Emetophobic and encouragement needed

[tillylula]

Hello, I will try not to waffle too much...

My 2yo has a stomach bug, I have a 3.5yo and I'm pregnant, and im absolutely terrified of vomiting. (I know, mad to be having kids 😅 love them dearly though!)

In the moments where my kids are being sick I'm okay. I cope really well because I just feel so awful for them. It's the in-between and anticipation that's killing me.

I'm waiting for my 3yo to start being sick. Its inevitable. She drank out of her sisters cup. I will stay up all night, not because i want to, but because I cant sleep in times like this, I'm already running on only a few hours a night the last few days.

I have the room and bed set up for any incidents. Lots of waterproofs, bin, kitchen roll (no gloves I've run out but more arriving tomorrow 🥲) I'm going to lay out more towels. I've got my hospital grade wipes ready, my hands are raw from all the washing.

My 2yo isn't able to keep water down, even small sips come back up within half an hour. Hopefully some is getting through, it's been like that for the last 6 hours I'd say. At what point do I call 111? I will starve myself for the next few days. Even having a drink is hard at the moment. I know I need to but I cant.

I dont really know what I'm wanting out of posting this, anyone else out there in the trenches tonight? Or have any advice?
Thank you for reading!

Sending a handhold op. I'm also emetophobic so can imagine how stressful this must feel.

I don't have any advice I'm afraid but sounds like you're doing a great job already. You will get through this and it will all be ok in the end.

Water on a teaspoon (or in a 5ml syringe) every 15 minutes for the poorly one until it is tolerated then you can shorten the time between syringefuls.

Good luck, you can do this!

Thankyou!
Unfortunately she's just woken up REALLY thirsty and guzzled about 400ml water so will see what happens. I will get a syringe instead soon.

I'm also waiting for it to get me. We already had a bug around Christmas, they only threw up a few times each and I was 5 weeks pregnant buy I spent one night dry heaving into a bin, so really hoping it's not like that again!

It's such an awful phobia I hate it!

I understand you completely, it really is the worst phobia. I have been exactly where you are now. There is a therapy called EMDR which I am considering because it helps to reconfigure the brain's response to trauma. My emetophobia stems from my mum having terrible sickness with her migraines when I was growing up and I thought she was going to die.

I really do feel for you, as my two have grown up it has become a bit easier, although now my daughter works in a nursery so I ask her millions of questions if she mentions someone is off sick. It's a really hard phobia to explain!!

Emetaphobic here too... just sending a handhold and a friendly smile. I know this is so hard but it will pass and you are a complete superstar.

@SummerLovin82 I'm going to look into this therapy! That must have been terrible to see. My mum did alot of vomiting in my teens due to a hiatus hernia, but really my phobia comes from being in hospital with a broken leg, 8yo, and the poor kid across from me came out of an operation. He was violently sick from anathstetic and I couldn't get away from the sound.
I find if its just waterthey bring up I can cope better so we will stay off food for a while.

@ZeppelinTits thank you, hopefully it passes quickly!

Sufferer here too, it's awful isn't it?

My boss came into work yesterday saying he'd been sick at home and still felt ill so I sent him home again, would rather work alone than listen to the noise!

I love how you sent the boss home, that's definitely something I'd do too. The lengths we go to to manage with this phobia, it's so debilitating and exhausting!

@lalalalalalaleeee I would do the same!

My partner had a cold last week and he has a really weak gag reflex set off by anything, so when he coughs he throws up. But im absolutely okay with that. The first time I saw it though I said "You're cleaning that up" and walked off in a huff he wasn't impressed 🤣🤣 he manages to do it in silence though so that helps!