So...my boyfriend got sick. :(

[AnimatedFreak101]

Yeah. Wednesday morning, at around 6am-ish, my boyfriend got a stomach virus. Puked several times. All that good stuff...:P He's feeling a lot better today, though. Anyway, we're set for a date on Saturday. Really good for me, cause I'll get to see him this week for once! (Spring Break) At the same time, I'm terrified of getting sick. I keep hearing about how you can be contagious for up to two weeks (which I'm getting pretty sick and tired of hearing that all the time >.<). I'm not going to let this fear get in the way of our time together, though. It just wouldn't be fair to me or him. I'm just not really sure what to do about it.

So, I'm just wondering if you guys know how I can stay safe through this date, if he is, in fact, still contagious. Would I be okay if I just hugged him and held hands with him (we're not kissing just yet )? Is there anything I could do that could help prevent it? Any other stuff I may need to know to stay safe?

Thanks

[klikittyklak]

My bf had a s*v* last Thursday. His symptoms were gone that evening, but he said he "didn't feel quite right" until Saturday. So I researched this really, really carefully to figure out when I could see him again and feel "safe". I kept finding conflicting facts. Here is what I finally determined--mostly from reading about what food service workers with n*v* should do:

-people with n*v* should be kept away from others for 72 hours (3 days) AFTER symptoms have stopped and should not prepare food for at least that time; 1-2 weeks is better. I believe 3 loose stools in a 24-hour period is considered to be still symptomatic.

-you can catch something from close contact with an INFECTED person (this means, hypothetically, that if they've cleared the 72-hour mark then you should be able to hold hands, kiss, share utensils, etc.

-n*v* can live on surfaces for up to 12 hours and on carpet for 2 weeks. I read one case of workers in a nursing home getting sick 1 week+ because of germs in the carpet.

-these germs are transmitted the fecal-oral route, meaning DO NOT put your fingers in near your mouth, nose and eyes.

-hand sanitizer does not kill n*v*, but handwashing for 15 seconds or more will. You are literally washing the germs down the drain this way, not killing them but getting rid of them.

-all surfaces that could be infected should be cleaned with BLEACH. Bleach is the only thing that will kill the germs: lysol alone will not. Make sure to clean counters, the bathroom, etc. but don't forget frequently-used places like flusher and faucet handles, the light switch, etc. Sheets should be washed in HOT water.

Good news:
-no one is positive if after symptoms disappear the amount of the virus shed in the stool is enough to make people sick. It's possible that it's not (or at least not for everyone).

-they're also not sure if you can catch it by touching a germ-laden finger/hand to your eyes. Watch your nose & mouth though!

-children tend to be the ones who are contagious for longer

-I spoke to 2 pharmacists who seemed to feel that after symptoms had ended the chance of infection was very low.

-each day he is less and less contagious! The worst is the first day (and/or before symptoms start) so every day is a little better. \o/

As for my personal experience this time:
I first saw my SO on Monday (so ~72 hours after symptoms ended) but refused to touch him. We did touch and kiss and act normally on Wednesday--so 5 days later. I'm actually up tonight feeling a little n* but I'm pretty sure it's just nerves and is psychological. I won't feel completely "safe" until the two weeks are over, and I am not stepping foot in his place until then! But I'm a little paranoid. Basically the lesson here is: WASH YOUR HANDS! And make sure he washes his really well too.

Phew, that was a lot. But I spent almost a week obsessing about this so I thought it would be good to put those hours to good use by sharing the knowledge. Hope it helps!

[AnimatedFreak101]

Phew! Thank you SO much for the advice! I was wondering when somebody would reply to this. I just joined yesterday, after all. :P But hearing this from somebody who knows what I'm going through really means a lot to me. I'm pretty glad I joined this when I did. I'll be looking forward to talking to more emets.

But yeah. I'm actually pretty confident I won't get anything from this. 72 hours would have already passed by the time we get together. He's even told me that he almost NEVER gets sick. But once he does, it kind of tends to hit him hard. :/ I'm just happy that he's very understanding of me and my fears. Overall, I think I'm gonna be okay. Thanks again for those comforting words! Always good to hear! ^_^

[klikittyklak]

Mine is the same way--never gets sick--but this flattened him! Luckily that means they both have a good immune system, so he should have kicked the bug by the time you see him. Good luck!

[AnimatedFreak101]

First off, I'd like to thank everyone for supporting me through this. Commenting, viewing, understanding how I feel, all of that. It really helped.

*UPDATE*

So, basically, everything was fine. The date went really well! No full-blown panic attacks whatsoever! I'm really proud of myself!

But yeah, I think by now, I'm pretty safe. Like I said, nothing was going to keep me from seeing him. We hugged, held hands, cuddled, all that good stuff. And yes, I took kitty's word and washed my hands before I ate and after I got back home. In the meantime, I didn't touch my eyes, nose, or mouth. All that I'm slightly concerned about is if I have been exposed in some way. But I REALLY doubt that that's happened. My chances are very slim now. So it's just a slight worry over a couple of days. I'll know for sure once it's all over, though. But I feel very confident and brave for attempting this.

Peace, everyone! And thanks again! ^_^

[klikittyklak]

Glad it all worked out for you! Sounds like you did everything right.

[angelgirl]

Glad all went ok.

Klikittyklak gave very comprehensive advice but it is worth noting that that the majority of it was about noro. Noro is very specific and it sounds like you b/f had an ordinary virus. In my experience, these hang around for far shorter period of time. 48 hours should be ample to get it out of your system so you should be absolutely fine.

[AnimatedFreak101]

Hmm. That does explain something. Is there any more information for regular viruses? It would help to know. >.>

*UPDATE*

So, 48 hours have passed, and guess what. I survived once again! No serious symptoms. A little discomfort, but I think it can be determined it's just nerves. I'm completely safe! Thank you everybody once again for all the help and support!