Face masks

[Barb1]

So far I have avoided wearing these, as I find it so hard to breathe with one on. Now they are to be compulsory in many areas except if you have a medical condition that causes breathing difficulties. Is it my AF causing me to find wearing a mask almost impossible or is it just me?

[BobD Volunteer]

I can't really see why AF should present a problem in such circumstances but I think we do tend to become very self aware and this can make us "fussy" about anything which may restrict us. I've worn respirators whilst spraying noxious chemicals with no problems but admit that I can't wait to take my medical mask off when I have to wear it whilst having blood tests etc. It is almost a panic thing which is odd.

[Barb1 in reply to BobD]

Yes, that's exactly how I feel. We were hoping to go to Cyprus as soon as its allowed but that would be about 10 hrs with a mask on, taxi, airport and plane. I couldn't stand it and how about eating and drinking?

[Paulbounce]

I can only comment about my personal experience about face masks.

Half of them are a complete waste of time - however some are not. I "invested" (15 quid from Amazon heh) for one with a coating of something that's should "kill" the virus. Nano or something - I'm to lazy to check it out online.

It covers my face fully but my glasses get steamed up when I wear it.

On a serious note - yes they are worth wearing. However if you have breathing problems then maybe there is another way to deal with it - even wearing a scarf or something like that.

As an ex-smoker I fully understand how unpleasant it is to have your breathing restricted. Afib only adds to that (for me anyway when it kicks in).

I wonder if there's a face mask you can buy that might offer some protection but still allows you to breathe freely ?

Check eBay first using the right search terms. However don't buy from there as they are likely to be copies. It might point you in the right direction though but make sure you buy from a reputable seller ie the medical seller who is registered as such in the UK.

One other recommedation is to call or speak to your pharmacist. I think they are more likely to point you in the right direction for a face mask that could be suitable for your needs ?

Worth a try anyway.

Paul

[Barb1 in reply to Paulbounce]

Thank you. Good ideas about scarf and pharmacist

[Surreychica_1 in reply to Barb1]

Why not purchase the mask that people who are allergic to pollen wear. There is an air hole in it which lets out air but filters out bacteria and the like. Much easier to breath with those.

[barbly1 in reply to Surreychica_1]

Those masks with the valve are not accepted in many places where masks are required because although they protect the person wearing the mask, their exhale escapes the mask so does not protect others, which is the point of wearing one.

[Barb1 in reply to barbly1]

Oh dear

[Polski in reply to barbly1]

I think any facemask must let out the air, but if it slows it down and releases it all round, then we are less likely to be breathing direct into someone's face.

[Barb1 in reply to Surreychica_1]

Thank you. I didnt know about those.

[Desanthony in reply to Paulbounce]

Asthma UK have just recently posted on facebook that if you have breathing difficulties it may be better not to wear masks but then again if I had asthma I wouldn't be going out in crowds or to crowded places anyway. It is difficult. I tried to wear a mask the other day but my spectacles fogged up so I couldn't see what I was buying in the shops! Wearing masks has so far not been mandatory in Wales as we are still in lockdown with schools not opening until 29 June and we are only allowed to go 5 miles to meet one person under social distancing guideline. Unfortunately I have to drive further than that to get to a shop! I know that is allowed as it is essential travel but it did make me laugh.

[CDreamer]

I make my own - 2 layers of good quality cotton with a high thread count. I have no problems breathing through it and doesn’t steam up my glasses at all. I’m using it for when walking in the woods or gardening to keep out the pollen and it’s been very successful. Quite adequate for what is required for travel. My understanding is that any face covering will suffice, unless within a hospital?? so a cotton scarf wrapped around your face? I think we are all just going to have to get used to it if we want to travel so maybe practice for short periods at a time?

I won’t be getting on any airplane or using public transport until the virus has gone or we have a successful vaccine but that’s not because of AF, I’m shielding because I’m immune compromised and suppressed.

[Paulbounce in reply to CDreamer]

CD - I hope I am shown to be incorrect about this. I really do hope I'm wrong.

