Hand Sanitizer

[Bloden]

Just wanted to say, I know you’re not a freak / weirdo @Kaylz. It’s great that you’re so open about your OCD. Any conversation about anxiety, etc is a good conversation.🙂

 

[trophywench]

Sorry, but you know my warped sense of humour by now hopefully, that just reminded me when Pete worked for the Pearl Assurance many years ago and was allocated a collection round where an awful lot of Polish folk had settled. The older generation of Poles were still keeping to their ingrained rule of hospitality - ie that ALL visitors to their home must be offered at least drink if not also food - so the Slivovic always came out. Most of it in unlabelled bottles .......

In the 1970s my first husband and I went on various holidays to Yugoslavia and flew with Yugotours. A complimentary drink was always forthcoming but only two choices - 'Brandy or fruit juice?' - husband liked neat brandy but I couldn't drink it neat so ordered fruit juice. Of course - when they arrived it wasn't the Corvoisier or even Martell or anything else either of us had previously encountered. Neat Slivovic. Slivovic and orange juice goes down reasonably OK when where you are for the next fortnight doesn't have Slimline anything on offer, but the beer was OK too.

Bet that's good for hand sanitising!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well done for working through this tricky time with OCD @Kaylz - I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for you.

My youngest has been receiving support for OCD for years, and has spent so long trying to desensitise, only to suddenly be told that all those concerns were valid all along 😱

I’d second what others are saying - alcohol sanitisers are absolutely long as long as they are 70%+ alcohol.

Really hope you can find some respite from your OCD symptoms. Hang in there.

 

[PhoebeC]

If

First let me start that I know not many (if any) know what its like to be going through what I am with my OCD and that I know many of you think I’m a freak/weirdo

Also I have spoken to a few members about this already so I thank you for you advice and am only posting this for a wider outlook

Anyway, my OCD is running riot along with my anxiety (which is also impacting on my BG) to the point I wash the sink every time someone else uses it etc (this is becoming so stressful and I’m not coping very well at all but I have to put on a brave face as I keep being told I’m stronger and better than that just adding to the pressure)

Anyway my question is, do you trust alcohol hand sanitizer enough to say use it after touching a public door handle and then be able to go onto touch your face, phone, keys etc, even eat without having actually washed your hands with soap and water?

I’m being put into a situation where I won’t feel comfortable in the slightest with no access to water to wash my hands for hours lasting a few days so I need to be able to bring myself to try and trust sanitizer is enough to keep me safe even though I will have to eat etc

I do apologise for my ways and I'm constantly doing so at home even though I can't help the way I am
xx

If it’s good enough for our doctors and nurses then I would say I trust it.
A friend of mine a doctor has said that obviously nothing is better than hot water and soap however alcoholic gel is the second best thing.
Also just don’t touch your face unless you have washed your hands.

Even if you got it on your hands it can’t run up your arms to your mouth and nose x

 

[Kaylz]

Thanks guys, I'm very anxious about it all

@Inka when you say you were happy enough to eat afterwards having only used sanitiser, would you feel comfortable (as I don't know what you had) to eat using just your hands? Like a sandwich? Sorry!
@PhoebeC I will need to touch my face only having used sanitizer, I don't have an option, we will be without water for at least 7 hours on the first day as its getting completely shut off, I will need to eat etc in these 7 hours so I literrally will need to feel safe just around sanitiser but now you've put doubts in my head while others are saying its ok to use sanitiser and carry on xx

 

[grovesy]

Thanks guys, I'm very anxious about it all

@Inka when you say you were happy enough to eat afterwards having only used sanitiser, would you feel comfortable (as I don't know what you had) to eat using just your hands? Like a sandwich? Sorry!
@PhoebeC I will need to touch my face only having used sanitizer, I don't have an option, we will be without water for at least 7 hours on the first day as its getting completely shut off, I will need to eat etc in these 7 hours so I literrally will need to feel safe just around sanitiser but now you've put doubts in my head while others are saying its ok to use sanitiser and carry on xx

Is this over more than one day ? What are they doing that your water is off for that long? Tell me to butt off if you think I am being nosey!

