I think I have norovirus

[Sunnywithachanceofjinglebells]

Hello all

I spent most of last night in the bathroom, or lying on the floor holding my poor stomach. I'm now exhausted and have been able to keep down liquids and a cream cracker. Needless to say I feel like shit...

Any tips for a swift recovery?

[AmonRa1]

Sorry to drag this old thread up but...

In the early hours of Sunday/ Monday morning my friend was really ill (vomiting) and was for most of the day. She ached all over and didn’t go to work the Monday or the Tuesday. She’d stopped vomiting by the Monday evening, just ached the rest of the Monday and Tuesday and was back in work on Wednesday.

Last night at 5pm I went around her house so she could do my nails…..I was paranoid the whole time I was there about her still being contagious and catching it. When I got home, before I washed my hands (cries) I took one of my vitamin pills.

Now I am completely convinced she would still be contagious and that I’m going to have contracted it.

I had it about 2 years ago and it was AWFUL. I have such a big weekend this weekend full of stuff, nights out, lesson with the horse, ski lesson, ice skating etc and I REALLY don’t want to be ill ?

Pointless post I know but does anyone know how contagious she would have been last night if she first displayed symptoms early hours of Sunday/ Monday morning?

[ProudAS]

On the plus side getting infected a few times boosts your immunity.

[CarlingBlackMabel]

Blackbag, Poor you. I would be saying something to your family. What selfish idiots. Yucky behaviour, too.

[Dancergirl]

FGS, I can't believe the attitude of some people. If you've got it or have had it, DO NOT visit people or host visitors and don't prepare food! No wonder it's spreading like wildfire. No matter if its awkward to un-invite people, better to do that than infect your whole family.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

Confirmed cases are only 3,500 (ish) based on laboratory testing but it is suspected that for every confirmed case there are 288 unconfirmed cases which gives the figure of over one million cases.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

Ninetynine - most of the times we've had D+V it's been a couple of days after visiting soft play. May just be a coincidence. May not!

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

Proud - I'm not worried - there's no chance of us escaping because children are back at school next week - and I'm a teacher. It's inevitable really.

[Ninetyninepercent]

I think you've got to try and keep things in perspective though. Although its 85% up on this time last year, with over a million confirmed cases, that still only equates to 1-2% of the population (by my albeit terrible maths - 1M cases/62M population x 100). Obviously there will be many more unconfirmed cases, but even if it were 10 times more actual cases then that would equate to 10% of the population - so 9 out of 10 people will not get it. If you think about it in those terms its not too bad.

Saying that....I really do think peope should stick by the 48h rule and not pop to the shops, or socialise or whatever until they are symptom-free for the full 48h. And then be very vigiliant with hygiene for a week after. My MIL travelled to us for Xmas after she'd stopped chucking up for 48h, but was still in the throes of diarrhoea. I think she thought she'd wouldn't be contagious to us as she always washes her hands after going to the loo. But the thing is as it is so highly contagious if you're not absolutely meticulous with hand washing and other hygiene measures you can still pass it on. Its not just people with poor hygiene standards that get, and pass on, noro. We were lucky and didn't catch anything - I was meticulous with bleaching toilets/bathrooms/door handles/other surfaces, towel changes, etc, and she was meticulous with hand washing too.

When you're out and about I would try to get into the habit of not touching your face with your hands, and washing your hands once you come back into the house, and certainly before eating. However, its all a bit random, as I just let my DC be DC - try to discourage them from stuffing random stuff in their mouths, washing their hands before eating and possibly after coming home from school, but otherwise, I think I'd do more harm than good getting them to be OTT about hygiene. That said, I do try and avoid soft play areas - but if they're invited to a party at one, its fine for them to go and have fun.

[Sunnywithshowers]

Blackbag that sounds terrible.

[BlackBagFestiveBaubleBinLiner]

I understand that people don't want to miss out from social events but due to one local family's casual attitude to hygiene we've had a dreadful fortnight.

The aunt had an exploding arse 24th but still went to the pub on xmas day when the neice vomited over table. DH caught in aerosolised vomit.

We isolate our selves DH recovers, family invite us to birthday party. Aunt is happily arranging tea, dipping finger in homous, all very Nigella then announces she's still got the shits. My DD goes down via faecal-oral route.

