Any fellow emetaphobics/reassuring people able to talk me out of my stressed state?

[MunchyCrunchyy]

Posting here for traffic as I am 100% being unreasonable but the rational prt of my brain isn’t great.

I have an intense phobia of sick and my child has just been sick.

What are the chances of me catching it from clearing up the sick/sleeping next to DC tonight?

I am most scared of actually being sick myself and have coped surprisingly well with the actual ‘event’. DC is only 2 so can’t communicate how they are feeling which makes me feel even more uneasy.

Bump - anyone??

My DD, also 2, had a stomach bug last week. Was sick a few times over a couple of days, and also once randomly on Monday. No one else got ill at all. DH was thrown up on multiple times, and MIL was unfortunate enough to pop by about 30 seconds before the first vomit so she helped with cleaning/comforting DD and neither of them got sick, and nor did I.
I am also emetophobic so totally get what you’re feeling, DH was cleaning it up while I semi-shrieked at him to not touch anything else with his contaminated hands! (I didn’t actually shriek as I was aiming to stay calm for DD as the last thing I want is to pass this down, but internally I was screaming)

Hi op. My kids are older and have had many many sick bugs over the years. I think inhave not once caught them. Children are a lot more susceptible to random little upset tummies and bugs.

Depends why they were sick really - if it's that they've eaten too much or something that doesn't agree then pretty much zro chance. If it's a bug like norovirus then highly probable!

I have no advice as to how to cope other than just try and think your fine now so try not to fear something that may not happen.

Highly unlikely, the condition tends to give you a stomach of iron!

I have only caught it once off the dc. And I'm always the one doing the cleanup. I even kissed my poor ds little head when he woke up distressed after being sick and then realised that his head had sick on 🤢 didn't catch it though.

@Karwomannghia

Highly unlikely, the condition tends to give you a stomach of iron!

Yes, I’ve read the emetophobes are less likely to be sick than the general population. Not sure if it’s cause or effect though (are we phobic because we’ve never/rarely experienced it, or does the phobia force us to control nausea/avoid vomit-y situations). Personally even as a child I never threw up - one of my sisters would bring home a vomiting bug, the other would always catch it, often my mum would as well. Dad and I would be just fine every single time.

Also a fellow emetophobe here - quite severely too! (Restricted diet, excessive sanitation, etc).

A few months ago DD got sick and threw up several times, I was pretty much convinced I was going to get it too but didn’t - I made sure her head was firmly in a bowl when being sick rather than on bedding/flooring and bleached everything she had come in contact with - you get unwell from vomit and poo particles ending up in your mouth so plenty of hand washing for you both (hot and soapy!) too.

If it’s any consolation, whilst I was waiting to see if it happened to me or not it actually brought over a very weird sense of calm - almost acceptance if you like - I expected to be climbing the walls with fear instead!

I also have a supply of anti-emetics at home that I take if something is going round to help prevent it x

Hi @MunchyCrunchyy I’m not sure if I’m classed as being a emetaphobe but I’ve always been very scared about being sick and this has been compounded by the fact I’m now have a DC with a metabolic condition that means a sick bug can be life threatening without a hospital admission. Now I get so anxious when I hear that another child in the class has a sick bug or if a friend who we’ve recently seen is later unwell, it’s something I really struggle with. I don’t feel I can comment on the likely hood of you catching the bug from your DC but I just wanted to comment so you don’t feel alone in this.

When I get anxious about it I try to tell myself that my worrying about it will not change the outcome…..I know this isn’t easy to do when wrapped up in the anxiety but worth a try. Otherwise I find my only other option is distraction, watching tv, listening to a podcast or reading a book. I also try to fast forward in my brain saying ‘this time next week this will be over’ that sometimes helps?!
Good luck

@SickAndTiredAgain in my case it was after a particularly traumatic vomiting incident a couple of years ago, so I think it’s the phobia that makes us avoid nausea/vomit situations - for example, not eating certain foods, cooking for longer, washing hands, not touching food with hands - if that makes sense.

I also agree though - we tend to be way over the top with cleanliness so might not get as unwell as usual as other people x

@MunchyCrunchyy

Fellow emetophobe here. Although my main issue is other people being sick. Really didn't think that through as I have three kids.

FWIW, we've had numerous sickness bugs over the years and I've only ever caught one

I have a "vomit" protocol (the sick kit comes out, ill child sleeps on living room floor so can be easily tended to / cleaned etc) and I clean everything we all touch (light switches, TV remotes, bannisters, door handles etc) with Steriza and have windows open.

Very interested to hear about emetophobes being less likely to get ill. I am very strong of stomach and only recall being sick three times in my whole life.

I hope it passes for you all quickly.

I do sympathise as though I don't suffer with emetophobia, I do always worry I'm going to catch it when my daughter has a bug. However, she's now four and has had many stomach bugs / random illnesses involving vomiting over the years and I've never caught it! Obviously practise good hand hygiene etc but try not to worry about it too much. Hope your little one feels better soon.

Thank you so much everyone. I honestly find your messages so reassuring I also constantly have antacids, wash hands, use hospital grade sanitizer that is effective against norovirus, don’t eat meat etc… sigh…
I was surprisingly calm and even managed to strip the bed etc whilst DH cleaned DC. Like I said it is the fear of me being sick that really makes me anxious. Currently undergoing CBT as also desperate not to pass it down to my DC.

Hi Munchycrunchyy,

Sorry you're struggling. I would be the same as I have debilitatingly severe Emetophobia but as others have said, it's possible but far from inevitable that you will catch the virus.

