I was in the ER today with abdominal distress. I was asked to give a stool sample. The ER toilet was quite dirty. Someone had obviously sprayed it with something while they were sick.
The nurse put the “hat” down and I carefully laid down paper to sit. I did my business and went back to my room. A few minutes later, the nurse collected the hat and dumped the sample into the collection container. She then proceeded to hook my saline drip back up with the SAME GLOVES. It happened so fast, I couldn’t process what was happening before it was done.
I panicked. That toilet was filthy and I was terrified I had been exposed to a pathogen.
Once i mentioned it to the doctor, they were apologetic - but didn’t think there was any risk. They gave me Cipro to “cover me” I already have abdominal distress. (Yellow loose stool, abdominal pain and bloating). I don’t want to take a powerful antibiotic if I don’t need to. But I’m scared. What could I have been exposed to? Should I take the medicine?