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!

I'm still here, and counting down the days until the end of March!

Interesting to read that most of you say you could cope with your dcs v'ing if you knew you wouldn't catch it yourselves. Well, I thought that was the case with me, but now I realise, it's anything but. I can't catch it - I've just blooming well had it, but despite that, I'm still going to bed terrifed every single night!

I'm not even that scared of v'ing myself anymore. Having had this virus twice in the past year. I can cope (as long as I'm in the privacy of my own home).

Anyway, enough of my ramblings! BB, sorry to hear that you're not pregnant. Fingers crossed for next month. Bug-free vibes to all

How interesting to read you are still living in fear annoyingdevil. Maybe i'd be the same i don't know but I do know that i'm no good around anyone who's sick, it's just i'd imagine i'd cope better if i knew it wasn't catching but maybe not? I'd still have to get dh to look after dd no matter what but i might be able to be in the same room as her if i knew it wasn't catching.Weird init? Our dd was sent home early today with a temp, tummyache and headache..aaarrghhhh!!! DH been looking after her mainly. She seems brighter than earlier and has had something to eat, temp ok now but thats prob due to calpol!!She was v white when dh picked her up but now has some colour. Will be on alert now though!

How is everyone else on here? Hope everyone keeping well especially with all the bugs doing the rounds at the mo! Mare or wot?? xx

wiggleit Yes it is horrible. i managed fine with DD1, but then again i have to as a single Mum. As soon as any of mine say their tummy hurts i get a bowl out ready! I can deal with it easier if it is contained! She was sick about 6 times.

DD2 has been coughing tonight and now saying her tummy hurts. Hoping it is just from coughing but bowl is next to her just in case!

All credit to ya tortoise, being a single mum can't be easy. I definately wouldn't cope without dh. Are you frightened of being sick yourself,of catching it off the kids? Hope your dd2 is ok. x

Frightened of getting it myself. I hate being sick plus have no-one to help if i am ill.I am always worrying about being sick while out and about too. What would i do if i was in a queue in the shop and couldn't hold it back?
DD2 is still sleeping. Fingers tightly crossed that she will be ok!

Yep, am with you on the fear of catching thing and also the fear of feeling ill when out. I always carry anti-emet drugs on me,just in case. At one time i wouldn't eat anything if i knew i was going out in case i felt ill while out. I'm a lot better now and do actually eat while out as well, something i would never have done years ago. Hope your dd2 sleeps well thru the night and wakes up feeling better..for your sake! Have you no family or friends you could call on to help if need be? I'm the same as you though, my dh is the only one i can rely on. My Mum died or i would have had her to count on, but have no-one else really. Hard for you being on your own.xx

If i was desperate a friend would help but she is the other end of town and it would be a long walk for her. Older 2 could walk themselves now too i think.
My parents moved to Turkey 2 years ago. They were 10 mins up the road from me.

Going to try and get some sleep now. Will probably be awake half the night worrying about her suddenly being ill!

Hello all,

I was hoping that peace and quiet on this thread was good news - but it seems not. Grr.

Tortoise - you poor thing. I hope your DD1 is better now, and that DD2 hasn't succumbed. How I would cope with this phobia if I were also a single parent, goodness only knows...

BB - thanks for the therapy update. Please keep them coming. I have still not got round to visiting the GP (I fear I am finding all sorts of excuses not to go), but hearing about your therapy may be the push I need. And don't despair with ttc! I think it took me four months with DD - after an instant hit with DS, those four months seemed an eternity (though I do appreciate that many others would consider this to be remarkably lucky...). You will get there in the end.

I am still pottering on in general anxiety mode. We went to play at two separate friends' houses today, which brought on an attack of "what if they've got noro?" We have other friends visiting at the weekend, which is also making me anxious. What a shame that a nice event (visiting friends or having friends to visit) becomes something traumatic and worrying. Maybe it is time to see the GP after all.

I have been wondering about whether my anxiety is related to catching something. I sort of think it is - then I remember refusing to get in the car with my sister when she felt sick with period pain (we were in our 20s at the time - how tragic is that?!) I was proposing to get a train home from the shopping centre rather than get in a car with her - which earned me a large telling-off from our mother (yes, at the age of 22!!!)

My weird thing (well, one of them) is that I always worry if I go to the cinema. What if I feel sick when I'm in the middle of a row, and can't get out? Or what if someone else is sick on me? Fortunately (from that point of view), we've barely been out since having children, so I don't have to face the cinema issue very often!!!

When does this pesky noro season end??? It seems to be going on for ever...

nellyraggbagg- DD1 is fine now thanks. And DD2 was fine last night too. Hopefully they will stay ok. DD1's poor teacher was away today with sickness.

Felt very worried earlier when the shop assistant in local co-op told me that the other worker there had been being sick all day and wouldn't go home! I know her quite well and unfortunatly she saw me outside and came to chat and stroke my dog. They i stroked his head and thought arrrgghh she touched there! Then i had to hold DD2's hand etc on the way home. Hoping she had food poisioning or something not contagious!

I hoped noro had passed by now too but many wards in hospital quite close have been closed due to it. Pretty sure it wasn't noro that DD1 had. She wasn't ill enough.

Hi all,

Tortoise - glad all is well at yours now. Seems like just a one off thing. Poor dd1's teacher. couldn't do that job!

My dd seems ok. She is still not 100% but seems perky enough and is eating. She went to school today. They said at after-school club that she looked pale again when she first got there but brightened up after having something to eat. Duno what it is but she's not right but not too bad iykwim. Big worry!

