Norovirus; overreacting y/n?

[JoKalsbeek]

Christmas is a bit odd this year. With my family I could easily low-carb through the holidays during the get-togethers, and with my in-laws it would have been the same... But after rescheduling once, I've cancelled the dinner with them we were supposed to have today instead. They'll be getting together without me and my husband, because all of them (all 6!) have been hit with the norovirus. They're all healthy as a horse, so a bit of vomiting doesn't really throw them off, but even on my good days, I'm a mess.... And I haven't had a stomach bug since my T2 diagnoses. I do know a slight cold really messed up my bs a few weeks back, and diabetes makes you high risk when it comes to noro. Since my parents-in-law will still be contageous over Newyears, we've cancelled our little get-together then too... (Husband will have a lot of snackfood to eat the next few days!). Am I overreacting? I know I'll get it when I see them, as none of them managed to avoid infection... Am I being selfish? Stupid? I don't know what to expect with a stomach flu, just that there's a myriad of warnings online. In any case, my husband's birthday is next month, and we offered to pay for a do-over with all the bells and whistles when everyone's okay again. But I feel like I ruined Christmas. I'm sort of okay with being a T2, I've got a handle on it now... But this made me feel like such a porcelain doll, such a special little self-centered, scared snowflake... Spent quite a bit of time last night crying because I was angry with myself. But I don't see how I could've done anything differently. Also seeing as how my husband has a work-thing with 150+ people next week and there'll be a lot of shaking hands with higher-ups who wouldn't appreciate noro either... I dunno. I just don't know. Did I make the right choice? Is noro something I should be this mortally afraid of? Thanks!

 

[Dark Horse]

If I'd had Norovirus (or another virus that causes gastroenteritis) I wouldn't invite anyone round for dinner until the infectious period had passed.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...ritis/expert-answers/stomach-flu/faq-20057899

 

[archersuz]

IMHO you did the right thing. Novovirus is nasty! My son ended up in hospital for 5 days when he was 18 months old. As T2 we have to be so careful of illnesses like that. Don't beat yourself up.

 

[Pinkorchid]

Is there a difference between Norovirus and any other type of gastroenteritis I had never heard of it until recently, If families went down with something like that it was just called gastroenteritis or they had food poisoning

 

[Rachox]

I would have done exactly the same thing @JoKalsbeek , without Diabetes but especially now I have type 2. I find it a little selfish that they are going ahead with the ‘do’ while they are still infectious!
I hope you all have a lovely time next month instead and that everyone is healthy then x

 

[lovinglife]

There's a reason they close wards to visitors in hospitals when the novo virus (winter vomiting bug) is doing the rounds it is highly contagious and a serious illness for those who are compromised-, you did totally the right thing.

I certainly wouldn't be visiting them, how are they up to visitors and entertaining? If you don't quarantine it you just catch it over and over again - it's not a "once you've had it, it passes you by" type of sickness

 

[Metabolism_Boss]

You have done the right thing. Norovirus is extremely contagious and the body tries to get rid of the virus by high speed ejection of bodily fluids, often without warning. This sends the virus airborne and ready for the next victim. Do not visit until the last person with symptoms has not had an episode of vomiting or diarrhoea for at least 48 hours. Even if you did not have diabetes, I would consider you sensible to stay away. With some illnesses, you are infectious before you are show symptoms of being ill and you can't be blamed for being a vector of disease, but I think it's time we started praising people who stay away from others when they are ill, rather than considering them fusspots.

 

[Resurgam]

Despite using the hand cleansing stuff, washing hands after being in the toilets etc, when I visited hospital some years ago I went down with the Noro virus - it was absolutely dreadful - I have to say that it was worse than the Metformin reaction I had, as that was just one end.
With the Noro virus I was at one point sitting on the loo and throwing up into the sink. I could not even keep water down.
Anyone who cancels due to that going around is perfectly justified, I think.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Everyone... Thank you so much. My sister-in-law is giving me a hard time over it over whatsapp, there's been a lot of crying on my end today. I needed to hear this. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[Snapsy]

@JoKalsbeek well done for standing your ground! I am horrified to think that people are happy to put people into this position!

We had norovirus a few years ago - we think that my brother had picked it up on the train on his way down for a family weekend.

It got all of us, apart from my mum - who was recovering from fairly recent surgery at the time (the idea of getting together was to rally round her and pay her some much-deserved post-operative attention) and it was an utterly wretchedly horrible few days! Unavoidable in our family's case, as my brother didn't 'have' it until after he'd arrived.

So the post-op family member didn't get it, but the asthmatic, the immunosuppressed RA patient, the type 1 diabetic and the labyrinthitis patient were all struck down in spectacular fashion, starting with my brother and infecting others with relentless inevitability.

There is no way we would have invited ANYONE into that germfest. Not only did I feel incredibly poorly, my blood sugars were rubbish. To paraphrase Jerome K Jerome's brilliant observation of seasickness, at first I feared I might die. Later I feared that I wouldn't.

It was that horrible.

You have not ruined Christmas. You have merely protected yourself from urgent, immediate and dismayingly repetitive need for a vacant bathroom and a bucket AT THE SAME TIME. For days......

Hugs.

Love Snapsy

 

[Rokaab]

You have not ruined Christmas. You have merely protected yourself from urgent, immediate and dismayingly repetitive need for a vacant bathroom and a bucket AT THE SAME TIME. For days......

Ok, I'm a bit late to the conversation but I totally agree with that.
I got Norovirus a number of years ago (it was entirely not a nice 30th birthday present at all!), I ended up in hospital for about 5 days, and it's just as well I was there - I ended up on a high speed saline drip as I was very dehydrated, I also lost half a stone in weight in that time and for someone who was already underweight that wasn't good - I came out looking like a skeleton.

 

[Glenmac]

I'm late to the conversation too, but would like to add my twopennorth!As a type 2 I developed Noro virus on a bank holiday from a special hotel treat for our wedding anniversary.We struggled to get GP advice on the phone,and despite my husband doing his best with trying to keep me hydrated I was very ill indeed.This led to pneumonia diagnosed by the hospital.I should have learnt my lesson,but I can be a stubborn one sometimes..........fast forward three years to my sister in law being in hospital where the Noro had been diagnosed on her ward.My husband begged me not to visit her in an adjoining room.....I spent a short time with her and the following day I began the awful thing again.The virus can be airborne so hand washing gels etc are not always effective and I will never knowingly go into a situation again.Your decision was the only sensible option, trust me I'm an expert!!Wards are closed in most hospitals and thorough cleaning takes place with each outbreak .......even the curtains were removed.