Great question as we enter cold and flu season.  If I feel that I am coming down with a cold or getting sick, I let the provider know and reschedule.  (I have never had a provider who wanted to go through with the date if I was feeling sick.)  If, however, I think it is my seasonal allergies that are acting up, I call the provider, let her know about my allergies and give her the option to reschedule (only one has rescheduled under those circumstances).  Much as I look forward to my hobbying, I don't want to get the lady sick and hope others are equally considerate.

The issue has never come up the other way around (provider not feeling well) but I would certainly appreciate it if a provider acted the same way I do under the circumstances.

used to require deposits to visit with her. She would say, "no matter what" on her no refund policy. I'm not sure how she did it, but she would say that she could take precautions if you got sick, but to call her before hand.

I think it is being courteous to tell someone you are sick before meeting with them, provider/ hobbiest alike. I would do it... I would want you to do the same.

With that said... I don't know what your experience has been, but I would guess it doesnt always happen. In an ideal world every meeting would be perfect and hygene, LE, chemistry, etc would be just that... perfect.

And let them decide if they wish to reschedule.   Some of them aren't concerned, others will take kissing off the menu, others ask to reschedule.   It's all good if you let them know ahead of time so they can make the choice.

I have a cold right now -- I simply will not book with a provider until I am well.  I call to cancel if I get a cold before the appointment.  It is simply the courteous thing to do.  I have caught a cold before from a provider who was sick.  I am wondering what the proper protocal should be if I visit a provider, and see that she has a cold.  I guess not kissing is an option, but no gaurantee.  How do I opt out gracefully?

When I feel myself coming on with a cold I will not see anyone.I will cancel all appointments

Not only will I not visit a lady but will also cancel visits to my clients..The last thing anyone wants to recall is the **** hole who passed along a bad cold.

I have found that when a cold seems to be coming I will take B Pollen, 2 capsules, 1000mgs for 10 days..It has been working very well for me. You want good quality B Pollen..GNC has been an excellent source for me out here.

If I know I'm ill, or may be getting ill, or just getting over an illness, I would call or email the lady I have an upcoming date with and discuss options. I'd likely want to cancel just because if I'm sick the session wouldn't be very much fun, and I don't want to make her ill, either. I'd rather wait until I'm feeling better and over the illness.

One of my relatives is a doctor and used to always tell me that you're only contagious 3 days into showing symptoms. Whatever the hell that means, I take it as if you're snivelling and coughing on me, I'll opt out. No thanks.

However, if you're feeling on the mend, I've got a pretty damn strong immune system (comes from years of volunteering with children and picking up every damn cold and flu they had. Plus, at school you're exposed to everyone's colds as well.) I rarely get sick- maybe once a year for a few days, some years not at all.

I get allergies anytime some weather change occurs and the trees start blowing stuff in that will clog my sinuses so I've had people ask me if I'm sick and I tell them nope, but if you can feel free to cancel if you think I'll be allergic to you more than the pollen in the air.

Katie

If I get a flu or cold, I consider myself lucky.  Its a nice problem to have.  So far, I have only gotten colds and flus from this hobby, but according to some, I have already died 3 or 4 times, statistically speaking.  So I say be glad you got the sniffles.  Having your genitals fall off is far worst.  Or so I hear.

The one time it has ever come up when I called beforehand to let her know, the lady in question asked if I minded taking DFK off the menu.  I said that was fine by me, and we went on as scheduled.  Had a great time, look forward to seeing her again next time our schedules match up.

Do you ladies and gents routinely get them? I would imagine anyone who comes into close contact with others during cold/flu season should get them. Can't get much closer than this hobby!
I always get a flu shot. how about you?

It is just common courtesy to cancel an appointment with a provider if you have a cold or the flu. Fortunately, I live in Southern California and haven’t had either a cold or the flu in years.  However, if I did feel a cold or flu coming on and I had an appointment, I wouldn’t even think twice about calling and cancelling.

I have canceled two appointments in 5+ years--both because I had a bad cold.  I can mask the symtoms of the cold with a certain over-the-counter med but the use of the med limits my ability to "perform".

I used to get five to six colds a year, and I was always having to cancell and hated that, so I decided to do something about it.

Here's what I did:

1.  I took advice of a friend and started taking vitamin C from garlic extract (descented, by the way.)  Made by a company called Kyolic.  Ask for formula 103, at most health food stores.)

2.  I faithfully wash my hands after using the bathroom and before eating anything.

3.  I use a steroid inhaler everyday.  (You'll need a prescription for them.)

4.  I stay away from people with colds.

For the past five years, I've had only about one cold per year and it's usually very mild.

Try it; it works for me.

-- Modified on 12/18/2007 9:59:39 AM

Korean acupuncturist. Within 1 hour, the cold and all symptoms were gone. No lie... I still can't get over it. He told me it's important to catch it early to have maximum effect.