My hands and dry and cracked from all the handwashing and cleaning thats gone on round here,the washing machine is exhusted and entertaining as I find these friends we can't ringfence a week to recover.

I am seriously pissed off.

[ProudAS]

Try not to worry endoplasmic - you could slip and break your ankle at the sales or get run over crossing the road but you don't seem so bothered about that.

Most infections are via the faecal oral route so if you want to be extra careful only eat food that you have prepared and thoroughly heated yourself.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

My husband's company don't pay sick pay, so he and his colleagues do a lot of "dragging themselves in". Schools suggest a 48 hour rule, but then give awards for 100% attendance and start sending stroppy letters if attendance drops below a certain percentage.

I'd have thought the transmission would be slower over Christmas as children aren't at school. We went out shopping today, was looking at everyone milling about thinking they were all potential plague carriers!

[ProudAS]

No evidence of infection occurring in the respiratory tract though according to Australian article

[ProudAS]

I've found some interesting articles from around the world. Apparently some people can still be shedding it several weeks later so hygiene is the key to prevention.

www.handwashingforlife.com/files/Norovirus_Study.pdf
www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/F2A4C351C705B6C6CA257783000C24CA/$File/norovirus-guidelines.pdf

Turn away now if you are squeamish - "Norovirus transmission occurs through a variety of routes but is primarily person-to-person spread by the faecal-oral route, contact with contaminated surfaces and transmission via aerosolised vomit."

[ProudAS]

I don't know about your DD's employer chipstick but where I work they dock our pay when we are off sick thus encouraging us to go back before we should. Hygiene has prevented d&v outbreaks so far although a flu type bug did the rounds in March.

[chipstick10]

I agree. Dd was working with a girl who had it on Thursday and was back at work on Saturday. She then proceeded to vomit at work.wtf?

[Marne]

I'm petrified of getting it too, am dreading the dd's going back to school with this evil bug about , we have had it before and although it was horrid it did not last long (with me anyway, lasted longer with the dd's), dd2 ended up in hospital 2 years ago after being sick for 4 days (couldn't even keep water down). When dd2 gets sick she stops drinking and often ends up in hospital .

I think its very important that if you do get noro you stay in until at least 48 hours without d&v, even if you think you havn't been that poorly it may effect others differently and could be dangerous to those with other health conditions. If everyone stuck to the 48 hour rule and washed there hands more then there would not be half as many cases of noro.

[chipstick10]

I am absolutely paranoid about getting it, quite frantic actually. We as a family had the tummy bug in the summer (end of June) and that was bad enough but from what I have been reading this sounds horrific. I'm scared when I'm shopping in case I pick it up.

[bringbacksideburns]

Oh and there is no way he could even make it out the door. He is in the bathroom most of the time.

[bringbacksideburns]

Dh still ill. He's lost about 4 pounds and is really fed up now. He hasn't eaten anything at all all weekend and just been having DIORALYTE.

He is staying at home tonight and we are going to a friend's for New Year. As he started with this, the stomach pains etc Thursday i thought he might be a bit better by now but i think it's going to take a week.

[CarlingBlackMabel]

what do you think about someone who insists on travelling long distance when they have what is thought to be noro? Especially when they insist that they weren't contagious because they washed their hands well

Selfish in the extreme, irresponsible in fact, because Noro can be catstrophic in frail people, and frankly, rather thick if they think handwashing prevents droplet infection.

Imagine if you personally infect 5 people and they each infect 5 an so on: that's a lot of pain, illness, family occasions ruined, working days lost, paid-for outings wasted.... I wish I believed in hell, for stupid selfish people like that!

[Sunnywithshowers]

I stayed indoors for 48 hours after I was clear of symptoms. I'd hate to pass it on to anyone.

[OhyouMerryLittleKitten]

They are under the impression that somehow they are not contagious because of good hygiene. I couldn't travel further than the loo with my bout and mine was a mild dose.

[OComeAllYeFaithBaby]

Merry I think they're bonkers! I did not want to venture any further than bed to bathroom when I was still productive and then sofa for a few days after. They will be contagious until 48 hours clear.

[OhyouMerryLittleKitten]

Tell me, what do you think about someone who insists on travelling long distance when they have what is thought to be noro? Especially when they insist that they weren't contagious because they washed their hands well, despite numerous loo stops?