Throwing up in public

[highlandelk]

I was unwell on holiday recently, food poisoning.

I was in a tourist attraction and suddenly felt very sick. It came on very quickly/ unexpectedly, and there was no time to get to a loo. I simply had to turn to face the nearest wall/ corner and just throw up. It was horrible and embarrassing, as there was a queue of people nearby waiting to get into something.

The people just watched me, some looked awkward, some looked disgusted. No one offered a kind word or asked if I was OK, they just stared. I found myself apologising to them and then I just went outside feeling awful and trying to clean myself up.

AIBU to think someone could have asked if I was OK? I was on my own.

When I had hyperemesis and didn’t manage to hide my vomiting, the last thing I wanted was random people coming over and asking if I was ok. Thankfully I generally at least managed a trash can or a plant so mess wasn’t a big concern. Unless the situation is so dire that I can’t move and also can’t call for help myself, I just want to be invisible when I feel vulnerable like that.

I think it would be reasonable to turn away/give privacy while it’s happening and then just quickly check they’re OK afterwards. I’d expect people who are very close to me to be worried/caring but strangers, I wouldn’t expect them to do anything. I’m frequently in hospital with severe vomiting and while I’m waiting my main worry is keeping it as quiet and invisible as possible. Nobody’s ever spoken to me about it and in fact the doctors and nurses will generally offer to leave me alone when it happens. Occasionally other waiting patients express concern to the nurse about me as well, but not directly to me.

I agree with others, that there might be a fear of catching something from you, being vomitied on, assuming it was pregnancy or alcohol related and maybe you wouldn't want anyone coming near you.
If I offered you tissues, I might be worried that your vomity hands might touch me!
If you were in a touristy area- did the people staring even speak enough English to see how you were? What would you have liked them to do?
I hope you are feeling better now.

@highlandelk - I understand how embarrassed you were. It must have made you feel terrible, vomiting in Public. Like others on here I too vomited in Public when I was expecting my first baby. Fortunately outdoors, in the gutter - but in a busy, busy street in a City, at evening rush hour - but that was 50 years ago and I have never forgotten how mortified I was. I didn't look pregnant either!

Personally I wouldn't have wanted someone to ask if I was ok: I just wanted to run away and hide and hoped that only a few people noticed. Also, I feel ill myself if I see or smell vomit and I can't help my face looking disgusted, because that is how I feel. Doesn't mean I am disgusted with the person vomiting at all, though. I really struggled when my Children vomited and I had to clean it up. I wanted to wretch/be sick the whole time too (and sometimes did)

These things happen, but I wouldn't want to help either, unless the person was unconscious. I would probably vomit too if I tried to. I would feel very sorry for them, but I literally couldn't do it.

Hope you are feeling much better now

It happened to me some months ago, and a kind woman ran up with some tissues and wipes and even gave me a sealed bottle of water from her bag.

Sadly, I think the assumtion made by many when this happens is that a person is drunk.

I have emetophobia and would be no help in a situation like this unfortunately, I’d have ran away like Usain Bolt😬 YANBU for wanting someone to ask if you were ok though!

I hate vomit but when my friends and I saw a young girls arm sticking out of the toilet door gap, we climbed over the door, cleared the vomit from her mouth and dragged her body away from the door so we could open it from the inside. It was instinctual.

Most people head to a public toilet when they are ill. The problem comes with toilets that are floor to ceiling so no one can see you.

In this case everyone could see you hadn’t collapsed. I would have checked you were disorientated though and asked if you needed assistance.

I can’t think of much worse than the indignity of throwing up on a public street and then a random stranger coming up to me. I’d be hoping no one had noticed 😂

I’d definitely have given you a wide berth. Plus, seeing someone puking makes me retch.

Weren’t disorientated on my last post btw

You had a bug. I don't want it! In the same way I wouldn't go to assist someone who was coughing all over the place, I'm afraid that if you're on your two feet and not vomiting blood then I wouldn't be offering to help!

It’s horrible for you, and embarrassing, but I’m afraid you’re probably expecting a bit much for the public to do anything other than look on in horror and disgust!

I have emetophobia and you wouldn’t have seen me for dust, not least because I’d be terrified that you had something contagious.

One of my most treasured and enduring friendships was born from two words. I developed a severe migraine while on a course with a senior colleague, just about held it together all day but then had to run round the corner to throw up while waiting for the train home. I reappeared sheepishly and she just said 'Nobody saw', which meant the world to me - I would have been so embarrassed to have strangers see/smell me in that state. Having said that, if I were the stranger, I would definitely offer a discreet 'Are you OK? Do you need anything?' from a bit of a distance.

Isn’t “are you OK?” a daft question though? Someone vomiting in the street is never OK!

no, I would run in the opposite direction but then I have a horrible of people vomiting, 100% it makes me join in. I also really can't understand why any adult can't get to a suitable place if they need to vomit

A friend was sick on the way to Uni one morning and a nasty woman gave her a dirty look and told her off for not doing it in the gutter, like she had a choice where to randomly projectile vomit.

@Justcallmebebes yep and guess what. Being a dr doesn't make people want to deal with random peoples vomit in the street. What can I do to help?

@LostThestral I also really can't understand why any adult can't get to a suitable place if they need to vomit

You realise you can’t hold it in? It’s a reflex, it’s not like holding off on a wee.

My DD’s seizures often made her vomit and she had no warning other than a buzzing sensation a few seconds before. Her brain is injured from a virus and the damaged bit would give her an overwhelming smell and taste of vomit. Poor thing was always nervous at school but we made sure she was sat behind a boy who used to throw snotty tissues at her (luckily it never happened in class but we always had a dark sense of humour that if were to be anyone…).

I wouldn't always be quick enough with the bags, or carry enough of them. Many times the hypermesis vomit is actually lots of excruciating retching with small amounts of stomach bile which is difficult to catch. Thanks for your concern anyway

Lol I once spewed on a quiet train station platform. I was 18 and desperately hungover. I went down behind the wee ticket office and spewed up about 14 pints of water. Then I went back to wait for the train. And a random guy walked down to where I’d been sick just to look at it (as I say, pure water so it must have been disappointing for him). Absolute weirdo, who does that?!

I vomitted a lot in public. I had severe pregnancy sickness with both DC, no car and endless bus journeys. I thew up on the commute to work about twice (never on a bus, I always managed to get out in time). People never approached me or asked if I am ok (I preferred it that way tbh - the last thing I would have wanted would have been to engage with strangers no matter how well meaning). but I also figured that people like to keep their distance in that case. I think it's fair enough.

Btw we found these are the best ones to keep in the car etc. They can be quick access - you just need to pull or punch them down and can be used with one hand as the neck stays open. They are waterproof and can be twisted and closed on a notch on the neck ring to dispose of them/ not get splashes. Need shares in these. You can get them on Amazon.

@HomeBird43 What! A random man inspecting your vomit! Weirdo indeed! 😬

A colleague was late to work once, when a woman sitting opposite her on the tube suddenly lent forward and vomited- filling my colleagues shoes and splashing it all up her trousers. Grim.

Agree - just the thought of vomit breaks me out in a cold sweat! 🤢

@Coffeerum yes but you usually get a bit of a warning in the fact that you feel sick & like your going to be sick.