I can't see the virus going away or a vaccine being found anytime soon. The world has changed and I guess we will all have to adapt through new 'social norms'. I fully understand you not wanting to fly - I feel the same.

However needs might mean I have to fly asap as my business is abroad. The thought of sitting in a plane for over 3 hours frightens me but before long I have to go. Either that or maybe lose my business. I won't have health cover which is worrying so would have to pay for my treatment if I became ill (fair enough).

It's a rock and a hard place. Sort of deal or no deal type of thing. The chances are I would be ok as the death rate in Bulgaria is a fraction of what it is over here (at the moment).

Tough call - however I need to decide in the next week or so !

Hope all ok with you and stay safe.

Paul

[CDreamer in reply to Paulbounce]

I can’t see the virus going soon either and I can’t see me travelling because of the risks of being immune suppressed but nowadays - that’s a relief! I can see a vaccine a possibility in 6-12 months though. I am in the highest risk group so today was a highlight - 1st time out for 13 weeks - coffee in the car watching the beach. 😀Highlight of my week.

[jennydog]

I read about some American research :-

Normal air is 23.5% oxygen. Behind some face masks it's 17%.

Anything below 19% can cause "brain fog."

This tells me that wearing a mask whilst driving could be dangerous.

I don't intend to wear one unless forced to do so.

[CDreamer in reply to jennydog]

Why would you wear one if you were driving?

[jennydog in reply to CDreamer]

Delivery drivers are doing so. Worrying!!

[CDreamer in reply to jennydog]

Whilst they are actually driving? I’ve only seen them wearing mask whilst delivering to the doorstep.

My son operates a delivery service & his main complaint is getting the drivers to ‘get’ hygiene in the cabs & social distancing & why it’s so important. They have a strict regime of wiping down all of the cabs on return ready for next driver. The BIG difficulty he reports is Service Stations closing their toilets to HGV drivers!

[Singwell]

It might be the type of mask. Get one with a nose clip perhaps? Surgeons wear them for hours under bright lights in operations so they're perfectly safe (whatever is being said by some in the US).

[Ppiman]

Bad luck, Barbara - I know a nurse who struggles like you do. Sadly, the only way to avoid the need for masks is through social distancing so, where this cannot be achieved, for everyone's safety our dilatory government has finally come round to accepting what many other countries have known for months.

I've found a super website that gives details of how to make a really comfortable mask that fits tightly yet is still very comfortable to wear. If you have a sewing machine, or have a friend with one, I can recommend you search for "Eat Pray Create" and follow the video link on that page which shows how to make it. We've now bought some proper aluminium strips from Amazon to use for the nose clip as these can washed without corroding, but up till they arrived, we used multi-strand copper earthing cable making sure there were no sharp ends to protrude through the mask.

Out of interest, a nurse I know who works on the Covid wards in our nearby city hospital recommends not wearing gloves at any point, but always to wear a mask whenever in the community where social distancing cannot be achieved or when indoors. She says the staff where she works feel it is safer for the public to wash or disinfect hands and avoid touching the face rather than risk cross-transmission of the virus via the glove materials.

Steve

[Barb1 in reply to Ppiman]

Thank you. I'll look at the sight but definitely couldn't wear a nose clip

[Ppiman in reply to Barb1]

The clip isn’t affecting the nose or breathing at all. It is there only to press the soft cotton inner lining of the mask closer to the sides of the nose and cheeks to prevent air leakage.

Looking at the news this morning, it looks like we’ll have to wear triple layer masks after all - but where from and at what price? Crazy government and even crazier times!

Steve

[CDreamer in reply to Ppiman]

I put some soft garden wire in the lining of my masks - works a treat!

[Ppiman in reply to CDreamer]

That's a really good idea. I've been using some earth wire I had with the ends fused together, thinking the copper wouldn't rust during washing.

Steve

[Brandibell]

I am deaf and i lip read and I am saying no more other than total frustration of the worst kind when wearing Hearing Aids and glasses and long hair. Haha... So it is hair up glasses and mask 9/10 and a wing it.

[Barb1 in reply to Brandibell]

I lip read as well. Its most frustrating!

