Emetophobia - terrified of this sickness bug

[nellyraggbagg]

This sounds so stupid, but I'm completely terrified of the children (not to mention DH and me) catching this Norovirus that's doing the rounds. I've been emetophobic for as long as I can remember, and it has become even worse since having children. Every time they open their mouths, I'm terrified they're going to say they feel sick. When I go to bed at night, my last waking thought is: "Oh my God, what if they're sick in the night?" My DH is working away a lot at the moment, which makes matters even worse (he is good at dealing with sick, thank goodness!!) I have dealt with both children being sick (I have found that manic cleaning helps very slightly to take my mind off the blind panic), but am rigid with fear following newspaper reports of this current bug. How will I pick DS up from school if DD and/or I get it? My Mum is miles away, unfortunately. And what if DH gets it? I don't know how I'd cope if he were sick. Please, please help, someone - even if just by saying that I'm not the only person who feels like this!

[bubblerock]

I just saw the report on this bug on the news - looks nasty! There are lots of people feeling the same as you on here, I am not an emetophobe but I really hope we don't get this bug either

[fishie]

i have had it. ds and dh did not (although i did try to make sure everythign was very clean, washed towels etc) so it certainly isn't inevitable that anyone close to you will get it even if in contact with people who do.

[nellyraggbagg]

Thank you!! And thank you for not thinking I'm crazy.
I'm dreading DS going back to school next week - I was tempted to keep him off until after Easter, but DH wouldn't hear of it...

[nuttynoel]

I watched a report on Skynews about this an hour ago and I too am worried about the dcs going back to school on Monday, dd especially. She has been very ill with fly over the hols and is down to 2st11, appetite just returning. The last thing I now want is this virus.
Confess I wondered if I should keep her off for a week or so, just till it's died down.
I know I can't.
I wonder if I put one of those little germkilling hand sprays into her bag, and tell her to use it a few times a day, whether that would help.
I can think of a few mums at our school who will NOT keep their own kids off for 48hrs after the last symptom clears. May ask the headteacher on Monday morning to send out a stern letter.

[Coby]

I don't think you're crazy. Just wanted to say this bug is around every year at this time, the papers are just making a big thing of it this year (more so than last year) because they have decieded to make it their 'pet' topic - when something more exciting to them comes along I'm sure they'll forget it all.

Hope your family manage to avoid it, not everyone gets it, if you do get unlucky this time, try to think of it as therapy - thats what I do. In fact, do you find the worrying about it is worse than the actual event - I feel that way sometimes (bury my head in mad cleaning like you and make the whole house smell of dettox )

[nuttynoel]

PMSL - she was not ill with fly (imagines 6 yr old whizzing around amongst the Xmas decs on ceiling). She had FLU.

[Coby]

I thought fly was something very exotic...possibly you had spent christmas on a luxury resort somewhere and she had picked up a weird disease that only posh people get.

[Niecie]

There are a lot of us about who sympathise with you, nelly. There was another thread on this earlier today.

I just wish we could all hibernate until the Easter holidays and wait for it to blow over.

Trying to look at it objectively, it is only about 3.5% of the population being affected so far. Sometimes coming on MN makes it seem worse than that though as everybody is, not surprisingly, talking about how ill their children are this time of year.

It is horrible though.

[QuintessentialShadow]

A doctor once told me that there are ways to protect yourself. He said to change the diet to low fat and low sugar. You may actualy have the virus, but it wont break out and you wont start being sick unless you eat something fatty or something sugary. When bugs like this make the rounds I change the diet to the entire house, and no sweets, cakes biscuits, ice creams, etc is allowed. Only fish, chicken, steamed vegetables, rice etc. In addition to rigourous (hand) hygiene. It has worked so far.... Fingers crossed.

[nuttynoel]

Coby we shouldn't make light of the FLY condition - have you seen what it's done to the FLYladies over on Housekeeping?!? No offence Flyladies, I am a lapsed flyer myself, but I'll be back!
Niecie, you are quite right, I've checked and we are nowhere near an epidemic. If those ill today heed the instructions to keep to themselves for 48hrs, the situation on Monday morning could be better.

[Niecie]

Extreme I know but if we shut the country for 4 days and everybody stayed at home, this bug would be gone by Tuesday.

