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Original poster

Vomit phobia

153 replies

Lauren2105 · 09/05/2006 14:40

I am not sure if this is the correct place to post this thread but maybe someone will have some idea!

Basically, since I was 15 I have had a phobia of sick. Sounds really stupid as noone likes sick of course but I am soooo scared of it!

I have had homeopathy medicine and hypnotherapy treatment to try and overcome this horrid phobia but they didn't work.

My husband and I are starting ttc in the very near future and I went to my doctor for a checkup etc and inform him of ttc. I also mentioned my phobia and said that I am worried regarding morning sickness and when kids are ill. He said that he will send me for some counselling when I actually fall pregnant.

I am fine with baby sick as looks just like milk but am worried re morning sickness during pregnancy and when kids are older. I couldn't bear to think of me leaving my kids throwing up - what an awful mum I would be!!

Does anyone have any ideas of what I could do now and if anyone has a similar phobia I would be so grateful for some advice.

Similarly if anyone knows if there is a better place to post this thread please tell me!

Thanks for listening and hopefully understanding.

OP posts:

DumbledoresGirl · 09/05/2006 14:42

Oh dear Lauren, welcome to the emetophobia club! I am a life long emetophobe and I have lost count of how many feelow sufferers there are here on Mumsnet.

I have had 4 pregnancies (and children!) and luckily didn't suffer monring sickness, but I suffer from fear of my children being ill every day - literally.

I don't know what advice I can offer you but you have all the support in the world from me and our fellow sufferers.

Marne · 09/05/2006 14:47

Hi lauren, i also have a phobia of being sick, i did'nt have sickness with dd1 but felt sick with dd2, i went to the doctor and he gave me somthing for the sickness which helped straight away so was never sick.

Original poster

Lauren2105 · 09/05/2006 14:59

Thanks for getting back to me and the advice.

One of my main issues, is seeing sick in the street and worrying whether I am going to see someone throw up - I work in London and normally a Friday is the worst day from the drunken nights on Thursday! I don't want to make my childen suffer if they see me being a nervous wreck etc.

This phobia has literally taken over my life - for instance when I travel on the train I have to be in the middle part so that I can depart at either set of doors if someone is ill, I have to sit by a window and next to my dh on an aeroplane to avoid a stranger sitting next to me that may get airsick, I am always looking out for sick on the floor so that I don't go near it, I don't drink alcohol so that I'm not sick, my dh stays away from home when he has alcohol so not to worry me, I study everything I eat to make sure it is cooked so that it wont' make me sick - sorry for rambling but I really don't know what to do to take this phobia away from me.

Thanks for reading.

OP posts:

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 15:05

Oh Lauren I am another sufferer and can totally relate to how you feel, I am going to Portugal in 2 weeks and the whole idea frightens the hell out of me - first there is the plane, I find wearing earplugs helps so I can't hear anything and am okay as like you DP sits on the side of anyone else and the kids usually sit near me, fortunately they don't get airsick either. I always make sure we get flights that are early in the day so less likely to have drunks on board.

When I get their I worry mainly about the kids getting ill from the weather, the swimming pool, eating dodgy foods etc, its a constant worry and very hard for me to relax and enjoy myself, I do but the anxiety is always there.

My children are 6 and almost 4 and thankfully don't get ill too often (touch wood).

With regards to pregnancy, have one bit of advice - don't have the epidural as everyone I know including myself who had this was sick afterwards and for me it was horrible. I just wished I'd gone through the pain which I did with my first birth than the horror of being sick at the end of labour.

Original poster

Lauren2105 · 09/05/2006 15:13

I know this sounds horrible but I thought I was the only one who suffered - I forget that I am not the only one with a phobia. Its hard to talk to people about this as I assume that they think I am being silly.

Have you tried anything to overcome your phobia?

OP posts:

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 15:16

Yes CBT, hypnotherapy, counselling, all helped a little but didn't cure me, just resigned myself to the fact that this is with me for life.

Hausfrau · 09/05/2006 15:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Lauren2105 · 09/05/2006 15:49

I hope you don't mind me asking but how did your phobia start?

What happens to you when you see sick, see someone being sick, sick yourself, smell it or hear it? How do you overcome your feelings?

Also how do you cope when your kiddies are sick?

Sorry for the questions but it helps to relate to people in the same situation.

OP posts:

Hausfrau · 09/05/2006 16:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:03

Like Hausfrau says its helpful if you have a wonderful partner who totally understands your phobia and is willing to help. DP gave up a job working away (which paid very good money) so he doesn't have to leave me and the kids as night time is when I fear it the most.

I know I would and have coped in situations where my kids are ill, adrenalin just takes over, bugs are more frightening as it happens more than once. I just don't want to pass this horrible fear onto my kids, I want them to believe that it is normal to be sick and not frightening. I feel that I got this phobia because my mum did not support me enough as a child as she herself had anxiety anyway (although not same as me). I didn't have a dad to help though unlike my children who have a wonderful dad who reassures them and makes them feel better when ill.