 

[Thebearcametoo]

I would fill some pans with water if you’re at home and heat it as needed to use for hand washing. It’s what I do when we have builders around. If you have no power a small camping stove is only about £10

 

[grovesy]

I would fill some pans with water if you’re at home and heat it as needed to use for hand washing. It’s what I do when we have builders around. If you have no power a small camping stove is only about £10

I think one of the other problems is @Kaylz is on very limited budget!

 

[AndBreathe]

@Kaylz - Thankfully, I don't have OCD, although I do like things to "be right", in certain areas, so maybe I have OCD, but in denial.

Please don't think I make that lighthearted remark to insult or demean you, it's more just saying we all have our own ways, of living, managing and plain old coping (or nearly coping!).

I'm wondering if considering using gloves for at least a chunk of each day could help, because you might be able to be comforted that whilst you can only use sanitiser, you are "saving" your bare hands for the most delicate or intimate processes.

You could also acquiring a large water carrier, or save lots of soft drinks bottles, to "bank" some water before you are switched off, allowing you to at least a quick wash, maybe using a bowl, rather than running water in the sink, prior to eating, or whatever.

I feel for you. Some of these things are just a pain and push us into circular thinking where we can't find ways of breaking out.

In the absence of all that, I'd be OK with sanitisers.

 

[Kaylz]

Is this over more than one day ? What are they doing that your water is off for that long? Tell me to butt off if you think I am being nosey!

I don't know as of yet, definitely on the 22nd October it will be off at least 7 hours, we are getting our new bathroom starting then, they are here for 8am and generally finish around 3, it should have been done last October xx

 

[Ljc]

Hi Kaylz. I don’t know if this will help but thought it might. How about some cheap disposable gloves to use for things like loo trips, then use some sanitiser when you take them off.

 

[Kaylz]

Hi Kaylz. I don’t know if this will help but thought it might. How about some cheap disposable gloves to use for things like loo trips, then use some sanitiser when you take them off.

there won't be any loo trips lol, not sure when that will be going in, its for if I need to touch shopping, my hands and gloves don't get on well together so I'm just going to have to try and learn (and quickly) to trust sanitiser, I have bought 75% stuff so hoping it keeps me safe! thanks for the suggestion though xx

 

[Inka]

Thanks guys, I'm very anxious about it all

@Inka when you say you were happy enough to eat afterwards having only used sanitiser, would you feel comfortable (as I don't know what you had) to eat using just your hands? Like a sandwich? Sorry!

I did use my hands @Kaylz 🙂 I had an ice cream in a cone which I held in my hand and ate, then some flapjack which I broke off a larger piece with my hand and ate. I’m not a fan of public toilets at the best of times, but I felt I’d used sufficient hand sanitiser and carefully rubbed it round each finger so I was ok to eat. I used enough to have wet hands and rubbed them just as I would when washing them.

 

[grovesy]

I don't know as of yet, definitely on the 22nd October it will be off at least 7 hours, we are getting our new bathroom starting then, they are here for 8am and generally finish around 3, it should have been done last October xx

Oh no, hope you get through without too much problem, and it is worth it.

 

[Kaylz]

Oh no, hope you get through without too much problem, and it is worth it.

Thanks my lovely, we have no choice being a council flat it has to be done, the company fell behind last year hence why it wasn't done when it should have been, I spoke to a mate who lives along the road and had theirs done last year and it takes a week to complete, not looking forward to it but they do look nice when finished xx

 

[Kaylz]

I did use my hands @Kaylz 🙂 I had an ice cream in a cone which I held in my hand and ate, then some flapjack which I broke off a larger piece with my hand and ate. I’m not a fan of public toilets at the best of times, but I felt I’d used sufficient hand sanitiser and carefully rubbed it round each finger so I was ok to eat. I used enough to have wet hands and rubbed them just as I would when washing them.

