Am I being silly..?

[Tasha'93]

I was out shopping yesterday and for some really, really thoughtless and stupid reason I held my phone in my mouth because I needed a hand free. I'm thinking now WHY didn't I just put it in my bag or something?? There is a lot of sick bugs going around at the moment, and i'm so scared i've been too careless and now i'll catch someone from being stupid and holding my phone in my mouth which has god knows how many germs on it I've worked it out, if i'm not sick by tomorrow, I should be safe, but I cant stop thinking about it now

[dipper]

Try not to worry too much about it! (Coming from a fellow emet I hope you realise I know that's much easier said than done) If I hadn't been in recent direct contact with someone who had been ill I would be trying not to worry too much about it, as those thoughts just get out of control.

Eat some tummy friendly foods and drink some ginger-based beverage tonight if you're still nervous

When there are tummy bugs going around I take pro-biotics and try to eat a lot of yoghurt, rice, ginger etc, so my stomach is as strong as can be...this helps me stay a bit calmer...

[stephenie]

I reallllllly don't think you're gonna get a sv. That one time you messed up won't do it its not as easy to get a sv as we emets think. Last year, my dad had it and I never washed my hands and even cleaned up his shirt and never got it! I washed my hands after the shirt but that's it. And I can tell you I have messed up a lot thinking back to when I wasn't this bad and it gives me reassurance really. Knowing I did some scary stuff and never got it. You'll be fine.

xx

[Tasha'93]

Eat some tummy friendly foods and drink some ginger-based beverage tonight if you're still nervous

When there are tummy bugs going around I take pro-biotics and try to eat a lot of yoghurt, rice, ginger etc, so my stomach is as strong as can be...this helps me stay a bit calmer...

Thankyou, i'll bear that in mind for today & tomorrow. What are pro-biotics btw? & has taking them & the foods you've mentioned actually stopped you from getting an SV?

[Tasha'93]

I reallllllly don't think you're gonna get a sv. That one time you messed up won't do it its not as easy to get a sv as we emets think. Last year, my dad had it and I never washed my hands and even cleaned up his shirt and never got it! I washed my hands after the shirt but that's it. And I can tell you I have messed up a lot thinking back to when I wasn't this bad and it gives me reassurance really. Knowing I did some scary stuff and never got it. You'll be fine.

xx

Thankyou Stephenie. I know you're being reassuring and i'm greatful but I doubt i'll start feeling better until 48hrs has passed because right now I still feel as if i'm not in the 'safe zone' if you get my drift. Thanks again though, what you've said has made me feel a bit better

[dipper]

Thankyou, i'll bear that in mind for today & tomorrow. What are pro-biotics btw? & has taking them & the foods you've mentioned actually stopped you from getting an SV?

I can't say for sure if they've stopped me, but there have been times when family members/close friends have been sick and I haven't, and most of the time (touch wood! Feel like I'm tempting fate by writing this) if I do catch something I only get bad things happening at the other end...! Which although extremely unpleasant is still much better than being sick!

Probiotics are friendly bacteria that keep your digestive system functioning nicely, they're not a cure for nausea or anti-vomiting thing but I figure a healthy digestive system is a good defense. I used to take some from boots but they were a bit pricey (£9 for 30!), I'm currently taking 'probiotic acidophilus' from Holland and Barrett, and you take 1 or 2 a day with a meal. Sorry, I would post the link but apparently I'm not allowed to post links until I've made 10 posts!

[stephenie]

No I totally understand that feeling. We can't help it. Just know, that in 48 hours you worried for nothing that's what I do. :/ but like dipper said, direct contact is when you worry. Like someone would have just had to v* or have d* because your phone touching all those surfaces would cancel other germs out its just wayy too much transfering going on you know? Try not to stress too much. I know you'll be fine.

[Tasha'93]

if I do catch something I only get bad things happening at the other end...! Which although extremely unpleasant is still much better than being sick!

