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[Dorothy]

Hoping some of you can give advice with this.

I've really struggled with wearing a mask, so until recently, I've been using a visor as the next best thing when shopping.  But as from yesterday, masks are mandatory in shops and other enclosed public spaces in Wales. 

I've tried 4 different types of face mask so far - three, I couldn't cope with for more than a minute before my vision started to go grey and fuzzy.  The fourth one, I managed to keep on for nearly 4 minutes, and I was hopeful I might be able to build up gradually, but after taking it off, I felt really sick and had chest pain/tightness for around 10 minutes after.  I tried again a while later and had the same thing.

Fortunately, my husband can cope with masks so is able to do the shopping but a) I feel bad that he is going to have to do it all now as he is much busier at work than I am and b) I'm concerned that if I don't go out until the mask-wearing rule ends, I'm going to really struggle to cope with crowded areas once restrictions are lifted.  But there's no way I can even think about going out wearing one when I'm still struggling so much to cope with one sitting in my living room.  Any ideas on how to 'acclimatise' gratefully received - especially in dealing with the sickness & pain as it's horrible!     

[CLKD]

If U suffer from asthma 4 example you don't have to wear a mask.  You could get info from your Surgery 2 find out who is able to go without and there are specific lanyards which people exempt wear.   I would have thought that a visor would be enough.  What does Wales Health suggest?

There must be many in your situation.  Let us know .

[Jillm]

Hi Dorothy, sorry to hear you are suffering with wearing a face covering. I don’t have as bad a reaction, but find if I wear one for any great length of time I get very light headed.
I discover and ordered some laser printed reusable nose/mouth cages you wear under the mask. It keeps the fabric away from your nose and mouth, allowing more space to breath.
Have a look on eBay, they might help, they weren’t expensive about £6 for 10, I’ve been giving them to friends and family to try.
Hope this helps

[CLKD]

Tnx.  Also when out I lift my mask to allow me to breath.  I know we shouldn't touch our faces but I touch mine all the while due to a background all-over itch  . 

[Dorothy]

CLKD, I've never been diagnosed with asthma.  I have had some problems with breathing following a really bad chest infection at Christmas - had an appointment to get it looked at when lockdown started, so it got cancelled and since then, it's almost impossible to see a GP.  In Wales, they are saying that you need a letter from your doctor to prove exemption, which is almost impossible to get!  And the amount of abuse people with exemptions are getting for not mask-wearing, I'm not sure I'd want to go out without one even if I could get an exemption letter.

Jillm, thank you for your suggestion - I'll look into those nose cages to see if they help.

[CLKD]

Time to make the GPs work for their livings!  If the Welsh Government wants the public to wear masks they must make their GPs available for discussion about excemptions.  Quite frankly, when we are away from people I lift mine which helps a lot.  I have small cotton masks but require larger ears 

[Dorothy]

I know someone who has had cancer twice in the same place and seen a lump growing there again that looked identical to the previous two - was told by the GP to email a photo and they'd diagnose from that.  Reply came back that it was ok... Just hope the photo was clear enough for an accurate diagnosis, because otherwise...

[CLKD]

Why did your friend accept that?  I would have been at the Surgery door!  After all, we pay their wages !!!  Or rung the Consultant and asked for clinical advice.  This is negligence but of course, the NHS will close ranks 

[Dorothy]

Elderly, in poor health and 'doesn't want to make a fuss'.  It infuriates me that the sick and elderly are being treated as expendable under the guise of 'protecting' them. 

[CLKD]

Not much to suggest 2 anyone who 'doesn't want to make a fuss'.  I can't understand that attitude - we've paid in and particularly at this time, shouldn't we be putting foot down with firm hand  .  1 of the GPs in our surgery won't listen: what she says goes : she wasn't up for discussion.  She was trying to put her experiences over as gospel and 'you must do or else'.   

[dahliagirl]

I am going to make one I can breathe through 

[Fedup!]

in my honest opinion they are extremely bad for our bodies.. we are breathing back in CO2 and nobody seems to be addressing this.. where does the stale breath go..?  back into our bodies... why do you think a car has an exhaust?  to eliminiate the waste.. same as our bodies.. its is bad.  i wear a visor and refuse to wear a mask.
someone argued the point with me that the CO2 goes through the mask.. if thats the case, then the virus can get in right..?
a piece of cloth does not protect in my opinion.. only proper high standar medical masks might....

[Uptick]

in my honest opinion they are extremely bad for our bodies.. we are breathing back in CO2 and nobody seems to be addressing this.. where does the stale breath go..?  back into our bodies... why do you think a car has an exhaust?  to eliminiate the waste.. same as our bodies.. its is bad.  i wear a visor and refuse to wear a mask.
someone argued the point with me that the CO2 goes through the mask.. if thats the case, then the virus can get in right..?
a piece of cloth does not protect in my opinion.. only proper high standar medical masks might....

Sorry, someone is right and your honest opinion is wrong. CO2 is a tiny molecule, one viral particle has thousands of molecules, including huge ones like proteins, DNA or RNA and lipids. CO2 will diffuse through the mask, same as oxygen, and the sort of masks you're using will allow lateral leaks, so no, you're not being poisoned by CO2. Carbon monoxide (CO) from motor vehicles is much more poisonous than CO2 , which is a byproduct of the breathing process.

[CLKD]

Crikey - that's interesting : when typing that did you visualise the chemical formulae ........

Hopefully Fedup! your mind has been put at rest? 

[Dorothy]

I've had a look at the mask brackets, but I'm not sure they'd help.  Even if I hold the fabric well away from my nose and mouth, I still find it difficult to breathe.

I'm trying with one now that we bought online, and it is a little easier to breathe through, but I suspect that is because it's not thick enough - it was advertised as 3-ply, but it feels more like 2-ply.  And I still can't wear it for more than about 6 minutes!  I think I'll just have to resign myself to being grounded until this is over.