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Original poster

How often do you catch a stomach bug/vomit?

132 replies

User1110 · 20/07/2021 20:34

Hi, I have emetophobia and would like to just see how common my biggest fear is!

As an emetophobe (fear of vomit) I don’t tend to let myself be ill very often. I think I had a stomach bug of some sort over last summer, but was not sick but probably needed to be as I felt really unwell.

Everyday I wake up and am paranoid that it will be the day I vomit/come down with a bug.

I am veggie (I think this means I’m lower risk of food poisoning, at least). I drink kefir everyday and am keep my house hygienic. Plus am fastidious about hand washing!

I don’t have kids (yet) so would also like to see how much more likely it is to catch bugs if you have kids bringing them home from nursery and school vs no kids.

With norovirus doing the rounds apparently, I’m getting in a bit of a flap thinking it’s everywhere and on every surface I touch. When realistically, it’s probably less than 1% of the population that get it in a year, I believe.

So basically - when did you last vomit, what was it from? And when was the last time you had a stomach bug?

Thank you!

OP posts:
fedup078 · 20/07/2021 22:46

Oh and not even when I was pregnant. Well once , but that was one of the taco related incidents

lazylinguist · 20/07/2021 22:46

Two lots of food poisoning and only about 3 stomach bugs I can remember. I'm 50.

gelaqua · 20/07/2021 22:49

I don't remember ever having any vomiting bugs as an adult (I have low alcohol tolerance though and almost all episodes of vomiting are alcohol-related). DD is 3 and rarely gets them either. She's been in nursery for one year and only has had one bout of bad vomiting (suspected norovirus) which went round her whole class. Nobody else at home got it from her...and we're pretty slack with household hygiene by MN standards.

I've also never had morning sickness and never get colds as an adult.

ahoyshipmates · 20/07/2021 22:55

Another emetophobe here, also have anti-emetics (mainly due to a medical condition which means I have to avoid vomiting). I haven't vomited for about 10 years. And I've only had to resort to the anti-emetic tablet once this year when I had a stomach bug.

I'd say that for your average person who doesn't go out and get blind drunk, then being sick is uncommon once you're an adult.

minipie · 20/07/2021 23:01

Stomach bug vomiting - maybe two or three times as an adult? I can only actually remember once though and that was from street food in Vietnam. I got a tummy bug in Morocco but it was (TMI) the other end affected.

Dumbler · 20/07/2021 23:07

Ex(ish)emet here, hi! I’ve had DC and lived in constant fear of them bringing home the dreaded bugs! They did, occasionally and I’d go into blind panic. DH was great and dealt with that for me while I rocked back and forth in a dimly lit corner.
My saviour, which has helped me immensely(I can now change sicky beds and hold bowls under puking DCs)... citalopram. Try it. You won’t be sorry.

Branleuse · 20/07/2021 23:14

hardly ever. I remember we all caught norovirus maybe 10 years ago.
Only time ive been sick since then was from drinking too much

stoneysongs · 20/07/2021 23:26

Oh I forgot I had labyrinthitis in 1994 - had to travel on a coach from Aberystwyth to Surrey which wasn't much fun and did involve some vomiting.

MeanderingGently · 20/07/2021 23:51

I'm amazed at some of the answers on here from people who don't seem to vomit very often.
When I was a child I was always vomiting...I was car sick during long journeys, I had "sickness bugs" regularly, so much so that my mother called me a "bilious child".
When I was pregnant I had morning sickness so badly (it was all day long, not just in the morning) I was prescribed special medication and was bedridden for the first 4 months.

Now I am much older, I have learned to limit the incidences. I vomit either because of physical reasons (eg. travel sickness, so I take travel sickness pills on coaches or boat journeys, and certain foods seem to make me vomit so I have a limited diet) or due to picking up 'bugs'. I am exceptionally careful with hygiene, in the home, when cooking or hand washing (well before the pandemic). If I'm not, I'm constantly vomiting.

I have been told so many times that if I just "let my body get used to everyday bacteria" I would be fine but for me, this isn't true. I can vomit two or three times a week, it's awful and debilitating. So I avoid anyone with a stomach upset, wash my hands constantly, have a pristine sanitised house and watch what I touch. Doing these things makes such a huge difference to my life that I'm not going to give up now, especially now I'm getting on. And yes, I am that person you see in the supermarket not only wearing a mask but gloves as well, as I push my trolley around......

rantymcrantface66 · 20/07/2021 23:51

I'm 41, dc are 8 and 11 and none of us have ever had a stomach bug that I'm aware of. I've been sick once or twice but never consecutively (outside of alcohol related sickness in my early 20's) and dd1 has been sick twice each time a once off around 5 years apart. DD2 1 time but it was just curdled milk. Possibly just drinking too fast or milk that had turned a bit. I've worked in many public facing roles including many years in childcare so along with dc who attended all kinds of clubs and nursery school have had plenty potential exposure.

Houserenoqueen · 20/07/2021 23:59

Food poisoning twice- sept 2019 and summer 2012!

Chicchicchicchiclana · 21/07/2021 07:09

@meanderinggently - have you considered taking a probiotic supplement? Or getting checked out for a food intolerance such as gluten, or dairy maybe? Vomiting several times a week is not normal! I don't think you should have to put up with it and it seems wrong that your body gets overwhelmed with everyday bacteria or something that it should be able to tolerate.

