Are You A Germ-A-Phobe?

[TOBEY32]

I've always leaned that direction, but I know more-so now that I take immune-suppressing drugs.
Sometimes I think I take it too far, and hate think I get THAT worried. I'm "lucky", though, not having to host much in my home, being a single person. Many of you have spouses, children, grandchildren, etc. - so there's hugs, and kisses, and closeness, and this, and that. I put the word lucky in parentheses, because to have that stuff in one's life is definitely not unlucky. I've been too long to myself/on my own and I'm sure that's part of it.

Question: How much of a germ-a-phobe are you due to Weg's?

[pberggren1]

I had to give up on being extreme with my cleaning because I just can't do much at all anymore and my parents are not clean at all.

Sounds like you are lonely Dave. Maybe you need a wife.

[Wegetarian]

I was coerced into buying some hand sanitizer when I came to this forum, I still have it but haven't used it in weeks. I'm not really more cautious now than before, part of it is that my doc told me that my white blood cell count has remained good, so I suppose I shouldn't be more prone to infections / or they shouldn't be more severe than before.

I did take the flu shot, but was hesitant about that. Maybe we are a bit more cautious about inviting kids over who have the flu. Sometimes its kind of hard to know, since their parents might not remember to warn us even after we told that we can't have contagious kids over since I got the disease.

[TOBEY32]

Sounds like you are lonely Dave. Maybe you need a wife.[/QUOTE]

Ya THINK, Phil!?

[Pete]

Around the house, not too much.

Use soap and water after toilet, before handling/preparing food, and returning from outdoors.

Since I'm retired, I can avoid sick people most of the time. I go to the gym and grocery with no issues so far. During winter, I don't get out much and am ok with it. If I have to go someplace (wedding or funeral) where there may be sick people, I'll make sure I have a disposable surgical mask and hand sanitizer with me. I've skipped some events because of the potential for catching something. My family understands and is as ok with it as they can be.

[pberggren1]

Then get out and get thee one.

[mishb]

Yes, Yes, Yes - and did I happen to mention YES - 150%

David, I'm not sure that you and I would make a great couple - with us both having WG and all, not to mention me living on the other side of the world :tongue1:
however, we both have so much in common, even down to the same day we were both diagnosed with this, oh so wonderful, condition.

I to, was also germ weary, way before WG hit, but now it is worse.

I was always freaked out about public toilets, taps, traffic lights, shopping trolley's and elevator buttons.........always using my sleeve to push or turn any of these things. My family are also very aware of these things now.

I am still the same about buttons, taps and trolley's, but I now don't like to shake hands with people, and if I do, I take the very first opportunity to use my hand sanitizer.
I wear a scarf around my mouth and nose when using public transport. I have a bad habit, now, of ducking my head whenever anyone sneezes......like that is going to protect me:razz:

Also, signing the form if the postman brings an article or signing the forms at the doctors, pharmacists etc, using their pens ...... yuck
hand sanitizer again for this.

I think our water bill has doubled since 2010.......and not just because they put the charges up :flapper:


One other thing I forgot to mention - I am happily married nearly 30 years - and my family are the only people I am not afraid of, in regards to germs.
Here is a big hug to you David - one that wont cause you any grief :hug3:

[Alysia]

for years I was considered by my friends to be a hypochondriac.
this song was the hypochondriac song:
?????- ?? ???? ??????? (????)?? - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi62fo0RomM)
it tells about someone who is very careful not to catch any germ, like never yawwning before checking the winds directions, being in panic when someone is sneezing around, checking his fever every day, etc.
well, I felt that I HAD SOMETING. I was even kidding, saying that on my grave it will be written: "I TOLD YOU".
but it turns out that I DO have something. WG.
I am not afraid anymore that I have something, I know that I have it.
as for germs: I am careful if I have to go to places like hospitals and health service clinics, trying to come early before it is croweded with sick people. and when I am back home I do a shower and change, first thing.
but at other places I give up. I can't be "on guard" every where.
I must say, that it is rare for me to catch germs from my kids, although they are sick from time to time. my daughter had monoucleosis last year, but I was not infected.
prob when you love someone, you take only the goods from him.
so David, your road is open. your future wife will be blessed. weggies-boys are sensitive and kind.