Probiotics are friendly bacteria that keep your digestive system functioning nicely, they're not a cure for nausea or anti-vomiting thing but I figure a healthy digestive system is a good defense. I used to take some from boots but they were a bit pricey (£9 for 30!), I'm currently taking 'probiotic acidophilus' from Holland and Barrett, and you take 1 or 2 a day with a meal. Sorry, I would post the link but apparently I'm not allowed to post links until I've made 10 posts!

Thanks again, you've given me hope telling me about Pro-Biotics, I'd sort of heard of them before but never really thought they'd help build up my digestive system or anything. I know what you mean, I had a bug (i'm pretty sure it was a bug anyway) that lasted just over two days but, like yourself, it was only happening the other way which I was extremely thankful for.. now I feel extremely sick & am worrying about the whole phone thing.. but i'll try to block it out as much as possible.

[orton99]

Tasha, you’re going to be fine, I promise you. I know exactly how you’re feeling and thinking as I’ve done all too much of that myself over the past two months, but the crucial point is that none of my various panics (and my God, weren’t there a lot of them?) have come to anything.

The way to look at is to turn the logic in your favour, by thinking of all those hundreds – or thousands, maybe? – of times when you were at school and maybe touched your mouth after having touched the door handle of the Ladies’, or ate something after you touched your school bag which had been on a desk which someone in the previous class might have touched after they’d been to the toilet and thrown up and hadn’t washed their hands…and nothing came of it.

So what does that tell you? It tells you not only that such hyper-vigilance isn’t actually necessary, but also that the crux here isn’t the actual level of “risk” (which is going to be so low and unlikely that you don’t need to bother yourself thinking about it), but the way in which you’re currently responding to it, seeing “threats” everywhere. Have a rule for yourself that you’re allowed to be wary if someone actually vomits next to you but if they don’t, well, out of sight, out of mind.

And if thinking back to school doesn’t sound comforting enough, bring the experiment into the present by taking a look around you at home. Watch various family members who touch numerous surfaces and then eat without washing their hands and then quite demonstrably aren’t ill afterwards…and take note!! Then imagine your phobia in the dock and you’re prosecuting, asking things like, “So Dad came in from the DIY store, didn’t wash his hands, started munching a packet of crisps and wasn’t ill. Get out of that one, phobia! Can you explain that away?” And then imagine yourself watching it squirm!!

Plus, think of all the – um, millions, billions ? – of people on the planet who happily coast through life, never giving a thought to things like this (okay, so some of them are scared stiff of dogs instead but that’s not the point!), which makes the inspiring point that not thinking like this is within everyone’s grasp. Yes, that includes you!

[Tasha'93]

Tasha, you’re going to be fine, I promise you. I know exactly how you’re feeling and thinking as I’ve done all too much of that myself over the past two months, but the crucial point is that none of my various panics (and my God, weren’t there a lot of them?) have come to anything.

The way to look at is to turn the logic in your favour, by thinking of all those hundreds – or thousands, maybe? – of times when you were at school and maybe touched your mouth after having touched the door handle of the Ladies’, or ate something after you touched your school bag which had been on a desk which someone in the previous class might have touched after they’d been to the toilet and thrown up and hadn’t washed their hands…and nothing came of it.

So what does that tell you? It tells you not only that such hyper-vigilance isn’t actually necessary, but also that the crux here isn’t the actual level of “risk” (which is going to be so low and unlikely that you don’t need to bother yourself thinking about it), but the way in which you’re currently responding to it, seeing “threats” everywhere. Have a rule for yourself that you’re allowed to be wary if someone actually vomits next to you but if they don’t, well, out of sight, out of mind.

And if thinking back to school doesn’t sound comforting enough, bring the experiment into the present by taking a look around you at home. Watch various family members who touch numerous surfaces and then eat without washing their hands and then quite demonstrably aren’t ill afterwards…and take note!! Then imagine your phobia in the dock and you’re prosecuting, asking things like, “So Dad came in from the DIY store, didn’t wash his hands, started munching a packet of crisps and wasn’t ill. Get out of that one, phobia! Can you explain that away?” And then imagine yourself watching it squirm!!

