What do bee stings, peanut butter, pets and shellfish have in common?
They can make you sick if you're allergic to them.
The enemy known as allergies is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most people. However, people with allergies are often more sensitive to certain foods, perfumes, plants, living things - and even electricity.
That's according to Joanne Laberge, a St. John's woman who was in central Newfoundland this past week visiting a friend.
During her visit, she also wanted to get the word about a condition which she thinks is more common in today's society than most people know about.
It's called electromagnetic sensitivity, or more commonly, electrosensitivity, and if one looks it up on the Internet, a search shows that the 48-year-old is one of a growing section of people who claim to be experiencing an extreme, and in cases like Ms. Lebarge's, incapacitating sensitivity to electrical appliances, cell phones, TVs, and many other devices that rely on electromagnetic waves.
The World Wide Web may be a valuable resource in tracking down fellow hyper-electrosensitives, but Ms. Lebarge usually has to get someone else to do the grunt work. Surfing the web would mean that she would have to use a computer.
And according to Ms. Lebarge, her using a computer is similar to someone having an allergic reaction.
Her story sounds like something straight out of The X-Files, but her symptoms are real.
"My body dehydrates when I'm around all this electricity and I have to make sure I'm hydrated," she explained. "When I was working, it would be worse because I would get nauseated and dehydrated, and through the nose too, flu like symptoms that don't go away but are very intensified.
"My throat, my whole body, swells when I'm around a lot of electricity - like cell phones, Blackberries and Bluetooths - when I'm talking on the phone and it all depends on what's going on in that air in the daytime."
She also says when her electrosensitivity acts up, she gets headaches and a bad taste in her mouth. It mimics a lot of disorders, she added.
A SAFE SPOT
Ms. Lebarge lives in St. John's now, after moving from Corner Brook in June.
When she came to visit her friend in Norris Arm, she chose to do so as an experiment to see if there would be a difference going from a city to a small rural area.
She did find a difference, and in St. John's she can now sense electromagnetic waves from cell phone towers 200 metres away. Transformers also affect her when she is walking by them.
Ms. Lebarge's condition wasn't always a part of her life. She only started experiencing her electrosensitivity last year - but the condition has hit her with a vengeance.
"I'm a very healthy person but since this has come upon me, I've had so many tests done, that they couldn't find anything. They tried to narrow it down to anxiety or depression.
"You know your body, and when you see all this showing up and your life going downhill and all these symptoms ... it was making me ill enough inside that I was flat on my back. I went to emergency, I went to a naturopath and they got me on the subject of electromagnetic sensitivity. I didn't know what that was."
Ms. Lebarge went back and forth to her doctor and to a nurse and nothing was identified - but she was getting sicker.
"My family and friends knew something was wrong but we couldn't put the pieces together."
Then she did some experiments of her own. She stopped wearing glasses and visited the Corner Brook Gorge, a tourist attraction which is a deep depression carved by Corner Brook Stream. It's also far away from electromagnetic fields.
"It's out of the way of microwaves. I went down for about a week and there was a 50 per cent difference in myself. My health was back up, I was eating normally."
As for her glasses, she says she can't wear them because the frames have metal in them that picks up cell phone waves.
SUPPORT
There are support groups for people like Ms. Lebarge, many of them in Europe. One group that has a Website is ElectroSensitivity-UK (www.electrosensitivity.org.uk), directed at people with the condition, as well as scientists and other members of the public interested in learning more about the effects of electromagnetic fields.
"They are part of the overall background that surrounds us, part of the planet and the same type of energy as ordinary sunlight, whose ultra-violet rays can burn our skin and even cause cancers, but they are invisible to the eye, and have no smell or taste," states the website.
In Ms. Lebarge's case, the effects of electromagnetic fields causes her to feel a tingling on left side of the body, itching, fatigue and insomnia.
"At home too, in March, I was lying down so sick. I had jewellery on. I was quiet, and my parents were there. I heard a beeping noise and I said, 'Mom, what's that,' and she said it was nothing. I lifted my head up and a current hit my bracelet, then it travelled up my arm and hit to the left side. It travelled up twice in about two or three minutes," she explained. "After that, I did research and went to see a power engineer. They explained to me what could be happening and it could be fillings. But afterwards it went into stray currents, that's the build up of electricity into the homes, too much electricity, static electricity of your carpet, appliances in the house and power lines outside the window."
For Ms. Lebarge, her condition means a monastic lifestyle: short trips to grocery stores, virtually no TV, no cell phones, or anything with electromagnetic waves.
"I have to live a secluded life to stay healthy and trying to explain that to someone who doesn't understand, they find it incomprehensible," she said.
"It's surreal but it's real."
