathe for 10 minutes daily

Had you been poisoned by asbestos the symptoms would have already led you to a hospital but since nothing of the sort seems to have happened you are alright and just getting obsessed with the idea. Every human being has different metabolism and it is not necessary that the amount of asbestos you inhaled would harm you as it would have someone else with poor metabolic resistance or chemistry. You are alright friend and keep well!!

Well...if you want the homeopathic method mix up some Lung Cleanse and follow the prescribed usage.

Otherwise...listen to the sage advice here at CR4.

It all depends on your point of view. I try not to worry about all of my intentional poisonings. I'd bet half of the crap that's in my food which I remain blissfully ignorant of will kill me faster.

_{I'm having cold pizza and Dr. Pepper for lunch}

I doubt that you will have a problem. I worked in a plant that made exothermics for the steel industry, and the asbestos hung in the air -- looked like fog. 40 years later, scars and calcifications are showing up on my lung Xrays. So my risk of mesothelioma has jumped from 1/1,000,000 to about 1/10. There is nothing you can do to prevent meso, so no need to worry. If you are now over about 50, there is especially no need to worry because symptoms won't show up far 30-40 years. It will just be one of many possibilities to kill you then.

There is nothing you can do to prevent meso, so no need to worry.
This could be misinterpreted. What I mean is: Having been exposed, there is nothing..." You can prevent it by avoiding exposure. I am coming up on 62, the age at which my father in law died of meso. Had he not been exposed, he probably would have lived to 80-something.

Thanks for all the responses, im still alive, and have just been getting on with my life. After some research, and reading everyones threads, im feeling pretty optimistic, and and I gave up worrying about it a while back (that shit will kill you haha - stress I mean). Come what may.

Cheers,

Clarity