emetophobes, it's that time of year :(

[devilinside]

First bucket sighting at school this morning. My sister had norovirus last week after attending a party where some selfish buggers thought it was acceptable to bring along a vomiting toddler. Most of the other guests got the bug including an elderly man. Feel free to add your rants and worries here.

Yes, I agree with devil these puddings have so many preservatives they are unlikely to make you ill. How do you feel today?

So glad to find this thread. My DH makes me feel I'm a complete freak for getting panicky about vomiting. He thinks it's no big deal. Already we have had a stomach bug twice in the house this season, my DH and DD. My DD even had to be hospitalised with severe dehydration. I'm so terrified of anyone else getting ill. Is this motilium available to buy over the counter in boots? Does it really stop you being sick?

I'm fine after the dodgy cheese cake, felt sick for a hour or 2 but probably because I was anxious about it making me ill.

Ulsterfly, you can get it in boots but you have to ask for it over the counter, I get it in my local chemist or boots.

Thank you Marne! I will pay a visit tomorrow. Would be good to keep some on hand.

I think I am finally ready to join you. Am not sure if I am a classic emetophobe as I don't mind being sick myself at all. I just have huge panics when I see or hear about other people as I get so worried that we will catch it.

I rarely ever get sick, my mum thinks I only ever had 1 bug growing up so I was never sick until I discovered alcohol! So far the children have only had 2 bugs each but I am still scared!

One of the things I completely hate is when I hear other mums trying to get kids to eat more. I am sat there thinking why? Why force food into them when they don't want it? I was in a cafe the other day and a young girl said she had a tummy ache. Mum forced her to eat her lunch and guess what, she threw it all up.

Sorry for rambling, I just want to join you!

Marne pleased you are ok, that is a relief .

Newcurtains and Ulsterfly Welcome - everyone on here understands so feel free to unload.

Also for some reason I can deal with the daytime sickness not too bad, it's when my DCs be sick in the nighttime that I can feel myself getting panicky and unable to cope.

Had a horrible dream about being sick last night, and felt very queasy all morning. Feeling a bit better now but I hate how this thing controls me.

Ugh, I am feeling the dread sink in - just the thought of Winter vomiting bug brings me out in panic :(

I'm not as bad as I was - I forced myself to stay in the house when dh had vomiting bug. Usually, I would either send him out or I would run out. Now, despite feeling horrible panic, I can cope with being in the house.

I do find myself ruminating torturing myself about seeing people be sick in the past. I get particularly upset remember a boy at my primary school being sick.

I'm better during the day, night times are scary (which is why at the weekends I have been sleeping during the day to catch up on sleep).

I'm always dreaming (having nightmares about it) which makes me feel ill the next day. This morning people were talking about stomach bugs in the playground (someone said they had a cold but thank god its not a stomach bug and then went into great detail about when their whole family had it), I felt ill all morning, have tried to take my mind off of it by walking the dog and doing the house work.

Hello all, hope everyone is managing to stay bug-free!

Does anyone know how much noro there is around so far this year and whereabouts in the country?

As far as I know there isn't much around here, normally there's a message in our school newsletter if a few dc have had it.

My dds are 12, 10 and 6 and we've been really lucky so far. They've stayed bug free for a good few years. Are some children immune? I heard that some blood groups are immune?

I am trying jar to watch 'I'm a celeb' whilst the do the eating challenge, I hate it but its kind of like exposure therapy ( watching people retch and almost throw up).

Dd1 is in bed with tummy ache and I am trying not to panic, she hasn't been anywhere all weekend so couldn't have caught a bug ( that's what I am telling myself and dd ). I'm counting down the days until the end of term, when we can close the doors and keep the dd's in until Christmas.

Marne - I'm really struggling watching this challenge too - usually its not too bad but this one is hideous.

I watched the challenge too - I find it difficult to watch people retching as it starts me off. This one was just awful though.

Marne how is DD today? Hope she is ok.

Can I join you please?

