Steps to preventing stomach flu this upcoming winter?

[Jackhmcmillin]

Hi, I've suffered through alot of winters with being emetophobic, though the last 2 years i haven't had the stomach flu, but for some reason today my anxiety has been acting up really bad and this has been giving me a bad day so far, so in preparation for this winter i need to know some ways to avoid the stomach flu, i heard the grape juice thing works but i want a daily thing that prevents it, and drinking 3 cups a day is expensive and not healthy, is there any other alternative? If i have a reliable and easy way to prevent it, my anxiety goes down and i actually get a huge feeling of confidence, So if anyone has any good advice please help, i really want to get this thing out of my mind this winter so i can focus on other things.

[emet-ana]

Hi Jack,

The best ways that I know are:

- Good hygiene- wash your hands when you get in from being outside, before eating/touching food etc.
- Grape-seed extract capsules- may or may not work, but they help me feel more relaxed and should work if grape juice works!
- Foaming anti-viral hand sanitizer

I also have a supply of anti-emetic meds to take if I feel nauseated- perhaps ask your doc about these?

[Aspie Grrrl]

I've already been thinking about it

For the house (in case someone is sick): Face masks, bleach, disinfectant wipes, hand soap. Zofran, Imodium, Benadryl, Vitamin D.

Outside the house: No eating in restaurants or food prepared by other people. This is how ~80% of noro is spread if I remember correctly. Wash hands religiously; avoid touching mouth/nose/eyes with dirty hands. Avoid recently-sick people (when possible).

After my bout with "super-noro" last winter, I'm not chancing it again.

[Jackhmcmillin]

I've already been thinking about it

For the house (in case someone is sick): Face masks, bleach, disinfectant wipes, hand soap. Zofran, Imodium, Benadryl, Vitamin D.

Outside the house: No eating in restaurants or food prepared by other people. This is how ~80% of noro is spread if I remember correctly. Wash hands religiously; avoid touching mouth/nose/eyes with dirty hands. Avoid recently-sick people (when possible).

After my bout with "super-noro" last winter, I'm not chancing it again.

Yes i entirely argree with you i had the 24 hour stomach flu, not only was the first rounds of vomiting it, every hour on the hour i would dry heave horribly, this went on for 4 hours untill my aunt gave me a pill i believe that stops nausea or vomiting (idk what it was called but it was for my cousin who had a condition where he couldent keep food down)

[staystrongxx]

I've already been thinking about it

For the house (in case someone is sick): Face masks, bleach, disinfectant wipes, hand soap. Zofran, Imodium, Benadryl, Vitamin D.

Outside the house: No eating in restaurants or food prepared by other people. This is how ~80% of noro is spread if I remember correctly. Wash hands religiously; avoid touching mouth/nose/eyes with dirty hands. Avoid recently-sick people (when possible).

After my bout with "super-noro" last winter, I'm not chancing it again.

Last winter, I ate out all the time and I was fine. Please do not discourage people from eating out, eating with others, and enjoying their lives. Just take proper hygiene precautions.

[Aspie Grrrl]

I'm not encouraging others to do any of the things I listed. Just stating what my personal plan is to stay well. "Universal precautions" like religious hand-washing are all I'd recommend to anyone else.

As stated, my last bout of noro changed my perspective on things (for the worse). I'm sure some of what I listed is overkill or outright impossible, but it's my plan and I'm stickin' to it!

[Chibinarwhal]

I usually practice great hygiene (I won't go a few minutes without washing or sanitizing), and I like to take Vitamin C. Yeah, the part about eating is totally untrue, since my family loves eating out a lot and we do all the time in Winter (we've never even gotten a stomach ache from anytime that we've eaten out) In fact, the one and only time that my mom got true fp* was when she was cooking bad chicken (it was completely her mistake). So, eat out all you want! Just sanitize/wash your hands before you eat. Have a great Winter!

