I am so worried and scared (Broken energy saving lightbulb)

[Galaxyblue]

Last night I was hoovering our bedroom and I caught the lead to my bedside lamp and it fell on the floor and the energy saving lightbulb (CFL) smashed.

I didn't think anything of it, picked up the lamp and put it back on the table and hoovered up all of the broken pieces.

I then took the broken bulb out of the lamp, and put it in a carrier bag in the bin in our study (It took me a while to get the bulb out and I was looking directly over it). I then emptied the bin from the study into a black dustbin bag and left it on the landing.

The window in the bedroom was open all this time.

When my husband came home I just casually told him what had happened as a reminder really that we needed to put another bulb in.

He then proceeded to tell me that broken energy saving bulbs are dangerous (when broken) and that care was needed around them... (He said that he'd told me this in the past but I cant remember). He said he wasn't sure what toxic substance was in the bulbs so I looked it up on the internet.

Well I have now scared the life out of me, mainly because I am pregnant and I am so worried what damage could have occured to my baby.

The bulbs contain mercury which when broken the mercury vapour gets into the air and you can inhale it etc. The guidelines for dealing with a broken bulb are to leave the room for 15 minutes (leaving a window open), afterwhich pick the pieces up by hand with gloves on, wiping any hard surfaces with a damp cloth (and then disposing of this afterwards in a double sealed bag) and using sticky tape to pick up any powder remnants from carpets. Strict instructions are not to use a hoover as this can force vapour in and around the air.

I am absolutely shitting it now after reading the internet, I am imagining all sorts of problems for my baby.

I've been on the phone to NHS direct and Defra, both of which said that the mercury in the bulbs is less than a pin head and the "likelyhood" is "you will be fine" BUT THAT'S NOT REASSURANCE TO ME I want to be told that my baby is going to be fine... but thats unlikely to happen. I don't know if I can go through 34 weeks of pregnancy worrying like this.

I am going to my doctor this morning.

 

[Stunned]

First of all, calm down! All that upset and stress is definitely not good for you and baby!
I am sorry to be so blunt here but...

The chances of problems happening to your baby because of a broken light bulb is next to nothing.

The only reason why manufacturers go overboard with the hazards warnings on their products is just to cover themselves legally - they can say "hey you can't sue us cos we warned you!". I know of a company who actually put a warning on their lawnmowers not to use them on hedges! WTF!?

Same goes for the american personal injury lawyer who are otherwise known as "ambulance chasers" who exaggerate the statistics and levels of risk in order to get customers and therefore lots of money for themselves.

Secondly, stay away from google!

Enjoy your pregnancy qnd try not to stress too much about everything.

 

[Galaxyblue]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. I am still worrying like crazy, have had a blood test done today and get the results back hopefully in 48 hours.

xxx

 

[flexilexi394]

hey!
god that is a bit strangely worrying, but yeah i think the warnings cover everything just in case more than anything, hope everything is ok. im sure it will be ok, and youll be well looked after if something needs looking at. i really hope everything is ok for you, strange as you dont think of silly things like that with blooming lightbulbs!! x

 

[mumofmany]

internet always give you worst case scenarios, I know its not the same thig but when my 3rd child was 1 he bit on a mercury thermometer and i took him straight to the hospital panicking, they said the amount of mercury in there is minimal and even though he was small it was too tiny to harm him, their concern was if he swallowed any glass which another doctor pointed out its very hard to swallow glass unless you do it with a drink, so he was just sent home.
I wouldn't worry about it really, and if it makes you feel any better i never knew about the energy saving bulbs causing harm, so it cant be that bad as we tend to hear bad things. if you know what i mean

 

[sexyamy2005]

dont painic too much hun, it wont do either of you any good,

i mean they really do go overboard on things like that on packaging,

i mean how can bottled natural mineral water go off if its sealed? but they by law have to put a best before date on it, just like they have to tell u the worst case,

good luck with your results from the docs, but im sure they wont find out anything or show any signs of anything to worry about

xxx

 

[kay126]

I wouldnt worry hun,if they thought it would hurt baby they would have told u to go for tests straight away x im sure u will be fine

 

[Sarahrb]

I am freaking out so much. I broke one of those lightbulbs too and i cleaned it up myself and I'm 27 weeks pregnant. I am so worried about my baby. I can't relax and can't stop thinking about it. Was your baby ok? Or has anyone else broken these while pregnant and been worried over nothing.

 

[k8_005]

Ladies pregnancy is a time full of worry you don't need the added stress. If its happened its happened you can't change it don't cause yourself more harm by stressing. Speak to the Dr if worried I imagine they can do tests to check your levels of mercury if it will worry you more I'd never heard that lightbulbs were a big risk before now and I think even if I had I'm sure its just the filament bit which is sooo small you would prob have to break several lightbulbs to cause damage never the less get it checked out with a Medical professional as then it will put your mind at rest. And always remember Google is the devil I think iv googled myself into having all sorts of things tropical diseases rare cancers etc when in actual fact usually its nothing as sinister in the past so please try to keep calm and de stress x

 

[Galaxyblue]

I am freaking out so much. I broke one of those lightbulbs too and i cleaned it up myself and I'm 27 weeks pregnant. I am so worried about my baby. I can't relax and can't stop thinking about it. Was your baby ok? Or has anyone else broken these while pregnant and been worried over nothing.

Hi honey, my daughter Charlotte was born in May 2011, she was absolutely perfect and she's just turned two and she's just 100% perfect.

At the time I had mercury levels in my blood measured and they wasn't particularly high. I don't think these lightbulbs would be on the market if they posed a serious threat because I imagine lots of people wouldn't realised the proper clean up process for them.

If you are concerned go and see your doctor and I am sure they will be able to reassure you, and in my case everything was ok.

Sx

 

[Sarahrb]

Thanks for your reply. It's definatly google that has made me feel a million times worse. This happened last Sunday so a week ago and I still feel no better. I went to a and e the daya after it happened to get checked out and wanted a scan but they didnt think it was necessary so I haven't had any blood test done or anything. I just can't relax I'm so scared I've caused damage to my baby. I'm thinking of getting a private scan done as I still have 13 weeks to go and finding it too hard now to enjoy this. Even if I get a private scan done I still don't think it looks at the babies brain. Probably wasting £100+ but hopefully it will make me feel a little bit better to see her again in there x

 

[Sarahrb]

Hi galaxyblue, thank u so much for your reply. Did you still sleep in your bedroom after this happened? It's lovely to hear your little girl is ok gives me some hope that my baby will be ok. The next 13 weeks can't go quick enough! I'm even thinking of having a c section so I can have her 2 weeks early. The past week has been constant worrying and I can't cope with another 13 weeks x

 

[Galaxyblue]

Yes we did sleep in there but we made sure we'd vented the room for a long time when it happened.

Sx

 

[Sarahrb]

Did you just have a blood test and that was it?did you have to have any other tests done or anything to help remove the mercury from your body? Did you worry for the rest of your pregnancy or did it get easier? Sorry for all the questions! X

 

[Galaxyblue]

No I just had blood tests. Nothing more. I did worry, but that diminished the further my pregnancy went on to be honest. X

 

[LadyeExLibris]

I know this is a very old post, but I hope you will see this message! I had a similar experience, but I am not pregnant. My daughter is 10 months old. My concern is that she will be crawling in the area where the bulb was broken. I am happy to hear your daughter is healthy and suffered no ill effects! Is there anything you can tell me so that I don't worry? Does you daughter come in contact with the area the bulb was broken?

 

[SalisburyMum]

Sweetie, how many stories have you heard of people having issues because of this?

You're going to be fine xx