severe emet needs help!!!!!!

[ashleyn]

sv going around my town but ive never really paid attention to it.it happens yearly but ive made it so far,im 20 years old havent v since 8 years old.my emetophobia hasent caused me any trouble ever untill now.everyone in my home had sv except dad and me two weeks ago.i didnt eat for a week.i washed my hands untill dry amnd cracked and i even washed them with bleach and lysol.i was even hospitalized because i was suicidal.i was a littlew better but when i got on fb i saw a few friends of mine posting that they were sick and it triggered it agn.im just so worried that i have it or that its incubating that i cant sleep or eat.i can barely take care of my son.how can i live like this untill april when its all over.i cant live like this!someti,mes i feel death is the only way out because everuy year this goes around and it seems to get worse every year and the vaccine is taking forever. in actuality i dont want to die.i want to have a happy normal life like i had before everyone got sick.my doc gave me zofran just n case i did get sick but im scared what if it doesnt work.how am i going tio live like this every year!any advice would be greatly appreciated!i know there are people who are like 40 years old and havent thrown up since they were 8,how did you get past the sv evey year like that.im soo scared!please help!

[elizam]

First, it's okay. I know you're incredibly anxious, but take a deep breath and try to relax a little. We've all been where you are. We understand. I've washed my hands in bleach and had them red and cracked and sore. I've bleached my entire bathroom from top to bottom when one of my children or my husband have been sick with noro.

If it makes you feel any better, I just turned 40 and haven't vomited since I was 9. It is not necessarily imminent.

Are you aware of how the virus is passed and how to avoid it? If not, you should take a look at this:

http://emetophobia.org/showthread.php?t=22065

It's harder to contract noro than you think. If you practice good handwashing (not with bleach or until they bleed and crack, just soap and hot water) and keep your hands away from your mouth you'll be okay.

I know that sometimes it feels like death would be easier. That's the irrationality of the phobia talking. I also know that you don't really want to die. I'm pretty sure everyone here has had the thought that death would be preferable to vomiting at least once in their lives.

If you have any more questions, ask. There are lots of great people here who understand and are here to support you.

[cuhley70]

Wow....you sound like me. I get like this every year but it is finally starting to ease up becasue of being on several anti-depressants and getting hypnosis. I am 40 and haven't v* from noro since I was 4 or 5.
I know how you feel, I have been there. I know sometimes you just wish God would take your life but deep down you really don't want that. Think of all the beautiful things around you. I still ask myself, can I live another 40 years like this? Yes I can and I will fight it every day. I think how hard it really is to catch something whether it is noro or just the flu. Wash your hands and keep them away from your face. Buy some Germ X Advanced Protection sanitizing foam, it is the only one in the U.S. that actually kills noro on your hands. I contacted germ x about it. So far the only place I found it was walmart.
I know that you feel that you are the only one but you are not. Look at all the people on this forum and so far they are all pretty nice. Some people may tell you to do CBT others will say hypnotherapy. Find what works for you but, you do need therapy. I understand how the crazy thoughts go through your head because mine does the same but you have to learn to take control. You said that you take Zofran. So do I and it does work. It is a drug that they use for chemo patients and they give it before surgery. I also take Remeron as an anti-depressant and anti-emetic. Please talk to a therapist, they can help you. If you want to talk you can always reach me on here. Take care and have a good night a peaceful night

[ashleyn]

thank you guys so much,your words helped me feel a little better,im trying my hardest to be calm,im still very extremely anxious though.im so paranoid about having caught it already even though.im just trying to get through one night at a time.

[elizam]

The incubation period for noro is 12-48 hours. The median time for people to start showing symptoms is 30 hours after exposure.

As Colleen said, Zofran is a powerful anti-emet. It's probably the best one out there. Other people on this site have thwarted the vomiting aspect of noro with anti-emetics. Lots of us have thwarted the vomiting aspect with no meds at all. We emets tend to have incredible control when it comes to vomiting and as a rule we get sick FAR less often than non-emets just through our ability to control the vomiting reflex alone.

For me, receiving therapy and learning to deal with anxiety was key in getting better. Now that I know how to deal with the panic, my emet only crops up when I'm the one feeling nauseous. You CAN make progress with this. We have recovered people who post here. Maybe some of them will chime in.

[emmalinda]

i've been right where you are lovey. and trust me...the only thing that is gonna actually make you sick, is you. your being your own worste enemy here. all this anxiety is going to make you feel sick so you need to learn how to calm yourslelf down when you get like this. now i dont think your a silly person, you wash your hands before you eat and are very carerful with where you put your fingers...so you wont get sick. end of story. i had noro 2 nights ago...and i didnt v*. its not a necessity with viruses. read the norovirus info on this site...it will shed some light on what you know about it. learn to controll your breathing when you get upset and have something near you ready to distract yourself. games are good..like on facebook or a phone. i have my ipod near me all the time. you may need to consider taking a trip to the dr to talk about your emet...i did when it got this bad and although i still have it...im nowhere near as panicky as i used to be...just like you are now. anti anxiety and anti depressant meds will help with the panic attacks if you get them..and theres not many bad side effects with some. hang in there love, you'll be fine

[ashleyn]

thank you guys so much,i really have no support in my house because no one understands and they all think its stupid.i tried dealing with it on my own but all that did was land me in the hospital.im supposed to see a cbt therapist soon but im kind of scared to because i heard they will try to make you v* which i am sooo not up for doing.im not as bothered by others doing it as i am myself so them making me watch v* movies wont really help either.i heard hypnotherapy works,are u guys familiar with hypnotherapy for emet?

[emmalinda]

they dont make you v*. they wont pull out all the pics or anything first go. thats a long way ahead. i tried hypnotherapy. it helped me relax at the time, but then as soon as i was exposed to feeling sick or heard someone else was..of course it didnt really help me then. unless the hypnotherapist was on call 24 hours a day to come and hypnotise me. but it think with that you have to be consistent with it. i found going to see a phsycologist really good..because talking about it and kind of venting to someone who specialises in these things really helped. like you, i cant really talk to my friends or family cause its very hard for them to understand. i would go see a phsyc. you'll feel better from just talking about it and then they will helpe you decide from there what you would like to do.