This past weekend has been my worst nightmare. DS 22 months started vomiting on Friday evening and continued most of the night. I felt SO panicky and anxious. He just wanted mummy cuddles and I felt awful that I didn't instinctively want to comfort my poorly child

I then had the anxious wait to see if DH and I were going to catch it. Sure enough 48 hours later we were both vomiting. I don't like being sick but for me the worst thing is seeing/hearing others being ill.

I have been an emetophobe for a long time but since I had DS it's affected me a lot more. Pre DS I would avoid places where there may be drunk people, avoid ill people and if DH was ill he would stay away from me. It's much harder now as I have to look after DS.

After events like these do you keep replaying the sights and sounds of it all? I just can't stop thinking about it. When I went out this morning I was even thinking "last time we used this buggy was just before it all started etc"

Urgh it's horrible. Hope everyone is remaining bug free.

Baby Welcome .

What an awful time you have been having - really hope you are all feeling better now. I have been worse since I became a mother. With small children, you hear about so many more bugs going around, you are on constant red alert. It is so hard isn't it?

Welcome Baby, so sorry you had to go through this it does get a bit easier as the dc's get older (it happens less often and they learn to get it in the bowl so less likely to pass it on), it is hard when your child is sick and they want you to hug them (I hate it and I try not to have much contact). For me I can now cope better when the dc's are sick but the main fear is me getting it, I would not be as bad looking after the dd's if I knew I wasn't going to get it.

Dd1 seems ok this morning, she gets tummy aches when she is anxious, she has been a bit upset as her best friend is off school (luckily with a cold and not a tummy bug) and she is missing him .

We have just had a letter about a school trip, I hate the idea of a school trip during bug season (all those kids packed onto a small coach, breathing over each other).

Hi, another new one here wanting to join in please.

I'm like newcurtains as I don't mind being sick myself. I don't like it obviously, but think I handle it better than a lot of people without any sickness phobia. Luckily I can also cope with my children, I think concern & love for them just about forces me to hold the bowl & be sympathetic...just about...

What I can't abide is the thought of hearing, seeing, smelling (God forbid!!!!) anyone else being sick & the thought of being trapped anywhere (eg. a plane) & not being able to get well away. If I hear of anyone being sick in a certain situation, then I dwell on it for yearsages & then feel anxious for evermore about that certain situation.

If I think someone is going to be ill near me, my heart pounds, I shake from head to foot & come out in a cold sweat & really illogically I feel really angry with them

Thanks it is hard. Other people just don't understand. My mums said to me
'Oh you poor things - oh well we've all been there'

I felt like saying no you haven't been here cos its so awful for me!! I've told her previously about the phobia but the response I got was 'don't be silly no likes vomit'

Hope your dd continues ok Marne. Although having a little one means they can't control direction of the sick etc at last they also can't say 'I feel sick' which I think will bring me loads of anxiety!

I agree with the 'saying 'I feel sick', its the waiting and not knowing if they will and when they will, last time dd1 was ill my mum was here, dd1 suddenly turned green so I dragged her towards the loo where she was retching, I then sent her up to her room with a bowl (on her own), my mum told me I was cruel and should go and sit with her (I was shaking and didn't want dd1 to see me so anxious), eventually I went and sat with her and luckily she was ok.

My mum is quite understanding, last time I was sick she came and sat with me whilst dh picked up a prescription from boots for anti sickness drugs.

WillowKnicks you sound exactly the same as me! I feel quite reassured that I am not the only one.

Wow willowkicks and newcurtains I am exactly the same

I don't want to be sick - who does! But it's seeing/hearing/smelling others that's the worst. And the FEAR and ANXIETY of someone feeling unwell who may or may not vomit!

Funny how everyone feels it differently.

I too can't cope when my dc are sick, luckily for me not too often. But I am petrified of being sick myself. I've actually never vomited as an adult, the last time was aged about 10. I've felt nauseous many, many times and with it comes such a horrible fear I've felt at times (to my shame) that I would rather die than throw up I know that's awful thing to think.

Willow Welcome .

I know what you mean about being trapped in a situation where someone is being sick. I was once on a flight to Spain when a little boy in the row opposite was sick continuously all the way there. I could hear it, but worse was the smell. I was so anxious and upset - poor little chap couldn't help it but it made me feel awful.