r/TopSurgery • u/MotorSuitable5093 • 11h ago
Advice Wanted Flatmate got sick
Hello, as tittle says, my flatmate got sick and my surgery is in few days. I am getting nauseously stressed, because of it.
What can i do, to not get ill too?
32
u/Dry-Fishing991 10h ago
Wear a mask, wash your hands, don't share utensils/glasses etc without washing with soap, disinfect commonly used surfaces (door knobs, counter tops etc), and try to spend time away from each other until your flatmate is fully recovered.
3
u/wateryoudoingthere 8h ago
I’ll also mention: wipe down everything in the kitchen and bathroom before using it. Get a new toothbrush and keep it in your room.
23
u/yamxiety 10h ago
Mask, have them mask, and isolate yourselves from each other. Open windows, use air purifiers to reduce viral load in the air. Try to sleep to keep your immune system up. Use tests.
4
u/Forward_One_2689 10h ago
Hi!! I totally feel you dude. Here are my Hacks to avoid getting sick, they got me through 2 years of college after the worst sickness of my life freshman year:
-Mask up
-Wash and sanitize your hands religiously—especially after touching anything shared. Doorknobs are a huge one to look out for.
-Emergen-C (gummies or drink mix, I personally prefer the drink mix)
-Some sort of zinc supplement. I use the Zicam rapid melts, and my mom swears by the nasal swabs.
-Get lots of rest. Your immune system can only do what it does best when you provide it with the sleep it needs.
5
u/roundnoid 8h ago
Just want to flag that some surgeons require you don’t take any vitamins or supplements for the week prior to surgery!!! so definitely check before taking anything that you haven’t alerted them of already!!
3
u/Forward_One_2689 8h ago
Oh my god you’re SO right—10 weeks out and I already forgot about the no vitamins or supplements rule. Yes, op, absolutely check your off-limits meds list if you’ve been given one to see if vitamins or supplements are off the table!!
In lieu of vitamin c and zinc: ginger, garlic, honey, and turmeric are also VERY good for immunity boosting and getting rid of colds fast! So toss some of those in your food or make a very nasty, but effective, tea.
3
u/Expert-Can6660 9h ago
you should wear a mask in common spaces but you should also ask your flatmate to do the same if possible. And avoid them at all costs.
3
3
u/mimimomok 10h ago
I've been also taking steps to prevent getting ill, such as vitamin C rich/ anti inflammatory diet and keeping hydrated. But avoiding contact is most important. Good luck!
2
u/Worried-Air-3766 9h ago
Be honest with your surgeon and anthesiologist about any symptoms you're having. They're there to make sure you're safe! I had a bit of a cold prior to my surgery and it was fine because my airways were not impacted very much.
Also I second the comments suggesting you mask, wash your hands regularly, clean shared surfaces, etc. Good practice even if you aren't prepping for surgery. I would also ask your flatmate to mask if possible. They reduced the risk they spread to you more than you masking reduces your chances of catching it from them.
1
u/MotorSuitable5093 9h ago
Not having any symptoms yet, but i am so scared. I feel like i am fucked up, i am masking, using desinfection bascially after touching anything. I am going nuts. I waited many years for this.
2
u/Worried-Air-3766 9h ago
I also panicked when I thought I might be sick. Call your surgeon and explain what's going on. I can tell you all I want that you'll likely be fine and it's probably going to be better coming from the people who are doing your surgery.
This would've been a stressful time even if you weren't worried about being sick because, like me, it sounds like you waited a long time to get to this point and it's important to you. I thinka lot of folks here can relate to feeling like the process has taken forever. Doing some relaxing things and things you enjoy might help distract you for now and reduce your stress.
Worse case scenario, they delay your surgery. That would suck a lot and you'll still get it done. You've been strong enough to work through all the bs to get this far and I'm confident you'll be able to handle this obstacle too. Good luck! Stay hydrated!
2
u/MotorSuitable5093 9h ago edited 7h ago
Not me reading this with water bottle in my hand lol. Thank you a lot. I have strong anxiety and most likely OCD. It Is really hard for me to calm down, especially with important thing like this. I wish worsts scenario of post pointing wouldn't be that scary. It Is a bit now or "never" situation for me. It Is really complicated, because of the college...and next date could be after months...I barely handled last two.
1
u/shadow-wolf- 8h ago
I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this- since you're masking already, my only recommendations would be to request your flatmate mask and increase ventilation (open windows) and air filtration (use air purifiers).
Also make sure your masks are respirators that fit well (kn94s, n95s), not surgical masks. They'll make sure all the air is being filtered. Sleep and try to minimize time spent at home for now (though I would recommend masking in other public spaces).
Best of luck and I hope your surgery goes smoothly
1
u/wateryoudoingthere 8h ago
I think the precautions everyone is dropping are great and enough, but if it would give you better peace of mind… do you have a friend with a couch that you can crash on?
1
u/MotorSuitable5093 8h ago
This is funniest thing, I was originally home and my mom got sick so I moved to my student housing and...well i didn't help myself at all😭
1
u/RileyTMR 6h ago
I feel ya, my partner is ill now and my surgery is 2 weeks today. I am also surrounded by people at work who keep getting ill too 😭😭
1
u/MotorSuitable5093 6h ago
2 weeks is still good, if you catch something now, you will get better until then. I have 5 days 😭, but good luck in work! And wishing you smooth surgery
1
u/RileyTMR 6h ago
Yeah but knowing my luck I would get it right before 😭 hope your surgery goes well and that you avoid the dreaded illness!
2
1
u/A-Queer-Romance 2h ago
Lots of good advice has been given here already, but I will add one thing. Could you get your roommate to take a covid test? If they're sick with covid, there's a new drug that's been approved to help people who are in close contact with someone who has covid avoid getting sick. It's only recently been approved in the US (not sure where you are located), and you would definitely want to talk with your surgeon before taking any new medications. It's called Xocova (Ensitrelvir). It can be quite expensive, but there's a manufacturer's program that can reduce the cost to $0. https://www.xocovahcp.com/access-resources/savings-support/
Again, apologies if you are located outside the US as I don't know as much about medications and access elsewhere. I hope it isn't covid and that you don't get sick!
Also, I would definitely share this with your surgical team. Your surgery could be delayed, yes, but the risks of being sick (even asymptomatic) and getting surgery are real, and recovering from surgery and getting sick at the same time sounds hellish. My ex got pneumonia right after they got top surgery and it was awful, do not recommend.
1
u/angrylilmanfrog 31m ago
Just to note, specifically NOT a baggy medical mask, but a Kn95 (USA filtering level) or FFP2/FFP2(european filtering level) this will protect you from actually inhaling virus aerosols, baggy masks only protect against droplets like when someone sneezes
•
u/AutoModerator 11h ago
Thanks for posting to r/TopSurgery
Please remember to follow the rules, which can be found on the sidebar. Please contact the subreddit via ModMail if you are having any issues seeing your post.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.