MeanderingGently · 21/07/2021 07:30

@Chicchicchicchiclana - Thanks for that. Oh yes, I've tried all sorts of supplements over the years, some to no avail, some actually make me sick. I have been checked out many times, nothing wrong, although I was told by a consultant that I have an extremely sensitive "vomiting centre" in the brain. And lots of explanations as to how the balance centre is near to the vomiting centre and how movement triggers it (explains the travel sickness).

I just seem to be unable to adapt to everyday bugs and foods. No intolerances, no allergies. Things with skins on can be a problem (grapes, potatoes etc), too much fat (I don't eat fish and chips, takeaways, burgers and many other things) anything spicy or with garlic.....

However, as I've said, I've devised ways to manage it. I don't eat food I can't cope with, I don't eat in the evening either as food lying on my stomach can make me sick in the night. I have high hygiene standards, and take travel sickness tablets when travelling. I am now in my 60s and a lifetime of understanding my body makes me think it's just me. With the above measures I can get vomiting episodes down to a few times per year rather than a few times per week, so in effect it works.

MarianneUnfaithful · 21/07/2021 07:39

I last had D&V 17 years ago, caught in S Africa, and threw up about 5 or 6 years ago after a lot to drink at a MN related get together.

My kids never seem to get noro / food poisoning either.

BordelDeMerde · 21/07/2021 07:54

Have vomited twice in my adult life - once from food poisoning many years ago, and very oddly, one time a few years ago which I'm convinced was caused by drinking too much Berocca.

Dd, 5, has never been sick since she was a tiny baby.

OhTheTastyNuts · 21/07/2021 07:59

I last vomited on my 20th birthday as I drank too much. I'm now 43 with two DC.

DC (11 and 8) have had two sickness bugs and I didn't catch it from them either time.

8monthsinandcranky · 21/07/2021 08:48

I’m exactly like you OP
Etmaphobe, terrified of vomiting or others vomiting and CBT did nothing to help. I’m also pretty much veggie to limit my chances of food poisoning and am very picky about eating abroad or out.

I’ve just had my second baby a few weeks ago. I had HG with my first and the constant nausea was crippling I spent every day terrified of vomiting and basically starving to death it was horrific. Second was a bit better although my BMI dropped to 17 before I was 20 weeks and they threatened to hospitalise me. Forcing down food when you feel hideously sick is just awful and was so triggering for me. I hope you have better pregnancies than I did. I still can’t believe I did it tbh especially twice, but I really wanted them, so much so I was willing to vomit if I had to. Did not stop me being terrified of it though, I wouldn’t even have the gas and air in labour incase it made me sick

WeAllHaveWings · 21/07/2021 09:12

I'm in my 50s. In my teens/20s there was a bit of over indulgence of alcohol related vomiting. I've maybe had food poisoning induced vomiting 2-3 times. Once very badly in a hotel while on a work trip and was stuck there for 3 days, other 2 times were from takeaways - all of them were decades ago. I think hygiene in restaurants has improved significantly in last 20+ years. Never even had morning sickness when pregnant.

Never caught a stomach bug and neither has dh or ds.

Original poster
User1110 · 21/07/2021 09:30

@8monthsinandcranky wow you have done amazingly well! Congratulations on the arrival of your baby 🥳 did you ever vomit in either pregnancy? Or was it nausea only?

I’m hoping I’ll have the same mindset as you one day. CBT didn’t work for me either but now on the waiting list to see a therapist that specialises in phobias. I’m willing to throw lots of money at it if I need to!

I’m also going to ask my GP about citalopram, as a PP suggested.

OP posts:
SheABitSpicyToday · 21/07/2021 09:33

Maybe twice in my adult life?

And I’m not that hygenic at all. I have a strong immune system.

TheFormidableMrsC · 21/07/2021 09:35

I can't remember the last time I had a stomach bug. I have a filthy boy child too. Neither of my kids really suffered with them and I recall when my daughter was in Year 3 and the entire class was struck down, she was the only one who wasn't 🤷🏻‍♀️.

CornishGem1975 · 21/07/2021 09:37

Had a sickness bug recently but it was the first time since 2007!

LadyDanburysHat · 21/07/2021 09:41

I have three children and in the last 18 years the DC caught a sickness bug that didn't effect up parents, and there was one that we all had. It was a 12 hour thing that swept through us all so fast. That was 11 years ago. DS1 was not sick between age 7 and 15.

DaxtheDestroyer · 21/07/2021 09:45

I had a bug in late pregnancy (38 weeks) ended up in hospital on a drip as I was so dehydrated. That would have been 14 years ago.
Think I've possibly been sick once more since then? My kids have had sick bugs 3 times I think - once when norovirus went through the school so virulently they closed early for the end of term. I've not caught it from them any time despite clearing it all up.
I'm also very relaxed about food and a bit of dirt, unless they have an active infection. Your immune system works by being exposed to small amounts of bugs periodically. Never being exposed to anything is not a good thing.

Chemenger · 21/07/2021 09:47

Other than seasickness I can vaguely remember a sickness bug about 15 years ago. Both DSs were car sick regularly when small. One had a sickness bug once, I can’t remember the other ever being sick outside the car. They are 20 and 23 now. Can’t remember DH ever vomiting other than on a boat (we all had a very, very traumatic ferry journey a couple of years ago, which I hope never to repeat). We are not a very hygiene conscious family which I think boosts our immune systems.