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Do you think it is all down to infection or no infection?

13 Replies

So if you have no infection your well, if you pick up a infection you go down hill immediately , so is it between the two? If you manage to keep away from people s germs,is that right ,your not ill!

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13 Replies
O2Trees profile image
O2Trees

For me that's how it is but this illness takes people in different ways. Im pretty militant about other people's viruses - friends and family are all trained now (!) and most people i don't know are fine (e.g. sitting next to someone in the cinema i check with brief explanation) but a very few can react a bit aggressively as if I've accused them of being dirty! In winter we pretty much hibernate - don't go to parties or other crowded places.

I think it would be good for infection control to be integrated within the school curriculum - it would save a lot of unnecessary illness.

peege profile image
peege in reply toO2Trees

You're right there O2trees. It's simple enough to teach little ones to wash their hands, the reasons why, about cross infection, hand over mouth when coughing, using tissues and how not to have snot everywhere - without turning them obsessive.

in reply toO2Trees

I am the same when it comes to other people,irresponsible doesn't go down to well, we used to stay at home when we had germs,but not now people are treated so badly they threaten them with no pay if they have a day off work. Germs are in the air everywhere. I did read that oxygen built up the immune system and steroids broke it down.

tigershay1 profile image
tigershay1

I agree to some extent but realistically its not feesable for most people who work (i manage a childrens nursery and we have extremely strict hygiene practices and procedures in place along with a strict illness exclusion policy ) unfortunetaly those of us with lung problems (and other chronic illness) are suseptable to picking up infections in public areas ...non more so than nursery and schools!!! I am using first defence spray before i go out now and carry hand antibactrrial wipes ....i make concious effort not to touch my face when out (hard i know but if you get into the thought you are harbouring germs on your hands you will stop!! Never touch face after being to bank or handling money or imagine germs on cash point key pads / door entfy codes??? Yuk its these that normal healthy people can deal with but could be very seriousfor us. So agree with trying to find out if the person next to you in the cinema is well but really the vast majority of people wont know what they are incubating so alot is based upon ourselves to take utmost precautions. Ive hardly been out since before xmas except to go to hospital or gp !! There you go the worst possible public areas to pick up germs! Best wishes xjudith

O2Trees profile image
O2Trees in reply totigershay1

All good advice tigershay - as replied to peeg below you can only do your utmost, then hope for the best, and nurseries can be lethal. Our friends with small children are always getting sick as their offspring build up their immune systems - we have a lot of cancelled meetings.

For those in work its hard - I had to leave my job as i was getting so many infections which were progressing the condition, and some people weren't always considerate. But realistically, as you say, difficult to cover all the bases. And of course again as you point out, people don't know if they are incubating and so infectious. I used to think that 24 hours before symptoms appear is the danger time, but since then I've read that 2-3 days is the likely time for pre-symptom contagiousness. But i reckon that although you can't possibly keep totally safe, you can at least cut down your exacerbations by being as careful as possible. Good health :)

peege profile image
peege

Wow what a question Invisable. I can only say that last year I was infection/exacerbation free for 7 whole months (the longest period for several years).

In that time I took every opportunity to build up my immune system and there were times when I was close to people's bugs and didn't catch anything at all. I lasted right up to mid December, was marvellous. ...... Now I'm getting to feel more "normal" again and less vulnerable after a second bout. I do consider myself lucky and really hoping I can continue to manage the copd and worsening asthma. As O2trees said, we're all different.

Wishing you well

tigershay1 profile image
tigershay1 in reply topeege

I was same well all summer even got to november and i thought fab ive cracked it ...jinxed myself as wam dec hit me harder than ever. We teach all our children from young age to catch sneeze flush it wash hands. But when your dealing with tinies they dont know so unfortunately as strict as hygiene practice is it always isnt a germ free bubble that we work and live in. Precautinons and good hygiene is only half the battle x

peege profile image
peege in reply totigershay1

Yeah. I once saw a documentary on TV on coughs & sneezes spreading infection. I've never forgotten that an adult sneeze comes out at 70 miles an hour. When on the Tube I'm not only wearing a scarf or Buff over my nose & mouth but also ducking & diving when someone the other end of the carriage is coughing. I'll usually change carriage and stand tall in an effort to avoid the germs.

I'm going to get some of that first defence stuff today. I know a lot of little children and catch all my bugs from them!

Sohara profile image
Sohara

First Defense is brilliant...its really works for me, and everyone that I have told about it...but you have to use it BEFORE you start a cold ( ie if you have been in crowded places etc as a precaution) or at the FIRST sign of a cold, once the cold has taken hold its too late

in reply toSohara

What is first defence?

O2Trees profile image
O2Trees in reply to

You squirt it up your nose and buy it in Boots :) Its made by Vick i think. Ive never found it works but then i haven't used it like Sohara says - Im always too late - so Im going to get some and be an early bird in future.

Sohara profile image
Sohara

It's made by vicks. I always use it after I fly anywhere & if I have been in a room with someone who has a cold. It doesn't matter if you use it & did not need to as it's just a spray. You are not taking anything. I think the idea is that it clings to the germs & then you blow them out when you blow your nose it tells you all about it on the box washing your hands too is a must

helingmic profile image
helingmic

I have dreadful friends who say: oh I just had a col, but it's nearly finished now! I try to tell them not to be too friendly with me when they are in that state!

with my lowered white blood count, anything that looks suspicious and I'm bound to catch it! I just had pneumonia and pseudomonas and stayed ill for 5 weeks with IV AB!

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