new leather smell

[Emee]

Does anyone have a problem with this odor? I bought a new leather sofa & chair thinking if I got real leather that it would not have an odor & was I wrong. It smells like a dye or conditioner. I almost passed out this a.m. when I went into the room it was in. I had to go outside in the fresh air & feel some better as long as I stay out of the room or wear mask while there.

I am keeping window open & exhaust fan on during the day & covering it with heavy clean coverlets at night which is helping some. My DH says it doesn't bother him which makes me feel even more like a wimp. Just wondered if having seizures makes us more sensitive to these type odors? Thanks.

 

[Cint]

It could be medication making you more sensitive to smell. I know that ever since I started taking Keppra years ago, I cannot wear any perfume now nor go near it in stores. Sometimes, smelling some type of food makes me ill. And Topamax interferes with my taste buds. Nothing tastes good any more.

 

[Emee]

If I don't take my medication I can't tolerate it at all. Thanks for telling me about the Keppra. I am already very sensitive to perfumes & chemical smells. I take Neurontin for partial seizures which seems to help the sensitivity to odors a little.

I'm sorry Topamax interferes with your taste buds I know that can be awful. I had strep throat once & it effected my taste buds to the point I could not tolerate the taste of food in my mouth. I never completely recovered. Some of my used to be favorite foods still smell & taste like spoiled fish.

 

[valeriedl]

Do you have asthma or anything like that?

My mom has asthma and there are things that she can smell that I barely can or don't even know are there. Sometimes if it's a little bit of a stronger smell, that I don't think is, it might cause her to have an asthma attack. If it is a strong smell she is almost guaranteed to have an asthma attack. She can tolerate some smells but there are very few.

 

[arnie]

I haven't researched this much, but my hunch is that epilepsy has the potential to make some of us more sensitive to odors. I know that I can smell many things that my wife or other people I am with can't. I'm not talking about phantom smells or anything, but normal environmental smells that I smell in much lower concentration and before other people do. There are places I can't stand to be in because of the various strong (to me) odors in them. As for your case, it would probably help if you could leave the furniture uncovered as much as possible since, through outgassing, that smell will dissipate but it will take longer if there is less ventilation. Could you shut the door to the room and leave the fan on and window open all night? The smell will go away faster if you can do that..
Also, it's not only the leather that would cause the odors, but whatever it was processed with, the chemicals in the glues used in the frame, the materials of the frame, etc.

 

[MAB]

I got my leather sofas before I developed seizures but the leather did have an odor. It went away after a while. I do seem to be effected by odors though. It seems unpleasant (to me) odors bring on phantom odors that last for hours or come in waves for days. I hate air fresheners but like to scent the air with essential oils.