Plus, think of all the – um, millions, billions ? – of people on the planet who happily coast through life, never giving a thought to things like this (okay, so some of them are scared stiff of dogs instead but that’s not the point!), which makes the inspiring point that not thinking like this is within everyone’s grasp. Yes, that includes you!

Would you like to come & live with me Andrew? Seriously.. everytime I feel like i'm going insane on here you don't half make me see sense! You're definately right about the school comment.. 100%.

[orton99]

Lol, I'm sure it's a lovely offer but I just love being so close to London down here in the south-east, so I'm afraid I'm just going to have to decline...

[Tasha'93]

Lol, I'm sure it's a lovely offer but I just love being so close to London down here in the south-east, so I'm afraid I'm just going to have to decline...

Ohh, Southern lad so you are, well.. it's all about the North-East is all i'm saying! (:

[orton99]

Hmmm...I've been to the North-East a grand total of once in my entire life, to do the Great North Run in 2008. Wasn't one of my best half marathons, put it that way...

No, if I ever do venture north of Watford Gap it's to the North West, given all the relatives from Dad's side of the family in Cheshire and the family links to Liverpool!

[Tasha'93]

Ah, fair enough! I was just being a wee bit biased really. I'm proud to be Northern & from Yorkshire but it's not for everyone! Just like i'm not a fan of how everyone seems to be in such a rush in London, I like calm! (:

[orton99]

Proud to come from where you do, huh? Flippin' heck, is there actually any other kind of Northerner?

Well, down here in Reading we've got Charlie Brooker, Ricky Gervais, Kate Winslet, Chris Tarrant..okay on second thoughts forget that last one...and Jane Austen went to school here, so there!

[Tasha'93]

Proud to come from where you do, huh? Flippin' heck, is there actually any other kind of Northerner?

Well, down here in Reading we've got Charlie Brooker, Ricky Gervais, Kate Winslet, Chris Tarrant..okay on second thoughts forget that last one...and Jane Austen went to school here, so there!

Ohhhh! Well... erm, you see now.. argh, I have no decent come back to that. HOWEVER, I do think everyone should be proud of where they come from, even if you are *sniggers* a Southerner :P

Hm.. I'll just give you Ricky Gervais, but what is he compared to the legendary Karl Pilkington? PLEASE!!

[orton99]

You know, I think we're both going to get slapped wrists from the mods in a minute for hijacking all these threads with nonsense...not to mention anyone from the US or Australia who looks at this thread and is totally baffled by the all this UK regional stuff!

Anyone, logging off now so I hope you're feeling better about the phone thing...remember, the basis for the one serious reply you've given so far this evening?

[Tasha'93]

I agree, what are we like? Bloody Brits they'll be thinking, ha

- Ah yes, on a serious note you have made me feel a bit better about the phone situation, you made some good points earlier before all that other nonsense! Still not 100% convinced but we'll see.. thanks again

[person54321]

I used to chew on my phone when I was bored without problem, and this was before I ever cleaned it or washed my hands frequently due to emet. I see people all the time hold credit cards in their mouth, which have to be a million times as germy as a phone. Unless someone has been sick then touched your phone without washing their hands, the possibility of there being a sv on it is extraordinarily low.

[Tasha'93]

I used to chew on my phone when I was bored without problem, and this was before I ever cleaned it or washed my hands frequently due to emet. I see people all the time hold credit cards in their mouth, which have to be a million times as germy as a phone. Unless someone has been sick then touched your phone without washing their hands, the possibility of there being a sv on it is extraordinarily low.

Thankyou for your post, everyone on here has been so kind. As much as i'm still slightly convinced I have an 'SV' from my phone, or could well develop one now, I am slightly calmer than before due to how much support has been shown to me on here, thanks again