[NikkiNicole]

I purchased a water filtration system because our well had minute traces of e coli in it ... which made my husband fearful that I would somehow be exposed to it. My ENT surgeon had also commented that I couldn't get water near my incision after surgery especially if I had well water because of the amoebas in it. So now ... I have an extra water bill while I pay off the system that make my water cleaner than most.
I also paid extra to have an air filtration system put in with my heating and air conditioning (not to mention having the heat put in in the first place) because of my sickness. This is all my husband's doing. I'm not so germaphobic yet. But, he doesn't want to take any chances.
We didn't have heat in our house so we paid to have it installed because being freezing probably doesn't help my situation.
So ... financially, I've paid a lot to protect myself in the long run. (If things were to get worse, I'll already have this stuff on hand and paid off!)
I wipe down my desk, I carry hand sanitizer, I don't sit near people who are sick. I'm extra careful but ... it doesn't feel too overly so. I work with people who are already germaphobic and I am not like them!

[windchime]

​I'm very conscious of what I touch using my knuckle at the ATM and my own pen when signing things. I have four grandchildren that live with me and I try to stay out of their way if they are sick. I can't use hand sanitizer because it breaks out my hands so it's plain soap and water for me. I've always had a strong immune system and other than WG I stay pretty healthy. It's currently kicking me in the butt though.

I may have to take to wearing a mask though as there are a lot of sick people that like to get massages. I asked one lady if she had any medical conditions and she said, "no, just a little head cold and the massage shouldn't be contraindicated." No it's not but consider you're breathing in my face for 10 minutes or so that I'm working on your neck and shoulders. Sorry small rant about inconsiderate people that get massages.

I'm more of a germaphobe now than two months ago.

[MikeG-2012]

In my 20 months since diagnosis, I've gone to the extremes. First, complete germaphobic. Mask, hand sanitizer, washing hands, the works. Now, I guess my approach is CAREFUL. I sanitize toilet seats, avoid large crowds, avoid public transportation, and wash my hands frequently. If I get into a place where there are a lot of coughing people, I just avoid them, and sit/stand somewhere else, or if I can't do that, I politely leave.

OK, I work at a COLLEGE. Did that make any of you sit upright and sigh? LOL! At the office, I got permission to add an external air filter to my AC/heat vent from the maintenance people (if any of you are interested, I can tell you how I managed that in another thread), I wipe down toilets, and hip check a lot of automatic door openers (ADA access is a great thing--plus being the campus AV guy, I am usually pushing something). I am just simply CAREFUL! If any of my student assistants are sick, they know to not some to the office, or sit in the far back and wipe down everything before they leave for the day. I also have a sign outside our main office area that says: "If you are SICK, PLEASE KNOCK!" It is then that I tell folks that I am on immune suppressants. I also share that I have GPA with ANYONE and EVERYONE who asks. If I can educate people on what I have, most of them then police themselves when they are around me. So far, I haven't had a cold or flu since diagnosis, but I think that has a lot to do with my twice daily sinus rinsing rituals (3 litres, 2x a day).

So BEING CAREFUL works best for me.

MikeG-2012

[TOBEY32]

In the long run, I agree with this:
"...I can't be "on guard" every where."

And I (really!) appreciate that:
"...so David, your road is open. your future wife will be blessed. weggies-boys are sensitive and kind."

Eat your heart out, Phil...

[TOBEY32]

Also meant to say:

If there is a God surely he's watching my back when needed...

