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. 

Parents
  • 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

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  • 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

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