Hi - im 3 weeks after stroke and doing well. I visited a friend a few days back and today they are all down with a nasty virus. Like everything now im anxious should I get it too. With hindsight probably not the best thing to go visiting a household with kids but that said i cant be avoiding life!!!
Any advice out there about this?
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If you do happen to catch it, all I can recommend is paracetamol and drink plenty of fluids to flush it through your system as quickly as possible.
Take some extra vitamin C and be prepared it might increase your fatigue for a time. But you want to keep yourself mobile as much as possible. Because doing nothing, sleeping it off, can incubate the virus. Prolonging its stay in your body runs the risk of worsening your symptoms and escalating to something far more serious.
Lorraine
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Thanks Lorraine,
Thats actually really useful advice especially staying mobile - hopefully I’ll dodge it but there will be another along at sometime - especially now that schools are back.
Thanks again….
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Forewarned is forearmed​:wink: Isn’t it always better to be prepared even if nothing comes of it, than to be taken by surprise and don’t know what to do about it 
Lorraine
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Viruses have always been around and they always will.
Our attitudes to them vary with some people accepting them and others worrying about them. Of course there are some for which you can get vaccinated and depending on your age or your medical condition, you may be offered these for free on the NHS e.g. Flu jabs each winter, COVID jabs etc.
The body is remarkable at protecting itself, but the Stroke Survivors body might be different - I can’t comment, other than to say that my Mum is a stroke survivor and she has not been vaccinated for flu or COVID since her stroke and she only took one or two flu jabs before she kicked them into touch as with her philosophy of not using man made medicines. Obviously, this is not a recommendation as each of us have differing body chemistry and natural protection.
One thing we do now is wear a face mask. This is something we have done ever since they were recommended during the COVID pandemic and we have continued to use them as a means of trying to avoid getting virus in this way. We also insist visitors (including healthcare staff wear mask and wash their hands before they enter Mum’s room. This is how we are trying to minimise risk of picking up a virus.
Just as an additional note about Mum, even before the COVID masks, she used to cover her face (nose and mouth) with a scarf during the winter months when she travelled on public transport when people were coughing and sputtering and in the main she hardly ever caught the cold or flu viruses.
She also used to wear glasses to protect herself from fog - I never understood that but Mum is very clever and she somehow knew or worked out potential threats and how to defend herself. She also used to cover her ears during the winter months. These things worked for her.
I have no idea what virus your friend’s family had and if it is infectious or how it is spread, but if you were not protected, which I gather is the case then the advice that @EmeraldEyes has given is perhaps what you can do now.
That said, I am not sure if that applies across the board as I have it in my head that sometimes we are advised to stay in bed. So I am not sure it might depend on the virus as to what you should do.
But staying hydrated and flushing out the toxins is definitely something you can and should do.
Again, listen to your body and it will tell you what it wants you to do.
Stay safe, stay well.
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Thanks again ManjiB,
Lots of sound guidance there . I think I’ll up the use of hand gel again for sure. The hand washing is priceless - if I can relate the story when I was looking after my wife on chemo….. of course I got the worst flu (proper flu I mean) ever but I was looking after her doing everything 24/7. I was meticulous with the hand washing - she never so much as sneezed.
Anyway thought id share it may be of use…..
Thanks again ManjiB
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Thanks Baldrick - I am amazed how easily we can become complacent. Sometimes we do things because it is the “norm”. Recently I was on a bus and I always wear a face mask (and carry hand gel) on a bus and there was one passenger looking at me and making rude comments. He was a gentleman in is mid-fifties and I didn’t think it was any of his business, but his comments were targeted at me. I chose to ignore him, though I could have explained to him it was for his benefit as well as my own since I could be a carrier of a virus that could be passed onto him if I was not wearing a mask.
The COVID levels were reported as quite high but since the government lifted its guidelines people don’t seem worried about this dangerous virus. They have stopped reporting as headline news now, but I wonder how many people are still dying due to the COVID virus.
It’s our choice and we can only do what we can do - others choose how they see fit and it may not necessarily comply with our desires to stay safe
Take care.
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Viruses can hit you harder after a stroke and if you get one then plenty of rest & fluids etc are needed. You can’t avoid them forever and you need to build up your immunity so going out & about shouldn’t be avoided.
Take all the usual precautions to minimise your risk but having a social life is good for your mental health.
Best wishes
Ann
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Thanks Ann,
Sound advice im doubling down on the hand sanitizer but otherwise getting about. Some friends are taking me on the snowdon mountain railway on Thursday. I was quite apprehensive about it a week or so ago, but looking forward to it now. It’s all restoring confidence but im being sure to take a rest day tomorrow .
Thanks again Ann.
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we are 99% made up of virus, bacteria, fungi and mitochondria (our energy battery). When the immune system is challenged (after a stroke, we’re tired, or when our body voltage drops low) these get out of balance. Fatigue sets in, then symptoms and eventually something more sinister.
Just go easy, eat wisely, mindful of stressors, and be observant & aware of changes, signs & warnings.
All depends on the severity of your stroke.
R
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Thanks Pando - a really informative post very wise words. Thanks
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