She has a note from a St. John's doctor stating that she "has electromagnetic and chemical sensitivity and will require accommodations in single housing in an area of Newfoundland which is a great distance away from power stations and electrical sources."
When contacted on her condition, the doctor didn't want to comment until the results are received from a scheduled MRI planned for Ms. Lebarge.
To contact Ms. Lebarge in relation to electrosensitivity, she can be reached at 738-2683.
Woman claims allergy to electricity
St. John's resident Joanne Labarge, who has been visiting a friend in Norris Arm this week, holds up a doctor's note certifying that she suffers from heightened electromagnetic sensitivity.
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Published on
November 8, 2007
- Published on June 22, 2010
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Sue Hickey
Doctor describes condition as electromagnetic and chemical sensitivity
What do bee stings, peanut butter, pets and shellfish have in common?
They can make you sick if you're allergic to them.
The enemy known as allergies is a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most people. However, people with allergies are often more sensitive to certain foods, perfumes, plants, living things - and even electricity.
That's according to Joanne Laberge, a St. John's woman who was in central Newfoundland this past week visiting a friend.
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Comments
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- Katherine
- - August 29, 2011 at 11:39:06
How can i call this number if she's allerigc to cell phones. Duh.
-
- Michael
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:51
Whilst I do not doubt that Joanne is suffering these symptoms, I do doubt that they are caused by electrosensitivity .
Many of these symptoms can be caused by working at a computer, through things such as poor posture, sitting in one position too long without breaks, and focussing on a screen that is poorly adjusted, especially without correct prescription glasses.
Experiments with self-diagnosed electrosensitives have so far failed to show that their symptoms are linked to an E-M source. The only people who claim that there is anecdotal evidence are the people who sell expensive solutions .
I am concerned that electrosensitivity is being used by unscrupulous merchants to sell solutions for the wrong problem. The effort that is put into addressing electrosensitivity should be trying to get to the real causes of these very real symptoms that are being suffered. -
- Thomas
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:46
While this woman's symptoms are unfortunate for her, there could be many reasons why she is experiencing them.
Here in the UK many people have claimed to have electrosensitivity and a number of quacks have tried to exploit them, with things like paint that costs
£54(CA$107) per litre!
Electrosensitivity has been seriously studied by proper academics at The University of Essex and they found no evidence that self-professed electrosensitivity sufferers could tell when electricity was on or not. But don't take my word for it, a copy of the paper written by the scientists is available here for free: http://www.badscience.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/eltitietal_ehp_revised.pdf
Because of that, it would be better to assume that it doesn't actually exist and the symptoms are caused by other things and to try and address those problems rather than a fake cause. Please Canada, don't fall for the same lies that we have in Britain - you're too good for that -
- Mark
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:46
First of all, I'd like to suggest the symptoms are real; of course these people aren't looking to disrupt their lives and lose jobs. However, they are mistaken about the causes of their symptoms. Numerous provocation studies have been conducted to investigate cell phone masts and other em sources, and the electrosensitives are never able to tell without looking when electrical devices are on or off, despite claims that they can feel them directly. We need to stop focussing on electrosensitivity and focus on finding the route cause of their symptoms.
-
- Percy
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:44
I know the condition can be distressing, but there *are* treatments available to help EMS sufferers: it's far better understood in Europe than it is in the Americas: http://tinyurl.com/ywo22s
-
- Richard
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:37
While some electrosensitives undoubtedly experience real and debilitating symptoms, there is no evidence that they are caused by mobile 'phone masts, wi-fi or any other of the commonly cited sources of electrosmog . Experiments involving electrosensitive people have consistantly shown that they cannot tell whether a source of an electromagnetic field is switched on or off in blind testing.
More information here:
http://www.badscience.net/2007/07/essex-electrosensitivity-study-results/#more-470
Please also note that the outlandish claims of Electrosensitivity-UK have no basis in scientific fact, and no evidence to back them up. The organisation does however make a lot of money from selling products which it claims can protect you from the effects of electrosmog and other electrical fields. Funny that. -
- David
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:34
A recent study by scientists at the University of Essex in England showed that a group of test subjects who claimed to be sensitive to electromagnetic fields were, in fact, unable to tell whether or not they were being exposed to an EM field during a rigorous double-blind experiment.
Electrosensitivity is clearly a psychological condition, not a real physical sensitivity. Sufferes need to be treated with sympathy, but doctors would be better advised to explore the underlying psychological issues of the patient. -
- David
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:17
Electrosensitivity is a psychosomatic disorder.In times past it would be diagnosed as hysteria ,melencholia etc
It has nothing physically to do with microwaves or any waves ,energy sources etc.