Lots of good hand hygiene, possibly wear a mask (as the puke can produce droplets for a very short time as it settles) and use bleach-based cleaners with gloves on and you could be okay.

In terms of anti-emetics you can buy 'Buccastem' from Boots and Domperidone from 'UKMeds' for your personal use.

Oh and the phosphoric acid in coke/diet coke/pepsi max works as a (fairly) mild anti-emetic too. In the US there's a medication called 'Emetrol', which is basically just Cola-syrup, which works for nausea.

Another emetophobe here.

DC have brought home various stomach bugs over the years.

And the times I did catch them from them (most times I didn't catch it) I actually still didn't vomit.

Nausea and fever once and the runs another. So I really do think we're less likely to vomit than non phobic folks.

Maybe doesn't help us as the time I had the nausea as a symptom I actually wanted to throw up but didn't. Weird huh!

But never as an adult, other than pregnancy and one very drunken/heat stroke garden party, have I vomited like "the fear" makes us think we will.

Maybe doesn't help us as the time I had the nausea as a symptom I actually wanted to throw up but didn't. Weird huh!

I can definitely relate to that. Once I did have a bug and felt incredibly sick. Objectively, it would have been better to throw up, I’d probably have felt better for it. But I just couldn’t, it was almost like I didn’t know how. So I spent forever feeling absolutely horrendous sitting on the bathroom floor, when someone else may have just thrown up and gone back to bed!

I suffer with Emetephobia too. It's awful. Well done for getting help.

Fwiw dd had the worst sick bug I've ever seen anyone have and although I caught it I was never actually sick, just sat on the loo all day!

Thank you again everyone. DC has managed a slice of toast and fair amount of water so fingers crossed he’s a bit better. Praying that me and DH don’t get it, your messages make me feel hopeful!

I hate to sound dramatic and totally get people have things a lot worse… but I do find this so debilitating. It completely takes over my life and I wish that there was a ‘cure’. I do wonder if I would be better off actually being sick as the anticipation kills me!

Ah, this is awful, but there is a cure! Hypnotherapy works marvels for getting rid of it, in a way that just talking about it never gets close to. It really worked for me.

Glad your little one has perked up and hopefully noone else comes down with it.

Anticipation is the worst part of the phobia for me.

I find I can deal with actual vomit but waiting for someone to be ill, just kills me.

I find myself on heightened alert, so for example if one of the kids is tired or doesn't feel hungry, I assume they have a sickness bug and watch them like a hawk. I'm careful to disguise it as best I can as they are a bit older now and I don't want to pass this down to them.

If one of them complains of actually feeling sick then I'm just a mess. I feel like I'm waiting to be shot.

It's sometimes exhausting to live this way and my life is quite severely affected. I haven't travelled on a plane since 2014 for example (fear of being trapped with someone who is travel sick is just too overwhelming). Although we do manage UK holidays / train travel.

I avoid car travel as much as possible (we don't have a car...living centrally / prohibitive cost is the main reason but my phobia plays a part)

In my youngest years I'd never use the Tube at the weekend after a certain time (and I'd never use night buses) due to drunken people being more likely to vomit.

I am always more alert to cars pulling up suddenly (someone once pulled up, opened door and puked)

I always feel anxious and tense when I hear there is a sickness bug going around. Especially if we've been around anyone who has been sick.

I wait outside when we go the GP.

I have been to A&E with my DC a few times and I'm usually an utter mess and end up outside, leaving DP inside. Ironically we had to take DC1 in when he was 4 as he was severely dehydrated followed a sickness bug. DP took him in as I couldn't. When we knew he DC was being admitted then we swapped and I stayed with my DC. He'd had anti-emetics by then.

There are many other examples, I feel like I run on a different frequency sometimes.

I have long periods of functioning well but I know this isn't "normal". I was 3 or 4 sessions into exposure therapy when Covid hit and I was discharged when f2f therapy couldn't continue. I have no idea where this therapy was going to end (it was set in a GP surgery, I always suspected I'd have to deal with a fake illness situation?? I never asked) but I need to revisit therapy.

Oddly enough I'm fascinated with hearing stories about people's illnesses things like breakouts on cruise ships. I find it almost comforting that if XYZ happened to so and so, its unlikely the same would happen to me?

No idea why I’m updating this thread but just feels better to talk to sympathetic people… DC has been sick again after 3 days, had upset tummy Sat/Sun.

The past few days have honestly been so draining and despite people telling me I’m coping well, I’m really not. When will this be over

Bless you, it's really hard. I'm sure it will be over soon, these things are usually short lived but can go on for a few dais unfortunately. If she's taking fluids that's all you need to worry about really. I wouldn't push food unless she's asking for it. Bread /toast lightly buttered or dry, crackers, bread sticks, banana are all good. They say ice lollies but my dc always bring these back up, I think it's the fruit acid.
Keep going op you can do this

It's not usual for them to be sick again a few days later, random as it is. Sending you big hugs, it gets A LOT easier when they're older. Fluids most important, only give food if they ask for it and keep it bland - crackers etc.

FWIW if you've not caught it yet, I suspect you're unlikely to get it. Usually with the contagious bugs it only take a day or 2 before the next victim gets sick. You've handled this incredibly well and should give yourself a big pat on the back & a treat once it's all done.

Thank you to you both. I actually cried a little bit at your messages earlier. I wish I knew more people IRL like you all… my DM is amazing, DH tries but I’m mostly met by the usual ‘well no one likes it’ and ‘you’re a mum you need to learn to deal with it’.