Emetophobia- new thread as other was full, all welcome.

[Marne]

Hope you all manage to find this , i just used up the last post on the other thread.

[ItsOkayItsJustMyBreath]

I know Marne, I have asked mn hq to remove the thread from discussions of the day as it's just too horrible. Just did the ironing and heard it on the news, there's no escape form hearing about it is there? I have everything crossed that it has peaked now and will start to disappear for good from now on.

reastie, I was thinking about you returning to work. I would be feeling anxious too but try to remind yourself that the school will have had a big clean during the holidays and that as the virus hit it hard before the holiday that the students' immunity will be a lot better now and it'll have moved on now.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I feel drawn to all the puke threads to.

[roundabout1]

Strangely noro talk on here doesnt bother me but on fb or the news & obviously real life scares the life out of me. I had to go to the doctors this morning (a chest infection) & it was very quiet as hardly any doctors working, panicking now as I cant remember how throughly I washed my hands afterwards. Silly really as I know I washed them numerous times after getting my medication out of the chemist bag & used a sanitizing (kills noro) wipe on my keys, phone & zip on my coat - am sure I would have done my hands properly too!

[reastie]

itsok I'm laughing at the idea the school cleaners will have deep cleaned where I work - clearly you don't know how useless our cleaners there are . I had to look at the noro DOTD in some morbid fascination then wished I hadn't. Tbh even seeing the word in any context makes my heart race, so I hate the DOTD at the min - there was one before christmas too which made me anxious so I avoided mn so I didn't have to see it up there

roundabout I have to see the GP on new years eve re: her checking how I am after all my anxiety. She particularly wanted to see me on that date as she's off alot over the holidays and I nearly didn't make the appointment as my logic is who goes to see a GP on new years eve unless they're really ill . I'm sure you washed your hands really well automatically without thinking or realising IYKWIM

[spacechimp]

Hello, hope everyone was able to relax a bit over Christmas. I am just back from a week staying with both sets of parents which was mostly ok. I think it was all a lot easier staying with my parents as dmum is also scrupulous about hygiene and made big contribution to development of my emet and other anxiety issues and dsis is also emet so was avoiding pre Christmas events with her dcs. Managed to do visits to relatives and also stay at dh's parents and do visits there, and visit service station cafe and toilets on way home today without getting stressed. Have also stayed away from Internet which helped. But - news reports re high levels of noro freaking me out again as is the thought of returning to work. Am probably being completely stupid but have to go and pick up a parcel from post office from relative who emailed to say she had noro the week before Christmas, so am now thinking I will handle with gloves and just chuck presents away for fear of exposure. Is this completely ridiculous? WWYD?

[Marne]

Hi Spacechimp, i'm sure the parcel will be fine, noro survives on surfaces for 12 hours but longer on fabric, as long as its not clothes it should be fine, if it is clothes then stick it straight in the wash (on a hot wash).

We are braving Toys R Us today, it opens at 11am so we will get there as soon as it opens (before too many people go in there touching everything and in hope that the 12 hour thing is right), we are then treating the girls to McDonalds which we shall eat in the car. . I hate having to plan every trip out around noro (making sure we go early, plan what we are going to buy, make sure i have wipes, soap and hand gel and make sure everyone washes hands before we eat).

[SpannerPants]

Hi everyone, fellow emetophobe signing in :(

DS had noro 2 weeks ago and i hoped that was it, but we had friends over today and their daughter v'd on our carpet twice and they said "oh she was sick a few times this morning too" so I'm on high alert :( I feel so panicky and can't relax, and DS is obviously coming down with something now - he's got a temperature and keeps waking up crying. I hate feeling like this!

I'm having difficulty eating too because of it, I've lost 4 stone since March and I'm getting to the point where I need to do something about it but don't know where to start.

[alexle]

Can I join you all? I have had this phobia since childhood and have had times when it's been really debilitating and other times when I've been able to manage it a little better. I have a 19 month old little boy who I absolutely adore. However, I have been really struggling since he got a stomach bug a few months ago. I am constantly anxious about him being sick and whether I will be able to look after him. Also terrified that I will catch something from him. Last time he was ill I couldn't eat and spent hours scrubbing my hands and cleaning everything. I really felt that i was going mad with anxiety and had such a strong urge to escape. The guilt I feel about not being able to be a good wife and mum is awful. The constant fear is dragging me down and I feel desperate to be better. I try not to let this affect my little boy but it is so hard to take him places at the moment with norovirus so prevalent. I am absolutely terrified of noro and I can't stop reading things that just make me more frightened. I am having cbt and although my therapist is fantastic I am feeling really low at the moment as I just don't see how I can ever get over this. I'm sorry that you are all suffering with this horrible phobia too but it is reassuring to know that there are other people who understand how I feel.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I think it's only a matter of time before I get the bug.

