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Winter vomiting bug

150 replies

sadsong · 12/11/2012 08:07

So last Thursday the onslaught began with the dreaded bug. I don't think I've ever been so sick. The stomach cramps and waves of pain were awful. It's left me on Monday, half a stone lighter which I'm not moaning about. But I feel constantly nauseous. I can only stomach thin fluids and tiny amounts of food. I managed half a bread roll at lunchtime yesterday and then a v meagre amount for dinner. Have woken up and just feel I could heave at everything. Is this psychological? I do still feel really yuck. I know nobody likes being sick but I think I'm particularly pathetic at it.

OP posts:
Dancergirl · 12/11/2012 22:07

Is there a norovirus vaccine in other countries then?

Popumpkin · 12/11/2012 22:07

14 month old DD started with this (d&v) 11 days ago. She has now just gone 24 hrs without vomitting but still has the diarrhoea (sp) and has lost so much weight her ribs are sticking out Sad.

Because she's not dehydrated though there is nothing that can be done & the poor little mite has just got to ride it out. Am seriously hoping she's turned the corner now Sad.

sweetness86 · 12/11/2012 22:10

Happy to find this thread please help me AVOID this bug. I caught the hell that is norovirus four days after giving birth six weeks ago!
My lovely three year old caught it and passed it on to me and my hubby it came on so suddenly and I could not look after the kids at all.
I was projectile vomited while feeding my newborn baby and just missed his face the worst night of my life and I had just been through labour on my living room floor with no pain relief but this was actually worse!
I admitted defeat when I got up in the night vomiting whilst trying to make a bottle and fainted in the kitchen. DH was being sick in the bedroom at the time as was my 6 year old I rang my mom in tears begging her to get the kids at 6 in the morning and she did (Thank God)
Tonight my three year old is being sick again Im terrified I dont want my baby to catch it or myself Ive bleached the toilet and resorted to wearing a makeshift mask on my face whilst trying to help my three year old without actually touching him I feel so cruel!
Any more tips to avoid getting it again? I catch it every year :(

PacificDogwood · 12/11/2012 22:28

Norovirus is NOT rotavirus.

There is going to be a vaccine for babies to protect them against ROTAvirus, not Noro.
Norovirus comes a couple of distinct variations and keeps changing, which is why no vaccine or having had it provides any longterm protection.

Handwashing, handwashing and handwashing are the 3 most important things to avoid it.
And handwashing. With running water and soap.
Antibacterial stuff and hand gels don't work.

Here is my linkie again

sweetness86 · 12/11/2012 22:36

My hands are red raw from washing them Ive done it about 20 times in a few hours. Now to stop my three year touching the baby tomorrow its going to be a loooong day

Disappearing · 12/11/2012 23:27

So where in the country is norovirus right now? I really don't want that, I had it 5 years ago, still shudder to think, I though I might die!

I haven't got time for Norovirus...

sadsong · 12/11/2012 23:59

Sweetness I've had 5 dc and I agree it was worse for me than childbirth. In fact I was in tears with the pain. You poor poor love. I was feeling sorry for myself about stopping bf ds but he's 13 months. It's a wonder you made a recovery. I would be emotionally scared forever I think.

I've never been so sick and nor have my 2 boys. Ds(5yr) is skinny anyway, there's really nothing left of him. And he's not really into food absolutely terrified of being sick.

I've also washed everything possible, bleached everything Inc light switches! Dh and the baby have got a spot of diarrhoea for last 24 hrs but not in any pain and no sickness. So hoping they've just caught the edge. Confused

OP posts:
sadsong · 13/11/2012 00:00

We are south east on the coast.

OP posts:
Plomino · 13/11/2012 00:22

We had it in Norfolk about 4 weeks ago . Went through both high school and primary school like wildfire, including the teachers . All the kids got it first , then I got it . Left home for work , and in the two hours it took to get there , started feeling really odd , shaky etc . Got sent home after 30 mins , and then had to drive the 100 miles home , throwing up in every lay by on the A1M, which meant it took me three and a half hours to get home .

Never again . Never ever again . Took me 4 days to eat after that .

