Something I didn't know about Noro

[Ethereal Astraea]

So being emetophobic, I thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about Noro, and I thought I knew how to keep myself safe, eschewing hand sanitizer in favor of hot soapy water and avoiding sick people like the plague. Unfortunately I'm a substitute teacher and the school I was at last week pretty much was the plague. I started feeling symptoms Thursday night after having just gone back to work after the New Year that morning (though thinking back now maybe I got it beforehand, seems an awful short incubation period), and by Friday afternoon I was a miserable mess, literally had to run out of the classroom because I thought I was going to v. I had d. and crazy n. and cramps all night but I only v. once and I think I handled it quite well, but its nothing I'd care to repeat. So now I'm going around, bold as you please, thinking "Well, that Noro bitch got me once, can't get me again" thinking that, on the bright side, I at least can't get it again now that I've already had it, at least not this year. Ohhh no, turns out Noro immunity only last a few weeks......a few weeks?! I cannot spend the rest of the winter spazzing that I will get it again, especially going to all these different schools and being exposed to all these different germs and sick kids and ughghghggh. So here's a question, for those of you who have had Noro (this is the only case I've had as of the last 10 years, though I think I had it 2 years ago, I didn't v. so I don't count it) Have you ever gotten it more than once in a year....also, do you think its possible to try and build a natural immunity, or possible that some people have a better immunity against it than others. I thought I did, considering I hadn't v. in almost ten years ( at least not from a virus)...or maybe it was just luck? Anyway...brb, going to wash my hands with straight bleach.

[Alex-London]

Strange how you got it. But working in a school kids carry all sorts! Surfaces could be contaminated ad kids don't wash hands thoroughly enough. Or maybe someone made you some food like at a cafe etc?. There is no immunity. Just kept washing hands before you eat anything. Sorry to hear you had it. Hopefully you won't again. Grape juice is good, drink a glass a day. Also google noro myths. May help...

[Cynna]

Washing hands with bleach--tell me you are kidding

[Ethereal Astraea]

I've heard the grape juice thing, I just hate it >_<.....I wonder if grapefruit juice would work the same way, with the acidity and all. I just hate going to a different school every day, dealing with 500 + new people and germs everyday and having sooo many people around me being sick. yeck. And yes Cynna, I was kidding about the bleach, tempting to kill the germs, but not a fan of sever chemical burns, haha ^^;;

[Ethereal Astraea]

Severe* (sorry that bothers me)

[emet-ana]

I've heard the grape juice thing, I just hate it >_<.....I wonder if grapefruit juice would work the same way, with the acidity and all. I just hate going to a different school every day, dealing with 500 + new people and germs everyday and having sooo many people around me being sick. yeck. And yes Cynna, I was kidding about the bleach, tempting to kill the germs, but not a fan of sever chemical burns, haha ^^;;

Hi Ethereal,

You can get grapeseed extract tablets so you don't have to drink grape juice. Also do you have any anti-emetics? Although immunity only lasts weeks- isn't it something like 12 weeks? so quite a long time and perhaps until the end of the norovirus season? If you don't already have some decent hand sanitizer (not gel but special anti-microbial foam) then it might be a good idea to get some

xx

[Ethereal Astraea]

I thought hand sanitizers did squat against noro, I still use them regularly for the "*wipes snot on hand* "Hey Miss H look what came out of my nose!" moments. I'll look into the grape seed thing. But my question about anti emetics...what kind to use? and do they stop n. or will they actually stop v. even if you have a virus. I just worry that with my phobia I would take them every time I felt n. (which is like....all the time). I usually think my shear fear of v. is enough will power for it not to happen, but last weekend proved me wrong...though maybe I would have been sick more than once if I wasn't so hyper-metally steeled against it. Hmm. Though now I feel sick and am convinced I have noro again which is crazy because it's probably not even fully out of my system and I'll at least have immunity for a little while longer but I'm paranoid I picked up a different strain at one of the many schools I go to. *rambles*

[chica2012]

wet ones have the ingredient that kill SV

[bakogirl]

You learn something new about it everytime you search it. Apparently you are immune to it for a little while but as it passes from person to person it creates a whole new strain. That's what I read.

[Cynna]

Stop researching it. It usually makes panic worse.

[Rls1994]

I agree with Cynna.. :/