Ok, so I've been doing a lot of welding lately, and I'm using flux core wire. Well, I made a lot of progress last night, and I felt pretty good about it. Well, I went to sleep and at 5:30am, I woke up with the worst dizzy spell ever. It was so bad it made me puke. Now, I was extremely congested after welding due to the flux, and I'm wondering if perhaps my ears are clogged with that stuff and it is causing the dizziness? I know that a clogged ear with cause extreme discomfort, loss of balance, and all kinds of stuff, so my question is if any of you guys have had this strange thing happen to you?

BTW, I'm still awake because if I close my eyes for too long, I get incredibly sick due to the extreme dizziness.

 

Brake cleaner?

 

Ive been flux core welding (well dual shield) in school for the past month or two and I have never had this problem or anything remotely close to it. however we have extractors in our booths so maybe you had alot of gas surrounding you?

 

Dude... go to the doctor and tell them what happened. I had this happen to me before and I've suffered permanent sinus problems. Go to the doctor, it's not worth the risk from breathing toxic welding fumes.

BTW- now when I do a lot of welding where I may breath in fumes, I wear an N95 filtration mask.

 

/\ What were you welding? Go to a doctor immediately, its probably nothing but when welding there are fumes given off that could kill you. Its nothing to joke about.

 

I got a hot piece of spatter in my ear canal once, it bled a little and I didn't realise what had happened until I couldn't hear anything in my left ear a few hours later. The blood will crust up your ear wax and clog the canal, it's not that big of a deal. Get a clean new spray bottle like household cleaners come in, mix half hydrogen peroxide and half hot water in it and attach a piece of vacuum hose (or a catheter if you can get one) to the nozzle. Put the line in your ear and pump the water/peroxide through it continuously and it will break up the wax and blood and flow out of the ear. Make sure the line you use is small enough that it doesn't block your whole ear, so that it can wash the stuff out past the incoming line. I've had problems with my ears as long as I can remember and this is what the doctors have always done, figured I'd just do it myself a few years ago so I wouldn't have to pay a nurse or someone a premium to do it. You're feeling sick because your inner ear controls or has a big effect on your balance.

 

You dont wear ear plugs when you weld (non tig)? thats pretty stupid IMO.

 

No, I don't really. I've hardly ever used the MIG though still to this day, and I was never formally/properly trained in either one of them. I pretty much only use the MIG for tacking up exhausts. Still, for automotive type stuff, I don't know any welders who use ear plugs. I can see if you're only welding all day, but when doing other things as well, trying to get work done quickly etc, it would be a hassle. I'm sure not everyone wears a leather apron, gloves, or a helmet either, for whatever reason. It may be stupid but sometimes that is how it goes.

 

If you were welding galvanized the fumes can make you sick fairly easily or alot of metals with coatings will do the same. Hope you feel better but you should go get checked out because your health is nothing to take chances with.

 

if you are welding with flux core, i recommend using a respirator.. when i worked in the shipyards, we were required to wear them.. 10-12 hour days welding near paint and oil and the chemicals used in the flux really can **** you up..

often i would go home with a crusty nose with brown boogers and get nose bleeds often..

even now, with tig, if im welding all day long, its hard to take deep breaths... the argon can get to you too..

 

if you cleaned anything with brake kleen, (just assuming) but burnt brake kleen = phosgene gas. very bad stuff that will give you your symptoms.

 

Welding on galvanized metal will also produce similar symptoms.

 

sounds scary, havent had that before but deff sounds like u were not in a well vented spot . i have seen that before though. milk is supposed to help
though i have burnt my eyes before & that didnt feel good at about 3am, lol think saying sandpaper in the eyes is an exact feeling, lol

 

Go to the doc ASAP. /thread