Power lines and CFS. Are they a problem

[minkeygirl]

I have to say I think that place was just screwed up. The apartment I speak of is in the front of the complex with tons of trees and fresh air. A back patio by the pool and a delightful cross breeze. The only downside are those pesky wires (I think I"m going to contact the city about them just to be annoying). Most of the drama here is with the idiots much farther back in the complex.

Example... Some idiots kitchen caught on fire. She walked out of her front door past the fire extinguisher, down the stairs and across the yard to the manager's apartment (who was not home). The maintenance guy was there and he and some other's ran back over with the fire extinguisher's waiting for the fire department to come (the idiot did not call them).

Her apartment was destroyed along with her neighbors.

I looked into another complex today. There are zero trees in it or around it (even though it is geographically desireable) and all the buildings face inward so noise is going to bounce off all the buildings and echo throughout the place. Now noise is what makes me go bonkers, maybe worse the EMF's frying my already fried brain.

"engage"

 

[taniaaust1]

i dont know if ive had any issues with powerlines but I do think Ive had an issue with EMF and my electric blanket.

my specialist while trying to help me with my insomina, recently told me not to sleep with it on so Ive stopped doing so. To my surprise.. Im strangely finding I get less cold during the night with sleeping with it off then I do then if Ive got the electric blanket on. It seems to have been giving me the side effect of feeling cold (thou the blanket was warm). Weird but obviously an effect of the EMF on me.

I do think I may also be sleeping now a little better (5-15% better) with having it not on while Im sleeping.

 

[richvank]

Hi, all.

I'm starting to look into the issue of electromagnetic hypersensitivity in CFS. I would appreciate it if others would post their experiences with this issue, whether it be involved with power lines, the wiring in the walls of the home, appliances, computers, cell phones, or other possible sources. I'm trying to understand the mechanism of this hypersensitivity at the level of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. My current hypothesis is that a partial methylation cycle block over time can lead to disrepair of myelin, which is the electrical insulation on the nerves, because methylation is needed to produce at least three substances that make up the myelin. The idea would be that external EM fields induce currents in the body, and if the insulation on the nerves is not in good condition, some of this current can enter the nervous system, and that can provoke a wide range of neurologically-based problems.

I would like to know whether some symptoms that people with ME/CFS experience can definitely be tied to some type of EM exposure, and whether the symptoms appear to be neurologically based.

It would also help to know if there has been testing that has indicated that there is a partial methylation cycle block present.

Also, it would help to know if these symptoms developed after a time lag from the time of onset of ME/CFS, or whether they appeared initially.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[minkeygirl]

I think we are all so different. Good you figured it out and it was easy.

This reminds me of something. Several years ago I got acupuncture from my PCP. She did the kind with the current and I felt horrible afterwards. My thighs were weak, it was awful so I wonder if that was it? I'll say yes.

I have my computer on my lap 10 hours a day. I have a clock by my head, I stand in front of my microwave, my tv is on all the time. Hard to know.

Does anyone know if powerlines that are buried are any better or worse? Curious

 

[richvank]

I think we are all so different. Good you figured it out and it was easy.

This reminds me of something. Several years ago I got acupuncture from my PCP. She did the kind with the current and I felt horrible afterwards. My thighs were weak, it was awful so I wonder if that was it? I'll say yes.

I have my computer on my lap 10 hours a day. I have a clock by my head, I stand in front of my microwave, my tv is on all the time. Hard to know.

Does anyone know if powerlines that are buried are any better or worse? Curious

Hi, minkeygirl.

Thanks for sharing your experience with electroacupuncture.

I can't say that I've figured it out yet. So far, I just have a hypothesis, but I do think it has some things going for it. It takes a lot of work to thoroughly test a hypothesis, and it can't be considered to be proven until all that is done, and it holds up to all the testing, but having a hypothesis is a start.

Yes, if power lines are buried in soil that has some moisture, the soil will be a good enough electrical conductor that it will shield at least the higher frequency components of EM radiation coming from the power lines (the product of so-called "dirty electricity").

Rich

 

[minkeygirl]

Hi Rich,

I had forgotten about that acupuncture thing. Wish I could remember more but I know it sucked.

As for my question. Didn't want to melt your brain. It just makes sense to me that burying them is more for esthetics than anything else. I don't know why they wouldn't emit something through the ground. I live in a pretty wealthy suburb (the slums of that suburb) but the city is clueless I think about a lot of environmental stuff unless it suits them. They finally banned gas leaf blowers but I'm working on lighter fluid.

Would it help if I wore an aluminum hat?

Engage! Jan

 

[slayadragon]

Trying to intellectually figure out the risk factors for us in choosing places to live is impossible. The data isn't there, and everyone is different.

I suggest that when choosing a place to live, people spend as much time as possible in both the neighborhood and the building.

Preferably, we would spend the night (or longer) in a candidate home before making a commitment. I'd pay quite a lot to have this opportunity, though landlords still may not allow it.

If this isn't possible, I'd suggest spending as much time as possible during the day, preferably on a couple of different occasions. Looking at how people feel at the end of the day, and the next day, may provide far more information than any kind of measuring device.

Attending to surroundings on a regular basis, looking to see if there's a connection with health, may allow people to get better at judging.

Lisa

 

[minkeygirl]

In a perfect world Lisa that would be great but the reality is that is impossible. The location issue first. Complexes are huge, turnover is fast, there is no way to determine where you're going to live until someone gives notice. There are limited amounts of places people can live.

