N95 masks

Forherself
Forherself Member Posts: 1,018 Member
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

Since some women here are on treatment, I hope. you have a supply of N95 masks just in case.  Surgical masks don't work for viruses.  I tried to buy some this week and they were out everywhere.   

Comments

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,515 Member
    #2
    N95 masks are actually

    N95 masks are actually considered an official respirator and medical questionnaires and physical exams should be required to wear them.  N95 masks cause a strain on the body and heart as it takes effort to breathe with them, so may not be good for some of the ladies here.

    I do this stuff in my real life work and, obviously, this has been in the news and a very hot topic at my office.  Best advice is to wash your hands - too many people don't!  I can't tell you how I want to run out of the stall and shame people when I hear the toilet flush and then the door open and close.  (we know the guys are not washing their hands either!)

    While I get not wanting to feel like a hostage in your home, if others can shop and get you things, that might be the safest to protect you.  The flu should scare us all.

  • zsazsa1
    zsazsa1 Member Posts: 568 Member
    #3
    I had to pick up my son from

    I had to pick up my son from school today to take him to the pedi to get a flu test (Positive for Influenza B).  I wore an N-95 mask and gloves, he wore an N-95 mask and gloves.  I figured that it couldn't hurt, and might help.  I also wore the mask (it's a ridiculous duck-billed style) into the pharmacy, because after all, where do people with flu go?  The pharmacy!

    Kid is banished to his room.  Got Tamiflu for him, and husband is on prophylaxis.  I have it for me too, for some reason can't seem to make myself take it.  I just don't want to risk more nausea than I already have. Fact is, I don't think it's very effective for Influenza B.

  • LisaPizza
    LisaPizza Member Posts: 358 Member
    #4
    zsazsa1 said:

    I had to pick up my son from

    I had to pick up my son from school today to take him to the pedi to get a flu test (Positive for Influenza B).  I wore an N-95 mask and gloves, he wore an N-95 mask and gloves.  I figured that it couldn't hurt, and might help.  I also wore the mask (it's a ridiculous duck-billed style) into the pharmacy, because after all, where do people with flu go?  The pharmacy!

    Kid is banished to his room.  Got Tamiflu for him, and husband is on prophylaxis.  I have it for me too, for some reason can't seem to make myself take it.  I just don't want to risk more nausea than I already have. Fact is, I don't think it's very effective for Influenza B.

    I got influenza B 3 weeks

    I got influenza B 3 weeks after my last chemo. I did take Tamiflu, don't know if it helped. It was not fun, flu never is, but I don't think I was worse off than anyone else with the flu.  I did catch it in the last part of April, and my flu shot was way back on 10/2.

     

    It did put off my rads. I started the morning with what I thought was a cold, and my rads planning appointment was a two-parter (late morning appt, then come back after lunch). By then, I was fevered and my heart rate was in the 140s. They canceled the CT because they didn't want to give me contrast. Sent me to urgent care, who refused to see me bc chemo, and said I could only go to the ER. For some reason they decided to admit me (the doc the next morning literally asked me, why did they admit you?), but got to go home by next afternoon. Couldn't get rad planning rescheduled for two weeks. Whole thing was such a stupid mess!

     

    Hope you don't catch the flu!

     

  • barnyardgal
    barnyardgal Member Posts: 272 Member
    #5
    I was at drs last week with

    I was at drs last week with my husband. Routine appt for him and we didn't wear mask or gloves but lots of people there had them. We should have as 24 hrs later dh was sick and them I was the next day. I don't think it was the flu as it was mild but we did have flu shots so maybe that helped.

  • Forherself
    Forherself Member Posts: 1,018 Member
    #6
    Different masks

    I guess I wanted to bring up a poiont some people don't know.  The masks they give you in the doctors office are surgical masks.  They are meant to keep germs in, as in the person who is sneezing and coughing in the office.  The N95 mask is meant to keep germs OUT.   So if you want to protect yourself from others germs, buy the N95 rated masks.  They are unavaialble right now.  I have worn it comfortably.  We are planning a plane trip so I want one for the airport.

  • zsazsa1
    zsazsa1 Member Posts: 568 Member
    #7
    barnyardgal said:

    I was at drs last week with

    I was at drs last week with my husband. Routine appt for him and we didn't wear mask or gloves but lots of people there had them. We should have as 24 hrs later dh was sick and them I was the next day. I don't think it was the flu as it was mild but we did have flu shots so maybe that helped.

    It might have been flu B.  My

    It might have been flu B.  My kid is down with it right now, and it's pretty mild, as influenza goes.  But he did have the shot in early November, and he is on Tamiflu.

  • Forherself
    Forherself Member Posts: 1,018 Member
    #8
    zsazsa1 said:

    It might have been flu B.  My

    It might have been flu B.  My kid is down with it right now, and it's pretty mild, as influenza goes.  But he did have the shot in early November, and he is on Tamiflu.

    He had the shot

    And sometimes I wonder if we can still get a mild case of the flu after.  He just would have been so much sicker without the shot.  We have an outbreak of Whooping cough locally.  Some parents say their child got sick even with the immunization.  But it is a mild case.  I hope your son recovers soon and you stay well.  

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