Emetophobia and norovirus......

Hi,I have suffered with this awful phobia for years,im terrified of anyone being ill and even more terrified of catching something....They just said on our local news that the 3 main hospitals in my area have wards closed due to the norovirus.....I really didnt expect this to start so early and I have to go out tonight and im terrified its going to be out there and im going to get it....please can someone help me,what can I do to help myself....I really have to go out I cant let people down.....Sorry if I sound desperate but I am so scared.....

Regards,

Soph x

What part of the country are you?

x

I'm in Worcestershire....where are you?

I'm in Essex.

Do you remember how much publicity the Norovirus got last year? I read an article recently saying how it was no where near as bad as they were reporting.

If you consider some hospital wards have been closed, in reality that is not really that many people who have got sick, plus, its being isolated, so no need to worry.

I have terrible emetophobia and i have a child, so this time of the year is awful for me. Every single year he brings home the dreaded sickness bug to my home and every year i catch it. It's something i spend way too much time worrying about.

x

Thanks Belle,thats really helped me put it into perspective...can I just ask.....when you have had the bug.....how bad is it,I could cope with being sick for a few hours but not a couple of days....Last xmas my partners kids came to stay and within 2 hours of them being there one of them came down with it.....needless to say I had left the house within 5 minutes of him being sick and stayed at my friends for 10 days....it then took me another 10 days to sanitise everything enough to feel like it was my home again.....it was awful...my partner and both the kids had it.......

Regards,

Soph x

Hi Soph,

I totally understand how you are feeling. I heard about norovirus on the local news last night (I'm from Staffordshire) and it has totally panicked me. I have had it 3 times in 2 years and am so paranoid about getting it again. I have not taken my little boy to playgroup this morning as I'm so worried we're going to pick it up from there. I'm just as worried about dealing with him if he gets it, just as much as myself.

I've been spending so much time thinking about it and now I know that there is an outbreak it is all I am thinking about. I don't want to go out at all but I know this isn't fair on my son. I'm also worried as if I do get it I won't be able to take anything like Imodium as I am pregnant.

It feels so good to be telling someone about this as nooone else knows how I'm feeling.

Mollie
x

When i got it the last couple of times, i thank God only got the bottom end...BUT...i spent 12 hours wretching every 15 minutes, but no sick coming out. It was awful. I have to say though, the WORSE bit of it was the day after when i had the terrible headache and aches and pains, with a fever, and because of my stomach still not feeling great, i never wanted to take a painkiller.

The school my sister's children go to (a mile away from me) have got the infection there and my niece was ill last Wednesday and my nephew has just come home sick today. It can't possibly be the same virus that my niece had because i think the incubation period is only 12 - 72 hours.

It's all horrible. I would love to home school my son!!!!!!

hello Mollie and Belle,

I've only just picked up your thread so sorry I'm a bit late here. My advice is to stop watching the news or reading papers that like generating panic about things. I think there has been a stomach bug around every winter but now it has a name and the media loves to hype these things up (bird flu anyone?!). It's harder with children as their immune system isn't as strong as an adults, but if you keep yourself well and immune system strong, you should be ok.