[Syrup]

Try to stay in the NOW. Winter is months away! We've all been aching for summer, now it's here, let's live it up! Focus on what we can do the CHANGE before this coming winter. Live for now, not the 'what-ifs' of tomorrow. Maybe this winter will be a mild noro year, or better yet, with help, we can be so much better by the time the snow starts to fall. Let's focus on that rather than precautions for something that really isn't a big deal. Remember, even though it's a drag, noro is usually the quickest of sicknesses. Not worth our time and energy to worry about, especially a few months out!

[Grace47]

You are so right, Syrup. I have found myself worrying about noro and not enjoying the one season I'm pretty sure I won't get it. I think I worry about it more when I am stressed out about other things.

[zombie0037]

There are so many people worrying about norovirus, at the end of day just a damn virus, not gonna kill ya, hygene is important, but not to the degree, of washing ya hands to red raw, if ya gonna get it,you will, just one of those things, there a big damn world out there, and plus there are people in a lot worse situations, homeless people, Cancer, poverty, I think sometime a bit of perspective, is what is need.

[staystrongxx]

There are so many people worrying about norovirus, at the end of day just a damn virus, not gonna kill ya, hygene is important, but not to the degree, of washing ya hands to red raw, if ya gonna get it,you will, just one of those things, there a big damn world out there, and plus there are people in a lot worse situations, homeless people, Cancer, poverty, I think sometime a bit of perspective, is what is need.

Was that supposed to be helpful orrrr? That was actually a very anxiety inducing post. Try to be a little but more sensitive, maybe? I am very sure that we all know that there are people in much worse situations. But we cannot help having this phobia, as I'm sure you cannot help it either.

[butterfly91]

[QUOTE=Aspie Grrrl;482667]I've already been thinking about it

For the house (in case someone is sick): Face masks, bleach, disinfectant wipes, hand soap. Zofran, Imodium, Benadryl, Vitamin D.

Outside the house: No eating in restaurants or food prepared by other people. This is how ~80% of noro is spread if I remember correctly.

So your saying people shouldn't eat out? or eat food cooked by others? We can't live in a bubble forever! No offence but what a stupid thing to say! U just make people more anxious posting things like that!

[Rls1994]

Was that supposed to be helpful orrrr? That was actually a very anxiety inducing post. Try to be a little but more sensitive, maybe? I am very sure that we all know that there are people in much worse situations. But we cannot help having this phobia, as I'm sure you cannot help it either.

I agree with this... :/ That post actually annoyed me.. I'm in such a hard place with emet at the moment, and we ALL KNOW that there are a lot of worse things out there, so writing that isn't helpful whatsoever...

Anyways, I have not contacted the SV in nearly 10 years now, but I have always used extreme precautions. I don't touch door handles or anything outside, I always use my sleeve. I reckon if I didn't do that, I would have gotten the SV loads of times by now (every year like I did when I was younger...). Yes, I know. I REALLY am not helping myself at all!

[SoVerySorry]

What I did this year to avoid Norovirus is... honestly? Only leave my house when I have an appointment. From December to April, I only left my house 15 times.

Avoid, not completely ignore, restaurants... especially seafood dealing with Shells. I'd try to avoid hospital Triage locations. Try to avoid places where children run amuck...

[zombie0037]

Sorry didn't mean to offend people, but I stand by what I said, I was like that never going out, taking all these precautions, it was just feeding the phobia, so it wasn't helping me. a lot of you guys are very young, bu trust me hiding away isn't gonna help, it just keep reminding you, what you are missing, go restaurants, party with ya friends and travel, its the only way to get control, winter is a pretty season, just as enjoyable as summer. don't worry about winter until it's here, its months away yet.

[Rls1994]

Sorry didn't mean to offend people, but I stand by what I said, I was like that never going out, taking all these precautions, it was just feeding the phobia, so it wasn't helping me. a lot of you guys are very young, bu trust me hiding away isn't gonna help, it just keep reminding you, what you are missing, go restaurants, party with ya friends and travel, its the only way to get control, winter is a pretty season, just as enjoyable as summer. don't worry about winter until it's here, its months away yet.

It's alright. HUGS.

We understand, it was just the way you worded your last post, that was all I think.