Reasonable response after GP appointment?

[BelAnna]

I cannot visit the GP and haven't been able to for about three years (and before that had only been about twice in 10 years) due to my contamination OCD. 

I'm currently living with my parents and both have potentially serious medical conditions so have to visit the GP quite often.

Tomorrow my Mum has a GP appointment. She will probably use sanitizer and will definitely wash her hands afterwards. That is all that anyone needs to do to prevent infection isn't it? In my mind the front door, her handbag, the tap/sink, the door to the loo that she will wash her hands in etc. etc. will be contaminated with Norovirus (there's quite a lot of it going around the Midlands). 

What would a 'normal' person do after visiting the GP. Obviously there is a slight-moderate risk of contracting a minor virus/infection.

[taurean]

I have had a number of GP visits recently, accompanying my wife, or on my own - plus had a 2-hour private medical yesterday. 

And we have both had hospital outpatient visits. 

At my GP the doctors wore disposable rubber gloves when undertaking a physical examination, and a good level of cleanliness was observed to my recollection.

At the hospital rubber gloves worn plus hand gel very available to use. 

At the medical, rubber gloves worn for physical examination, colour coded bins for special medical waste. Otherwise high level of cleanliness. I was required to wash my hands before and after giving a urine sample. 

And that's it. 

No fears, worries, overly concerns. No thinking about Norovirus or any other disease. 

[Caramoole]

Most people would do nothing.  Most people wouldn't even think about it.

You're struggling and locked into a life controlled by OCD Anna.  What do you think/or are prepared to do to change that?

Something has to shift Anna...I know it's hard but so is life as it is.  

Change will mean changes.  It will be extremely challenging but so worth it, are you ready to face that .challenge?

You are a clever woman cowed by the falsities of obsessive doubts, anxietie's and fears.....I think you know that deep down. To get to the other side you need to face that.  Are you prepared to do 

Facing out these fears is hard, difficult, scary....Not nearly so as doing their bidding

You can face these fears, you can visit your GP.....yes, it may be difficult but you CAN change that, you CAN do it....You firstly have to decide to do so.  Are you prepared to take the risk and change things?

[BelAnna]

8 hours ago, taurean said:

I have had a number of GP visits recently, accompanying my wife, or on my own - plus had a 2-hour private medical yesterday. 

And we have both had hospital outpatient visits. 

At my GP the doctors wore disposable rubber gloves when undertaking a physical examination, and a good level of cleanliness was observed to my recollection.

At the hospital rubber gloves worn plus hand gel very available to use. 

At the medical, rubber gloves worn for physical examination, colour coded bins for special medical waste. Otherwise high level of cleanliness. I was required to wash my hands before and after giving a urine sample. 

And that's it. 

No fears, worries, overly concerns. No thinking about Norovirus or any other disease. 

Thanks so much Taurean and Caramoole- both of your replies were really helpful.

Taurean, that's great to know that everything seemed very hygienic.

7 hours ago, Caramoole said:

Most people would do nothing.  Most people wouldn't even think about it.

You're struggling and locked into a life controlled by OCD Anna.  What do you think/or are prepared to do to change that?

Something has to shift Anna...I know it's hard but so is life as it is.  

Change will mean changes.  It will be extremely challenging but so worth it, are you ready to face that .challenge?

You are a clever woman cowed by the falsities of obsessive doubts, anxietie's and fears.....I think you know that deep down. To get to the other side you need to face that.  Are you prepared to do 

Facing out these fears is hard, difficult, scary....Not nearly so as doing their bidding

You can face these fears, you can visit your GP.....yes, it may be difficult but you CAN change that, you CAN do it....You firstly have to decide to do so.  Are you prepared to take the risk and change things?

Caramoole, thanks for the inspiring message- I was talking to my Psychologist yesterday about how I need to change my goal from 'Avoid sickness bugs at all costs' to 'Recover from OCD' because they're incompatible goals and although I have had a lot of therapy i've never really let go of my intention to avoid viruses! 

I was wondering though- 'Visiting the GP practice' would be very high up on my ERP hierarchy, as would 'Not completing cleaning compulsions after family members have been to GP appointments' so do you think it's OK to clean in this context? If my SUDs/distress/anxiety would be up at 9/10 if I did not clean? 

I had decided that I was going to face my fears and deal with my OCD as much as possible in July and feel as though I've failed a bit! I will try to do some exposures and resist some compulsions today!

 

 

Edited July 13, 2018 by BelAnna

[bobfish]

30 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

I was wondering though- 'Visiting the GP practice' would be very high up on my ERP hierarchy, as would 'Not completing cleaning compulsions after family members have been to GP appointments' so do you think it's OK to clean in this context? If my SUDs/distress/anxiety would be up at 9/10 if I did not clean?

 

If possible, why don't you start by delaying any compulsions you're thinking of doing as much as possible? See if you can get to the end of the day, and hopefully your anxiety will have gone down a bit by then?

[legalseagull]

 

You asked what a 'normal' person would do. My boyfriend would touch the doorhandles and sign in on the touch screen completely ignoring the hand sanitizer provided. Then afterwards he'd walk out, buy some food and eat it without washing his hands. He wouldn't give germs and sickness a thought.

I'd have the same fears as you, I hate going to the doctor. I think that's exactly the problem - we want to recover from OCD but still avoid sickness bugs at all cost. As your psychologist has said, they're incompatible. Does s/he have any ideas about how to get over that mindset?

If you could resist the cleaning afterwards that would be amazing, good luck.