My brother was ill Friday, he looked after dc and picked me up after work, had eggy burps (which I smelt so obviously breathed in) and was ill Friday and saterday. My nan also had a dodgy stomach and diarrhoea Christmas day and came over to mine boxing day! Probably dd passing her bug on and it wasn't just a anxious stomach.

My brother is coming over to look after dc tomorrow, I stupidly thought it would be better my brother did child care for me instead of them at a school holiday club and instead he's been ill to and will be sitting around my house using my toilet and drinking out my cups I swear it's following me I hear about it on the news on here on Facebook and from family, I see vom everywhere there was 2 separate piles of it when I went shopping earlier, it's like it's taunting me saying youve got away with it for to long cue evil laugh.

[devilinside]

InNeed have you got anti-sickness tablets? should cover you should the worse happen. Not liking the piles of Vom Not sure I can risk going shopping after reading that. There's nothing worse than a fresh pile of the stuff to ruin your day

[spacechimp]

Thanks for reassurance re parcel Marne. Will have to collect it tomorrow so hope all ok. Hope your shopping trip went ok. I feel very on edge too Belgianbun. It seems so much harder this year and just can't put in perspective. Everything apart from staying at home with dh feels like a risk. We are supposed to be going to nye party tomorrow at friends house and am hoping no one there has had any contact with noro. Spanner I really feel for you - that is awful of friends to come over with obviously unwell dd. I would be so angry. Alexie and everyone else with dcs I admire you all so much for coping with this phobia. I wish the media would be more responsible about reporting. If they have to feature noro rates they should focus on prevention and hand washing, 48 hour rule and fact that antibac gels don't work. Otherwise they should shut up. Rates are high but no higher than Jan-Feb in other years.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

If it helps devil they were on bus stops on the way back not near the shops.

I have got some thanks to recommendations on other thread.

Have to stop thinking about it and get on with it.

[TapDancingPimp]

Hi everyone, hope it's ok if I join, my fear is mainly other people being sick as opposed to myself (though I'm not crazy about that either, luckily it doesn't happen very often).

I also suffer from a fear of death (what a bundle of laughs I am, eh?!) so I often wonder do they both arise from some sort of lack of control??

Anyway, DD had bug last month, was awful as I slept on sofa while she was in bed with DH . In the past when DH has been ill I've even packed my bags and went to stay with my Mum when I should have been at home looking after him, or at least comforting him.

Currently freaking out coz DB, who still lives at home with DM, was sent home sick yesterday...

[kerstina]

Hello All. Not checked in for a while but I have been reading everyones posts. I have been poorly not with noro but a horrible flu bug. Started with pains in my legs and general not knowing what to do with yourself cause you feel so bad. I have been taking seroxat so was a bit worried about what medication i could take so I just took calpol and probably not enough as I felt sick and dizzy. That horrible hot feeling you get when you are going to be sick. Think it could have been the my temperature causing this but the next day I did not eat. I did not actually vomit by the way but probably felt lousier by not?
Anyway just drank lucozade and water but then it has left me with that horrible feeling of something in your gullet that you feel would clear if you burped or was sick( but I obviously DO NOT want that to happen) but it isn't that as it has gone on too long. Anyone any ideas what could help?

[alexle]

Hi Kerstina. I get that feeling sometimes when I haven't eaten for a while. It could also be the medication and fizzy drinks on an empty stomach. Maybe try some gaviscon? That might be soothing. Hope you feel better soon. Xx

[kerstina]

Hi Alexia thanks for your reply. It seems to have righted itself at the mo so I think you are right it was probably not eating and drinking fizzy lucozade something I would never normally have.

[reastie]

Yes kerstina maybe just stick to water. Ginger or peppermint tea might help if you have it?

[miniegg1980]

Please can i join too? I've had this phobia for years. I had CBT for it 4 years ago which enabled me to have my 2 beautiful boys but now I'm starting to resent them and the germs they bring home. Was coping ok until a month ago when ds1 was sick everywhere (thats what it felt like) and my dh was away. Also had ds2 to deal with who is only 5 months old.

Ds1 is back at nursery on tuesday and I just want to run screaming. I want to cry all the time, don't want to kiss him or dh, just feel terrible the way i'm behaving and feel a bloody awful mother who doesn't deserve her truely beautiful boys.

Anyone actually had help that worked? Am debating hypnosis?

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Yes happy new year everyone

[reastie]

Hi mini I've tried hypnosis in the past but it personally didn't really help me. I think some things work for some people and not for others, but I looked into it and from what I can find research currently suggests CBT the most effective treatment, hypnosis seems to be more of a plaster fix which might not work in the long run, but then, if it helps you get through the winter and helps even temporarily then that's a good thing.

Belgian well said

[alexle]

Happy New Year to you all. Well said BB. Xx