Hand Sanitizer

[Kaylz]

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

 

[Pumper_Sue]

All the advertising states the alcohol wipes and alcohol hand sanitizer do kill the virus.

If you can look at it in a logical way............... If it didn't work then why would it be used at shop doorways, hospitals, doctors surgeries etc.?

 

[grovesy]

I prefer to wash my hands with soap and water. In the absence of soap and water I will use sanitizer. When I go out I do wash my hands with soap and water when I return home, even it I used sanitizer when out.
I have to say having used anti-bacterial/spetic washes and sanitizers over decades they do wreck havoc on the skin.

 

[Kaylz]

I prefer to wash my hands with soap and water. In the absence of soap and water I will use sanitizer. When I go out I do wash my hands with soap and water when I return home, even it I used sanitizer when out.

Yes I get that but I won't have any access to water, it will be switched off, I have had this reaction numerous times but the fact is I'm not going to have water so I can't just wash my hands, hence why I NEED to try and gain trust in hand sanitizers xx

 

[Kaylz]

All the advertising states the alcohol wipes and alcohol hand sanitizer do kill the virus.

If you can look at it in a logical way............... If it didn't work then why would it be used at shop doorways, hospitals, doctors surgeries etc.?

I see what your saying but OCD doesn't allow you to think logically hence part of the problem, it just keeps niggling away at you and in your head no matter how hard you try to stop it xx

 

[grovesy]

Yes I get that but I won't have any access to water, it will be switched off, I have had this reaction numerous times but the fact is I'm not going to have water so I can't just wash my hands, hence why I NEED to try and gain trust in hand sanitizers xx

If you have not got access to water for whatever reason then you are doing the best you can.

 

[Robin]

When I go to large outdoor events, I find the portaloos only have hand sanitiser in them, no washing facilities at all. I can’t believe that would be allowed by Health and Safety if it didn’t kill everything just as well as soap and water. I certainly eat food after I've only used sanitiser, without washing, when I've been at these all day events.

 

[Sally71]

My daughter is a bit like you, we are waiting for a doctor's appointment to find out whether she has OCD, we have had panic attacks and all sorts lately relating to (perceived) problems with germs and cleanliness. She washes her hands a lot and goes through more soap in a week in her bathroom than we go through in a month in ours. She also has hand sanitiser everywhere for use when she can’t wash her hands. I think she would always rather wash her hands with soap and water but hand sanitiser is better than nothing and she seems ok with that. She says it's far better than nothing. I don’t know if that helps you much though, daughter knows that a lot of her thoughts are not rational but she still can’t turn the anxious feeling off, and that's the problem with OCD I think, just telling you that I’m fine even though I don’t wash my hands as often as you do doesn’t help!

 

[Thebearcametoo]

My understanding is that hand sanitiser works but not for as long as washing well with soap and water. I think there are ways to help mitigate this. Do a proper hand ‘wash’ with the sanitiser as you would with soap not using it as hand lotion. And do it before eating or touching your face. It’s less about doing it after touching doors etc and more about doing it before you put your hand to your mouth IYSWIM.

Don’t forget it will dry your hands out if you’re using it a lot so have some emollient available to use once you have hand washing facilities back.

 

[Inka]

As long as you have a proper hand sanitiser with 70% alcohol and use it correctly, you should be absolutely fine @Kaylz I get what you’re saying about the hand-washing feeling cleaner but a proper sanitiser will kill the germs.

I used a public toilet at the weekend, and decided it was safer to use my sanitiser than touch the taps to wash my hands. I put a liberal amount on and rubbed it round my hands and fingers. I was happy enough to eat afterwards.

P.S - nobody thinks you’re a freak/weirdo. X

 

[trophywench]

No - we don't - you've never tried to hide your OCD on here or make excuses so we are certain you're being 100% honest. I'm far from obsessed about cleanliness generally even during the current situation BUT I did have a phase when I was little where I was obsessed with avoiding germs, so maybe a lot of children do too?

I grew out of it - but none of this face masks and avoiding contact with even mates and relatives business is blooming HARD for everyone even me! so doesn't surprise me at all that anyone with OCD is suffering A LOT right now.

Just virtual {{{Hugs}}} Kaylz.

 

[grovesy]

No - we don't - you've never tried to hide your OCD on here or make excuses so we are certain you're being 100% honest. I'm far from obsessed about cleanliness generally even during the current situation BUT I did have a phase when I was little where I was obsessed with avoiding germs, so maybe a lot of children do too?

I grew out of it - but none of this face masks and avoiding contact with even mates and relatives business is blooming HARD for everyone even me! so doesn't surprise me at all that anyone with OCD is suffering A LOT right now.

Just virtual {{{Hugs}}} Kaylz.

My son did go through that phase about germs i did not pay much head at the time as it concided with my mum dying.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

Knowing that this is going to be difficult for you have a toolbox of strategies for coping. Have some grounding or distracting options. Whatever works for you.

 

[Vonny]

I feel for you @Kaylz, I have OCD and it is exhausting. Mine isn't so much around germs as having to do things a certain way...little rituals if you like. But my 26 year old son has always had much worse OCD than me and he hates using hand sanitiser. He has to, for work, but when he gets in he washes his hands and arms for well over 20 seconds, 4 times. He can be in the bathroom washing them for 15 minutes. Perhaps you could do the same....use hand sanitiser (which will clean your hands sufficiently to enable you to eat) and then really thoroughly wash your hands when you have access to water, to make you feel properly clean again.

Hope it works out for you x

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Hand sanitiser is fine.

I've had years of jobs on site, where I've had no water.
Waterless hand wash, and hand gel have worked well.

I can't go past sanitiser now without using it, and now all shops have it, I gel up, and while still wet open any door.

 

[Bexlee]

I was worried about school children and hand wash with water or alcohol gel - well actually more teenagers and alcohol gel and what they might do with it ! I after 3 ish weeks feel confortable with alcohol gel to wash then touch a door etc. I do keep a little bottle in my pocket so I can do again after touching a door on other side so to speak if I want too. I feel it’s safe and maybe better if used properly like between fingers and round thumb not just palm and back of hand. @Kaylz You’re certainly NOT a weirdo or a freak 🙂

 

[weecee]

Just a thought here. Would a build up of sanitiser on our hands affect our bg reading? I usually have a good soap and water wash before taking mine but just wondering what the consensus might be.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Would a build up of sanitiser on our hands affect our bg reading?

(Spoiler alert: no, doesn't change BG reading.)

The Effect of an Instant Hand Sanitizer on Blood Glucose Monitoring Results - PMC

People with diabetes mellitus are instructed to clean their skin prior to self-monitoring of blood glucose to remove any dirt or food residue that might affect the reading. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have become popular when soap and water are ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[grovesy]

That is interesting as I have some report that it does.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

That is interesting as I have some report that it does.

I can imagine there'd be hand sanitiser products that would change it. With any luck the ones we're all using are roughly 70% alcohol and more uniform in the rest of what they contain.

I suspect it's also easier (if you're just doing a couple of measurements) to feel like it's making a difference where actually it's just the normal variation (because our meters aren't perfectly accurate, and different drops of blood have slightly different proportions of glucose, etc.).

I think I'd trust the actual study more than I'd trust my own tests (which I haven't done), to be honest. And sure, if there is an actual difference then multiple uses of sanitiser would presumably make it worse. So I'd try not to do that (so wash your hands when you can).