Worried that flux welding fumes as damaged my lungs

[Maximal]

Hello.
I'm a little worried. Long question, but hopefully there are some people in this forum that has a lot of knowledge and experiences on this.

I started welding on hobby projects back in 2017. Mainly cars from 1990 and older. It's not mainly galvanized steel, I suppose, but maybe a little. I have always worked outdoors, maybe once in a garage on the door opening. I use flux cored gasless welding wire in my machine. If I add up all the hours I have done active welding (you know it takes a lot of time to cut materials etc.) then I may have welded a total of 20 hours constant since 2017. This summer I did some welding on an 80s Dodge van. It was over a period of 4 days that I welded, but with a lot of breaks along the way. I used a dust mask when using an angle grinder to gut metal plates, but no respirator when welding. I also tried to avoid the smoke cloud, but I still got some I guess. Since then, I have felt a little tight in my chest and feel that I have a little more mucus than before. When I cough (on purpose) it's a slightly harder cough deep in the chest than before. My question is, could those hours of welding have done permanent damage to my lungs, or am I just worrying unnecessarily? I tend to worry about these sort of things. Similarly I have in the past not always used a mask filter when angle grinding, but I haven't done it that much and also always been outside.

I'm going to see the doctor this week, but I'm just so worried. I thought it took a lot more to do damage to the respiratory system, like working with this stuff every day for months or years. I can't recall that I've ever had "metal-fume fever" symptoms after welding. Maybe once when I was soldering some stuff, but thats ages ago.

Any answer is greatly appreciated!

In any case, I will always use a respirator for a next time.

 

[skotl]

I’m not a doctor (and glad you’re going to see a real one!) but I doubt that amount and kind iof welding will be the cause of your problem.

Hope it turns out to be mild, whatever it is.

 

[Barking Mat]

What have medical experts said ?

Welding outside occasionally, it's pretty unlikely.

Age, symptoms ? Smoker ?

 

[barracuda816]

Not sure what they use as a flux. But I did indeed develop athsma from rosin core soldering for a number of years without proper ventilation and PPE. Luckily for me it's not too bad but gets worse now in the hay fever season. So fingers crossed for you it's not a long term problem you have.

 

[Maximal]

I’m not a doctor (and glad you’re going to see a real one!) but I doubt that amount and kind iof welding will be the cause of your problem.

Hope it turns out to be mild, whatever it is.

Thank you for answer! I don't hope it will be a permanent problem, crossing my fingers. I do tend to worry quite a bit for such health related things. I'm actually a 4th year med student believe it or not, but I'm definetly not a specialist in respiratory diseases. The doctor I'll visit is a specialist in that field.

 

[Maximal]

What have medical experts said ?

Welding outside occasionally, it's pretty unlikely.

Age, symptoms ? Smoker ?

24 years old, maybe had 15 cigarettes in my entire life.

 

[Maximal]

Not sure what they use as a flux. But I did indeed develop athsma from rosin core soldering for a number of years without proper ventilation and PPE. Luckily for me it's not too bad but gets worse now in the hay fever season. So fingers crossed for you it's not a long term problem you have.

I see. I don't think I have soldered enough for that to be an issue! Stay well my friend!

 

[Mark 5]

Hello.
I'm a little worried. Long question, but hopefully there are some people in this forum that has a lot of knowledge and experiences on this.

Like @skotl I'm not a doctor and the right thing to consult one.

Even if you doubled those hours, I would be surprised you have done your self harm spread over those years.

It's like people who removed an asbestos roof/ceiling or two in their lives and now worried ongoing symptoms might be a cause due to asbestos.

Asbestos is dangerous stuff, you can't say never but unlikely.

There could be so many other reasons, have you had Covid, that can damage lungs, you could have tiny little nodules in your lungs and so on and so on, the Doctor and some simple investigations will ease the concern.

You will worry, of course you will but nothing that's not fixable, seen soonest, soonest sorted.

 

[Barking Mat]

You might just have a lung infection, or it could be pollen ?

 

[Maximal]

You might just have a lung infection, or it could be pollen ?

It's possible. Never had an issue with pollen before though

 

[Maximal]

Like @skotl I'm not a doctor and the right thing to consult one.

Even if you doubled those hours, I would be surprised you have done your self harm spread over those years.

It's like people who removed an asbestos roof/ceiling or two in their lives and now worried ongoing symptoms might be a cause due to asbestos.

Asbestos is dangerous stuff, you can't say never but unlikely.

There could be so many other reasons, have you had Covid, that can damage lungs, you could have tiny little nodules in your lungs and so on and so on, the Doctor and some simple investigations will ease the concern.

You will worry, of course you will but nothing that's not fixable, seen soonest, soonest sorted.

Thanks for the kind words, I really hope this will just be a good reminder for later to always use PPE

 

[gaz1]

I did some welding on an 80s Dodge van. It was over a period of 4 days that I welded, but with a lot of breaks along the way. I used a dust mask when using an angle grinder to gut metal plates, but no respirator when welding. I also tried to avoid the smoke cloud, but I still got some I guess. Since then, I have felt a little tight in my chest and feel that I have a little more mucus than before. When I cough (on purpose) it's a slightly harder cough deep in the chest than before. My question is, could those hours of welding have done permanent damage to my lungs, or am I just worrying unnecessarily? I tend to worry about these sort of things. Similarly I have in the past not always used a mask filter when angle grinding, but I haven't done it that much and also always been outside.

