Mask is smothering me

I know what you mean. Before lockdown I had to wear an industrial type mask for a job I was doing. I found it hard to breathe and my glasses kept steaming up.

I hate having anything over my face and not being able to breathe cool fresh air. I made some masks and have only briefly tried one on - it isn't very comfortable.

I suppose the only thing we can do is to wear them for only as long as is necessary - e.g. inside a shop - and remove them at the first opportunity. I think if we're busy thinking about something else, like the shopping, it might distract us for long enough to cope!

I felt the same. They are not the most easy things to comfortably wear. I have been wearing one indoors just to get me used to the feeling of “suffocation” and desensitise myself to the rising panic. It is working and along with saying, Calm, calm, calm, in my head I feel a lot more confident. I successfully went to a large diy shop this morning and pulled it from my face when down an unoccupied aisle, returning it to safe position when people appeared. As most of us do not want to be locked in forever, afraid to go out, wearing masks is something we must overcome and learn to live with.

The cloth masks are not as comfortable to wear as those blue disposable ones. I bought a pretty pink cloth one and felt I couldn’t breathe.

If your mask or hands/gloves happened to have come in contact with the virus, you are putting yourself at more risk by moving the mask on your face.

My poor husband has said he won’t be wearing one. The laugh we had when he tried one. what with his hearing aids, his glasses and the mask on top. His little ears Can’t accommodate all the weight. His glasses steamed up, when he tried to remove the mask he dislodged his hearing aids and they dangled from his ears, he then attempted to fix his hearing aids back in place and sent his glasses lopsided. Resulting in the mask getting tangled with the hearing aids.

Imagine how NHS staff must feel having to wear them for twelve hours at a time. It must be horrible

I get hot and my specs steam up even without a mask.

I’m sorry to say that I’ve tried fabric masks and disposable, and I’ve found the disposable ones much easier to wear. I’m not happy about the effect on the environment and can only hope that it’s counterbalanced to some degree by my reduction of fuel use in my car. I’m only using a couple of masks a week at most.

Washing your glasses with washing up liquid is supposed to stop the steaming up problem, although I always forget to do that!

I may make one just to see what it feels like.
The pattern suggests layers but that could be even hotter m I was going to use two.

If you fiddle with the mask taking it on and off touching your face and the mask will have your moist breath on it you will need to wash/sanitise your hands each time!

I won't be wearing one. Instead I have a choice of thin scarves which will do the job and act as a filter. Easily washed and not scary to look at-----as well as an accessory to my attire

Sorry, that post was a mess!

The pattern suggests 3 layers but I may try with two.

I haven’t worn one and will only do so if I go on public transport personally I think the fresh air is important and having listened to the experts on fors and againstS I m happy to walk with the against sunless it becomes compulsory

I ve seen hardly anyone in my area wearing them and luckily we seem to have a low count

I had to have a smile at your husband s little ears morethan

I can't bear the mask I've bought either. It smothers me.

I had a very good mask for the pollution when I was in China. I wish I still had it. It was fairly expensive, but I'd happily pay it again now, IF they were available.

I have hay fever and wear glasses and a mask. When my glasses steam up I just pull my glasses away from face for a few seconds, does the trick. The rest of it you will get use to it the more you wear it.

morethan my Dh has the glasses/aids problem, too. I’m going to get him to try some of these ideas to help with that problem.

www.homemadeginger.com/5-hacks-to-help-prevent-your-face-mask-from-hurting-your-ears/

I believe that if you've got hayfever you may be exempt from wearing a mask. With my hearing aids and glasses I made my mask with long elastic to go round the back of my head.

It's not ideal though it's a relief when I get back to the car and pull it down so that I can breathe fresh air.

I used a silk scarf, just a single layer, in the supermarket and had to remove it as I was hyperventilating and felt faint.
No idea what I will do if it becomes mandatory.

When I was a nurse 40 years ago, I was allergic to masks. Non allergic ones were ordered, but they took so long to come, I’d moved from theatres to another ward. I couldn’t go in theatre at all, I just had to be a runner.

If you’ve got hearing aids you need masks with 4 strings to tie on top of your head and round the back rather than those that loop over your ears.

I’ll probably wear a scarf, but perhaps a hijab might be an answer for us ladies!

You'll only need to wear a mask on public transport. A bus ride will probably be 30 minutes or so. Then you may * choose* to wear it when you're in a shop - again, for 30 minutes to an hour, perhaps.

I've been issued some by my employers (NHS), to wear when I'm at work (ward receptionist, not a Covid-19 ward though). I choose not to most of the tie, as the patients are not infected, and nor are the staff (no visitors allowed at the moment)

Yes I will wear a mask only in shops and public transport. Outside you can distance yourself.

Four layers of linen seems a lot. Maybe you would be ok with a two layer mask. (Unless you are in Wales, where they are requiring three.)