No I've never been a fan of public loos! That much so when I was at the pub I'd nip across the top of the brae to use my grandads toilet! lol, thanks, I wouldn't be touching much (hopefully) but my mum will be down at the bin etc touching door handles and that etc and seen as we're a block of 6 flats there are at least 16 other people touching the closey buttons and door handles, fingers crossed all will be ok! xx

 

[grovesy]

Thanks my lovely, we have no choice being a council flat it has to be done, the company fell behind last year hence why it wasn't done when it should have been, I spoke to a mate who lives along the road and had theirs done last year and it takes a week to complete, not looking forward to it but they do look nice when finished xx

That is good hope you will be too.

 

[AndBreathe]

there won't be any loo trips lol, not sure when that will be going in, its for if I need to touch shopping, my hands and gloves don't get on well together so I'm just going to have to try and learn (and quickly) to trust sanitiser, I have bought 75% stuff so hoping it keeps me safe! thanks for the suggestion though xx

Kaylz, if you have issues with the latex or nitrile in the gloves (or whatever), then just slip your hand into a cheap and cheerful sandwich bag, to create the barrier between your hands and whatever.

Obviously, that won't work with anything incredibly fine, but for handling shopping or such likes, it could save your hands from at least a bit of drying alcohol.

Finally, I would be astonished if your plumbers would be allowed to leave anyone without water overnight.

In your shoes, if I doubted being able to get a large water container, I'd be inclined to collect a few milk cartons. Obviously wash them out, but once the works are finished, just recycle as usual.

Why not try having a dry run (I know....), for a day or so, before the event, then you can deal with any really unexpected things, in readiness for the big day.

 

[Kaylz]

@Robin thanks, would you feel comfortable just with sanitiser in the current situation though?

@Sally71 I’m so sorry to read this, panic attacks are horrendous, I have seemed to cut down on handwashing, a bar of soap was lasting me 2 days but now is doing 3-4 days I think, you’ve got the last part spot on, I see my mum touching things and not washing her hands and she’s fine (fingers crossed it stays that way) but even if I touch the same things I still need to wash my hands to feel comfortable

@Thebearcametoo thanks, my hands are dry as it is so I’m very concerned of how they are going to be over this period

@trophywench thanks TW, much appreciated

@Vonny that’s exactly what I’ll be doing but I just worry the sanitiser won’t work and I’ll end up with “it”

@travellor thanks

@Bexlee thanks, I won’t be touching too much even, shopping packages and that I’ll have to but I’m so anxious that the sanitiser won’t keep me safe, I hate feeling the way I do

@Bloden thanks, I guess I just think everyone thinks its a freakish thing, even my “loved” ones saying I’m being stupid etc (which doesn’t help and makes my OCD worse) so I think everyone must think the same of me

@everydayupsanddowns thanks, I’ve never bothered getting help as it’s always been manageable, stressful yes but manageable, it really doesn’t seem manageable at the moment but I have to keep going, I will obviously need to eat and there’s no way I can avoid touching things/my face for 7 hours so do you really think frequent use of the sanitiser is enough to allow me to be able to touch things without a risk of cross contamination etc?

@Thebearcametoo I have bought some cheap bottled water but won’t have much of an option to get through and wash my hands, the bathroom isn’t even the 2m social distancing size, the front door is left open and Bubbles tries to get out if you open the living room door so we will have to dramatically limit how many times we leave the living room and to get to the kitchen you have to closely pass the bathroom also yes the electric is going to be off at times, not safe to have a camping stove sat in the living room and like grovesy says I can’t really afford one and it just collect dust after a week

@AndBreathe I have issues with wearing gloves, I haven’t mentioned it before as some may see it as stupid and another reason to see me as weird but when I was a teenager I had winter gloves on and met a dog that didn’t like people wearing gloves, it attempted to pull them off biting me during the process so I now fear wearing gloves or anything that covers my hands
xx

 

[Robin]

@Robin thanks, would you feel comfortable just with sanitiser in the current situation though?

Yes I would, alcohol based sanitiser has been demonstrated to attack the fatty surface of the coronavirus, effectively killing it.