Emetophobia - my worst nightmare

[zonedout]

Ds1 goes to a school set on several different sites. Today one of the sites has been closed for deep cleaning due to norovirus wiping out hundreds of children this week. There are loads of siblings in ds1's building/class and 8 of his classmates were off today.

I am a single parent (really outing myself here!) and terrified of what feels completely inevitable right now. I was awake all night last night, waiting. Shall be doing the same again tonight.

You know, I feel like I have improved a lot with my emetophobia recently. I am no longer worried about the odd v. It's the awful, debilitating violence of noro that terrifies the life out of me.

The waiting is utter torture

[zonedout]

Couldn't have put it better myself. What BB says is exactly my experience of it. It's actually blardy awful, how all consuming it is. When I see it written down like that it really hits home as I think I get so used to my 'coping' behaviours I barely notice I'm doing them.

Afish, I have recently had 2 sessions of hypnotherapy (actually initially for my insomnia) I do think I am a tiny but calmer than I would have been without them, given the situation. Perhaps I should ask to deal specifically with my emetophobia for a while? I did touch on it but the hypnotherapist somehow didn't think it so relevant, more a symptom of my deeper stuff (or something)

[AfishhCalledElvira]

Zonedout has your Hypno regressed you yet? Obviously I don't know the details but I usually consider insomnia to be a symptom rather than a separate issue? A phobia with a presenting symptom of insomnia is common due to the active sympathetic nervous system being activated by the phobia. (Excess cortisol being released by the fight or flight mode causes insomnia/-anxiety etc )

[MsElleTow]

My emetophobia actually stops me taking painkillers which might help. If I read an information leaflet in a pill box and it says 1:10 suffer nausea or vomiting, I won't take them. I refuse strong painkillers after operations. I'd rather the pain than be sick.

I have never been drunk because I don't want to be sick. If DH and I go out I barely drink any fluids s I don't go to the loo incase someone is in there being sick.

When there is a bug in the house I literally don't eat anything and drink the bare minimum as I think if it is not 'down' it can't come up. I never touch lift buttons when I am out, or toilet door handles and very, very rarely eat anything.

I'm glad your day was fine Zoned.

[AfishhCalledElvira]

If you work with the root cause then the other presenting symptoms will disappear normally. I'd ask them to tackle the emetophobia before the insomnia

[zonedout]

The hypontherapy is actually all very much about being calm and relaxed in general. He then sends me home with a cd recording of some of the session to listen to. I suffer from insomnia even when my emetophobia is fairly benign (Summer school holidays for instance!) I felt completely zonked for the rest of the day after my last session, which was a bit odd.

Thanks MsElleTow (love it ) and sorry you are a fellow sufferer. I am very careful about what medication I take and also eat the bare minimum if there is a bug in the house.

[AfishhCalledElvira]

Being calm and relaxed is great as it counters all that cortisol. I'd work on the phobia as then it removes another source of the insomnia. Good luck

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Sorry I haven't read the other 82 messages but OP I understand. I almost cancelled seeing a friend because her friends daughter had a bug and I don't go out where people will be to drunk/be around drunk people in case they vom. I can't even sit in the back of a car if there isn't a door in case I vom, or in a seat thats not an aisle seat in the cinema for example.

Apparently CBT training helps I posted before on this and got told a website to go to and he has a test about this and I answered yes to every single question but one. Will have a look back on threads Iv'e started and see if I can find link if you'd like?

[zonedout]

Thank you

I am due to have a session this week (noro permitting ) so will mention it again.

[SantasHugandRollintheSnow]

I also have this. For the whole of the winter I panic about norovirus. My dh knows this and warned me on his way home from work last week he felt sick, I had a full scale panic attack. My dsis was here thank god and she had to calm me down and deal with me putting a bucket by the toilet, a towel Solely for him in the bathroom and his own toilet roll. He was fine, just tired.

I always ask if people are ok, if ds1 is not himself I panic its going to be a bug, I've cancelled plans due to the fear of catching something and inspect my food before I eat each bite. I overlook chicken and wash my hands after each egg is cracked when baking. I'm already on sertraline 100mg!

Hope everything is good in your houses, this phobia is frankly both ridiculous and debilitating. Hate is a strong word but I HATE it.

[zonedout]

Thank you InNeed. Sorry you are suffering from this hideous phobia too. I would really appreciate that link, if its not too much of a pain. Might be a good thing for you to find for you, anyway?

[SantasHugandRollintheSnow]

Ps the bucket is still there

[MsElleTow]

Zoned it's Tuttut, I've name changed for Christmas!

[zonedout]

Sorry Santas

It's really quite depressing how common this is. Almost no one in real life knows about my phobia as I am quite embarrassed by it (having said that I have given away some very exposing details over the last 24hours so that may no longer be the case) Thank goodness for forums like this.

[zonedout]

Ah, hello Tuttut!! I was wondering where you had got to. Loving your new festive name . You ok?

[InNeedOfBrandy]

The Dr who's done loads of research and work on it is called David Veale if you ant to google.

this is the questionaire link psychology.iop.kcl.ac.uk/cadat/questionnaires/EmetQ.pdf

here was my thread that a few others shared on if you wanted to read

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1601229-To-cancel-seeing-friend-and-her-Dc-tomorrow

it's shit isn't it when it takes over your life and no one really gets it.

[zonedout]

Thank you, InNeed. Have had a read, very interesting.

A little and at some of the responses on your thread.

Are you looking into some cbt for yourself?

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I think I should but I hate going to the drs, I think I also have IBS to but I just can't go and talk about it all. I'm thinking of writing it down and just showing the dr so I don't forget what to say and minimise it.

[zonedout]

Oh are you me? Actually I don't so much mind going to the doctors (barring the risk of picking up a stomach bug while I'm there) but I do find I forget what I wanted to say or, similarly, minimise it. I am also pretty sure I have IBS too. I Writing it all down is a good idea.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I hate it because I think who's got a stomach bug, did they sit in this chair, did they open this door will I get ill.

I love MN theres always someone who gets it on here.

[kerstina]

It is very reassuring to read that I am not the only one who has these fears.I really think what has made my fear worse over the last few weeks is the updates on facebook saying that people we know have got it. Also the sheer number of threads on mumsnet about sickness bugs makes the threat seem very real.
I have a lot of friends who are not exactly phobic but who really hate and are scared of being sick and don't like having to confront it even those who work with children. I think it is an instinct to find sick repellant and so natural but us emetophobes have made it even more scary by focusing on it so much!
I am a very sensitive person and get anxious easily just wondered if that is a common trait with others who suffer?

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Hello, trying to stay calm, vicious sickness bug going around DSs's school (it was even mentioned in the newsletter). Lots of their classmates off, two of my mummy friends had it yesterday and mentioned the fact on facebook. How on earth can I stay calm with this going on? I have man flu as well, as does DS3. I hate November.

I am also very sensitive, anxious, terrified also of balloons and fireworks.

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Hi Belgianbun, one of my friends has just posted on facebook that she's been 'yakking from both ends' and I just feel on hyper alert. Next week seems really scary as DSs will be back at school :( Trying to be rational about it. Sometimes I wonder if a good bout of stomach bug will cure me. I haven't really been sick properly for 20 years, despite being pregnant five times and catching lots of bugs when DS1 was a baby.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I know there's loads of fb dates and MN threads and I have to read them all.

My dd friend had a stomach bug and only had 1 day off school instead of the two so I told her she wasn't allowed to play with him for the rest of the week. But fingers crossed that's the only incident I've heard from school so far.