Hausfrau · 09/05/2006 16:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:06

Wow Hausfrau was that the last time you were sick!!! Honestly!!! I am not sick often but was sick the other week and it was horrible, still have awful memories of it now, fortunately the kids didn't see the state I was in.

I catch more bugs than they do!

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:08

I always have polo's too cannot go to sleep at night unless I have my polos by my side and scream at anyone who eats the last one.

Have made DP go out at 12 at night to get me some on occasions.

Hausfrau · 09/05/2006 16:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:29

Thats very impressive - I salute you!!!

Am totally the same as you and when I was younger I could fight it but as I have grown older it seems to have got harder to fight for some reason, if I am sick it only happens once, I don't allow it to happen again!! Would rather feel sick for days than do the deed!!!

Not a nice subject I know but its not nice having the phobia either.

Hausfrau · 09/05/2006 16:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:38

Exactly

Its nice to talk to people who are suffering in the way that you are, I sometimes feel like such a failure as a mother/partner. Poor DP is never allowed to get too drunk just in case the kids are ill at night. It will be okay on our hols cos his Mum and Dad are coming with us so I can shove the kids in their room should they get ill.

blueteddy · 09/05/2006 16:43

I have a bit of a vomit fear too (first time I have admitted this) & like Hausfrau, I have not actually been sick since I was a child, even though I have had several bad stomach bugs & have been on the verge of being sick, I can stop it happening by swallowing really hard.
I work in a school & cope with children being sick if I have to, but I don't like it.
I also can cope with my own DS's being sick, but this is due to the fact that I have to, as H is so useless!
I don't think I have a severe phobia compared to others, but I do panic when I hear a stomach bug is doing the rounds & become quite obsessive about washing my hands!
Luckily I escaped any morning sickness during pregnancy & wasn't sick during or after the births (I had an epidural both times), but avoided gas & air, or pethadine as I heard they can make you vomit.
I think it is actually quite a common phobia.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:47

I think thats really great Blueteddy that you came on here and admitted you felt this way its a very hard thing to do as you do grow up feeling that this phobia is childish and pathetic and that others will think you are a joke. This was the way I thought all through my life up until I discovered the internet and found the website for emetophobia, it helped me open up so much knowing that other people suffer from this.

I am also amazed you got through the epidural without being sick - sorry Lauren I am now withdrawing the statement that will be sick if you have the epidural. Apart from the sickness I thought it was great

snuffy143 · 09/05/2006 16:48

Hi. I'm one, too. Have a great friend who is one and we support each other a lot. My phobia stems back to my sister being travel sick all over me every time we went more than 5 miles! Funnily, I am not as bothered about ME (ever heard of Buccastem - can get it over the counter - was brilliant when I felt sick sicj sick with mastitis)as I am about the kids. It dictates lots of decisions I make. Was terrified about socialising them when they were little (now 4 and 7) but made myself do it.
DH is brilliant - he doesn't get it but he knows I freak. He always gets up to the kids in the night, whatever the reason.
DS was sick a couple of weeks ago at Nursery and had THE phone call at my school to collect him. Luckily my Mum really gets the phobia (blames herself?!) and picked him up and kept him for the rest of the day. DH was in Sheffield at the snooker (yawn!) and not back til very late and Mum had to return DS at 5:30pm. Had no-one else to ask so had to put him to bed on my own and then sit downstairs holding my breath. The next 5 hours were very long!
It never gets any better with each sick experience. I do have to say that DD, now 7, knows that Mummy doesn't 'do' sick and copes by herself. The last time, I was here and she just shouted down to me every time she threw up. I didn't go near her! That gives me hope that when DS is a similar age, I won't live so much in fear.
I am scared in the car and give them joy rides even though DD has only ever been sick in the car once! And that was when she was 2! I don't think either of them are travel sick cos DH and Mum have both travelled with them without pills but I am too terrified to try!
I do feel like a terrible mother that I can't be there for my kids when they are sick but I know I am a good Mummy as much of the rest of the time as I can manage.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 16:49

I also admire you Blueteddy for working in a school, I could not work in a school or a hospital for nobody and no great salary would get me there either.

blueteddy · 09/05/2006 16:57

It is a pretty strange choice of career isn't it?
Actually, I have a friend who has this phobia & is far worse than me - she is on a waiting list for therepy, & she works in the reception class!!

Hausfrau · 09/05/2006 16:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crazydazy · 09/05/2006 17:00

I have worked in a pub but couldn't work in a nightclub and COULD NEVER EVER be a cleaner in a pub or nightclub. Now that has got to be the worst job ever!!!

blueteddy · 09/05/2006 17:00

Oh, I can cope in a pub!!

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