I'm going to see the doctor this week, but I'm just so worried. I thought it took a lot more to do damage to the respiratory system, like working with this stuff every day for months or years. I can't recall that I've ever had "metal-fume fever" symptoms after welding. Maybe once when I was soldering some stuff, but thats ages ago.

Any answer is greatly appreciated!

In any case, I will always use a respirator for a next time.

for start off if you had of welded galvanised steel for too long and you breathed it in you would feel it

there is a few things that can start copd symtons

if you smoke done grinding steel or or masonary or even grinding pointing out theres many jobs including painting that copd can surface and effect your lungs

ive done the lot of them

now you read as your not tight in the chest and your also not short of breath you would know if you was that i can assure you of happening

as goes for mucus try coughing white mucus every morning without fail and also coughing it out all day long and thats copd

i suspect you have a chest infection and are bringing up more mucus because of it also the same symtons of a tightness of chest similar to flu

if not sure best to get checked out as i did when i needed to do

 

[Morrisman]

When I was an apprentice I spent several weeks in our big fabrication shop, back in the seventies. Guys welded, Mig and arc, and ground, and gas cut steel all day long, with no extraction, no fresh air, big doors closed to keep the heat in, mid winter. Many of those guys did it for years, their whole working life.
On the occasion they opened the big doors to let a waggon in or out a great huge cloud of smokey dust would billow out…..

I dread to think what it’s like now, probably everyone has a forced air respirator and personal fume extraction pipes glued to their head.

 

[brightspark]

When I was an apprentice I spent several weeks in our big fabrication shop, back in the seventies. Guys welded, Mig and arc, and ground, and gas cut steel all day long, with no extraction, no fresh air, big doors closed to keep the heat in, mid winter. Many of those guys did it for years, their whole working life.
On the occasion they opened the big doors to let a waggon in or out a great huge cloud of smokey dust would billow out…..

I dread to think what it’s like now, probably everyone has a forced air respirator and personal fume extraction pipes glued to their head.

a lot of em smoked as well so half was self inflicted

 

[Maximal]

for start off if you had of welded galvanised steel for too long and you breathed it in you would feel it

there is a few things that can start copd symtons

if you smoke done grinding steel or or masonary or even grinding pointing out theres many jobs including painting that copd can surface and effect your lungs

ive done the lot of them

now you read as your not tight in the chest and your also not short of breath you would know if you was that i can assure you of happening

as goes for mucus try coughing white mucus every morning without fail and also coughing it out all day long and thats copd

i suspect you have a chest infection and are bringing up more mucus because of it also the same symtons of a tightness of chest similar to flu

if not sure best to get checked out as i did when i needed to do

I guess it's just to wait and see what the doctor says. Hopefully most of it is just me being anxious...

 

[Maximal]

When I was an apprentice I spent several weeks in our big fabrication shop, back in the seventies. Guys welded, Mig and arc, and ground, and gas cut steel all day long, with no extraction, no fresh air, big doors closed to keep the heat in, mid winter. Many of those guys did it for years, their whole working life.
On the occasion they opened the big doors to let a waggon in or out a great huge cloud of smokey dust would billow out…..

I dread to think what it’s like now, probably everyone has a forced air respirator and personal fume extraction pipes glued to their head.

True, and thats why I'm so afraid now. But like you mentioned, that was indoors and for years, so I think it's strange if my problems described would be permanent after just a few hours outdoor. And I don't smoke and generally is healthy.

 

[Maximal]

a lot of em smoked as well so half was self inflicted

Exactly!

 

[Seadog]

Not sure what they use as a flux. But I did indeed develop athsma from rosin core soldering for a number of years without proper ventilation and PPE. Luckily for me it's not too bad but gets worse now in the hay fever season. So fingers crossed for you it's not a long term problem you have.

I made a point of inhaling the smoke from Ersin Multicore solder in my youth. I still do 60 years later. I live the smell. No, I don't have asthma.

 

[Kram]

Its never good to have anything but air in your lungs but you have to balance the risk, I doubt your issues are caused by the welding.

How much excersise do you get? I suggest you try running as getting fresh air in your lungs is the best way to clear them out. If I get a cold I often go for a run, feels awful but the recovery is much quicker.

Running will also make a huge difference to your cardio ability compared to the sedate, zero excersise lifestyle that is now common.
As an example I'm in my late 30's and dont get as much excersise as I should. I know some 50-70 year olds that can run or cycle further than me, also one guy in his 80's! They made the choice to do it often and keep their fitness up, and some.of them smoke (makes sod all difference to cardio until you get cancer).

 

[Maximal]

Its never good to have anything but air in your lungs but you have to balance the risk, I doubt your issues are caused by the welding.

How much excersise do you get? I suggest you try running as getting fresh air in your lungs is the best way to clear them out. If I get a cold I often go for a run, feels awful but the recovery is much quicker.

Running will also make a huge difference to your cardio ability compared to the sedate, zero excersise lifestyle that is now common.
As an example I'm in my late 30's and dont get as much excersise as I should. I know some 50-70 year olds that can run or cycle further than me, also one guy in his 80's! They made the choice to do it often and keep their fitness up, and some.of them smoke (makes sod all difference to cardio until you get cancer).

I'd say I'm in normal shape for a 24 year old. I am able to run for quite a few kilometers if i have to. Thanks for your answer.