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Original poster

HELP!!! Tearful pathetic emetophobe needs to hear that sometimes you can be around families with a bug and you don't all go down wiith it yourselves!

34 replies

DaphneHarvey · 22/12/2007 19:59

Anyone? Hopeful that there are people out there whose kids have been in school when half the class are off with a bug, for eg., but their dcs didn't get it themselves.

I know it won't change the reality of our situation, what will be will be etc, but I just feel so doom-laden atm and really depressed. Maybe we won't get it?

Anyone out there to cheer me up?

Please if you don't mind, I don't want to know about the times you thought you'd got away with it and then did get ill ...

Thanks {huddles in corner feeling sorry for self}

OP posts:
NappiesGaloriouslyFestive · 22/12/2007 20:00

oh yes, thats happened to us. have steeled myself for the worst and weve all been fine.

is that what you wanted to hear?

(its true tho)

TwinklyfLightAttendant · 22/12/2007 20:03

Could you take lots of echinacea or something to boost your immunity?
I am the same as you, I used to try to avoid anyone who knows anyone with a bug, but sadly my child seems to get everything going and then I get it too.
I have given up trying and am slowly trying to conquer my fear of being sick instead. It seems the only way.

Big hugs to you though. I always say, if it hasn't attacked you yet, there is still hope.

ArtiChokesOnTheWishbone · 22/12/2007 20:04

Hi Daphne

From one emetophobe to another I send you hugs and brave thoughts.

Once DH had a vomiting bug and even though I had been kissing him (and more...) only hours before it hit, I avoided it.

Dose your family up on vitamins, echinacia and acidopholus to boost the gut.

Good luck.

trulymadlydeeply · 22/12/2007 20:05

Also, sambucol from Vistoria Health boosts immunity - am convinced this has really helped my dcs avoid bugs this term (touching wood as we speak).

bahKewcHumbug · 22/12/2007 20:06

I had a horrible bug a couple of weeks ago and no-one else got it to the same degree I did - they just felt a little nauseous. Not even DS got it. So it is possible.

bahKewcHumbug · 22/12/2007 20:07

wahing hands properly will kill a lot of the germs. Not sure echinacia works on stomach bugs?

dingdongbelgianbunsonhigh · 22/12/2007 20:44

DaphneHarvey - I am sooo with you! I HATE this time of year! I'm now on a waiting list for treatment at the Maudesley Anxiety Center - top pioneering place for CBT. Only 5 mths to wait!!

I can tell you as a primary school teacher that every winter there are sickbugs going round and probably a third to a half of the school are affected at some stage over a period of a couple of months. So that means that two thirds to a half DO NOT GET IT!!!!! Touch wood - I never have and dd has escaped so far this year. I feel like I'm tempting fate as I type though ! Surely your dcs have broken up by now anyway so once that 48 hrs has passed they are more than likely in the clear!

Try not to worry - and buy some of those alcohol gels - a couple of colleagues at work were going round with those in their bags at one stage last term.

Have a great bug free Christmas!
bb x

ShinyHappyStarOfBethlehem · 22/12/2007 20:46

No no no they don't Daphne! One year I felt like I was wallowing elbow deep in.. sorry... well, I was dealing with the product of nausea (ahem!) for weeks on end, when my three kids got the bug one after the other... and DH and I were right in the thick of it all.. but we never caught it!

Doesn't always happen! Siblings don't always infect each other.. and classmates often don't!

pinkbubble · 22/12/2007 20:54

DH, I too suffer like you do, so much panic at this time of year, and for some strange reason as soon as I see sickness on a thread title I have to click on it! WHY!!!!!

Would just like to add, we all got bug from hell,(all 5 of us) DD had a friend round for tea the night the bug started (obviously before we knew about bug), I cooked for everyone including DDs friend - we were all violently ill most of the night. I ring DDs friend Mum up in the morning to apologise, and friend is absolutely A OK! Honest. That is now what I try and hang on to everytime I hear about bugs etc, just because one is going around does not mean to say that everyone will get it!

Original poster
DaphneHarvey · 22/12/2007 21:08

Just been on phone to friend with the family bug. She is such an absolute darling, despite all her family having been ill, she offered to come round and help me if my dcs are sick this evening (DH at work tonight)! God I love her and won't call on her - just amazed and astonished that someone can be so relaxed about sick she would offer to help out someone else!

P.S. DS just had runny poo. He's had cough and cold and temp for 24 hours. Tonight will be the making or breaking of me. Sometimes feel suicidal about my reaction to normal childhood illnesses .

