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Thread: always worried

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    17

    Default always worried

    Hi everyone,
    I'm new to this site, and am really grateful that this exists. I always thought that I was the only one with this horrible fear. Anyways, I have a tough situation. I work full-time on an ambulance and am constantly around sick people. Lately this horrible stomach virus has been going around and I'm terrified I'm going to catch it. Everytime I go to work, I pray I won't have a patient who has, but I keep getting patients who do have it and then I stay up all night long thinking i'm going to be sick. It is getting so bad that I want to quit my job all together. I am also in nursing school and am considering dropping out because I don't want to be around sick patients. I'm so scared. I don't even know what to do anymore. I'm causing myself to think that I have the virus, especially because I had a patient yesterday who had it. Of course I scrubbed my hands multiple times but i dont know what to do. Any suggestions? I feel like my life is falling apart because of this fear.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Posts
    316

    Default Re: always worried

    I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm a teacher, and my girlfriend is a nurse, so I live in constant fear of catching it too.

    Have you considered seeing a therapist of some kind? This is an anxiety disorder, and therapists deal with anxiety of all kinds. Maybe it would help to talk to someone, and gain some tools on how to handle it better.

    I hope you can get some peace soon, just wash your hands, and try to distract yourself. I know it's not easy, I have been having trouble sleeping lately because it's been going around school.

    Good luck! My thoughts are with you

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    USA
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    Default Re: always worried

    Quote Originally Posted by artoo16 View Post
    I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm a teacher, and my girlfriend is a nurse, so I live in constant fear of catching it too.

    Have you considered seeing a therapist of some kind? This is an anxiety disorder, and therapists deal with anxiety of all kinds. Maybe it would help to talk to someone, and gain some tools on how to handle it better.

    I hope you can get some peace soon, just wash your hands, and try to distract yourself. I know it's not easy, I have been having trouble sleeping lately because it's been going around school.

    Good luck! My thoughts are with you
    I'm from Vegas too! It has been going around since early November! Blahhh! My hubby & I had it and it seemed mild for us both slept a lot and took probiotics through it.
    I agree though hygiene and a healthy body go a long way in fighting any viruses. And even if you do catch it doesn't mean you will v*.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    north east england
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    96

    Default Re: always worried

    my sister is a general nurse and in 15 years of nursing, she has never caught an sv* despite her ward having a 'norovirus' outbreak approx every year/two years. (winter v* bug is very common as these patients have particulary low immune system)

    I don't know if this helps to reassure you or not but i just hope it shows you that just because you work in a hospital, it doesn't actually mean your any more likely to catch anything. Just take the advice of washing hands with soap and water and don't put your fingers in your mouth.

    Perhaps some kind of therapy would help? hope you manage to work things out as it would be a shame to not to follow your dreams x

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    Las Vegas, Nevada
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    Default Re: always worried

    Quote Originally Posted by CMM811 View Post
    I'm from Vegas too! It has been going around since early November! Blahhh! My hubby & I had it and it seemed mild for us both slept a lot and took probiotics through it.
    I agree though hygiene and a healthy body go a long way in fighting any viruses. And even if you do catch it doesn't mean you will v*.
    Cool! It's nice knowing there are others in your area with the same issues. Yeah, almost everyone I know has had it. I had it on New Years Day, and that is what started my emet. I've never had this type of anxiety about V* before. It's awful.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    USA
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    Default Re: always worried

    Quote Originally Posted by artoo16 View Post
    Cool! It's nice knowing there are others in your area with the same issues. Yeah, almost everyone I know has had it. I had it on New Years Day, and that is what started my emet. I've never had this type of anxiety about V* before. It's awful.
    Wow you are lucky, ost people on here have suffered for years! DI dyou have it really bad? I know a lot of people who have a very mild case of it, even young children only having a mild case, then some say worse they have ever had...blah blahblah people exaggerate so much sometimes! But I do think it is dieing down now, so that should give you some hope...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    I live in Washington
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    156

    Default Re: always worried

    Hey there!

    Do not let your fear cause you to quit your job. You did the right thing by washing your hands! Keep washing your hands, and make sure that you do not touch your face or mouth with dirty hands and you will be fine.

    Here is something from experience that I hope will help you feel better: I worked at Mcdonalds as their custodian. A teenage girl got sick on a trash can lid which caused me great anxiety. I cleaned it almost up till I went into a panic attack. However, I exposed myself by touching the vomit with gloves and sanitizing the lid. I was very close to it and I never got sick once! All it takes to avoid getting sick is wash your hands!
    I write electronic music! Check out my music here:
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    17

    Default Re: always worried

    thank you all for your support. it has been a tough thing to deal with. I am considering getting therapy but am really nervous to do it. I feel like i will never be able to get over this, as I have had it since I was 8 years old. It is really nice to know that there are others out there as well.

  9. #9
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    Jan 2011
    Location
    Hawthorne california
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    358

    Default Re: always worried

    I think you are incredibly brave for having that kind of job in the first place. If you like your job other than the emet stuff you should def get some therapy and commend yourself for going to work everyday despite this debilitating condition. Every day you go to work is another success story for you!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Las Vegas, Nevada
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    Default Re: always worried

    Quote Originally Posted by CMM811 View Post
    Wow you are lucky, ost people on here have suffered for years! DI dyou have it really bad? I know a lot of people who have a very mild case of it, even young children only having a mild case, then some say worse they have ever had...blah blahblah people exaggerate so much sometimes! But I do think it is dieing down now, so that should give you some hope...
    I did have it quite bad. I had V and D every 20 minutes for 6 hours, then I was fine, sipping water and pedialite, and then V twice more in the evening with severe N and a fever. I had no appetite for the next 6 days after that, I dropped 15 pounds in a week, it was terrible.

    I hope I'm not exaggerating, but I felt awful, I actually just laid on the floor in the bathroom so I didn't have to move so much.

    It seems like it is fading now, and I know I'm probably not going to get it any more this year, but I've never had anxiety like this before. I'm starting to get a handle on it, and this site has helped. It's awful when you think you are alone in something this terrifying.

    Wow this got long, sorry :-)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    USA
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    Default Re: always worried

    Quote Originally Posted by artoo16 View Post
    I did have it quite bad. I had V and D every 20 minutes for 6 hours, then I was fine, sipping water and pedialite, and then V twice more in the evening with severe N and a fever. I had no appetite for the next 6 days after that, I dropped 15 pounds in a week, it was terrible.

    I hope I'm not exaggerating, but I felt awful, I actually just laid on the floor in the bathroom so I didn't have to move so much.

    It seems like it is fading now, and I know I'm probably not going to get it any more this year, but I've never had anxiety like this before. I'm starting to get a handle on it, and this site has helped. It's awful when you think you are alone in something this terrifying.

    Wow this got long, sorry :-)
    I'm sorry it made your anxiety so much worse, but I can see how it did that to you. Like I said I know some people who it lasted like that, even was ill for 4-5 days, and some who just had a fever and d*.
    I suggest probiotics for everyone it boosts your immune system, and they are the natural bacteria inyour gut it will help you be healthier. I know I always try to eat healthier when there is sv* going around.
    Worriedsick...I hope you seek help if it is so bad. I know I have seeked help a few times with my emet, and learned some powerful techniques.

 

 

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