Scared, Anxious, Upset over Asbestos exposure DIY 60's Home

Hello, Not sure this is the right place to post this, but I spotted other posts questioning Asbestos and have no where else to turn to.  Long story short, I am 37, bought this 1960's home with my wife and have been renovating it for the past 5 years.  I have done eveythign myself, from chisilling walls to sanding old paint and plaster, and drilling walls, including removing old vinyl tiles that I have now since disocvered coudl be asbestos! 

 

How was I so silly.  I did not realise the dangers of an old home and what lurks behind.  So I cant sleep now, and been like this for a week.  I wake up thinking, oh, I drilled that wall in this room, and never wore a mask.  The only time I wore a mask was when sanding the walls to smooth out plaster.  

 

From what I gather plaster walls do not contain asbestos, (I hope) as there was a lot of dust and rubble that my wife and I cleaned up, and cant remeber if wore  a mask at this time! ahhhh. 

 

I feel so silly, also guilty for potentially putting my wife and children at risk.  THey were not in the house when I did any DIY tasks, but they did come in from time to time to look around, but thankfully not when there was dust in the air.  

 

I have called the doctor, for two reasons, to explain teh asbestos exposure, and also the anxiety.  She said it would be short exposure, but I worry, I did not remember to tell her everythign at the time, as its all starting to come back to me.  So 5 years of drilling and sanding, and to top it off a few years ago, I had some hardcore delivered, (recyclyed smahed up rubble in small pieces) to form a base fo rthe driveway.  I didnt wear a mask! and i recall dust in the air at the time when I was using a machine to smooth it out.  

 

I am so so worried, its keeping me up all night.  Worried I have sent myself to an early grave.  Thanks for listening. 

  • Hello,

              if you are talking 1960 n0t 1860,l would think your risk is very limited.Asbestos use would have been limited to soffits, possibly artificial roof slates, but not tiles and around fires or boilers.Plaster should not contain asbestos,nor should your base rubble.l would think you are more likely to reduce your lifespan by stressing than by asbestos exposure.This only really applies to those in constant contact over a working lifetime,the graveyards are not full of DIY builders working on sixties houses so l think you are worrying for nothing,

                                                           enjoy life, David

  • Hello David, thank you for the reply.  I really am truly grateful.  I seem to move from one worry to the next and have taken steps to sort it out.  I am booked for health counselling from next week! 

     

    I have had a numerous health scares, one of which was a potential melanoma scare involving 3 x Suspect moles removed a few years back, and ever since then I now get so worried about my health.  Out of the blue, I happened to read an article up online about asbestos, which then lead me to looking deeper into, from which i then discovered all of the potential exposure instances I got myself involved with.  My biggest fear now is the recyclyed crushed hardcore.  I read online (Thats my issue - keep reading hororr stories) that sometimes naughty people, chuck asbestos in with the rubble and ends up being crushed then purchased by people like me, innocently spreading it around a large driveway all day with dust eveywhere, then smashing it with a compacting machine, and I recall dust , but thought nothing of it.  I am so scared there may have been asbestos within the rubble.  Feel such a fool now.  

     

     

  • Hi Daniel

     

    I'm sorry to hear about the worries you have been having. I have been through something very similar but just wanted to assure you that you can move on from it. Even if the floor tiles you removed were asbestos then they are very low risk. They only contain a very small amount of asbestos (1%-5%), and would have been white asbestos, which is by far the least hazardous. 
     

    It's largely accepted that asbestos disease effect people who have had large exposures over many years. Practically everyone is exposed to some amount of asbestos throughout their lives yet asbestos disease are still relatively rare. The worry will do you more harm than any exposure you've had. 

  • Hello CH2089, 

     

    Thanks for taking the time to reply.  Really appreciate.

     

    Your comments have helped ease my fears.  It does appear extended exposure seems ot be the most primary factor in any furture illnesses.  

     

    That rubble got me worried, but I dont know for sure there was any in it, so I need to try and stop over thinking it.  Really appreciate your help. Daniel, Thanks

  • Hi I read this post and it's also been my story. We moved into an old house in 2007 and had lots of building work done. I too became very scared about asbestos and the possible effects on my young family, spending untold hours seeking reassurance and even paying to get the air in my car tested. I finally got diagnosed with OCD as I'd also suffered a bereavement and relationship breakdown. I also suffered from health anxiety before that. My best advice is to read the objective advice in the other posts. I don't know what happened in your house but it does sound like this could also have triggered an anxiety disorder. Try to see it in perspective and recognise OCD for what it is. My OCD caused way more damage than, I suspect, disturbing some old asbestos. Don't Google it either!

  • This is me right now! We took some stuff to the tip in the car during a Reno and I keep finding fibres in the car after cleaning several time! Who did you get to check the air quality please? I need this so I can move on as I have my baby in the car most days and have stopped going out as much as I am frightened of what im exposing him to. Please help