Shaving

[Jeffy14]

I just have a question. Since I got CFS I noticed I hate shaving... It leaves a really bad feeling I hate it. I'm like irritated, I cant stand it and it makes me more tired and I need to lay on my bed after that. I feel much better letting my beard grow and not having to shave. It's so weird. Do you have this?

 

[Marg]

Hi,

I bet it is becaue you have one of the many kinds of OI. I have trouble blowing my hair dry ands keeping my hands up with the dryer. I have POTS but I think it has to be mild from other descriptions I have heard but blowing my hair drives me crazy and makes my arms weak.

 

[Jeffy14]

Hi,

I bet it is becaue you have one of the many kinds of OI. I have trouble blowing my hair dry ands keeping my hands up with the dryer. I have POTS but I think it has to be mild from other descriptions I have heard but blowing my hair drives me crazy and makes my arms weak.

Hello and thanks for your answer.
What's OI and POTS please?

 

[alex3619]

Hi Jeffy14, there is another explanation aside from OI.

OI is orthostatic intolerance, and most of us have that. POTS is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, and many of us have it. Both involve loss of blood pressure to the brain, and pooling of blood in the legs. I have OI but not POTS.

My problem with shaving is concentration. You have to stand and concentrate and coordinate your actions for some minutes. If prolonged, this can trigger post exertional malaise, especially if you shower before shaving.

Showering, particularly hot showers, will also worsen OI. You might try having an only warm bath instead if this is a problem for you.

Bye
Alex

 

[Sushi]

Hello and thanks for your answer.
What's OI and POTS please?

OI = orthostatic intolerance i.e. you don't tolerate standing up. POTS = Postural orthostatic tachycardia--you stand up, you get tachycardia and and you can also feel like you are going to faint or actually faint. Not fun. Very common in our population...and raising your arms to do something like shave or dry your hair makes it worse. Many of us are simply intolerant of raising our arms for more than a few seconds.

I know another patient who only shaves every few days too.

Best wishes,
Sushi

P.S. Hi Alex, I see we cross posted!

 

[August59]

My skin is much more sensitive than it used to be. I used to have no problem shaving my chin, but I cannot shave it anymore without taking a layer of skin off. Or, leaving little patches of whiskers sticking out! :tongue:

 

[Jeffy14]

OK cool guys thx. I'll check on those 2 things.
But from what I read I'm not sure this is that. You see I have no problem standing all day long, doing the dishes taking a shower. I can even run for 45min etc...
I'm not housebound at all anymore. But shaving make me feel bad.
It's the feeling after shaving. I feel bad but it's not post exertional malaise at all.
I wonder if it's the micro cuts made by the razor or what. I swear I feel like shit after shaving. I hate the feeling.
You dont have this?

 

[caledonia]

What kind of shaving cream and aftershave do you use? Maybe a chemical sensitivity?

Do you have any problems with paints, markers, cleaning products, etc.?

 

[Jeffy14]

What kind of shaving cream and aftershave do you use? Maybe a chemical sensitivity?

Do you have any problems with paints, markers, cleaning products, etc.?

Hello and thx!

No it's really the feeling after shaving. I even used a new brand of products very espensive and of excellent quality.
I feel so bad after that I can lay on my bed and even sleep. I wonder if my body release adrenaline or cortisol which makes me so tired.
It really started when I got CFS. I even remember t frist time it did this to me 3 years ago.
I really dont know what to do
When I have to work I feel it's something taxing a lot of my energy

 

[Marg]

Hi,

Here is one site to check out POTS www.OIResourse.com. You can also Google it. Dr. David Bell has written a good bit about it too. I think there are 6 differrent kinds. I feel badly standing, so POTS it is. Dr. Nancy Klimas has me on a low dose beta blocker patch...I am to either drink Gator Aid 2 ( two small bottles a day, think they are 10 ounces or make my own using 1 bottle club soda, 1 cup filtered water, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teapsoon potassium chloride). I also have to drink a lot of plain filtered water.. My blood volume was found to be very low.
I am doing much better doing that.
The sun makes me feel terrible too and can bring on an attack. It all went away and I was going to the beach when I went into an 8 year remission. So I have high hopes , I am not as sick this time, enough to put a stop to everthing though. I am also doing much better on Imunovir for EBV and HHV6.

 

[alex3619]

But shaving make me feel bad.It's the feeling after shaving. I feel bad but it's not post exertional malaise at all. I wonder if it's the micro cuts made by the razor or what. I swear I feel like shit after shaving. I hate the feeling.

Hi Jeffy14, I don't have this problem. I would bet dollars to peanuts that it is a chemical intolerance. It doesn't matter how expensive your shaving products are.

The next move would be to try a decent electric shaver. Don't try a cheap one. I am presuming you are using a razor blade of course. If the problem persists, it is something to do with skin. If the electric razor fixes it, its your shaving products. You might like to go to a specialist shaving shop for advice, there are a few around in major cities.