Sadly, people don't stay at home for 48 hours after the event though. The pressure is to get back to normality and back to work or school, as soon as the symptons have stopped. I think that this is the first year where I have heard anybody recommend 48 hours in such a public way. I feel bad about keeping a perfectly well DC at home for a second day when they have had a clear day of no symptons but I shouldn't really feel that way as it is about protecting everybody else, isn't it.

[annoyingdevil]

interesting QS - but would this be fair on young toddlers? DS is only 17 mths.

[nellyraggbagg]

If I'm like this now, goodness only knows what I'll be like when DS goes back to school... Doesn't bear thinking about!
I won't even take them swimming or to soft play centres for fear of them catching it...

[TripleyTigger]

nelly,please don't worry.Coby is right its all about politics/NHS/blah blah. This virus does appear every year and as soon as something bigger comes up in the news it will all die down again.

I know how you feel because I used to suffer in the same way and it was horrendous,even if the kids coughed I thought they were going to be sick!!

Try to avoid getting caught up in the news,don't read about it or watch anymore. You will only try and pick at the little details which will make you more panicky.

If it makes you feel better,just get yourself prepared for the worst (maybe a little bucket in their room if it puts your mind at rest) but I am sure you WILL be fine.

I know you just want to hide them from the world,but they have to go out and face these things(and I know deep down you know that).
I have triplets and they always get ill together,but if you get a plan of action in place it is so much easier. These bugs never last long,sometimes they are exaggerated,what would be the point of a news story saying 'man had a little bit of tummy ache and felt a bit icky'?!!!!

It's never as bad as the fear itself.x. Good luck with your day

[zonedout]

god i hate this too. i have been an emetophobe for as long as i can remember but have got so much worse since having had my ds (22 months) i am terrified and i am so angry about being so blardy terrified. my fear of vomiting takes up so much of my head space it is laughable. i am a sahm and seriously thinking about not taking ds to any of our usual groups when they start again next week. but oh the guilt that my stupid phobia will then be impacting on my ds. dh really not getting it. wants us all to go swimming or to a museum tomorrow . yeah right.

[nellyraggbagg]

Thank you, all! Tigger, you are right: I do know I mustn't pass this horrible phobia on to the children, so do try to carry on with normal life (swimming and play centres excepted!!), with spare bedcovers and pyjamas for the children at the side of my bed, just in case. Unfortunately DS (5) does seem anxious as well (my fault, presumably - though DD couldn't care less about being sick). He read a newspaper headline today about hospitals being closed because of norovirus, and went into a panic - which meant that I had to reassure him ("I'm sure you won't get it, but even if you did, it wouldn't be the end of the world, etc, etc" - bit of a joke, really!!)
Where's your thread, Belgianbun? I'd like to read it, but don't know enough about how to navigate Mumsnet!

[Snowstorm]

nellyraggbagg, I had a phobia which was making my life difficult and/or miserable - it wasn't the same as yours but I understand how it is to be phobic about something.

It won't stop you and yours from getting sick but I would highly recommend that you think about talking to your GP about it. I didn't for a long time as I felt so ridiculous but when I plucked up the courage to do it, she was absolutely lovely and very understanding and she talked me through the options on how to get over the phobia. One year on and I'm 95% over my phobia - it's like an enormous black cloud has been removed from over me and life is pretty peachy. Consequently I really want to tell other phobics that with help, they can overcome their fears ... and boy does life improve no end!!

All the best,
Snowstorm

[TripleyTigger]

nelly,don't worry about your kids yet,because as soon as they see you getting your confidence back they will be reassured.

I totally understand it is not something that you can control,which is obviously why the kids get to see it,just like mine did.

Its very,very hard but when you feel ready you have to make the decision to wether facing your fears(Horrible nightmarish I know)which will last a couple of months is worth doing so that the WHOLE of your life can be free of worry.

[QuintessentialShadow]

Annoyingdevil, why should lean chicken, steamed vegetables and rice, etc not be fair on young toddlers? Last I checked this was wholesome and nutritious food. It is a misconception that 17 month olds need sugar, cakes and fatty foods.

[ScarlettOHairy]

Triplytiger can I ask? You said you used to have this fear, but now don't. How did you get over it??? Is it just down to having triplets (exposure therapy ) or did you get treatment.

Tell us, please!

[ScarlettOHairy]

Sorry Tripleytigger, spelt your name wrong

[somersetmum]

My two were weaned on steamed vegetables. They taste a lot better than boiled.