topic Re: Concern About The Flu in Wellness

Concern About The Flu

Jordan2 — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:08:14 GMT

Hearing the great news that the flu shots we all took for this winter may not cover the strain that is out now, I am concerned for my elderly mother. I'm wondering how exactly the flu spreads and how easy is it to get it from someone else? I have to take my mother to the doctor in January and am afraid she could possibly get it from someone in the waiting room. At her age it could be very serious. Any info someone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Concern About The Flu

ahoymate — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:23:54 GMT

The MD office is a great way to catch colds & the flu. Waiting rooms R packed full of people. Horrible! Hate MD's waiting rooms.

Wash hands frequently and find out when the least busy time is to see the MD.

Re: Concern About The Flu

wismiss — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 01:50:46 GMT

Limit exposure to the germs by avoiding groups of people, and if that is not possible, wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. I would ask your mother to wear a mask BEFORE or soon after arriving at the doctor's office. I know it might look weird, but I would also wear gloves in case she touches any common areas. Try to go to the bathroom before the doctor's appointment so you don't have to use a public restroom and things like that. Your mother needs to be very diligent about getting enough rest and drink lots of liquids. Many older people are borderline dehydrated to begin with, so the fluid intake is very important.

While there I would also ask your doctor if he would advise your mother taking antiviral medicines like Tamiflu if she does display any symptoms. These are prescribed by your doctor, so he would be informed of any problems she may be experiencing.

Re: Concern About The Flu

wonderfulworld — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 02:14:53 GMT

This may sound crazy...but I know someone who had their parent wait in the car or lobby area until their turn came. She (the daughter) waited in the waiting room and opened all the doors so her parent did not have to touch anything. The doctor's staff totally understood and thought it was a good idea.

Re: Concern About The Flu

HonnyBrown — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 02:20:54 GMT

On 12/17/2014 wonderfulworld said:
This may sound crazy...but I know someone who had their parent wait in the car or lobby area until their turn came. She (the daughter) waited in the waiting room and opened all the doors so her parent did not have to touch anything. The doctor's staff totally understood and thought it was a good idea.

I love this!!!!! Tell your friend she is awesome.

OP, frequent handwashing is a great way to reduce contamination.

Re: Concern About The Flu

Jova — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 03:04:25 GMT

Your concerns are very valid. ( I tested positive for the flu by my physician, and was very upset since I had gotten the flu shot).

I agree that a doctor's office is a petri dish of flu germs during flu season. Is there anyway you can post-pone your mother's visit until the end of Feb/March when the flu typically runs its course? If not, make sure she washes her hands, and try and make the very first or second app't available in the early morning. That way you will avoid being a waiting room with coughing patients.

You can also let the staff know about your concerns, and they may be able to bring her right back to a waiting room so she is not exposed to germs so easily. Make sure your mother understands that hands have to be washed for a good thirty seconds, not just a quick wash.

Unfortunately, coughing spreads the flu fast, and that can't always be avoided.

Re: Concern About The Flu

FastDogWalker2 — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 03:06:58 GMT

It is very worrisome. Wash your hands after every trip out to the store, etc. I teach preschool so my hands are already almost bleeding from the amount of times that I wash them!

Re: Concern About The Flu

Jordan2 — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 03:32:19 GMT

Thanks to everyone for their advice. Unfortunately my mother has several health issues and can't wait until the end of February or March to see the doctor.You can't believe how long we are at the doctor, for 2 or 3 hours a lot of times. You sit in the waiting room with people sneezing and coughing. If you weren't't sick when you got there you just might be when you leave!

Re: Concern About The Flu

Scooby Doo — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 03:52:01 GMT

Do you have a longer neck scarf that she can wear? She could wrap it around then pull it over her mouth and nose while in the waiting room. And maybe some thin gloves. She shouldn't touch door handles, elevator buttons, and magazines give me the willies. My doctor's office supplies face masks at the check in counter for those who are sick.

I caught some bug after Thanksgiving. Not sure if it was the flu or a really bad cold. But it kept me hunkered down for a week. Not sure where I caught it, probably when out shopping for turkey day food. And I'm very diligent about washing my hands.

Re: Concern About The Flu

June Lands — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 03:57:35 GMT

She should wear a surgical mask to cover her nose and mouth when in the waiting room.

Re: Concern About The Flu

Another new name Sue — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 05:14:51 GMT

Getting the first appointment of the day might be a good idea. She can wait in the car until you are told it's time for her to go in an examining room. Be sure that the staff understands your concerns.

Re: Concern About The Flu

Lila4Now — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 05:29:35 GMT

Have your mother bring her own pen to the doctor's office. This was the advice my mother's oncologist gave her, never use a pen set out for the public. Some will prefer one with black ink. Think about all the folks who have used that pen before. Keeping your hands away from your mouth and eyes is also important. Even if you get the virus on your hands, unless you transfer them to your eyes, nose, or mouth, you won't get the flu. A through hand washing is your best defense, even over hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers are only when you can't wash your hands, they don't replace a good through hand washing. Sanitizers can be hard on elderly skin that is frail.

