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!

More doom and gloom! DS's deputy head and school secretary had it last week. She (the secretary) told me this as she handed me a book of recorder music. She got it on Friday, so has presumably not been symptom-free for the requisite 48 hours!

Then DS told me that he handed his stuffed mice round (the result of our trip to Birstall Ikea) for his entire class to cuddle with their virus-y hands at show and tell time. I give up. I can't see any way we are going to avoid this bug...

Oh i do chuckle nellyraggbagg when I read your comments not at you though I can just relate to what you say. Everyday when I drop my ds off at school my last words are... remember dont touch anything, wash your hands dont share things blah blah and he just rolls his eyes and says Yes mum. I have now resorted to wearing gloves the whole time that I am out in public so I can get home and fling them in the washing machine, might look a wee bit odd when the weather turns mild though! Sat in a cafe yesterday and I started reading a newspaper and my 5 yr old said put that down mum its full of bugs and you know that virus is still around!!! oh my god what have i done to him!! I tood my ds to an afterschool club and one of the mums phoned and said can u pick my son up for me and drop him back as i have this virus well that was it panic mode her son was with my son in the same room hence i didnt pick him up and I took my dettol anti bac spray and sprayed him down before we got in the car!!! am sure I need committing to a mental home!!!! by the way she only had di and I can do that without a problem!! take care

Oh Nelly hopefully the secretary uses different toilets and knows how to wash her hands. Fingers crossed for you.
DD went to school and full class today not so at DS nursery. 14 more school days till half term

Hi everyone.

Not posted for a couple of days - been really busy, and DP complaining that I would rather go on the computer than talk to him !

Daphne, hope you are feeling much better today and the cyberhugs did the trick.

Lemonadegirl, how is your DS today? Hope he's better.

Nelly, niggynaggynoo and BB: I've got everything crossed for you and really hope your fears are unfounded. It makes me so when people send sick children to school/nursery - so inconsiderate. I always err on the side of caution and keep them at home until I'm sure (even though I would rather spend a day at home with a man eating tiger than a child with V!!)

All is quiet here at the mo - DCs both seem OK and no untoward reports from either school. I can't relax though - I keep thinking it's the calm before the storm.

BB - I can't believe a mum would send a sick child to school, even if she did just think it was something she'd eaten. Oh honestly! I bet yours are the cleanest hands in your whole school.

I am mightily peeved that the secretary hasn't stayed off all week. I had been planning to talk to the deputy head until he mentioned noro - whereupon I beat a hasty retreat. I may try again after Easter.

My current problem is what to do about the secretary-handled recorder book. DS is so pleased with it that I can't bring myself to don rubber gloves and throw it away - but fear it will disintegrate if I put it in hot, soapy anti-bacterial water. Though this may be immaterial after the mouse-hugging episode.

The noro boy in his class is still off, thank goodness!

I know what you mean about the calm before the storm, Tarantulip. Oh, we emetophobes know no peace!

Oh BB how utterly ridiculous. I hope the school had a stern word with her. A Mum at DD School sent her daughter in last term with a bucket because she felt sick

Hello everyone. Hope this finds you and all your dcs well. My ds nine month has woken with an awful cough and I am dreading the fact it might make him v.

I have been doing a bit of research about emet and have found a form of hypnotherapy called Pure Hypnoanalysis (Analytical hypnotherapy) Have any of you heard of it or even tried it.

Am thinking of giving it a whirl to see if I can get some peace of mind. I think if I knew for certain that I wasn't going to be sick I could deal with the children iyswim, in which case maybe anti emetics would help.

Does anyone have any encouraging stories out there or ideas for treatment?

Lemonade Girl - you sound as though you coped really well with your ds being poorly. If its any consolation my Ds used to do th coughing until he was sick thing too. Also a friends DD always gets sick and snotty when her teeth come through. He back teeth came through about 15 months and apparently she was the worst she had ever been so maybe your Ds is the same. Have you and your DH been ok since?

Nelly - yes it could possibly be THE filthiest but the National Trust one - ugh, words escape me how disgusting that is. Silly cow. How are you and your family now? Think you are almost at the point where you will not have caught it from the school secretary. I find it reassuring to remind myself, as per BB's post previously, that if you don't touch your nose and mouth then you cannot get it, so even if the worst happens and your Ds does get, you stand a good chance of remaining unaffected. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Are you ok from the floods too by the way? We couldn't get DS to school because of them yesterday.

