Another freak out!!

[Pudsta]

I may be over reacting but I can't silence the concerns I have. Yesterday I went shopping with my husband. We went in some shops... He tried on some clothes/handled things others may have touched ... The normal things you do when shopping. We hotly home and he offered to make lunch. He made me a cheese sarnie. After eating a quarter I asked if he had washed his hands before he prepped them..... He said no!!! Straight away through my head all Iv got is what if anything he's touched when we've been out had any stomach virus particles on them?? Someone just getting over a bug but unknown to them, are still contagious touched something before my husband. He then had the bugs on his hands which then went on our lunch! I managed to block it out my head yesterday. But knowing the incubation period is around 24-72 hours... I'm coming up to the danger zone!! Is there even any (even 0.5%) possibility my thoughts are right and it could happen. I can't get the picture out my head of this bug manifesting inside me waiting to give me 48 hours of hell. Sorry for seeming so irrational but my phobia for some reason seems so much aparrent these last few weeks xx

[Dxxr]

It's not irrational I had a post similar to the a few weeks ago my partner went food shopping came home and made our lunches for the next day including kids lunches. I was in panic mode and the following day threw away the sandwich he made me but him and the kids ate theirs and nothing happened. I would still recommended hand washing before preparing food 100% but you will probably be just fine

[marzipan]

Hi Pudsta,

I know exactly how you feel, the last couple of months my phobia has been ridiculous and I've found myself worrying over things that never even concerned me before!
Anyway please do not worry, the chances of your husband having anything on his hand by the time he got home and made your sandwich is very very unlikely. It's not as though he went and handled a bunch of germ riddled things and then went straight onto handling your sandwich a second later.

Plus think how many non-emets do not wash their hands and still eat, touch their mouths etc and are fine!
Recently I was out in town with a friend and we visited many shops, handled many things - loose change, pin pads, a range of things that would be very germy. We then went to get a drink and she somehow managed to get some on her finger and proceeded to lick the drink from her finger, all without washing her hands!! But she was fine, I saw her later in the week and she hadn't been ill or anything!
Furthermore I was out with other friends this week + again we had been out all day touching many things that would be riddled with germs (bus handles, pin pads again etc) and my friends all started eating crisps with their bare hands without washing! Yet they've all been fine and haven't caught anything.

So what I'm saying is, although it's good at preventing us getting ill with how hygienic we all are, it's still important to remember that there are many non-emets who do not take any precautions and do not get ill.
So please don't worry, your husband will not have given you anything bad when making your sandwich

[Pudsta]

I hope not... It was this time yday we had lunch... So I'm in the 3 day window now. I can't cope, as much as I try I can't get it out my head. I feel certain Iv ingested the bug. I hate feeling this way. Xx

[Carrie84]

I know how you feel but you will be okay I promise. Last week I was at centre parcs with some friends. To start with I realised don't wash their hands even after using the toilet- yuk! Anyway we had been at the massive swimming pool full of families and young children all morning. We got back to the cabin and my friends made lunch which I ate, I only realised towards the end of the meal that I hadn't seen them wash their hands since coming in from the pool! I was grossed out but I didn't get sick. Another time my bf pressed a dirty elevator button then accidentally put his finger in my mouth! Again I was mortified and dud the whole 'countdown' thing but I was okay. Oh and yesterday a woman got on the train and ran to the toilet next to where I was sitting holding her mouth. When the train stopped she came out of the toilet and was retching as she got off the train .... Awful . I'm on another countdown now but I'm sure you will be fine!

[Pudsta]

Iv just started having watery d*

[Carrie84]

Is your husband ok? Take breaths and just stay near the toilet until it eases. It is probably all the anxiety x

[Pudsta]

My husband is fine (aside from a sore ear from my complaining and constant reminder of hand hygiene ) I only had one bout of the d*. I had some boiled potatoes and baked a chicken breast for tea. I was hungry but didn't feel I could have a normal meal. I'm still constantly thinking I'm in the danger zone but I'm trying very hard to keep my mind off it xx

[cmu315]

The d* is likely anxiety related. You've had your body under a lot of stress from worrying for 24+ hours, and that can certainly manifest physically. This is something I would panic about too (I chew my boyfriend's ear off daily regarding handwashing ), but I do have to remind myself that sv* particles are not on EVERYTHING. In my mind, that is the assumption I have, but it's not the reality. Even today for example, I am babysitting at a house where I found out one of the boys had a sv* on Wednesday. The mom didn't tell me this until after I had arrived and touched a bunch of things. I remembered that I sat on their couch earlier, leaned against the back of it, and a piece of my hair went in my mouth. Naturally, my first thought was, "OMG I've just transferred particles into my body!", but in reality, the likelihood of particles being on the back of the couch is pretty ridiculous. I don't think you are at risk either. Sometimes we just need to break the situation down for what it is and take deep breaths!