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Thread: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

  1. #1

    Question Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    Hi everyone! I'm new to this site and am desperate for some support because this phobia is driving me mad.

    I'm 40 now and have had this phobia all my life. Like a lot of you, although it is with me every hour of every day, somehow I manage to get through the days UNTIL.....that is you hear on the news or you open a newspaper and it is all about "The Winter Vomiting Bug". Oh good grief. I was doing not too bad (well, as good as can be expected with this infliction) until about 4 days ago when I innocently went online and AOL News had up the big title "Warning over winter vomiting bug sweeping through country". Ever since I read this, I am in a terrible state.

    Yesterday, I was at Tescos and one member of staff said hello to another member and asked why she was late in - the woman replied because she almost didnt make it because she had been up ill all night. That conversation replays over and over in my head.

    The kids stop school on Friday and it cant be soon enough for me (in fact, if I had my way, I would probably just not send them this week at all). I keep thinking - only 3 more days of them mixing in a school and then hopefully if they havent picked anything up by then they should be ok..

    My husband knows I have this phobia but unfortunately he has a different phobia and feels his is worse than mine. When he asks what is wrong with me and I tell him I am struggling to cope with this at the moment, he says it's just all scaremongery....I know he is trying to help but it doesnt! I just need to hear on the grapevine that someone has been sick and that is enough to put it in my head that I will catch it - even if I've been nowhere near the person.

    My daughter knocked on the bedroom door last night and said she had a sore stomach and felt sick - well, that was it, I hardly slept a wink all night. She seemed ok this morning and went to school as usual but I'm constantly worried in case one of them is incubating this bug.

    My dad has bought us tickets to go and see Joseph during Christmas and New Year and I reall do not want to go - why? - because its an enclosed space and any one person could have or could have had this damned bug or even worse one of us could have it and be ill when we are there.

    Sorry for rambling on but I'm in total panic at the moment.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    3,047

    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    hi matey i dont think there is much u can do to avoid it to be honest, im lucky i dont have this phobia as theres 5 of us in my family and we all just had it, it was through my daughter as she 4 and picked it up in school through others.

    if it helps though me and my partner and my eldest had it but we were not sick we just felt it, we had more bad bellys but my youngest 2 were.

    its an awful time of year if you suffer with these phobias so im sorry and i hope you manage to avoid it xx

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
    Posts
    2,133

    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    Hi.
    In response to your header - no, once you've been in direct contact with a SICK person, i don't think there is much hope avoiding it. Taking care with hygiene definitely helps after being out in the shops etc.

    I'm thinking exactly the same as you, i cannot wait for my son to finish school this week, then we have the 2 - 4 days of when he could get sick, then we're in the clear (please God).

    As i say though, unless you're in contact with someone who is ill, i'm sure you'll be okay. I mentioned in another post, there IS a lot of people who do get this Norovirus, but there is a hell of alot more who don't

    x
    __________________
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    Panic attacks started in 1992. 1998 i became agoraphobic which lead into being room bound. Couldn't even get upstairs. 2002 i started getting better, able to drive and work. 2005 i became house bound again. 2009 i have been making SLOW progress, still not able to go anywhere alone, but my journeys are getting longer. No where near 'normal' but at least i can go out.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
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    Hi Jenny

    to NMP.

    I don't have emetophobia, although I have many other problems but I can understand that this time of year is particularly difficult.

    As others have said you can only catch it from direct contact with someone who has it and good hygiene helps a lot. My friend and her two children had it recently and although I had been there to visit around that time, I didn't come down with it.

    I hope you manage to avoid it.

    Karen xx

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    373

    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    Hey Jennie,
    If you look on my thread 'emetophobia is driving me to despair' I posted a link to a website with a lot of the answers you are seeking - I found it very reassuring. And as Donna says, even if you do get it, as an adult you may not actually be sick. Check out the link I posted, though, it set my mind at rest about some points... you can't catch it just from being in public places unless someone throws up right next to you. The important thing is to wash your hands before eating, or touching your mouth, eyes and nose while you're out. Contrary to popular belief, it is a lot less infectious than, say, colds or flu - there is definitely more you can do to protect yourself. xxx

  6. #6

    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    Jenny,

    The problem is other people not washing their hands; I always open the door of our toilets at work with my sleeve, as I know there are plenty of disgusting individuals who don't wash their hands afterwards.

    Take great care,

    JCC
    Last edited by Joeycrazycat; 16-12-08 at 21:31. Reason: spelling mistake
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    I open doors with tissues or toilet paper. I know this is extreme but i use the toilet in Mothercare the other day. After i had finished i flushed the loo with my foot (can you imagine it?) i turned on the tap with paper, i turned off the tap with paper and i opened the door with paper. NEVER USE THOSE HAND DRYERS, it circulates the manky air from within the loo. GROSS!

    x
    __________________
    http://maybeican.blogspot.com
    http://www.youtube.com/beingsarahc
    http://www.facebook.com/sarahwatson75

    Panic attacks started in 1992. 1998 i became agoraphobic which lead into being room bound. Couldn't even get upstairs. 2002 i started getting better, able to drive and work. 2005 i became house bound again. 2009 i have been making SLOW progress, still not able to go anywhere alone, but my journeys are getting longer. No where near 'normal' but at least i can go out.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
    Posts
    259

    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    I have to go in to town tomorrow and I am worrying about being among so many people that could be incubating the norovirus bug. I am going to take a bottle of gel antiseptic wash with me. People will probably look at me a bit funny, using it on my hands, but I am so scared of getting the norovirus that I could't care less what other people think.

    I used to be bulimic but since I have been on ciplopram I have gone the complete other way and have a fear of being sick now.

    Sheena

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
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    738

    Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    I carry the antibacterial hand gel in my bag and the car because doorhandles are notoirious for storing the germs for hours and hours. I think if we catch it ,we catch it - and hopefully not over xmas!! Wenjoy x

  10. #10

    Talking Re: Can You Avoid Catching Norovirus?

    Hi my names Charlie Jackson and I'm 15. Iv been suffering from a fear of catching the virus for 6 years now and it's destroyed my childhood. However it only peeked in august 2009 as it caused friction between me and my dad. I used to sterelise everything from plates to anything that was going in my mouth. At the start of december I realised I needed help and due to my mum pulling strings manage to begin councilling. Now I know many of you will be thinking I'm an attension seeking teenager but recently I have been slipping and have been thinking more and more about catching the virus that is why I'm here at two o'clock asking for anyone out there that can help me or offer me any supportive comments. I spend over 20 minutes washing my hands after school although I no longer sterilise anything. It does not help when my mums a nurse at the local hospital and comes home with many tales about Ill children. I have been diognosed with OCD about hygeine. I just wish that the world would feel like it did before that one Christmas where I contracted the virus and my life changed dramatically.

    Anyone who wants to know more or would like to help please feel free to contact me through email at charlieproctor@hotmail.co.uk

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