How is everyone else? Seems really quiet on here atm..can't understand it with all the nasty bugs about.

Thanks.
Glad your DD seems ok too.
Hope DD2's teacher isn't back tomorrow. That would risk it spreading more!

Thanks BB. I just have to get on with it but like i said i am always prepared! I have a bowl in my room by my bed at hand should any of them need it. Easier to deal with it contained in a bowl.
Also my lot very rarely get anything. DS1 is 10 and has had about 2 sick bugs since starting school.

Hi BB.. sorry to hear you not feeling so good, but like you say us emets have a way of suppressing v'ing. You'll be fine, just a bit off for a day or 2 maybe. My dh doesn't understand why i get so worked up about actually v'ing coz he says ' no way will you let yourself be sick!' Think he has a point but you never know. It's funny because i know a couple of friends with this phobia and both haven't been sick for years ..and i'm talking 30,40 odd years!! Wierd init? Maybe thats the prob, if we'd been sick more maybe we wouldn't be so scared..i'm not so sure...always a bit superstitious about saying when i was last sick coz frightened of temting fate! My dh was asking me the other day. Scared of saying anything!! xx

Good evening everyone. Have been keeping up to date with this thread but due to problems with pc have been unable to add anything.

Anyway have had another moment today. DS poorly with really bad temperature and headache, so called nursery to let them know that he wouldn't be in only to discover that a nasty sick bug is doing the rounds there. Even the staff are coming down with it! It took everything in me not to ask which staff, how many children - you know all those questions that you are desperate to ask but daren't. Anway by lunchtime dc had a crippling stomach ache rolling around the bed - suffice to say out came all the towels, bowls, windows were open and I nearly had a heart attack. Funnily enough after my initial panic subsided I did calm down. He was not sick in the end but is still not himself. He is due to go to nursery on Friday and I'm tempted not to let him go. What would you do?

My reason for keeping him off longer is that even if he is on the mend tomorrow, he is still very tired, pale and hasn't eaten for 2 days. I also can't bear the thought of him catching the v bug, as this has been bad enough.

Oh my god he is now in bed coughing in his sleep and all I can think about is him being sick. I have that heavy panic feeling coming over me again.

BB hope you are feeling better tomorrow. Tortoise despite your fear you are very brave for coping so well. I wish I could be so sure I would manage on my own. I dread it when DH says he is working away and I'm left on my own with dcs.

Sorry if I am ramblng tonight, but not been a good day and can't sleep.

By the way I had my first analytical hypnotherapy session last week to deal with my phobia and anxiety. Got another appt next week. Should begin to see some improvement after 5 or 6 sessions. I will let you know.

Hope you all have a peaceful night. I fear mine won't be. DS is still coughing, have put towels on floor by his bed.

Stop showing off now BB!! What the hell are you worried about? You'll never let it happen! I'm impressed!! But how old are you if you don't mind me asking? It does seem to be a trait of us emets that we're not sick though, funny init? xx

hi funnybunny, sorry to hear your ds not good. Hope it is just a touch of cold he's got and not that sick bug. If i were you i wouldn't take him fri to nursery. It won't hurt to keep him off plus it'll stop you worrying so much, he is already run-down with whatever he has now. If there is that bug there doing the rounds i'd be tempted to keep him at home.xx

BB - Am v impressed with your record.. i'll be 40 in a couple of years but can't beat the 34yrs of no v'ing! Quite jealous actually
..xx

Thanks for the advice bb. Good luck in your effort to have another baby. When you do fall pregnant I do hope the dreaded morning sickness won't be a problem for you.

You are right that I should keep him at home but sometimes I just need to confirm whether my decisions and actions are that of a normal caring mother who is putting the needs of my child first, or whether they are because I am paranoid and phobic and would prefer to simply batten down the hatches and stay indoors til April!!

I daren't tell you the last time I did the deed incase it tempts fate but I can tell you that it was well before the millenium and was because of a dodgy burger.

Wiggleit. You are right, so decision made. He won't be going, to be honest I think I would be to scared to send him and the weekend would be ruined with my worrying.

In fact this bug is rife where I am. Friend called today who we are due to be seeing on Saturday. He dc have had v bug all day. I think I can safely say it will be one playdate I will be cancelling nearer the time

Yesterday was the anniversary of when my dc had his very first tummy bug 3 years ago. So this particular date will be etched in my mind forever. In fact every year since then this week he has either been ill or there has been a sickness bug going round. Now you really will think I'm crazy for remembering that.

I am in East Kent. I would rather be somewhere warm and sunny and bug free though!

Funnybunny... you poor thing. I would have been in such a panic in your position. And I know you've made your mind up about nursery on Friday, but I'll say anyway that I wouldn't send him either!! (I'd give the Saturday playdate a miss, too...)

I don't think you're at all crazy for remembering the dates. My DD's last two tummy bugs were my birthday and our wedding anniversary, so they're rather unforgettable.

Let us know how the analytical hypnotherapy goes. I so hope it helps you!

BB - hope you're feeling better now. I've had a funny tummy for the last couple of days (couldn't even eat chocolate yesterday, which is a bad sign...), so am now in a panic that I am going to pass it onto the children in a far worse form. How paranoid is that?!

I am very impressed by your non-v record. I am so superstitious about it that I daren't say when I last v-d - but I was 15 at the time (and am still traumatised by it). Have been on the verge a couple of times since (not least when pg), but managed to suppress it for fear. Now of course I think that Great God of V will strike me down with noro for saying that. It's the only thing in the universe that I'm supersitious about!