[Surreychica_1 in reply to Brandibell]

Me too. I am not completely deaf, but I do have to say I find it very difficult to carry on a conversation. It as difficult before but now it is nigh on impossible. However needs must.

[Brandibell in reply to Surreychica_1]

Oh yes, catch the odd word and hope you have heard it right. Although I have to say we have the best laughs in outer house when I mis hear..🙂

[Desanthony in reply to Brandibell]

Feel your pain brandibell. I too wear glasses and hearing aids - I knock my hearing aids out when changing normal glasses to reading glasses and a mask fogs up the glasses too. I don't have much hair left so at least that is not a problem for me!

[Brandibell in reply to Desanthony]

It is a nightmare. If my bobble falls out I lose the mask when I was sat in A and E with an erratic heartbeat of 146 dropping to 70 etc.. they kept coming to take my temperature so hearing aid in out mask up my nose down my nose.. I have to laugh writing this or else i would cry..on top of it sent home and tild to ring my cardiologist.. still no diagnosis 1 year later but getting there. In the meantime I am hibernating..😁

[Barb1 in reply to Brandibell]

Think I agree with you

[Desanthony in reply to Brandibell]

Best thing to do is still to stay home as much as you can as its farcical. Last time I ventured out nearly 2 weeks ago now saw so many people whose masks were pulled down below their noses and took the masks off to speak to cashiers which makes my attempts at wearing a mask, hearing aids and glasses useless. It is a good laugh I suppose and we need to laugh. That reminds me one man had his mask on upside down so the nose piece was holding it quite low under his chin so effectively not covering his nose at all as open. I am just staying home as much as I can.

[Brandibell in reply to Desanthony]

Me too it just gets so confusing especially when you are dodging people as well.. speaking of which i think I have had my mask on upside down a couple of times easily done with all other contraptions..haha Take care 😊

[wilsond]

I saw a face shield which looks good. It's clear plastic ,like a visor ,worn on a headband. It can be easily cleaned with washing up liquid after use.

It was on Yahoo. Might be a good alternative? Xx

[Barb1 in reply to wilsond]

I wonder if they are allowed and wear to buy.

[Brandibell in reply to wilsond]

The debate with those is they are still open at the sides and bottom. So that is why most have to wear a mask as well. Just like the see through masks being made that steam up..

All I can say is deaf awareness has finally been brought to the forefront and not before time..🙂

[CDreamer in reply to Brandibell]

I saw a mask that had a lip window recently - now I know why! Good point about lip reading. We all need a lip window in our masks.

[tunybgur]

Sadly slight breathlessness is one of the symptoms associated with Afib.

The bigger the mask, the easier it normally is to breathe through.

You could try a full face mask, these are more expensive but much easier to cope with for extended use, but remember masks are generally designed to protect others from you, unless you adopt the full NHS PPE garb.

Life in the future is going to be a lot more complicated for travellers.

[dwright12]

Yes, I have trouble breathing with a mask on.

[Barb1]

Glad its just not me!

[Maril1]

I would use a visa that fit over the head and attach some material as drape on the bottom for air travel if you know what I mean ?

On public transport you are exempt if you have trouble breathing but don't be surprised if the nanny staters/ little Hitler's like the liberal elite who are demonstrating / looting in hordes in various cities around the country today as if covid is a thing of the past or doesn't affect them post a picture to shame you on Twitter or some other god awful media platform like the BBC.

[Barb1]

I dont care about being shamed, if it comes to that. I am just wondering if my fast AF could make me exempt of wearing them.

[Gertsen]

Just you I am afraid 😊

[john-boy-92]

I've used breathing apparatus with compressed air in confined spaces training, and that can be restrictive, particularly when the air cylinder becomes empty! As Bob writes, filter respirators worn for paint spraying are a bit of a pain. Are the face masks that you have worn, the IIR certified type for primary care and outpatients? Those are new to me, but I will be wearing one this month when I'm in hospital for a procedure.

I have tinitus, mild hearing loss and my BSL is limited to "good morning, fire, and drink", that tends to be a bit limiting ☺.