Freaking Out and Need Advice

[MoonsHeart]

Hello all,

Yesterday, my family and I went out for lunch. I hate going out with a passion, but it was my dad's birthday and I didn't want to hurt his feelings by not going. I usually stay very diligent when going out to eat, washing my hands, inspecting and sanitizing silverware, carrying my own water bottle and such. However, yesterday I did something which I literally NEVER do. I'm very adamant against sharing food, but I never received my dessert order and the restaurant was out of what I ordered, so my sister offered to share hers with me. It was a chocolate mousse, and she had been eating off of it. There was no way to avoid the spots she had eaten from, but I told myself that it would be ok, I was being irrational, and everything would be fine. I ate all of it, and it was delicious.

Just my luck that she wakes up with the flu today. I'm utterly terrified that I'm going to get it, I've been having a panic attack for the past hour, feeling nauseous and dizzy, stomach cramps, the works. I'm so scared that I'm going to get it becuase I know the flu is contagious during the incubation period.

I'm utterly terrified of v*ing. I haven't in 20 years, and even though I know my mom caught the flu with no v*, only d*, I'm so scared that I won't be able to prevent it because I was told that if your body needs to, it just will. I don't know what to do. What if I get it?

I'm an anxious mess. What can I do to guard myself as much as I can now that I've been exposed, how can I calm down, and what can I do to not v* if I do get the flu? There HAS to be a way to prevent it. I have anti-nausea medications (pheneregan), but I don't know if that will be enough. Is there something else I can take? Please help...

-Moon

[mamacat]

First of all: you really might not even get the flu, despite being exposed. My son has had it 2x and even though he was coughing., sneezing, snotting, and generally being pathetic all over me (he was 2 the first time, 4 the second time)..... I never even sniffled. Really.

Second: it is my understanding that older kids and adults do not v from the flu. So really you will be okay.

Phenergran works awesome. It might make you very tired, but it will kill any n you might get.

If you are worried, you might take vitamin c or drink some oj or do some other immune boosting activities. Try not to stress!

[KimberlyP]

Hi Moon,

Mamacat makes great points but I also wanted to add something. Did your sister wake up with the flu (influenza) or 'stomach flu' (norovirus)? If its the flu, it's very very very unlikely you will V, if you even get it that is. Children V with the flu because of the fever and kids V over the smallest things, lol. If its noro, you won't catch it by just sharing food with her, unless she V then you shared the food. Noro is passed through V and D, not saliva or air.


I think you're going to be just fine but I share your irrational fear. I won't even share food with my children off my silverware because of this stupid fear. Hope your sister starts feeling better and your nerves too

[surfer777]

I've also read from various websites that even if your body needs to vomit, the mind can control it and if you are really adverse to vomiting, you can make yourself not vomit. From my experience, that's mostly true. My dad has never thrown up in his life because he just decides it's not an option. I imagine that has played a role in why you haven't thrown up in 20 years. I'm in a similar boat. I'm so afraid of it and so freaked out by other people throwing up that I've decided vomiting just isn't an option.