please help. Can't do this anymore

[Courtney23]

Hi all. I am brand new to the forum. I've read postings here for years, but today I finally joined because I'm at my wit's end and can't go on living like this.

I've had emetophobia for as long as I can remember. I've been fortunate to v* very few times in my life, but I trump it up and get so fearful of the act, that I have full blown panic attacks if my stomach feels less than okay. My story is very similar to all of yours, so I guess I don't need to give you any more details on my history. It's my worst fear. I avoid certain situations out of irrational fears. I do weird rituals.

And it's getting to the point that it's starting to make daily life hard for me and my husband. I can feel him growing tired and frustrated with my "Am I going to v*?" questions and my constant what-if scenarios. I lecture him before we got to parties and make him swear to me he won't drink too much so I don't have to deal with v*. I constantly ask him how he's feeling and literally FLIP OUT if he's feeling a little sick. I quarantine myself away from him and instead of being supportive when he's not feeling well, I hide and make it my own selfish problem.

This past Labor Day weekend, we traveled with friends to Kentucky to visit Mammoth Cave. After the cave tour, we had lunch at a nearby park restaurant and the place looked a bit sketchy, to say the least. My friend ordered a grilled chicken and guacamole sandwich (WHY!?) and within a half hour after eating, she was complaining of an ill stomach. About an hour later, we were pulling over so she could get out of the car to be sick. Anyone who struggles with this phobia can only imagine the torture of being in the car with someone who is v*ing FOR THREE HOURS. She was a trooper and politely asked her hubby to pull over each time she needed to be ill, and I shook and panicked in the backseat. It seemed like a safe bet that she got food poisoning.

After we got home from the vacation and we happily sped away from my friends' house, I relaxed finally.

That was Saturday evening.

On Monday evening, yesterday, my friend's husband texted us to say that he was now vomitting. This immediately took the idea of my friend having food poisoning right out of my mind and replaced it with ... sv.

I am in FULL BLOWN PANIC MODE. I found the car ride with my friend unsettling, but we all thought she had fp* and so I wasn't the least bit concerned with what it could do to me since we ate very different things. Now that HER husband is sick, I'm led to believe she was actually ILL and passed it to him. Now I'm sitting here, at work, not able to concentrate on anything, wondering and flipping out that my husband and I will get it, too. I touched the same car door as her and had a small sip from her water bottle before we left for the trip on Friday.

She got sick around noon on Saturday. We left them around 7pm that night.
Her husband got sick on Monday around 7. So that puts him getting sick more than 48 hours after she did.

Today is Tuesday, it's 2pm. Just shy of three full days since I was last exposed to them. Do you think I have anything to worry about? Has enough time past? I can't for the life of me get my body to calm down. I am so scared.

[wanted]

First of all, welcome to this forum. You will find such a nice people here
Well, it really sounds like it was fp, at least it sounded like it before her husband v. I would say you're safe, it's been a long time since Saturday so if you cought it, you would be sick by now.

[Courtney23]

My husband and I are on different terms with it all. It did seem very obviously to be food poisoning with the timeline of her getting ill (I mean, the food didn't sit with her almost the second she finished eating), but then her hubby getting sick a few days later? Seems like too much of a coincidence for it to not be a bug. Then again, I have no idea. There's no way of knowing.

I read online that the sv* incubation time, if that's what she did have, is usually 24-48 hours. So I'm hoping I'm in the clear with it being almost 3 full days later.

[mhartse]

One thing Ive learned with husbands. Is when we are feeling well, we must almost praise them, or just give them credit for being good supporters for when we are in a panic. I know its tough, but I have to say you handled this horror story quite well. Its been quite a few days, so I would say you are okay and safe now.

[mdgirl1977]

oh honey, hugs. it may have been a v and he got it bc of poor hygeine afterwards. you were near her but I doubt you shoved your hands in your mouth or did anything sketchy and I bet you washed hands and showered after you got home.

[Mamafear]

I am sure you're in the clear. If you were going to get it you'd have got it by now. Welcome to the forum, this place is a fantastic support.

[Ldyab33]

I agree with everyone, three days is too long, you definitely would have been in the midst of it right now. I think you are okay welcome dear friend, feel free to message me anytime for help, I've been living with this demon for 20 years. I'm a veteran :/