I will be researching this issue but since this site has some of the smartest people I know I have a question. As some of you know my blood counts have been dropping from a low in 2010 to alarm level low in 2012. I thought I had been smelling gas off and on and tonight it was very strong. A new neighbor a young woman was really overwhelmed by the smell. We called the rental office but no response. We called the gas company and they came and tested the building. They found 3 leaks on the first floor and did not bother checking the second floor since they felt the gas needed to be shut off.

My question is could inhaling natural gas at a low level over time harm my blood or other aspects of my health? At least I know I will not be blowing up anytime soon.

You and Corky are lucky that it's been discovered and the gas shut off until everything is repaired. I can't give an answer for your specific question, but I know that gas can cause severe health problems over time – probably yours included.

Thanks Jesus, I am in a funk because my dog's appetite has been poor lately and he is vomiting more frequently. The temps have been high along with the humidity and I thought I was doing a good thing keeping the windows closed and the AC running. Hell I may have been poisoning him. I have been suffering with stomach pains, shortness of breath and headaches which I attributed to meds, low red blood cells and hangovers. Now I find I have been gassed.

I'm glad you are still here to tell the tale. As a smoker I'd have been dead shortly after my first nicotine craving.

Hopefully your health troubles will clear up now. I'm thinking you'll definitely feel better breathing clean air again.

http://journals.lww.com/epidem/Fulltext ... s.771.aspx

Methane, which is typically about 90 percent of natural gas, is not particularly toxic.

The same cannot be said of typical odorants added to natural gas, such as mercaptans, added because methane is odorless and a methane leak is usually undetectable until methane concentration reaches the lower explosive limit (LEL).

Between the LEL and the UEL (upper explosive limit), a common way of detecting a methane leak is a horrible, not uncommonly lethal, explosion.

I am really glad that you got the gas shut off while you are still alive.

Exposure to methane is commonly considered unsafe at or above ten percent of the LEL.

Thanks all, I am also glad we did not have eunuchs in space from a gas explosion. I had visions of me on the toilet and the gentleman below lighting a match and causing an explosion.

What I have read is exposure to natural gas causes lethargy, headaches, forgetfulness and something else I but I do not remember. I called my dog's vet this morning and he said lots of fresh air and there should be no residual effects. Since he would be fine I did not bother calling my doctor since I have more faith in Corky's vet than my doctor.

I am looking forward to my former energy levels. I began to think I was having hangovers but it was headaches from the gas. I look forward to my dog feeling better and now I know why he did not want to go back in the apartment. I thought he was just being stubborn. All this time he was my canary trying to keep me outside.

Eunuchs in Space sounds like a feature film by Mel Brooks. Would Corky be painted yellow to play the role of a canary???

JesusA (imported) wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:07 am Eunuchs in Space sounds like a feature film by Mel Brooks. Would Corky be painted yellow to play the role of a canary???

Yes and as I leave earth's atmosphere, on my flying toilet, I gain speed. I am saved by our own Darth Vader who catches me with a tractor beam from the Death Star. Once on the ship with my canary beagle I am interrogated by Darth and a Red Nun.

Who wants to write the next few lines of the story?

Sorry, had to do it:

https://www.google.com/search?q=exploding+toilet

From Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/embarrass/accident/toilet.asp

Get it before it's gone, too much to copy.

I went looking for toxic effects of methane gas. The best I could find was warnings about asphyxiation and that is a short term toxicity. I found next to nothing but a couple ambiguous sentences about prolonged exposure. I can see why with the flammable and explosive nature of methane. I can tell you what you already know that exposure to hydrocarbons over a long period is not good. Having world in a building that turned coal to oil and in the early days the building reeked of hydrocarbons, I'm more sensitive than most to hydrocarbons now. Perfumes and colognes give me headaches and crowds of well-dressed people in their good clothes just reek of perfumes and colognes. Malls and department stores with perfume stations are really head-ache inducing nightmares for me.

I do have this advice. Ask your doctor for a panel of blood tests to see if any of the hydrocarbons affected your liver.