BB - am angry on your behalf. Its so selfish to send a child into school with sickness. I had a boss who used to pride himself in coming into work literally an hour after he had stopped being sick. He used to have this stupid "look what a trooper I am" smirk on his smug face and I just wanted to slap him and tell him how selfish he was being. It really really makes me because they don't realise how this affects people like us.

Niggynaggynoo - Oh dear hon. You sound like me. I never leave the house without putting First Defence on mine and Ds's hands and then when we come in from school or wherever we have been its straight to the sink to wash with anti bac cleaner. All I can see wherever I have been is surfaces that have been touched by all these different people. If this virus lasts as long as it does on surfaces and if all these people have it then surely it is on everything. Aarrgghhhh!

FunnyBunny - I have anti emetics to use just in case I feel sick. I am so reassured knowing I have them if I need them. Let us know if you decide to go for the treatment you describe or if you find anything else out. Is it expensive?

Hi all - Hope everyone is well and bug-free.

Lemonaid Girl - hope your ds is better now. My dd has had this bug 4 times in the last year (ds once) and it's amazing how, even though it's our worst fear, we still manage to cope.

BB how do you cope as a teacher - do you ever get children vomiting in class?

Funnybunny - I know exactly what you mean. I think I could handle the children if I knew wasn't going to be sick myself.

I'm a little freaked out by the 'health' section today - seems to be a lot of 'sicky bug' questions - arrrrgh. Perhaps, I'll keep away for today, I just can't resist reading them, even though it makes me more nervous than ever.

Notalone how did you go about getting anti emetics? I would feel a bit silly asking my GP for them as being terrified of sick does sound strange to most people. As a last resort though I would summon up the courage from somewhere.

As for treatment I will keep you informed. Each session costs £60 and you need up to 10. So yes it is pretty expensive but I feel I must try everything I can to conquer this dreadful fear.

Can anyone recommend a really good hand cream. I have washed my hands so much that they are now very dry and sore. My hands look like old ladies - I'm only 33!

Boots did a fab own-brand hand cream, but have stopped making it so I am also on the look-out for a replacement!

Good news from here: the boy in DS's class was off with a temperature and chest infection. Hurrah! (She says selfishly...)

I expect we will all be struck down by noro as a punishment for selfish thoughts!!

Funnybunny - I just had to bite the bullet and tell my GP. I did feel really silly but 5 mins of humiliation has given me so much reassurance. I have posted about the anti emetics I use on this thread somewhere and have also talked about Buccastem which is over the counter which could be useful if you really feel you can't tell your GP.

£60 a session? How many sessions do you need to have?

Hand cream - not really sure as don't use it (though I know I should

Funnybunny - I've also read about this hypnoanalysis at £60 per session - there's someone quite local to me who does it. Unfortunately I'm not up for that kind of money, but I'd love to know if it works. Keep me posted!

BB: I can't believe that mum. I should think she did have a talking-to. How could anyone do it??? I hope the child's big sister is immune. Good luck... (and thanks for the hand cream tip!!)

Nelly, I know what you mean about £60 a session being a lot of money. I'm on unpaid maternity leave at the moment so quite how I'm going to pay for it is anyone's guess!! I will make an appointment to see the therapist and let you know how I get on - first consultation is free of charge thankfully.

Thanks for the info re hand cream bb, will check it out.

Hope you all have a peaceful night x

Hello all. I've spent a lot of time today looking at the EmetOnline and GutReaction websites (when I should have been working !) I found some of the information helpful, but quite a lot of depressing stuff as well - so many posts on the forum seemed to be from teenagers, I hate to think of them suffering decades of this nightmare as I have done. Not to mention the general concensus that emet is "very difficult to treat". I think, of course, that I already knew that, but seeing it in black and white put me on a bit of a downer.

I think I am going to go and see my GP sometime soon (new GP, never spoken to him about this before) and see if I can be referred for CBT and maybe get hold of some anti-emetics. At least then I will feel as though I am doing something, rather than just letting it control me totally. Funnybunny, I would be very interested to hear more about the hypnoanalysis treatment.