[Tom]

I've always leaned that direction, but I know more-so now that I take immune-suppressing drugs.Sometimes I think I take it too far, and hate think I get THAT worried. I'm "lucky", though, not having to host much in my home, being a single person. Many of you have spouses, children, grandchildren, etc. - so there's hugs, and kisses, and closeness, and this, and that. I put the word lucky in parentheses, because to have that stuff in one's life is definitely not unlucky. I've been too long to myself/on my own and I'm sure that's part of it.Question: How much of a germ-a-phobe are you due to Weg's? Am I a germ a phobe? Well like you I have leaned that way but in my earlier years I wasn't on a job that furnished washing facilities so I ate my lunch dirty hands and all. I was always told that a little dirt would not hurt you, that was just away to say Man up and get back to work or what ever but I believed it After my Wegs. dx I was told to wash ,wash ,wash ,wash (breath) wash, wash, wash your hands and use hand sanitizer. Because like you I was put on immunal surppressents. I have grand kids but do not avoid them if they have colds but do not kiss and I get quick hugs if they have a cold. Like wise, I do wash my hands while fixing meals, even if the yare for me after blowing my nose or handling the newspaper as I cook meals. I don't allow my nail clippers to be used by my wife or any other and if they are and I see it I will offer to give them the clippers or other wise I will throw them away. I wont taste others food even if I am dying to taste it! Unless I get first bite with or with out my own utensil. I will shake most any ones hand but will wash before eating or cooking food. I will not use a public toilet if I see the person walk out of the stall and its the only one available. I will wash down an empty toilet in a stall when I enter it and will not use it if it is not flushed or has what I call racing striped in it, not to mention toilet paper I have to make a choice about cleanliness. A few years ago the neighbor brought me his cane to fix and he was a filthy person and had crud on his cane where it came apart. I fixed it but could not get my hands clean enough for day, I touched no food and ate toast or sandwiches with a napkin. My Sister in law stopped over one day many years ago and she pulled out her nail clippers and clipped some of her nails and I swear, one of the nails went into the coffee cup but I would not use it for more than a year as I was grossed out by it and my mother had bought it for me several years before she died and I treasured it so I couldn't throw it away. I now make sure guest in my home get a coffee in another coffee mug other than the ones I use if I am serving it and my wife knows of all of these issues. I don't think I have always been this way but as I got older I, like you started leaning toward being a germaphobe. I think with the Wegs, I have delved deeper into the problem. I think it is another symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder. I don't think its an unhealthy thing, but to the contrary, it may be a healthy thing if like us, We have Wegs and it is recommended that we wash and use hand sanitizer. Oh by the way, I will not wear someone else's hand me down socks as when some one dies they think I need socks, same with some one elses hanky, no matter how many times its been washed. Had underwear and socks given to me after a woman lost her husband. The wife said they were clean and she washed them before putting them in my drawer. I didn't care I told her if they were back in there I was going to toss them. I don't have them anymore!!! So to answer the question posed in your post, I think I am !!! LOL

[Alysia]

In the long run, I agree with this:
"...I can't be "on guard" every where."

And I (really!) appreciate that:
"...so David, your road is open. your future wife will be blessed. weggies-boys are sensitive and kind."

Eat your heart out, Phil...

you are most welcome, David :hug1:
btw, speaking of weggies-boys, includes Phil and all the others around....
and may I say that weggies-girls are also sensitive and prob kind ? :biggrin1:

[crackers]

my washing regimen is the same now as it was before WG and i don't use any hand sanitizers or body scrubs.i have grand kids who crawl all over me and kiss me on the lips.i have two dogs,who also kiss me on the lips, whose poop I clean up every day.i go to the supermarket and don't give a second thought to who may have used the shopping trolley before me.in the 7 years of WG I've had one cold which lasted about two days.i'm aware of the impact that infections can have as I've lost a few friends from here due to them but at the same time I think we can over react to the threat of them.we can get really stressed out in our attempts to avoid them but a major cause of a flare can be stress.
john.

[annekat]

I'm not overly germaphobic but do think about it with every move I make.... changing the cat box, for example, and am extra aware of anyone coughing anywhere. (Forget that I am coughing up a storm sometimes myself and must be prepared to not act like I'm coughing on people, even though it is only Wegs.) I do live alone, so that helps. I do spend time in an open air Farmers Market and handle money there, so I always have hand sanitizer with me and wash my hands at every opportunity. I'm probably not as careful as I should be, but have done OK so far.