All research has shown that the electrosensitives can not tell when they are exposed to the alleged sources of thier discomfort in double blind trials. -
- Charles
- - June 28, 2010 at 16:19:10
I am electrosensitive and live in Switzerland. I can conform most of the symptoms of Ms. Lebarge. Notable measures are:
1. Sleeping in nature in France near the Swiss border. There are few customers of cell phones there and thus few antennas.
2. Daily exercise and sauna. This dramatically increases resistance and releases toxins.
3. Removal of all metal in teeth and jewelry, glasses.
4. Plenty of water.
5. Keep a cheerful attitude and try to be helpful to others.
Sincerely,
Charles Cavanaugh
chas.cavanaugh@bluewin.ch -
- Michael
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:35:25
Whilst I do not doubt that Joanne is suffering these symptoms, I do doubt that they are caused by electrosensitivity .
Many of these symptoms can be caused by working at a computer, through things such as poor posture, sitting in one position too long without breaks, and focussing on a screen that is poorly adjusted, especially without correct prescription glasses.
Experiments with self-diagnosed electrosensitives have so far failed to show that their symptoms are linked to an E-M source. The only people who claim that there is anecdotal evidence are the people who sell expensive solutions .
I am concerned that electrosensitivity is being used by unscrupulous merchants to sell solutions for the wrong problem. The effort that is put into addressing electrosensitivity should be trying to get to the real causes of these very real symptoms that are being suffered. -
- Thomas
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:35:15
While this woman's symptoms are unfortunate for her, there could be many reasons why she is experiencing them.
Here in the UK many people have claimed to have electrosensitivity and a number of quacks have tried to exploit them, with things like paint that costs
£54(CA$107) per litre!
Electrosensitivity has been seriously studied by proper academics at The University of Essex and they found no evidence that self-professed electrosensitivity sufferers could tell when electricity was on or not. But don't take my word for it, a copy of the paper written by the scientists is available here for free: http://www.badscience.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/eltitietal_ehp_revised.pdf
Because of that, it would be better to assume that it doesn't actually exist and the symptoms are caused by other things and to try and address those problems rather than a fake cause. Please Canada, don't fall for the same lies that we have in Britain - you're too good for that -
- Mark
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:35:15
First of all, I'd like to suggest the symptoms are real; of course these people aren't looking to disrupt their lives and lose jobs. However, they are mistaken about the causes of their symptoms. Numerous provocation studies have been conducted to investigate cell phone masts and other em sources, and the electrosensitives are never able to tell without looking when electrical devices are on or off, despite claims that they can feel them directly. We need to stop focussing on electrosensitivity and focus on finding the route cause of their symptoms.
-
- Percy
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:35:12
I know the condition can be distressing, but there *are* treatments available to help EMS sufferers: it's far better understood in Europe than it is in the Americas: http://tinyurl.com/ywo22s
-
- Richard
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:35:03
While some electrosensitives undoubtedly experience real and debilitating symptoms, there is no evidence that they are caused by mobile 'phone masts, wi-fi or any other of the commonly cited sources of electrosmog . Experiments involving electrosensitive people have consistantly shown that they cannot tell whether a source of an electromagnetic field is switched on or off in blind testing.
More information here:
http://www.badscience.net/2007/07/essex-electrosensitivity-study-results/#more-470
Please also note that the outlandish claims of Electrosensitivity-UK have no basis in scientific fact, and no evidence to back them up. The organisation does however make a lot of money from selling products which it claims can protect you from the effects of electrosmog and other electrical fields. Funny that. -
- David
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:35:00
A recent study by scientists at the University of Essex in England showed that a group of test subjects who claimed to be sensitive to electromagnetic fields were, in fact, unable to tell whether or not they were being exposed to an EM field during a rigorous double-blind experiment.
Electrosensitivity is clearly a psychological condition, not a real physical sensitivity. Sufferes need to be treated with sympathy, but doctors would be better advised to explore the underlying psychological issues of the patient. -
- David
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:34:40
Electrosensitivity is a psychosomatic disorder.In times past it would be diagnosed as hysteria ,melencholia etc
It has nothing physically to do with microwaves or any waves ,energy sources etc.
All research has shown that the electrosensitives can not tell when they are exposed to the alleged sources of thier discomfort in double blind trials. -
- Charles
- - June 22, 2010 at 17:34:33
I am electrosensitive and live in Switzerland. I can conform most of the symptoms of Ms. Lebarge. Notable measures are:
1. Sleeping in nature in France near the Swiss border. There are few customers of cell phones there and thus few antennas.
2. Daily exercise and sauna. This dramatically increases resistance and releases toxins.
3. Removal of all metal in teeth and jewelry, glasses.
4. Plenty of water.
5. Keep a cheerful attitude and try to be helpful to others.
Sincerely,
Charles Cavanaugh
chas.cavanaugh@bluewin.ch
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