NotQuintAtAllOhNo · 13/11/2012 09:02

sweetness poor you. You can avoid it by changing your diet completely while the bug is in your house. NO chocs, no crisps, no biscuits - the bug feeds on fat and sugar. You need a very bland diet of bread rolls with lean ham. Dinner of lean oven baked (not fried in oil) chicken with rice and steamed veg. Avoid dairy.

This means lightly buttered toast for the kids for breakfast rather than cherios with milk, for example. Also avoid fruit juice as it is so sugar.
Drink more coffee to raise levels of stomach acid, and also some diet coke.

A doctor told me this over 8 years ago, when we were all really ill. I asked him what doctors did to stay well during these kinds of outbreaks. He listed the above, in addition to bleaching toilet each time somebody had been sick or had diarrhea in there, vigorous hand washing with running water and soap, and separate towels.

In our family this has meant that the bug usually stay with the person who brought it into the house, aside from last time when ds2 brought it home. He was sick in the car and me and ds1 could not avoid it. But, I did not vomit. I just felt dreadful for a few days, I knew I had the bug, I just was not sick from it. (I rarely vomit - I can count on one hand the times in my life I have actually vomited)

ilovesprouts · 13/11/2012 09:21

not been to my house yet [touch wood] had it a couple of years ago on xmas day :( me exh ds3 all had it only one who dis not was dd1 whos a veggie !! Wink

DungunGirl · 13/11/2012 09:26

So sorry for everyone! Here I am to join in the stories of misery!
YUP 2 strains seem to be going round our local schools. I am in Berkshire.
We all had vomitting and diarrhea - norovirus 2 weeks ago....flattened for about 3-5 days. And guess what! I am at home looking after my 3 year who has picked up the Rotavirus. He has been off with it for 5 days already and today is the first day that I have not been running him to the toilet every 30-60minutes ! It is a nasty one....he had high fever for 2-3 days and then 3 days so far of violent diarrhea.....so misery all round!

Popumpkin · 13/11/2012 09:34

To answer the geographical question - we live in the midlands but were on holiday in Devon when DD caught it.

IHeartKingThistle · 13/11/2012 09:55

I've just come back from the school run in tears. DD's class has a LOT of children missing because of it and at least 2 children are back who I know were sick yesterday. The TA told me she thinks she's got it but has come in because she hasn't actually been sick -this btw AFTER she touched my daughter. I've told her to keep washing her hands today but she's 5, she isn't going to remember.

I have been recovering from norovirus for 3 years. It's left me with ongoing stomach issues and food intolerances. I can't get it again, I'm not strong enough.

Sitting here panicking. Sad Sad Sad

Dancergirl · 13/11/2012 10:03

OMG iheart that's terrible.

Why don't you get your dd home and keep her home for a few days? Don't risk your health over a few days education.

mumofthemonsters808 · 13/11/2012 10:13

I knew it was just a matter of time before I got it and here Iam sat with a hot water bottle on my tummy and feeling very sorry for myself.Had to send my 10 year old to school on her own because I was unable to get off the toilet and was scared of pooing my pants on the journey.DS watching cbeebies and is very unhappy that we are not going out anywhere,I'm tempted to give him his xmas presents to keep him entertained I feel that ill.

IHeartKingThistle · 13/11/2012 10:27

I can't pull her out can I?

Need to get a grip. I'm not an emetophobe, it's not that, but I genuinely don't know what would happen if I got it again as badly as last time.

FossilMum · 13/11/2012 10:31

It's ghastly, isn't it? Only after DS had lavish D&V when 2.5 and we ended up in A&E to get him rehydrated did we come up with some good ways of dealing with it:

(1) Have a bucket/bin/bowl ready by the loo so D can go in loo and V in bucket, as they often come together.

(2) Have a bowl nearby wherever you are for the first day.

(3) Clean up with paper towels, then disinfect all surfaces with Dettol spray or similar. Wash your own hands thoroughly. Don't try to clean up vom with reuseable cloths. It's gross, takes longer, and then you've got to deal with the cloth/water.

