Around people that are sick?

[Momma22]

Hi all,

I tried to search, but couldn't find anything. My DH is newly diagnosed and is doing really well right now. My child just developed a high fever, likely due to some sort of virus. How vigilant to I need to be about keeping DH away? Obviously, lots of hand washing and wiping things off. Do I need to "send" him away for a few days? Just trying to figure out how this all works!

[Tomjadg]

Not much else you can do.
Even if he goes somewhere, there is a chance he will come in touch with someone who is sick.

I work in an office with one co-worker, and he has been told don't even think of coming in if he is sick.

Stay away from the sick child, don't touch your face, and plenty of hand washing.

[KyleW]

Is he taking immuno-suppressants? Things like Tysabri? If not, I'm not sure you need to keep him any further away from her than you would keep anyone.

I'm on Tysabri and I have not been cautioned to steer exceptionally clear of people with colds.

Kyle

[BigA]

The first time I got a cold, I called my MS office and told them. They said to drink lots of fluids...
In theory, every time you get a virus, there's an increased chance of an exacerbation, but it is not a definite. Also, in theory, if your husband is on an immunomodulator (Interferon, gilenya, Tysabri), he may be more susceptible.

That said, I'm not catching colds all the time.
MS doesn't suddenly make you a very sick person who has to avoid people who are sick, but perhaps added caution and hand washing is in order. I don't know your husband's condition, but if he's otherwise normal, that's what I think. You might also check with your MS nurse.

[SNOOPY]

Obviously, lots of hand washing and wiping things off.

That is always a good habit to get into

Do I need to "send" him away for a few days?

This is not necessary and not very practical

Will you DH get sick? Maybe, maybe not. Unless you live in a bubble getting sick happens. If your DH gets sick he may notice an increase of MS symptoms. This is a temporary increase, once he feels better the symptoms should go back to what is normal for him.

I hope your daughter is feeling better soon.

[Mable]

Hi Momma,

I was diagnosed 6 months ago and heard the same things. It's taken me a while to figure out what staying away from sick people means to me.

What I'm learning is that any time I get an infection, have my period, take antibiotics, or get overtired even, a bunch of MS-y symptoms light up and make me miserable. Sometimes it's dizziness, sometimes blurry eyes, sometimes it's whole days of not really feeling present, sometimes leg squirminess.

When I don't have anything going on, I feel like a healthy person mostly. I can walk, dance, run, see normally, think clearly. I'm even less depressed when I'm healthy.

After about 5 months of something always being wrong, I decided to take my wellness a lot more seriously. Lots more cranberry, no sick people, I even put Band Aids on my injection sites just to be sure.

If it hadn't been for that long bike ride in the hot sun on Sunday, I'd be feeling pretty groovy today. (Okay, still working my limits out.)

[cosake]

Is your husband on a medication that makes him more prone to getting infections, or reduces his immunity, such as Gilenya ?

It is my understanding that if he is not on a med that affects his immune system, general precautions should be sufficient (hand washing, etc.).

Having MS doesn't mean your immune levels are lower, but many of the treatments/drugs can affect immune levels.

If you have serious concerns, your husband should contact his neuro's office.

[akafearless]

I am on a DMD but I rarely catch 'bugs' from the grandkids. I don't use hand sanitizers with the exception of wiping down my cart at Walmart.
I do take the flu vaccine annually.
I do take pre-natal vitamins and vit d.

I'm one of the healthy MSers.

[Cat Mom]

It is my understanding that IV steroids "shut off" the immune system so it will stop attacking. It apparently stays that way for a few months. I read this on the printout from the pharmacy that got delivered with the meds and supplies the first time I was on them.

Having said that, MS has turned me into a hard core hand washer. We have 6 kids, 4 still live at home so lots of colds and flu, and I don't know what it feels like to have MS and also sick from a virus.or infection and I've had it since 2005.

Not that I recommend this, I have never had a flu shot. Not even the H1N1 that was literally killing people in 2010. During that time I learned that an extra defense is a little sea salt and water on a QTip, gently twirl it around the nostril openings (I know, it sounds sexy) a few times a day. This keeps the area pretty sterilized against germs entering the body nasally.

A silly story... During H1N1 I had to take the bus somewhere. It was packed when I got on so I was standing right at the front. I could hear some poor, sick man near the back just hacking up a lung coughing. As the bus emptied I got closer and closer to this man, knowing I hadn't gotten the vaccine gave me such anxiety I got off the bus in the dark in the middle of winter and waited 40 minutes for the next bus so I would be at the front. I can't see in the dark as left eye is blind, right is dim and I used a cane then too.

I guess my point to all this is to control the germs in your husband's environment as much as possible but no need to send him away. I hope your child feels better soon.

Jen