Cannabis Allergy but only during harvest?

tetragrammaton · Mar 15, 2020

Well, I would like to start out by stating, that I have no issues being around live plants, during growth or flower, nor do I have any issues smelling dried and cured cannabis of any quality and of any origin, or have any issues when smoking said cannabis.

However, ever since I started growing back in 2006, I noticed that when it comes time to trim, (I usually do a wet trim, but will do a dry trim on my two remaining plants this run), I have a pretty annoying allergic reaction. I sneeze constantly, and since I don't wear gloves while trimming, anything I touch on my body afterwards, an itchy rash developes. It is gone in a day, and the sneezing goes away too, but not entirely.

Until the buds have at least a week cure, I will still sneeze.

I don't really mind this, as it's not that severe, and doesn't last long, but with the coronavirus going around all over the world, I realized that me sneezing probably doesn't give people a good impression. And by this I mean, that even after I've trimmed, washed my hands, etc... the symptoms will last for hours, so when I'm out in public I will have sneezing fits.

I'm wondering if anyone else had an experience like this during trimming/harvest time, and I'm also wondering, regardless whether you've experienced this yourself, if anyone here knows the scientific explanation for this?

Can one be allergic to terpenes, and that's why this happens?

Peace & Love,
Tetra
:rasta:

Douglas.Curtis · Mar 15, 2020

A terpene issue is definitely plausible, though other things could be triggering it.

Have you tried nitrile gloves and a painter's mask while trimming?

tetragrammaton · Mar 15, 2020

Douglas.Curtis said:
A terpene issue is definitely plausible, though other things could be triggering it.

Have you tried nitrile gloves and a painter's mask while trimming?

No, but that's a good idea, and I will try it in a week or two when I harvest two more plants, although since i'll also be dry trimming them, I'm not sure if that will factor in to making a difference. I think I need to try it without the mask to see if dry trimming solves the problem.

Also, as mentioned, luckily this doesn't really bother me, and the symptoms are gone within a few hours usually, and I had terrible allergies as a kid, and was highly allergic to mold, mildew, trees, and animals, but grew out of those allergies, except for spring, when the trees start producing pollen.

I'm more looking for an explanation as to why this happens, rather than a solution to fix it, because it's something I can deal with, and in the grand scheme of things is a very minor issue. Luckily I can still enjoy cannabis once it's dried and cured, and even while it's growing. It's only when I trim when this issue arises.

Peace & Love,
Tetra
:rasta:

Zomboy · Mar 15, 2020

Same thing happens to me. I always trim with nitrile gloves and a mask. Helps a lot but still get minor irritation

Nexus7 · Mar 15, 2020

Same. I get a little bit rashy/hives on my hands when handling the freshly harvested flowers only. Not so much the sneezing though. I do have very minor allergies in general.

N7

St. Phatty · Mar 15, 2020

I've gotten itchy rashes like poison oak from Cannabis.

It is related to Stinging Nettles.

chilliwilli · Mar 15, 2020

when i get some of the resin of living plants on my arms and get the iches i know they are comming closer to harvest, mostly in the last 10-14 days.

pumpkinpie eyes · Mar 15, 2020

take a benadryl before putting on glovez

useless.gardens · Mar 15, 2020

pumpkinpie eyes said:
take a benadryl before putting on glovez

its what i do... im highly allergic to the resin glands in the air.

if i reach into a resinous canopy -for example- its kinda like the red marks you get when a pine needle pricks your skin.

i take allegra.
works perfect.

if i touch my eyes when trimming or something, im talking about rivers of snot.

Zomboy · Mar 15, 2020

useless.gardens said:
its what i do... im highly allergic to the resin glands in the air.

if i reach into a resinous canopy -for example- its kinda like the red marks you get when a pine needle pricks your skin.

i take allegra.
works perfect.

if i touch my eyes when trimming or something, im talking about rivers of snot.

I basically get the same symptoms. If i break up weed and then touch my eyes, bad news..

aridbud · Mar 15, 2020

Zomboy said:
I basically get the same symptoms. If i break up weed and then touch my eyes, bad news..

Yikes, yes, use your PPE (personal protective equipment)!! Gloves, maybe even goggles. So easy to rub eyes. Frequent breaks to allow body to maintain homeostasis.... relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements.

hayday · Mar 15, 2020

The guy I got my Sour Strawberry Kush seeds from used a Benadryl lotion. I have not used it or seen it but SSK makes me itch, sneeze and gives me a runny nose.
Sour Bubble does it too but neither is a major inconvinence. I just carve it up and move on.

weedof · Mar 15, 2020

Any weed gives makes me itch, sneeze and gives me a runny nose I even get rash when trimming. It seems like the allergy developed as I never had these issues few years back.

tetragrammaton · Mar 15, 2020

Well I guess I'm glad to know I'm not the only one, but it's not something to be "glad" about, as it's still a mild inconvenience for us.

The idea proposed by Douglas, regarding using a mask and nitrile gloves, as well as the advise of taking a benadryl or perhaps another antihystamine seems like it would solve the problem, or at least lessen it. As hayday said, it's not a major inconvenience but still.

I guess now the question is what is causing this? What is the science behind this? Is it indeed the terpenes in the air? The live resin? Both? Now that I think about it, I don't think my idea of doing a dry trim will help either, because in the past when I've received untrimmed bud and had to trim it myself, I'd also get sneezy and itchy, but luckily it wasn't as intense as when wet trimming, when the whole vicinity smells incredibly loud.

Zomboy · Mar 15, 2020

tetragrammaton said:
Well I guess I'm glad to know I'm not the only one, but it's not something to be "glad" about, as it's still a mild inconvenience for us.

The idea proposed by Douglas, regarding using a mask and nitrile gloves, as well as the advise of taking a benadryl or perhaps another antihystamine seems like it would solve the problem, or at least lessen it. As hayday said, it's not a major inconvenience but still.

I guess now the question is what is causing this? What is the science behind this? Is it indeed the terpenes in the air? The live resin? Both? Now that I think about it, I don't think my idea of doing a dry trim will help either, because in the past when I've received untrimmed bud and had to trim it myself, I'd also get sneezy and itchy, but luckily it wasn't as intense as when wet trimming, when the whole vicinity smells incredibly loud.

Its actually the main reason i still wet trim. If i dry trim its that much worse it seems

TheDarkStorm · Mar 15, 2020

You guys that seem to being affected by this...are you getting the same effects with trimming outdoors grown weed.....definitely a interesting subject.

TheDarkStorm · Mar 15, 2020

Zomboy said:
I basically get the same symptoms. If i break up weed and then touch my eyes, bad news..

Yeah thats not a good idea as microscopic resin crystals will be on your fingers and are quite an iritant if they get in your eyes.

useless.gardens · Mar 15, 2020

Zomboy said:
Its actually the main reason i still wet trim. If i dry trim its that much worse it seems

^^^ fact !

*

look into the canna brush.

scissors (and even hand loppers) are always necessary, i got one ;-) works good on dry/very dry flower.

https://www.getcannabrush.com/

CrushnYuba · Mar 15, 2020

My buddy has a similar thing. He is ok while it's growing. As soon as it starts drying he gets sick. He dry trims though. If he walks in the room that weed is being dry trimmed, he freaks out.

useless.gardens · Mar 15, 2020

< and you know my nugz be frosty :plant grow:

Cannabis Allergy but only during harvest?

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