(4) A tip gleaned from Mnet years ago: if sheets are soiled, scrape off the sick into the loo before putting the sheet in the washer, or you'll end up with a machine full of clean sick.

(5) Don't try to rehydrate with too much liquid too quickly, or it'll all come straight back out. Try 5ml every 5mins and it's more likely to stay in. If you don't have Dioralyte, try 1:5 diluted apple juice.

(6) Live off ricecakes, plain crackers, unbuttered toast with perhaps a little marmite, diluted apple juice, and bananas (if you can stomach the smell) for a few days while your stomach calms down. NICE guidelines currently say don't cut milk for young children, but while I imagine this is true for bf infants, ime with DS he only gets better from D&V after a few days without milk; he at least seems to find it hard to digest (incidentally the A&E doc agreed, at least for a child his age). Better a few days on a less nutritious diet that stays in, than milk that comes straight back out.

God I hope we don't get it this time round. Good luck to all who do.

Dancergirl · 13/11/2012 11:03

Yes you can iheart and I would in a second if I was in your situation. It doesn't sound like the school is dealing with it very well allowing sick children and members of staff in.

missnappyknickers · 13/11/2012 12:05

God its like a hospital ward in my house,ds started vomitting last friday morning and continued to saturday then he started with stomach cramps and violent diarriah.He has had a couple of trips to the loo this morning..not nice! and dh and myself started with the vomitting yesterday morning,I haven't vomitted now since last evening but omg the stomach cramps its just like contractions and am getting terrible pain up under the ribs,have a dead ache in my chest and top of my back with lots of burping,I am death warmed up.Have to go get my dd from playgroup now somehow I will manage it! Thankfully my dd hasn't got it yet but no doubt she will and its her birthday in a couple of days god I hope we are all well for her birthday.Can't believe how ill we all are and the headache,,bloody virus

sweetness86 · 13/11/2012 12:24

IHeart I am sorry for you I woul pull her out to avoid it. Its not like something we 'have' to catch t get immunity its a bloody pointless bug and you get it over and over again. I get it twice a year every year without fail an its horrid :(
After the birth was just horrific I was so weak as it was and just started feeling tiny bit human but that bug brought me to my knees I was actually crying and could of happily died in bed that night.

My dad and three year old now have food intolerances due to the virus my dad cant eat chicken at all anymore or he is really ill with stomach problems and my three year old cant drink cows milk at all now or he is sick without fail he had the virus about 6 times last year one bad bout lasted 2 weeks I think that was rotavirus.

It can really wreck you I hate it :(

Thanks for everyones tips Ive just had toast today but my stomachs doing that gurgling thing I reckon its a matter of time before I get it probably tonight really depressed thinking I could be in for hell later , all this from a bug

RarelyUnreasonable · 13/11/2012 12:29

Am 38 weeks pg and have this bug. Finally able to keep a few sips of water down.
DH had it last week.
Toddler has escaped it so far - pray she doesn't catch it for when dc2 arrives!!

Hang on in there all.

sadsong · 13/11/2012 12:40

Missnappy my ribs are still aching 5 days on. I couldn't wear a bra it was excruciating. I had to do that emergency dash to nursery Thursday...I'm going to be sick...I'm going to be sick.....I'm going to be sick!!! I drove far too fast all the way home, ran through the door with the baby landed him on my teenage son and that was it.....I'm not quite sure how I managed it? Confused

OP posts:
strugglin · 13/11/2012 13:23

I started with this yesterday caught it from my 10mth old who had it over the weekend. Stood in the school yard waiting for ds, im chatting away next minute im being sick in front of a packed playground Blush drove home at break neck speed was sick several more times.

Woke up this morning managed a cup of tea still got a stomache ache but nowhere near what i was feeling yesterday. Unfortunatly one of ds's classmates who he close to is off with it so waiting for ds and dd to get it

missnappyknickers · 13/11/2012 17:52

Sadsong..I know what you mean about the bra! I had to fling mine off I felt so restricted with the rib pain I couldn't bear it..managed a bag of crisps today and feeling a little bit hungry but not sure if I could eat..even the thought of a cup of tea is making me want to puke..just sipping water and had some lucozade..the house has gone to pot !

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