Aaargh, it's noro season. Anxious emetophobes this way!!!

[Dottoressa]

Hello ladies,

As we seem to have reached our limit on the other thread, I thought I had better start a new one!!

We have the 'positive' one started by our lovely BB - so I suggest we keep this as the 'anxious' one (i.e. the one where we can all say "OMG, it said on the news that someone v-d 200 miles away from me - am I going to catch it?!") We can share our worries, however silly they sound, without undoing the good work on the other thread. What do you all think?

I shall start off by saying that every time DD speaks, I think she's going to say she feels sick!!!

Now that really is neurotic...

xxx

fingers crossed he will sleep it off. I often feel better fi I have put towels and bowls every where

Hi disgusted - he did sleep it off but it was back again yesterday evening and this evening. Sleeps for 30 mins then is up crying again. I don't think either he or I can take much more of this :{

Hi naturopath - only just read your post. Sorry to hear you are having such a tough time with ds. How is he today?

still bad - really panicking again

Hi naturopath, sorry haven't been on the computer since last posted,hence delay in reply! how's things now hun?

Hello everyone,

Thank god I found you on here! Is it okay to plonk myself down and put my head between my knees whilst waiting for the nausea to pass?

I've had this phobia for 29 years (am now 32) and have had every treatment under the sun but to no avail. I'm now nearly 11 weeks pregnant and although haven't actually been s* I have had nausea a lot, thankfully it's starting to fade now (fingers crossed).

Just wanted to say that it's great to see that other women can and do cope with this and being mums as it's taken the shine off being pregnant in a big way. My OH has promised I never need to deal with 'it' but that's completely unrealistic as he works odd shifts.

Well, I'll shut up now, so pleased I've found this thread! Am on gut reaction as well.

Hi - it's me again. Well, ds continued to have bad stomach aches for another week or so, and was s* again another time a few days later.

Was better for around 3 weeks (?) but for the last few days has on and off mentioned a stomach ache. Not crying with it or anything.

Today he was s* again - was at a toddler group thing - I freaked out but luckily the kind people working there cleaned everything up and made sure I was (temporarily( ok.. don't know what to do - he seems fine now but I'm so scared he'll wake up in the night again with this.

DH also has some kind of stomach bug - has been extremely nauseous and stomach aches for days.

oh, and hello needtosleepzzz - don't worry - hang out here - we're all in the same boat. It will pass. Do you have a CD called morningwell? look it up - might help.

Hi, sorry all for posting again but panicking about dh - don't know what I would do if he was sick. Also terrified of ds1 waking up in case he is ill in the night.

Pre-children, I would always just escape, but I can't do that now. Am having cbt but it's clearly not working as I really don't think I could cope.

Thank you naturopath, had bad nausea the past few days. Can't wait for the ms to subside.....

Will have a look at the cd you mentioned, is it hypnotherapy?

So sorry about your ds but I'm sure your dh would have been s* by now if he were going to be. Good luck with your CBT, hope it can make you feel more powerful in fighting this horrible phobia.

needtosleep - the cd is not hypnotherapy - (and I quote from their website):

It is created using a blend of music and other audio signals.

When listened to through headphones connected to a good quality CD player or portable or personal stereo the MorningWell programme is conveyed to the vestibular system and we believe works by interrupting the passage of signals between the brain and gut that would normally cause emesis.

In this way the programme is applied via one of the acknowledged emetic detectors - in the most logical fashion.

hope that helps!

Meanwhile, ds1 is still not right - keeps complaining of a stomach ache and is generally unwell and tired on and off.

Dh also still not feeling good either.

naturopath -Wow, that's quite a long time for a bug, have you taken him (DS) to see your GP? It might be that he has an allergy or intolerance to something. But then saying that, if your DH is still feeling unwell maybe it is some kind of virus. I'd definitely ask him to see his GP too to get it checked out. How are you feeling? I hope you're not too anxious and that you can stay strong.

Thanks for the info re the cd, it sounds like a good investment, not just for when you're pregnant.

thanks - took him to the GP today, who advised taking him back to his specialist gastroenterologist (esp since he used to have reflux as a baby and already has some allergies). so we'll wee.

see not wee!

, hee hee! good luck, hope all goes well.

Anyone out there to talk some sense to me!

I have been struggling with this phobia for most of my life. Have managed to get myself into a place where I can cope with the DC's numerous tummy bugs.

But!!!!! a friend stayed over last night, was due to leave this morning, but started feeling ill. Had 'D' a few times during the course of the day until finally V'ing about 2 hrs ago.

He left around an hour ago, claiming that he feels better,

Am feeling so guilty. I'm so relieved he's gone, but absolutely terrified we will catch it - he was all over the children today - playing, cuddling etc. arrrrgh.

They both had the 'bug' back in June, hopefully still immune. Of course, the ultimate fear is that I will catch it. Drinking copious amounts of wine in an effort to take my mind off it.

