To Gulf Oil Spill Responders: What You Need to Know About TILT

Gulf oil spill responders, like the cleanup workers for the Exxon Valdez 20 years ago, are already reporting chronic health problems associated with TILT, including multi-system symptoms (fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, digestive difficulties, and problems with memory and concentration) as well as new intolerances for everyday exposures that never bothered them before. For example, they may feel dizzy or nauseated around engine exhaust, cleaning chemicals, fragrances, or ill after meals, eating certain foods or even drinking one can of beer or a glass of wine. These new intolerances are the hallmark symptom of a disease process called “TILT” or “Toxicant-induced Loss of Tolerance.” We know that even so-called “safe” levels of exposure to toxic petroleum-based chemicals like those in the Gulf can initiate TILT. Once TILT develops, it is very difficult to treat, but TILT can be prevented. To find out whether you may be susceptible to TILT or to track your symptoms, take the QEESI—a validated and published questionnaire developed by Dr. Claudia Miller. You can download the QEESI and the professionally acclaimed book Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes as well as other publications by Dr. Miller at no charge under the Publications & Presentations tab. These are provided as a public service to help prevent others from becoming sick. To find answers, click on the Gulf Oil Spill section under the Conditions & Exposures tab.

Q: How is the Oil Spill similar to 9-11 and the Gulf War?
A: These events all resulted in protracted exposures to petrochemicals, their byproducts or combustion products—exposures that have been linked to TILT. Sick Buildings, pesticides, fracking, the Exxon Valdez clean-up, and formaldehyde in trailers have also associated with TILT. Even the complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by molds (the smell you associate with mold) appear to contribute to TILT. Mold exposures can occur in sick buildings, and after hurricanes and floods.

Click here to read the article and watch the video of Dr. Miller being interviewed on San Antonio’s KENS 5 News.

Also look under Gulf Oil Spill under the A-Z Conditions.

Click here to read news and insights posted in Dr. Miller’s blog.

The Macedo Award

A landmark report  on chemical susceptibility by Dr. Miller and her colleague, Dr. Nicholas Ashford of MIT, won the World Health Organization’s prestigious Macedo Award for the State of New Jersey.

What is TILT?

Dr. Miller explains Toxicant Induced Loss of Tolerance in this narrated presentation.

Are you Chemically Intolerant?

Take this quiz

The QEESI is a published validated screening questionnaire for chemical intolerance available as .pdf for personal use.

Book Reviews

"A stimulating review of the controversy. Clinicians and policy-makers would do well to read and heed the advice of this book."
-Journal of the American Medical Association

"A milestone"
-Chemical and Engineering News

"Well-designed to introduce [Chemical Intolerance] to a wider audience and to expand understanding beyond its pioneers."
-Archives of Environmental Health

Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes describes how everyday, low-level chemical exposures may cause fatigue, cognitive impairment, headaches, mood changes, breathing difficulties, digestive problems, and a host of chronic illnesses.

by Nicholas A. Ashford and Claudia S. Miller