Pleurisy from my face mask?

[Graham Orm]

Last Monday was the first time I've worn my mask for a few weeks. I check it occasionally for mold but it's always clear. However you can't check inside the filters, which are overdue for a change. I wore it for about 2 hours non stop.

Monday night I went to bed feeling distinctly rough. At 2am Tuesday I woke shivering from head to toe with a temperature. By 6 I had pain throughout the left side of my torso and severe breathing problems. My wife took me straight to the docs, which was a traumatic outing for me by that stage. They saw me as an emergency and she diagnosed Pleurisy and chest infection, she gave me anti-biotics and steroids for my breathing. (I'm Asthmatic). Pleurisy is where the lubricant between your lung and ribs becomes infected and turns to a jelly which then causes them to stick rather than slide.

I'm pleased to say that the Pleurisy symptoms subsided completely within 48 hours but I still have breathing problems, and feel exhausted.

Prior to this I had no real symptoms other than a mild sore throat a few days prior. For this to hit with such a bang makes me very suspicious of the mask. I'll be changing the filters and giving the body a good scrub before next use.

 

[No skills]

Sorry to hear that, hope you are feeling better.

I have to wear a mask quite a lot at work. Regardless of use I replace it at least once a month.

 

[Droogs]

It wouldn't have happened if you had taken the Big Yin's advice and worn yer wellies. Still I hope you're better and no long term damage done. Does go to show that we need to pay a bit more attention and think thing through a bit more when it comes to safety. Have to admit I would never have thought that as I was my mask regularly with disinfectant that the filter's internal face would be harboring some nasties. think I will change it a bit more frequently than I do.

many thanks for relaying this

 

[dickm]

Sorry to hear your problems - had pleurisy as a kid and it ain't fun. Agree with the need to check/replace masks, but in your case, it probably wasn't the culprit as you'd only worn it a few hours before the symptoms and the infection would probably need longer than that to build up.
Get well soon.

 

[Jamie Copeland]

As a Woodrurner and a nurse I can assure you that the mask, mouldy or not, could not have caused any sort of infection in such a short space of time.

It'll have been working away on you for days before you noticed any symptoms.

All the same, if this encourages folk to give their masks a wash and/or change the filters then that can't be a bad thing.

 

[Graham Orm]

As a Woodrurner and a nurse I can assure you that the mask, mouldy or not, could not have caused any sort of infection in such a short space of time.

It'll have been working away on you for days before you noticed any symptoms.

All the same, if this encourages folk to give their masks a wash and/or change the filters then that can't be a bad thing.

Thanks for the input Jamie.

 

[Kalimna]

Graham - hope you are feeling better now. It does seem unlikely that a bout of pleurisy was caused directly by you wearing a mouldy mask less than 12 hours earlier. However, a huge spore load (let's say 2 hours worth of breathing in spore-laden moist air) on top of a prior respiratory illness (your asthma) might be grounds for considering a new infection. If a person is in any way immunologically compromised, then 12 hours is plenty for an infection to start.

Either way, if the antibiotic and steroid have helped, then all for the better. But I think I shall pay closer attention to cleaning my own facemask and replacing the filters now.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I agree the mask is highly unlikely to be the causative agent. You mention you already had a sore throat? Sounds like something was on the way already ie pre-dating the mask use. I haven't changed my filters in the 3M 7500 for over a year now!! Still going strong.

 

[Graham Orm]

Thanks guys.....all positive input. I hope it's spurred some folks on to take time to check masks.
I'm feeling fine in myself now but still struggling with breathing. The anti-biotics have kicked it's bottom I hope. I had a bad doo with a flu virus this time last year and was out of wack for 6 weeks, so I had the flu jab last October. I've not had Flu but here we are again.

Bob, you're an administrator and you haven't changed your filters? Shame on you!