Re: Concern About The Flu

wonderfulworld — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:35:31 GMT

On 12/17/2014 happygal said:
Getting the first appointment of the day might be a good idea. She can wait in the car until you are told it's time for her to go in an examining room. Be sure that the staff understands your concerns.

Great advice about the first appointment of the day!

Re: Concern About The Flu

Nightowlz — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:48:46 GMT

If at all possible I stay away from doctor offices & hospitals during flu season. You could sit in your car with the heater on when you take your mom to the doctor in Jan. Just go inside & sign in if they do that & give them your cell # & tell them to call you when it's her turn that you will be waiting in the car & explain why. I did that once when I was really sick & was really hot & sweating & the doctors office had the heat on so I went outside to sit in the cold while I waited for my turn. The doctor told me when I saw him it was not a bit hot in there & I told him maybe not to you but I was roasting. I always make my appt. 1st one after they open back up after lunch so I'm in & out. Tell your mom not to touch anything once out of your car & she could wash her hands when you leave & wash again first thing when she gets home. If she can reschedule her appt. & go after flu season you could do that.

Re: Concern About The Flu

MalteseMomma — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:00:21 GMT

I was concerned about the exact same thing this week. I had to go to the Dr Monday ,just to renew a drarn BP script. so unnessary ,she could have done it over the darn phone.

Luckly there were only 2 other people there ( I always go early) and they did not for once look sick.Usually there are people coughing and sneezing all over when I go and 2 days later I'm always sick .It is thurs and I'm doing good.fingers crossed.

Oh, don't touch the reading material, like I did, even knowing not to.....I read it is worse than the people in the room .

Wash your hands !!!

Re: Concern About The Flu

RedTop — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:58:01 GMT

For years now, I schedule my yearly appts in the months of February, May, August, and November, to try to avoid being in a doctors office during the heart of flu season. I do the same for my mother, and took her in mid November, which will hopefully take care of her needs until early March. My husband has COPD, and has at least 2 VA appts a month, so we keep a supply of masks for him to wear when we are there during flu season, we also use hand sanitizer when we have to touch anything inside the building, and as soon as we get inside our vehicle, we clean our hands with a large wet wipe. I taught my family to be heavy duty hand washers, and we empty all of our liquid soap bottles within 2 weeks due to frequent hand washing. Doctors offices are usually very accommodating as far as helping with keeping sick, or compromised patients out of a crowded waiting room. My doctors office will take the sick patients to a specific area in the back, and the older, or compromised patients, are taken to a seat near the supply room. I also NEVER allow my doctor to touch me without washing her hands, and I ask that she clean her stethoscope as well, since she uses the same one on all of her patients. I carry my own reading material, and never read the office magazines.

Re: Concern About The Flu

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 06:16:37 GMT

On 12/17/2014 jordan2 said:
Hearing the great news that the flu shots we all took for this winter may not cover the strain that is out now, I am concerned for my elderly mother. I'm wondering how exactly the flu spreads and how easy is it to get it from someone else? I have to take my mother to the doctor in January and am afraid she could possibly get it from someone in the waiting room. At her age it could be very serious. Any info someone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Book the first appointment in the morning ... or the first appointment after they return from lunch?

That way, there will be fewer people in the waiting room.

Re: Concern About The Flu

bluejeansluvr — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 06:22:15 GMT

All great ideas here. I also read recently that the most germy things in the doctor's office are magazines! More than door knobs, pens or anything else.

Everyone picks up magazines, opens them, leafs through them and reads them, coughs all over them, sneezes on them, wipes their noses and touches the magazine pages etc. Then lays them down and another person comes along and picks them up and does the same.

Re: Concern About The Flu

debree — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 07:06:40 GMT

Washing hands is important along with all the other great advice already given. But, I am often amazed when I see people "washing" their hands in public places. They do a little 5 second spritz and call it a day. You need to really rub your hands together vigorously under running water for at least 30 seconds to a minute. And DON'T touch the faucet with your clean hands afterwards! Use a clean paper towel to do that and also to open the door when you leave. I have been known to leave the water running if paper towels aren't provided and to open the door with the bottom of my t-shirt! I know, I am a fanatic. Even so, I am just now almost over the flu (yes it was the real flu) that I got two days before Thanksgiving. And, yes, I did get a flu shot this year. My last, by the way.

It is a good idea for your mother to wear a mask in the waiting room because flu and colds are also transmitted by invisible droplets when people cough and sneeze. They can travel a long way too, you don't have to be right next to the person. Good luck, and I hope you both stay well!

Re: Concern About The Flu

OkeyDokey — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 07:11:10 GMT

I have a child who had special needs for the first couple of years. We could not risk her getting a respiratory infection. When she had to see the doc, we would wait outside in the car and the doc's nurse would call us when she was ready for us to come in. The first time we did it was at her insistence, but we continued to operate that way until my child was considered well enough to go to the doc the regular way. Since your mother is elderly (and inherently at higher risk), you might want to talk to the doc's nurse and see if they could do the same for you.