OP posts:
Original poster
DaphneHarvey · 22/12/2007 21:17

Shameless bump. Need hand-holding. Sorry to keep this going in active convos but very much in need.

OP posts:
pinkbubble · 22/12/2007 21:19

Its not a shameless bump at all, this is what we are here for, I am lucky tonight, I have my DH so if anything happens I have him here, so please if you feel the need to let go then please do!

Psychobabble · 22/12/2007 21:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WendyWeber · 22/12/2007 21:34

Yes, it is possible to avoid - and even if one member of the family does get a bug, if you are then scrupulous about wiping toilet handle & seat, and basin taps, and door handles, and bucket if required, with some form of disinfectant (I always use a Dettox-type spray on all of those) you can prevent anyone else from getting it.

HTH

pinkbubble · 22/12/2007 21:35

How are you Daphne, how is your son? Any more loose tummy? I am thinking of you!

ATortIsForLifeNotJustChristmas · 22/12/2007 21:37

Emetophobe here too.

There are always people at school telling how their DC has a bug and how there is one going round. My DC very, very, very rarely get any of them. DS1 is 10 has had about 2 bugs since being at school!
i was also like this as a child so maybe we are just lucky. But am touching wood now just in case i have jinxed myself!
Mine just seem to get the coughs and colds which is fine by me!

Hope you all stay well.

Dixichik · 22/12/2007 21:38

Be scruupulous with washing your hands and arms up to the elbow with soap and hot water.Clean under your nails! Do this each time you remember to, (and when you use the loo, prepare food) you may end up looking like you have an obsessive compulsive disorder but you wont get the stomach bugs. Unless its the noro virus in which case........

WendyWeber · 22/12/2007 21:42

Oh yes, good point, Dixichik - forgot about handwashing - for everybody, all the time!!!

potoftea · 22/12/2007 21:47

My 3 dc never seem to get the bugs doing the rounds of their classes. At times it seems that almost everyone has it, but our family escapes.
I honestly believe that it's because we eat fairly healthly (not obsessively so, we have lots of treats, but also lots of fresh, "real" food), and also I usually get them to wash their hands when they come in from school.

Loads of us are thinking of you now, and sending you good wishes and prayers. Be strong.

Magrat · 22/12/2007 21:52

Daph .. Moo was sick last saturday .. none of us got it, even though we were in close proximity

do not worry it is not inevitable

and you should call on friends if you need them .. because they will be more pissed off with you that you need help and they didn't know or weren't allowed to help

(which is what I was told firmly on here on Monday night and I called F and she came at midnight)

I will happily come over and help if you need too

ALomonderfulLife · 22/12/2007 21:54

Try not to worry, we are around people in nursery and toddler group who are ill all the time and we don't get everything going. Can see why you are worried though, it would be a horrible time to get anything.

Hope you escape it and have a lovely (healthy!) Christmas

Original poster
DaphneHarvey · 22/12/2007 22:04

Belgianb - you must live near me. Am local to the Maudsley too. Luckily I got CBT on the NHS via my local GP surgery, but also had to wait 6 months for treatment. GP prescribed valium for very anxious times but can't take one tonight as have had drinks at a party earlier. Have had about 6 sessions of CBT now, course still ongoing. Am actually a bit better than I used to be ... was thinking tonight, oh I wish they'd just be sick and then I'd learn I could deal with it. So some sort of progress ...

DCs now both asleep. Have covered DS's pillow and top half of his bed with old muslins!

But amazing luck, DH just called and is on way home. He finished early tonight (is a tv journo) and will be home in half an hour. Normally gets home about 1am on a Sat.

Thanks for all your good wishes.

If haychee needs to know what is the difference between an emetophobe and "someone who doesn't like sick" then she ought to have a little peep at this thread, I reckon.

OP posts:
Original poster
DaphneHarvey · 22/12/2007 22:09

Cross posted Magrat.

That F is such a stupendous girl. Was with her at drinks earlier. Glad she helped you out on Monday.

As you will see, now DH coming home, will prob be ok.

Valium tomorrow!!!

OP posts:
coldtits · 22/12/2007 22:13

DH

Have a Plan Of Action

Have cleaning things, rubber gloves,v kitchen roll, bucket, disinfectant etc at the ready. tell yourself over and over "If X happens, I will go in, I will put on my gloves, I will clean up, bin bag it all, disinfect the area, then wash my gloves, replenish my bucket, and take them off."

coldtits · 22/12/2007 22:14

say this over and over, and you may find it calms you to check everything you need is in your bucket.