Think im getting a cold

[Catsparkle]

Do I need to see a doctor to check if its aspiration related?

[Ellie]

Hi Lisa,

If you're in any doubt, it's always best to see a GP and have your lungs checked out.

You say you think you're "getting a cold" - does that mean a runny nose, cough, temperature, sore throat?

Aspiration pneumonia happens if some food or foreign object is inhaled into your lungs and some common symptoms include increased breathlessness, cough (often with phlegm) and a high temperature.

Aspiration can happen to us when we've difficulty swallowing and a weak, ineffective cough to get us out of trouble should anything go down the wrong way.

Hopefully you've only got a mild head cold but if in doubt, check it out. If it is a head cold, keep an eye on it and if it goes down to your chest, see your GP immediately.

Love Ellie.

[Catsparkle]

Thankyou ellie x it feels like upper respiratory, that was very usual for me before mnd but ive been clear
Since leaving teaching. I'll get checked out tomorrow.

[Terry]

Hi Catsparkle;

Anything respiratory is best to get checked just to be on the safe side.

Love Terry

[Kayleigh]

Hi Lisa,

I hope you are feeling a bit better today.

Love Kayleigh x

[Catsparkle]

Went through 111 and the out of hours service, was given antibiotics. It's a chest infection. Feels like the viral sort i used to get. Concerned by the carers' lack of hand washing and the new carer's cough

[Ellie]

Antibiotics don't work on viruses Lisa, so if it is viral, hopefully it'll pass soon.

Be strict with your carers - insist on them frequently washing their hands (I put nice hand creams beside the sinks so they won't get dry hands with the frequent washing )

If the agency send you ill carers, the least they should do is to wear a face mask!! If you haven't done so already, tell the carer company not to send you anyone with an infection - yes, you'd think something like that would not need to be spelled out, but sadly it does...

Hope you feel better soon.

Love Ellie.

[Catsparkle]

The antibiotics are an insurance policy against it being bacterial i would assume Ellie , for viral it's fluids and rest isnt it.
The carer has copd, and while I expect its a coincidence i developed an infection after she visited, I'm still uncomfortable having someone cough around me.
I have literally never seen a carer wash their hands. They have been wearing gloves through intimate care to the end of the call.
Ive been in touch with my palliative care nurse and the agency..
What do you expect re carer hygiene Ellie? It would be useful to know what should be happening!

[Kayleigh]

Hi Lisa,

Sorry to hear that you've got a chest infection.

I don't think the agency should be sending you a carer who has a cold. You might need to let the care agency know that MND patients shouldn't be looked after by carers who have any infectious medical conditions (including coughs, colds, flu, stomach upsets etc).

Ideally, the agency should be able to provide a different carer to cover for your usual carer while she has a cough.

Hand washing should be an essential part of all paid carers' basic training and the agency should be checking that their carers have received all relevant training.

However, If carers have gaps in their knowledge/training about hand washing, there is some useful information and guidelines on the 'NICE' and 'NHS' websites:-

http://https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg139/ifp/chapter/Principles-of-preventing-infections

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy...sh-your-hands/

I hope you feel better soon.

Love and hugs,
Kayleigh x

[Catsparkle]

That's super useful Kayleigh, thankyou x

[Sheila]

Hello Lisa,
I hope you feel better soon.
Love Sheila

[Deb]

Hi Lisa,

Hope you're on the mend soon. It's always best to get things checked out and I think GPs prescribe antibiotics to us folks with MND easier than they would to other people, as a precaution.

Not great about your carers however. You would imagine hygiene and not visiting when unwell would be a care agency rule and it's a sensitive subject to broach.

Anyway its lovely to hear from you back on the forum and here's hoping you're better soon.
Love Debbie x

[Catsparkle]

Thankyou Debbie, that's a lovely thing to say xx I had a good result from yesterday's emails, handwashing, glovesl changes and masks this morning! I guess they'd potentially be liable if they couldn't demonstrate appropriate hygiene practices?

[Ellie]

Crikey Lisa, wasn't the carer even changing her gloves?? Gross!! (I wanted to say more than "crikey" but swearing isn't allowed ) I've visions of her coughing into a gloved hand then carrying on with the same glove...

In my house: carers wash their hands on arrival before even touching my clothed body.
They wear gloves only for personal care and bin them immediately after use. They wash hands again after touching the bin.
Hands are washed before and after food prep, feeding me, preparing and giving me meds, after sweeping the floor, blowing their noses (hay fever) and after petting the dog - to name just some examples of how often they need to wash their hands, hence the hand cream I provide!!

Gloves, by the fact they sit in an open box and are taken out by a potentially dirty hand with the risk of transferring dirt to other gloves, are not always clean. My carers practice a "Clean Hands Policy", which I believe is better.

I would have absolutely no problem in politely asking a carer to wash their hands or change their gloves at any stage - it's really important that your priority is to stay well, whatever it takes.

Yes, care companies have a duty of care to you and that includes not knowlingly exposing you to harm. I've mentioned before that I've a paragraph in my care plan explictly saying that staff with coughs, colds, chest infections could be detrimental to my health. I've also explained to all my carers why it's important I stay healthy and they all totally understand.

I'd say you should talk to your carer with COPD and explain why hygiene and chest health is of utmost importance to you - she should understand more than most, as she is also at risk. People with COPD have an increased risk of lung infections and pneumonia. BTW, did you get the PPV23 Pneumonia one-off vaccine yet?

I know I sound fanatical about hygiene, infections and masks but, given that a chest infection could kill me, I think I'm justified in my stance...

Good luck.

Love Ellie.

[Catsparkle]

[QUOTE=Ellie;92185]Crikey Lisa, wasn't the carer even changing her gloves?? Gross!! (I wanted to say more than "crikey" but swearing isn't allowed ) I've visions of her coughing into a gloved hand then carrying on with the same glove...

That happened, I became ill in the late afternoon that day. Possibly from hospital visit earlier that week though?
But yes, their hygiene has been dreadful, I'm only just realising how vulnerable I am.
They must have food hygiene certificates? That doesn't mean the use of non sterile gloves, like you say, easily contaminated. Im going to get in touch with the palliative team tomorrow , with the autism thing i might well put my foot in it with the care agency.