From a CFIDS side, I'm too ill to walk to the bathroom so spending time checking out "possible" places is impossible.

I think people forget that there are some of us, me for example, that are very ill, have no help, are housebound and do the best we can with what we have. Feeling misunderstood by those who should understand how difficult things really pisses me off.

 

[slayadragon]

I understand how difficult things can be. I just think that environmental issues of a place that people spend 24/7/365 is of utmost importance and that doing what I suggest is a priority.

If I'd done that, myself, when I was really sick, I'd have kept myself from getting even sicker.

No one has to do anything that I suggest, of course. But if they're pissed off by my suggesting something that's worked for me and for other people, that's their problem.

 

[minkeygirl]

I agree with you but it is not realistic. Some things are just not possible for me and others. So we have to do what we can with what we have.

 

[minkeygirl]

I'll just say this then I'm done. First. I did not ask how to choose a safe apartment. I was curious about EMF.

slayadragon. If an apartment complex with a 10 year waitlist calls me for an affordable apartment I take it. Because taking an apartment I can afford to live in that might have some EFS is better than being homeless.

So should my priority be staking out a 1000 unit apartment complex to try to figure out where I might live, or get groceries?

I think people who say figure it out don't have to. You are not me, you don't know me or my life. Things are not as easy as someone just saying "go do it".

I think many have unrealistic expectations and ideas of what is possible and whats not.

Thanks for the useful suggestions.

 

[richvank]

Hi Rich,

I had forgotten about that acupuncture thing. Wish I could remember more but I know it sucked.

As for my question. Didn't want to melt your brain. It just makes sense to me that burying them is more for esthetics than anything else. I don't know why they wouldn't emit something through the ground. I live in a pretty wealthy suburb (the slums of that suburb) but the city is clueless I think about a lot of environmental stuff unless it suits them. They finally banned gas leaf blowers but I'm working on lighter fluid.

Would it help if I wore an aluminum hat?

Engage! Jan

Hi, minkeygirl.

Don't worry about melting my brain. I think that must have happened already, a long time ago! -)

I think you're right that the main reason power lines are buried is esthetic.

An aluminum hat may or may not help, depending on a lot of things, like how much of your head was shielded by it. If it was grounded, that would probably help a lot, but it would be kind of hard to walk around with it and still maintain a good ground connection! -) If the hat wasn't designed correctly, it might actually make your head a better antenna, and subject you to more current.

I don't know if you have heard of "earthing." Wayne commented on that here quite a lot sometime back. That's basically a combination of shielding and grounding. People sleep under electrically conducting bed sheets that are connected to the ground. Some people turn off the circuit breakers in their home when they go to bed, to decrease the EM radiation from the wiring in the walls.

I haven't looked into all of this much in the past, but am becoming interested in trying to understand it better.

Rich

With regard to emissions from buried power lines, there is a phenomenon in electromagnetics known as shielding. If a good conductor is located between the source of the EM radiation and yourself, the conductor will basically "short out" the EM radiation, absorbing it. So moist soil really will shield the EM radiation from buried power lines.

 

[taniaaust1]

Rich. there are many ones with ME/CFS (myself included) who have some issues with fluro lighting. In my own case I get more headaches with it. (Those who have ASD also can have issues with fluro light). I guess that is a EMF issue too?

 

[Valentijn]

I've never lived near power lines. But I hear a really high-pitched noise from some electronic devices, especially older computer and TV screens (from the 1980's-1990's). I'm quite sure I'm not imagining it or that it's just tinnitus because 1) another kid in my 8th grade class picked up the same thing from a computer monitor and 2) my parents' old TV does it horribly, but only when there's a lot of white on the screen.

I hear the same intense sound at other times, but it usually fades quickly and I don't know what's causing it. Maybe tinnitus in those case I hear a low level of it pretty much constantly, but that doesn't bother me and I only really notice if it I pay attention usually.

 

[ahimsa]

Ooh, a planet with low gravity sounds nice ...

Do you think we could find planet with low gravity and no hills? I'd chip in for gas to get us there.

Oh, Valentijn, that really made me laugh! I've said for years that gravity is my arch enemy. :Retro mad:

As an alternative, I've always wanted to live in one of those Escher prints where I could be going downhill no matter which direction I want to go.

 

[Esther12]

I've never lived near power lines. But I hear a really high-pitched noise from some electronic devices, especially older computer and TV screens (from the 1980's-1990's). I'm quite sure I'm not imagining it or that it's just tinnitus because 1) another kid in my 8th grade class picked up the same thing from a computer monitor and 2) my parents' old TV does it horribly, but only when there's a lot of white on the screen.

I hear the same intense sound at other times, but it usually fades quickly and I don't know what's causing it. Maybe tinnitus in those case I hear a low level of it pretty much constantly, but that doesn't bother me and I only really notice if it I pay attention usually.

CRT screens do hum. A lot of people don't notice it - it's nothing to be worried about though, other than being a bit irritating. Sometimes the hum will get louder when the screen has to display a brighter image - it's down to the mechanics of the screen. Lots of electronics things are the same - these little noises can be tiring in themselves - irritating distractions often are.

It took me a while to get used to my new (second-hand) TV - for a while the hum made it hard to enjoy the greatly improved picture. Now I normally only notice it when I make the effort to listen for it.

 

[Valentijn]

As an alternative, I've always wanted to live in one of those Escher prints where I could be going downhill no matter which direction I want to go.

I'm not sure I trust those Escher prints ... knowing CFS, we'd be just as likely to end up walking uphill all the time