Norovirus/Winterbug concerns

[tazismad]

Hi All,

Hoping you can help me out here. I am really suffering this month, with a number of people already coming down in my office/friends with the bug that is common at this time of year and having watched my husband go through the mill with this last year, I am paranoid I am going to catch it and get caught out. I am scared of being sick normally anyway, it is my worse fear bar the normal health risks, but its esp worse when you hear that people near you have had it. My nephew suffered with it last year, and we thought we would be ok, but then both my husband and my father in law came down with it, and ever since, I have been worried (over the last 12 months) that I will get this. I suppose I am not really as worried abut getting it, but being stuck somewhere that is not home so I can deal with it, and I can control it better.

The one thing I want most of all is to be able to stop thinking about it, blot it out as it has now become an overwhelming feeling in everything I do. I am starting to dread coming to work, going out with friends, and it is impacting enjoying myself.

Any useful comments/suggestions to help me battle on are gratefully welcome

[abi]

:)Hi, I understand how you feel. I have not really found any ways to combat the worry BUT I have bought some Boots antiviral hand foam (different to the alcohol rubs) which apparently is more helpful in preventing the winter vomiting virus. The foam stays active for several hours after application. I also try very hard not to eat, rub my eyes, nose, or touch my face unless I have washed my hands well with hot soapy water.
Hope this helps a bit.

[tazismad]

Thanks abi - will have a look in boots for this as I think that might help somewhat. Am trying to wash hands especially before I eat and have been in contact with other surfaces. Anything to make me stop worrying is better than nothing, so thank you

[Brunette]

Norovirus is more prevalent in the winter because people spend more time indoors and in closer contact with others but you can catch it at any time of the year. I have had it in July!

So basically, if you didn't worry about it during the summer then don't worry now. Just take normal precautions like Abi suggests and perhaps but a packet of Motilium - then you're prepared whatever happens.

[tazismad]

Taken all your considerations on board, and my rational head is telling me there are more people well than are ill, however every day there are more and more cases of people getting ill and I am wondering when am I going to get it? And will I get it whilst I am out? And what can i do if I did? It's now spoiling my enjoyment of going out and meeting people as we attend Xmas parties and the like

Is there any useful information someone could give me to help me through this, to stop me panicking so much. I am currently talking to my counsellor about this, but I seem to ebb and flow with my feelings of getting ill

Thank you

[Tanner40]

Tazismad, I think that the part of your post that talked about control spoke volumes. You want to be in control: wanting to be home when or if you get it and not out in the world where you have no control.

For me, wanting to be in control has always been a big part of my anxieties. Isn't that what a panic attack comes from? Where worry comes from? We get a feeling that we might be in danger and, whoosh, on comes the panic.

I have had to accept a certain amount of uncertainty in my life. I can't be in control of everything that occurs. We will all get sick at one time or another and we can't choose the illness. All that we can control is our thoughts and our reactions to the event.

While being sick is uncomfortable, it certainly won't be the end of the world. Take all proper precautions and relax.

[tazismad]

Thanks Tanner - you are so right, and I really agree with you. I suppose it is the irrational side that is taking over and that i will be the victim and no one else. Am taking all the proper precautions and I have anti-viral foam now that abi recommended (thank you!) and constantly washing my hands, but I am not being ridiculous about it. So the rational side does win over at some points.

You are right though. I cannot control everything in my life, and may be it is about accepting that it might happen and having to deal with it there and then, as there would be nothing that i could do about it. I am just trying to mitigate against full blown disaster I suppose. I suppose I want that magic wand that makes it all go away. :(

[blackbroom]

You managed to avoid getting it when your husband had it and it will be much harder to catch it from someone you don't share a house with!

I also worry a lot about Norovirus (it was worse when I was caring for my elderly mother - my real fear was passing it on to her, as it could have been serious for her) but the one time I actually caught it, it wasn't that bad. Yes, it was horrible, but it ran its course fairly quickly and nobody died. In some ways, the constant fear of Norovirus is worse than having it.

If you did get it while you were out, you'd deal with it. People would help, someone would get you home, the world wouldn't end. But it's unlikely, as you'd probably be feeling too queasy to go out if you were coming down with it.

It's scary not being 100% in control of everything and not knowing if or when you'll get it, but the only way you would get certainty would be by deliberately infecting yourself and that would be defeating the object. Reasonable hand hygiene, avoiding contact with anyone who's had diarrhoea or vomiting in the past 48 hours is all you can do.