AIBU to think people with minor illnesses who wait weeks to go to the Dr are risking those with reduced immunity ?

[MissCherryCakeyBun]

Following from another thread I read today and from a woman coughing up a lung in a local coffee shop and telling the friends she was with she had this cough for weeks but it's fine as only her kids had caught it .
I started to wondered AIBU wishing people would get these things sorted and not bring them into the public arena when they are contagious? My FIL has leukemia and following treatment will have virtually no immune system working for the next couple of years. He has become virtually housebound because of the thoughtless behaviour of those with contagious illnesses. The last time we went out for coffee an woman with a child with what looked like early chicken pox plonked the child down on the bench seat next to FIL and went to get coffee. VERY quick exit made by us.....
Why do people do this?

BuT what would th dctors do?

I wouldn't be taking out a dc still infectious from chickenpox.

However if I've got a minor complaint I try and use otc meds to sort them with home therapies because the doctor won't prescribe anything the chemist won't suggest and also by the time I'd get the appt with gp the illness would have cleared up ime.

Doctors can't sort a cough most of the time, they just do stick around ages. It's a shame for your FIL but everyone with minor complaints can't stay indoors indefinitely.

I'd agree with you on the chicken pox but if everyone went to the Dr's with a cough or cold and then stayed at home until they were completely well the country would grind to a halt. Most of these minor illness can't be treated except by time.

How do you know they haven't been to the doctors? In my experience you get told they'll only do anything if you've had the cough for at least 3-4 weeks and not always then. Plus it can take you that long to get an appointment at my surgery. I sympathise with your FIL, and chicken pox kids shouldn't be freely mingling in restaurants, but much of this isn't people's own fault.

Well yanbu with things like cp.

But other minor illnesses...what do you expect people to do? Stay indoors as soon as they have a sniffle? There's a massive amount of viral illnesses floating around and bog all a Dr can do to 'sort them'.

Ds2 has some kind of a runny nose/sniffle/cough/red throat for the majority of time between November and February usually. Couple of days respite every couple of weeks then something new - all various viral things, and unless he has a temperature or other signs of illness like lethargy he carries on as normal.

Most minor illnesses don't need a doctor. I think the advice is only to see a GP if you have had a cough for over three weeks.
No one should be out with a child with contagious chicken pox. But are you sure that's what it was?

Hmmm tricky. I tend to carry on as normal unless I'm absolutely at deaths door. The health service wouldn't cope if we all raced to the GP as soon as we felt a bit poorly and, often, there's nothing a doctor could do if it's just a bad cold. There are people in my team at work who will stay off work at the merest hint of a cold so as not to infect others although I suspect slightly less altruistic motives . On the whole most people's immune systems are geared to cope with close proximity to cold and coughs. Of course there are those like your FIL who aren't unfortunately.

If they're contagious illnesses then YANBU.

Of course shes not sure, it could have been anything.

I have a child with compromised immunity and yabvu. People don't have to seek treatment that they don't feel they need on the off chance that it might possible be something that could maybe be caught by someone who may or may not interact with them.
You can take community responsbility too far.

Wtf would the doctor do about a cold or chicken pox? I agree maybe chicken pox should stay at home, but you admit you don't know if for sure. I'm sorry but people have lives to lead, you need to stop being so fearful of a cough!

Posted to soon - so people with minor illnesses can't be expected to stay at home just in case they come into contact with someone who has a compromised immunity

too

I get recurrent chest infections. GP have already seen it. Already had hospital referrals.

I'll get them 3 times through winter and there's no point going back to GP as unless it's bacterial there's nothing they can do.

AIBU wishing people would get these things sorted

YABU because the usual run of coughs and sneezes aren't going to be sorted at the doctors and people's lives cannot grind to a halt every time they catch a cold.

I'm sorry but you cannot expect somebody with a non-serious, probably non-treatable ailment like a cough to quarantine themselves for three weeks - not unless you're prepared to pay their unemployment benefit personally.

Chicken pox (if it was chicken pox) is a different issue and you'll get no argument from MN on that.

I don't go to a Doctor unless I absolutely have to. Don't get sick often and I will always give my kids a few days to fight off stuff before putting them on an antibiotic.

Most coughs are viral so there's nothing the Dr can prescribe anyway. They usually advise you to seek advice when you've had a cough for 3 weeks or more I think. Chicken pox are contagious before spots appear and become less contagious after spots appear I believe.
I completely sympathise with you as my late Granddad had leukaemia and I used to worry about him but he was more concerned with enjoying himself on cruises which I am so glad about now

The answer is handwashing and immunocompromised people avoiding crowded rooms not to quarantine people with minor illness - why would you go to doctors with a cough, cold, upset belly or sore throat?

I agree with others - most minor ailments will not be treatable by a GP so going there will just clog up the appointments system for those who have something that can be treated. Also there is a high chance that someone with a compromised immune system could be in the Doctor's waiting room!

Whilst I sympathise with the plight of people who are imuno compromised, the onus is on them to make sure they do not put themselves in close proximity to people who may spread germs. I say that as someone who had a DD with a compromised immune system (sadly no longer with us). I too have been livid about people who know that chicken pox is doing the rounds in the family bringing their children to something they knew my DD would be at - consequence was DD ended up in hospital, but coughs and colds I just had to accept as part of every day life.

Infection is everywhere! You're way of thinking is compromised!

Your FiL should wear one of those masks or at least I would in his shoes. I would also avoid children like the plague as they seem to be prime targets for illnesses!

Bringing at child with CP to a cafe is definitely not on but with regards to other minor ailments most are not treatable and you have to let them run their course. It's completely sensible to let a cough or cold run it's course with no treatment rather than taking up an already overstretched GPs time who can't treat your ailment anyway.

Doctors aren't always going to be able to treat minor illnesses. Appointments are hard to get. Provided you are hand washing regularly and not coughing all over people, I think it is up to you when you seek medical help.

Taking a child with CP out is irresponsible.

I don't go to the doctors when I've got a minor illness. Most of the time there's nothing that can be done and you've just got to let it take its course.

For heaven sake I'm not talking every minor illness going to the Dr but I think it's reasonable to expect those with contagious illnesses to avoid being about in public. I'm not quite sure how handwashing will stop him getting chickenpox
Unsurprisingly we are very very aware of day to day keeping him safe from infection.
Chemo and similar treatments are horrible enough without being trapped in the house due to infection risk....back to waking up and down for exercise for us
Hey ho guess I am being unreasonable by thinking that