BB at the sick child being sent back to school - hopefully the reminder letter will stop anyone else who might have been thinking of doing the same. I, too, wondered how you cope as a teacher - I would be constantly anxious about children being sick in the classroom. Whenever there is a school trip, DD always asks me if I will go along as a helper, but the prospect of this fills me with dread, and I always have to make up an excuse.

Sorry about my slightly gloomy tone this evening, but on a lighter note I can thoroughly recommend the Body Shop Hemp hand cream - fab for really dry hands. Which reminds me, I must go and put some on, my hands look terrible!

I've looked at those sites as well, and I have to say I've found our conversation far more useful and supportive! (for me, at any rate...)

I had to turn down a mornings-only part-time job in a nursery school because I was too scared of having to deal with sick. I'd have loved the job otherwise. Isn't it sad to let a phobia take over your life?

I saw my GP in the playground today. She said hello to me, and I thought: "Ah, you will soon know that I am officially a nutcase". Are GPs bound by the Official Secrets Act or something? Otherwise I shall lose whatever shred of credibility I may have at school (though I probably lost that anyway when I insisted on wearing a reflective Ikea jacket in broad daylight to pick DS up - my fear of him getting run over outweighs my fear of looking like a complete plonker...!!)

It occurs to me that the Body Shop cocoa butter body lotion makes quite good hand cream. So that's two votes for the Body Shop!

Funnybunny - do let us know what happens. If it works, I'll be selling the children's clothes on eBay to pay for a session!!

Thank god for DP. One of his best friends who he has not seen in about a year was working about 20 mins from Dp just for the day today. He called and suggested they meet up but then happenned to mention him, his gf and their 2 dc's have all had noro this week. Dp, bless him, made his excuses and didn't meet after all. Phew - big sigh of relief but sad that they couldn't meet because of me

Yes, it is sad that our phobia affects our (and other people's) lives - but three cheers for your DP, notalone! If only everyone were so considerate (not mentioning any names, mum-of-sick-child-at-bb's-school...)

Oh notalone how considerate of him. That is the problem with this phobia it effects every part of our lifes. i am even putting off arranging playdates till the spring

Hi all and thanks for your messages.

Ds was being sick until Monday 6am by which time took him to the docs who confirmed was not noro virus - thank god.

He thinks the bucket loads of snot exacerbated a tummy upset. As I was giving him Calprofen, he told me to stop that to, as it can irritate stomach lining futher.

He hashad two little sick ups since then which seem to be because of his bad cold.

To be honest I have been a nervous wreck but neither dh or I have had anything yet, so keeping fingers crossed.

Having been applying on the hand cream because of all the hand washing.

I have ben down various routes to try and sort out my phobia which I have had since I was about 13. Hypno - didn't work for me and have been to gp who was not that understanding but got refered to psycologist this was when i was about 14/15 - not really great either. Was refered for cbt when 21 but waiting list was 18mths long so never did get it as when i was away at uni. Have heard that is supposed to be good though.

Have had two tummy bugs last year and it was dreadful but for a week after felt great and more relaxed about it but as time goes by start feel anxious about it again.

Hope you all have good nights

Hi all and thanks for your messages.

Ds was being sick until Monday 6am by which time took him to the docs who confirmed was not noro virus - thank god.

He thinks the bucket loads of snot exacerbated a tummy upset. As I was giving him Calprofen, he told me to stop that to, as it can irritate stomach lining futher.

He hashad two little sick ups since then which seem to be because of his bad cold.

To be honest I have been a nervous wreck but neither dh or I have had anything yet, so keeping fingers crossed.

Having been applying on the hand cream because of all the hand washing.

I have ben down various routes to try and sort out my phobia which I have had since I was about 13. Hypno - didn't work for me and have been to gp who was not that understanding but got refered to psycologist this was when i was about 14/15 - not really great either. Was refered for cbt when 21 but waiting list was 18mths long so never did get it as when i was away at uni. Have heard that is supposed to be good though.

Have had two tummy bugs last year and it was dreadful but for a week after felt great and more relaxed about it but as time goes by start feel anxious about it again.

Hope you all have good nights