Reassurance urgently required!

it may a bit late for reassurance but one thing that always gets me through is actually counting the number of times i have caught a bug from the children.

i think it totals three times in five years and probably with well over ten stomach bugs in our household in that time and not once have i been sick or even felt close but always the other end. sorry TMI...

i would be interested to hear if any of you caught it in the end?

I have lurked on here for a long time, sympathising with your stories and getting some comfort from the fact that I am not alone.

My story is pretty much the same as every one elses. I suffer from emetophobia, not a single person apart from me is aware of this and I have spent most of my life dealing with this awful phobia alone.

I have tried CBT and hypnotherapy without success and I have finally decided to make an appointment with my GP tomorrow and hopefully start to take some control over this nightmare.

I have had a dreadful few years. My husband after 17 years together left me for another woman, leaving me with a 4 year old and a baby to care for alone. It was the most harrowing experience of my life and after 18 months I picked myself up and rebuilt my life. I have since met a wonderful man who adores my dcs and makes me feel alive. We have so many plans together and I am so excited about our future. Yet this bloody phobia seems to have such a grip over me I just can't stand it anymore.

The children are now back at school and I am dreading the next round of stomach bugs which will send me into a hidden blind panic, along with anxious nights and days waiting for one of them to say they have a stomach ache.

I am going to go to the doctors tomorrow to ask for some anti emetic tablets to help ease my fears. I can deal with the children being ill, if I can be sure that I will not be sick myself. If I can get that peace of mind I think I can control the rest of it myself. I have overcome most of it myself, eating out, using public transport, flying, two pregnancies without being sick and I can happily deal with non contagious sickness now. I have somehow managed to be sick only once in 18 years!!

The sad thing is if I'm honest is that I see some traits of it in my 6 year old and I am desperate to show him that it is nothing to worry about. He panics if he thinks he is going to be sick and although conciously I don't show him my fear I am certain he picks up on it. I so want to be able to hold my children when they are unwell rather than doing all I can to avoid it!

As I type this I feel like crying as I am so worried my doctor will not understand and it is going to take everything I have in me to tell him something I have kept secret since I was a child.

Hi upsydaisy,

So sorry you're feeling like this, sounds like you've been through so much but you're doing really well. It's amazing the things you can do and I admire you for them.

Please don't think you have given your DS this phobia, he may develop it but that isn't because of you, it will be because he was born with a predisposition to develop a phobia, remember, no one likes being 'ill' but that's a million miles from having a phobia of it. My mum has arachnophobia but I'm fine with spiders, in fact I used to pick them up for her when I was a child and put them in the garden.

I just wanted to say that there is a fantastic online support forum at gut reaction here.
There are lots of mums on there and everyone understands without you having to explain yourself!
There's also a page you can print out on the gut reaction website to take to your GP if you fear they won't understand or take you seriously, I've used it many times as I can't say certain words so can't really describe it.

Hope this helps

I feel so pleased with myself today. I went to my doctor and explained to him my fears, without crying like a child!!! I was so close to cancelling it but my ds was ill so I had to take him anyway.

Luckily for me he has another patient with a very severe form of Emetophobia He was extremely understanding and said I had done well to cope with some of my fears on my own.

He didn't hesitate to prescribe me anti emetics for me to use should I succumb to one of the childrens bugs, which is really the only part of this phobia that I cannot deal with. I did have to promise to use them responsibly though.

I so wish I had sought his help earlier. I cannot count the times I have made appointments with my gp only to cancel them at the last minute. I am now hoping to have some peace of mind and get on with my life. I am determined not this phobia control any more of my life. I know it is easier said than done and we will see how I fair when the kids are ill. I will probably be back on here in a panic stricken state, but for now I think I can manage

Thanks Need to Sleep for your suggestion. I have looked at the website and it is about the best I have seen.

I am going to pour a rather large glass of wine now, cook dinner and get into bed tonight without worrying. x

That's brilliant news that you managed to get to the doctors and I'm glad he understands and gave you some anti emetics. Fingers crossed that they will help build your confidence when you need it.

I get anti emetics from the GP, they have helped my anxiety a lot. Dd1 has just told me that a child who was sat next to her at lunch was S , i am out of anti emetics so i am panicking. I wish i could pull myself together. What are the chances of dd1 catching it? I feel ill at the thought of it .

I think i will be phoning the gp tomorrow for a repeat perscription.

Hello. I am one of the original posters on this thread. Is it going to piss people off if I post about an actual incident going on in my house? I don't want to get people feeling anxious.

Of course not, post away. We're here to help!

Oh thank you kindly Annoying!

Tbh, I think we are past crisis point.

DH came home from work saying he felt very sick and had done since about an hour after lunch. He suspects a canteen chicken sandwich.

I have been anticipating him throwing up all evening - but he hasn't so far, so I wonder if he is going to now?

He is banished to the sofabed and the downstairs loo tonight anyway.

I have not eaten anything this evening (how predictable!) but am calming down a bit now as he hasn't taken himself off to the bathroom. So, off to bed with me.

Thanks for listening .