Stomach bugs - How contagious and when is someone contagious?

[Doglover8180]

I know we have some nurses on here so I expect them to chime in too.. When is someone with a stomach bug - throwing up - most contagious? I am worried I am gonna get sick - I was around someone all day, the day before they came down sick and then the day they came down sick - I was with them - and was drinking my morning drink too while in very close proximity - which I know is the worst - eyes, ears, nose and mouth. How easily spread are those things?

[abond0017]

I know we have some nurses on here so I expect them to chime in too.. When is someone with a stomach bug - throwing up - most contagious? I am worried I am gonna get sick - I was around someone all day, the day before they came down sick and then the day they came down sick - I was with them - and was drinking my morning drink too while in very close proximity - which I know is the worst - eyes, ears, nose and mouth. How easily spread are those things?

I am no nurse but I know they are pretty contagious. I would guess as long as you didn't drink after each other, or as long as you weren't putting your hands in your eyes, nose or mouth after touching things the other person touched, and if you were washing your hands a lot...you might be fine. But if you weren't washing your hands before you ate, and were touching your face a lot and things like that, then you might very well have gotten it. I think a lot of people get it from coming in contact with things the sick person touched if the sick person is also not washing their hands well enough...not necessarily from the sick person themselves. Like doorknobs and such. I also know people are sometimes contagious before symptoms appear and after they seem better.

Hope someone else can give you better info, and I hope you don't get sick. Stomach bugs are the worst.

[TaraRN]

It all just depends on the particular bug, but in general ppl are contagious before they show symptoms. Its hard to say exact hours, but it would have to be pretty close. Generally speaking, most stomach bugs are spread through direct contact (not like through the air), so just breathing the same air should be okay. The very best thing you can do is wash your hands and not share bites or drinks. And stop worrying!! We are exposed to many, many more germs than we ever find out about. No reason to worry about this one. I'm sure you are good with washing your hands regularly or using hand sanitizer, so relax!!

[TaraRN]

Oh, and how did I somehow know you were the one who started this thread when I saw it on the bottom of my quick reply menu on the Barbie thread?!?!

[CouponQueen23]

I was actually wondering this same question as op this morning. I took a ride in to town with my mom and my kids hardly ever get the stomach bug my mom made a stop at the car parts store and when we stated driving again my 3 yr old started crying and I thought he had just bite his tongue and he started puking. It was so awful we made a stop to clean him up the best we could on the road and headed straight home thank fully only 5 minute ride. I stripped him down at the outside and took him straight to the the shower. After he was all cleaned up I headed out to clean mom's van. I sprayed it with Lysol. I threw all my Ds clothes in the washer and washed my hands really good and sprayed all my knobs and anything else I could think of that were touched as we entered the house. I haven't received any calls from the school telling me that my other 2 boys are not feeling well. After cleaning my son up he has since had a sandwich and a cup of juice and been jumping around and acting fine. It was really weird I hear people whose kids have the stomach all the time but this was just weird. I hope that was just him guzzling his milk down too fast but if it was the stomach bug I took all the precautions to not catch it myself and hopefully my mom and niece don't catch it too.

[Doglover8180]

I will take lots of Vitamin C today. Not sure that will help but it can't hurt.

[Troop1379]

how did I know this was you who wanted to know. I am no nurse but your not dying

[Doglover8180]

How does everyone know which posts are mine before they even see my name? Am I that predictable?