Hi Rachael.  No problem at all!  

The work we did a few years ago involved moving a wall between the kids' bedrooms (thereby disurbing the ceilings), moving the ceiling lights in their rooms (involving cutting new holes for the new locations), and cutting a massive hole for a skylight approx 1m x 0.5m, right outside the kids' bedrooms.  When we did this, we were unaware of the presence of the asbestos and did nothing about the dust.

More recently, we've pulled down a whole ceiling without realising it contained asbestos.  We've got a specialist company to come in and get rid of the debris (which we organised as soon as we realised it contained asbestos), but not before the dust has had a chance to get all around the house.

The specialists we spoke to knew about all of this (which is FAR more than the one large hole and a few small holes that you have drilled) when we talked to them, and the bottom line was that there really is nothing to worry about.  

I can relate to your anxiety issues somewhat, and know that it can be really hard to convince your brain to assess risk properly, no matter how much evidence you present it with.

Feel free to ask me anything else you like!

Thank you again, I really appriciate the time you have taken to reassure me and it does certainly sound like you took a lot of time to speak to some real experts who clearly know more than "Google".  I don't think I would even know where to start to find the right people to talk to so very thankful that you have done it for me !!

Thanks

Rachael

Thank you so so much!! Your information has prevented a huge anxiety episode for me with hours of endless googling and panic!

I scrapped off a small area of artex only.to then discover it may contain asbestos. Google lead me to this chat almost immediately,  thank goodness! I am so grateful for people like you who are positive and post reassuring advice that is backed up with your own research! A huge thank you! 

Google search finished

Hi jak99, so far you are the only one giving me a little hope again with your comments. I am trying to add you as a friend hoping i can chat with you about this.. im still not completely relieved.. please..

Hi - feel free to add me as a friend!  I will happily help to reassure you if i can!

You are more than welcome!  My wife and I also stressed ourselves out with googling which is why we decided the only way forward was to speak to people who really knew what they were talking about.

Really glad that what helped us is also helping other people.

Thank you. I just added you. Im so worried now. This anxiety is the worst one i have as it involves my whole family. . I want to have a chat with you if you dont mind. I want to regain my self back for my family.. i havent told about my wife about it. I dont want her to worry like me. It wont be good for my children if we are like this.

Feel free to message me privately- happy to talk to you!

Hi. Ive sent you private message.. thanks

Hi,

Someone posted a link to this thread on a diy forum to try and put my mind at rest.  Have had an asbestos related event that has been casuing me non stop stress and anxiety since last Thursday when it happened, have been googling continually and beating myself up for the events that happened.

I was out side chatting to builder when carpenter on second storey used a jig saw to cut through softfit, made two cuts that were quick through about combined 80cm of what turned out to be a cement based asbestos board, since had it tested and showed Chrysotile asbestos.  I guess I was about 10m away at ground level, there wasn't a lot of wind.  They then proceeded to throw the board down into dumper truck where board broke up into pieces as I was about 5m away.

Looked up the amount of fibres released by jigsaw and is 2-10 fm/l - considereably more than dealing with artex.  What I don't know is are those fibres still bound up with the cement or are they the microscopic fibres that break free.

I have been stressing out on two counts, the first is how many fibres got to me, guess will never know, not really worried about me but the thing I will never be able to get over is I didn't change my clothes or shower.  I then proceded to pick kids up from school, do dinner and put them both to bed with loads of hugs, it was only when had a bit of time after to google I realised how stupid I had been.  I'll be honest I haven't really slept since, have never felt so anxious about anything.  Have read how the fibres cling to clothing and can then be released and breathed in, the children are tiny and were both laying on me at one point.

Second count of stress that is less reasonable is my childrens bedroom window is right next to cut was made, they were closed but are old wooden windows and the seals are okay but not great, really worried microscopic fibres got in the room.

I so wish I could have got builders to pause and not cut softfits. 

I really do not know where to turn as the thought that harmed children is eating me up.

Lawrence