Oh, and until you know you are not XMRV positive, don't share any razor (even electric) with anyone.

Bye
Alex

 

[Jeffy14]

Hi Jeffy14, I don't have this problem. I would bet dollars to peanuts that it is a chemical intolerance. It doesn't matter how expensive your shaving products are.

The next move would be to try a decent electric shaver. Don't try a cheap one. I am presuming you are using a razor blade of course. If the problem persists, it is something to do with skin. If the electric razor fixes it, its your shaving products. You might like to go to a specialist shaving shop for advice, there are a few around in major cities.

Oh, and until you know you are not XMRV positive, don't share any razor (even electric) with anyone.

Bye
Alex

Hello,

Chemical intolerance? Why not. Im gonna try to shave without cream.
And yes I use a razor blade
The electric shaver may be a solution. You shave with this? Does it take longerto shave with it?

Thanks!

 

[alex3619]

Hello,

Chemical intolerance? Why not. Im gonna try to shave without cream.
And yes I use a razor blade
The electric shaver may be a solution. You shave with this? Does it take longerto shave with it?

Thanks!

Hi Jeffy14, I used to use an electric razor without problems, some years ago - a high powered electric razor is quick and easy. Early this year I bought a cheap electric razor - its not a bad brand, but very under-powered. This makes it hard work to use - so hard I went back to razors. I am on the lookout for a better one, but many department stores only stock one model and I have never been impressed with it. Since I don't get out very often, its been a while since I have even looked. Bye, Alex

ps one last idea: try shaving with plain (no colour, no fragrance) soap. If you can tolerate it for washing, you can probably handle it as a shaving cream. This would be a cheaper test than buying an electric razor.

 

[Jeffy14]

Hi Jeffy14, I used to use an electric razor without problems, some years ago - a high powered electric razor is quick and easy. Early this year I bought a cheap electric razor - its not a bad brand, but very under-powered. This makes it hard work to use - so hard I went back to razors. I am on the lookout for a better one, but many department stores only stock one model and I have never been impressed with it. Since I don't get out very often, its been a while since I have even looked. Bye, Alex

ps one last idea: try shaving with plain (no colour, no fragrance) soap. If you can tolerate it for washing, you can probably handle it as a shaving cream. This would be a cheaper test than buying an electric razor.

Hello,

OK thanks a lot!!
I'm gonna try shaving with soap
You know you can read reviews of eletric razors online. You have plenty of ranking etc...
Then you can order it. That's how I do for most my items it saves a trip to the store.

Thanks again!

 

[*GG*]

Hello,

The electric shaver may be a solution. You shave with this? Does it take longerto shave with it?

Thanks!

I use an electric shaver, but I don't shave to bare skin, since it's winter here now, I grow out my facial hair. With warmer temps I just trim it down, it's just going to grow back, so why bother?!

GG

PS This is part of my time management skills and I don't need to be clean shaven for work, so why bother?

 

[Jeffy14]

I use an electric shaver, but I don't shave to bare skin, since it's winter here now, I grow out my facial hair. With warmer temps I just trim it down, it's just going to grow back, so why bother?!

GG

PS This is part of my time management skills and I don't need to be clean shaven for work, so why bother?

Hello and thanks
I need to be cleaned shaved when I work

 

[Dainty]

I just want to second the chemical sensitivity possibility. A lot of personal care products such as shaving cream use the same base ingredients so that no matter which one you try you'll still be putting basically the same stuff on yourself.

In fact it is possible the same stuff might be in the soap that you try to use instead.

You could look into "shaving oil", or just try some cooking oil from teh cupboard to see if that'll do for the purposes of the test. YOu might even find out you like the oil better!

Keep us updated on how things go, we love to learn around here and to help each other out.

As for me, I'm a girl, and I gave up all shaving years ago. What can I say.....my energy levels experienced severe budget cuts (CFS) and that was just one of hte things that had to go.

 

[Crus]

I also had many problems with shaving. What i did? I did Removed all Gillette/Wilkinson products and im using ecological products. Problem solved.

After that Gillette shave i felt like... sick. I bet is some kind of MCS, although i can make almost normal life having CFS.

How dow feel after a shower?

 

[Jeffy14]

Hello!

Thanks Dainty. I'll try shaving without anything first I did not know shaving oil existed. I'll look into that.
Crus, thanks for your answer. It's interesting that this happened to you! No I dont have a problem with showers at all.

I just want to add that before CFS I never had problems. It really started with my CFS.
I'll try to keep you updated. It may take a little while. I dont plan on shaving before a few weeks But I'll keep you udpated for sure!
THanks so much.

 

[Jeffy14]

Hello,

Little update here.
I tried to shave without any products (no foam, no after shave) and the bad feeling did not come!!
It was all chemical. I even tried good brands but same thing.
Shaving without anything is totally bearable.
It's crazy that I got that. I know it started with CFS. I got this at the beginning of the illness.
Thanks everyone for your help
I hope it can help some of you in testing for chemical sensitivities.