Visit to hospital accidentally touched my eyes

[oldbagface]

Please can someone help me. I'm stiff with fear

[EricaNernie]

stop watching the news, stop reading about the virus.
concentrate on your mental health op, your hand hygiene, and breath

[PurpleDaisies]

I’d call your go for a phone consultation about your anxiety. It doesn’t matter if it’s a locum, they’re all trained to help.

[TryingToBeBold]

Did you go to the toilet at all?

[Whenwillthisbeover]

In the nicest possible way, I found on my recent trip to hospital, and having DD who works there, that the hospital is probably one of the less germy places to visit right now and with hot and cold segregated areas for patients with the suspected virus you are more likely to pick it up in Tesco.

[oldbagface]

No I didn't go to the loo.

I am supposed to be sheilding. So no supermarket trips

[frumpety]

Do you have any coping strategies that you use when your anxiety is high ?

You can't change what has happened in the last 24 hours or whenever you went to the hospital. It is highly unlikely that you will contract the virus from touching your eye once, the body has all sorts of mechanisms for preventing infection, yours will be no different. How do you know that you haven't had it already and been one of those who is asymptomatic ? That is just as likely as a scenario, but not one that feeds your anxiety as easily.

If you feel you would benefit from the medication you have used before, speak to a Doctor at your GP surgery. It doesn't matter if that Doctor has never seen you before, if you have had medication before it will be recorded what you had and what dose etc, all the other information they need will come from you.

[coconuttelegraph]

Places are ,ot full of the virus.

I'm not sure what you expect from this thread, ithe number of new infections each day show all of us that the risk of catching the virus is very very low but without a test no one can tell if you've caught it.

[knittingaddict]

On my first supermarket outing in the lockdown I touched the handle of the trolley, the handset and the food (obviously) and then proceeded to lick my finger twice to turn the page on my shopping list. I didn't even notice until my husband commented. I felt stupid and a bit anxious afterwards, but fortunately that was a few weeks ago now and I didn't catch the virus.

That was just to illustrate that even with the best will in the world It's very, very hard not to make a mistake sometimes. I think everyone will acknowledge that the not touching your face rule is the hardest to follow. It's something we do without thinking. Also the vast majority of the time touching your face isn't going to lead to catching it. Try not to worry about it now.

[Apple222]

You don’t ‘know’ that you have picked up the virus. That is fear speaking and fear is often very irrational and escalates very quickly. Do speak to a counsellor if you can to explore this. Use mindfulness techniques and focus on the moment rather than panicking about what has happened and what might happen in the future. Tell yourself you are well rather than you are unwell. And breathe.

Hospitals are actually clean places to be!

[TheStuffedPenguin]

You sound like you need some ant anxiety meds to get you over this .

[Waxonwaxoff0]

I touch my eyes every day because I wear contact lenses, I don't give it a second thought!

You sound overly anxious OP but if you're in the shielding group it's understandable.

[Raindancer411]

I understand the anxiety and how it feels. I was three hours having a scan the other day and had to use a cup to drink water from the machine as forgot my own drink. I needed to drink for scan and just told myself that the hospitals as cleaning regularly and most others coming in will have had to sanitise at the door to the ward/consultant areas.

[SunshineCake]

Please stop worrying about things you can't change. Assume you don't have it and take care. Wash hands for long enough and often, don't go out unless you have to, keep up fluids and eat well.

What you can change is to stop smoking. That I more likely to kill you than covid but if you do contract corona virus then being a smoker could mean you have it more seriously.

What are your underlying health issues?

[oldbagface]

Asthma high blood pressure no vit d as agoraphobic recent blood transfusion due to severe anemia

[oldbagface]

Mild copd and possible epilepsy

[perniciousdot]

Al those health issues and you get severe anxiety over touching some door handles but continue to smoke

[gingersausage]

As a smoker, you put your hands to your face many times a day. Do you sanitise between every drag? As a smoker with asthma and COPD, you are, quite frankly, beyond ridiculous to be anxious about covid19. You are about a million times more likely to die from smoking.

[PurpleDaisies]

Nice to see so many posters being kind and understanding about severe anxiety.

[Scruffyoak]

I wouldnt be worrying about this at all.

[EricaNernie]

you dont know that @gingersausage

[EricaNernie]

step away from the thread op, step away from the internet. be kind to yourself

[kingkuta]

Smokers are at a lower risk of contracting the virus and, if they do, of suffering severe symptoms due to the effect of nicotine on ACE receptors. First found in studies in China then replicated in a number of European countries. France are considering using nicotine patches as treatment.

People telling the OP smoking is going to kill her when she clearly is currently suffering from severe health anxiety are fucking arseholes with just no understanding or empathy. How is that helpful? She obviously knows the risks of smoking, everybody does.

OP, it's very unlikely that you will have contracted the virus from this visit. The most important thing to do now is control the anxiety. Have you had treatment before? It doesnt matter that here are only locums at your practice they can prescribe treatment such as beta blockers for you that will help and they can signpost you to telephone therapy that is currently available during the crisis. I've found yoga with Adriene really helpful through this to control anxiety and also breathing exercises and mindfulness.

[opticaldelusion]

Anxiety is your problem, not coronavirus. Your seeking reassurance here is just part of the anxiety cycle. TBH, it won't help much. Get treatment for your anxiety and remember that your thoughts are a symptom of your panic disorder and not actually anything you need to take seriously.

[JazzyTheDog]

With all those health issues it’s not covid to be worried about, it’s smoking.

[gingersausage]

@PurpleDaisies I have severe anxiety. I can empathise with that whilst still not having a lot of sympathy for someone who does nothing to mitigate the situations that cause the anxiety in the first place.