Emetophobic and terrified of starting ADs

[sw25]

8 months pregnant and my consultant, midwife and psychiatrist are all very keen for me to start sertraline or citalopram ASAP, but I'm so scared of the nausea/sickness side effect that I just can't bring myself to take it. Does anyone have experience of both and which is more likely to make me feel sick?

Had awful nausea for first 22 weeks of pregnancy, then a few weeks ago diagnosed with a gallstone, so I am freaking out about anticipating a gallbladder attack, with the awful pain and vomiting it causes. Also overwhelmed with fear about impending birth, and the nausea/vomiting associated with a c section.

All of this has seemed to culminate in a crushing depression, leaving me struggling to get out of bed, have ashower or do any housework. I've also been having suicidal thoughts and can't sleep until 4am each night duetto all of the above plus restless legs. I know the ADs would probably help but it feels like swimming through a sea of sharks to get to a treasure chest. I am petrified.

Was just off to bed and saw your message. I take citalopram (am phobic too) for anxiety and I've never had any side effects from it - except when the dosage increased and that was just wanting to wee all the time for a week!
Tip - don't read the leaflet, give it to DP/DH/friend and if you feel something isn't right ask them to read it. I convinced myself I was going to take one and die, which of course I didn't, but I remember being petrified of the effects and sitting crying looking at the tablets
Hth

Oh and talk to them about the c section, they can and will give you anti nausea drugs etc etc. don't be scared of asking them questions

Thanks goodas I know what you mean about sitting and staring at the tablets. I've had them in the house for weeks and wish I had the balls to take them. DH is taking some time off next week to stay home with me while I start them. I'm sure I will imagine side effects anyway, but I have to be brave and give them a shot. Are you emetophobic or health phobic? I am both!

A little of both apparently when I was little I would do anything to avoid being sick
I honestly had no problems with them at 10mg. At 20mg I had the "I need to wee all the time" but that went after a week

Hi, I have had emotophobia since I was 5 yrs old and started on escitalopram for anxiety. I was so nervous too as tend to get side effects from tablets. I found that taking them at night and after food helped, I did get some nausea and took anti-emetic tablets which helped loads. The side effects for me lasted 7 days but was worth it, they really helped me. I started on 5mg and after 3 weeks upped the dose to 10mg and had no side effects then. I really feel for you, it was hard enough for me to be pregnant with this awful fear of vomiting, let alone gall bladder problems. Please PM me if you need any support. X

Thanks so much both of you for your support. I knew that dealing with a pregnancy would mean putting myself directly in the path of nausea and vomiting, but somehow I hadn't anticipated it being this bad. It's by far the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Still haven't taken the pills but think I'm going to start tonight at 5mg and work my way up. Thanks Little Miss I will send you a PM - would love any tips on getting through last stages of pregnancy and birth with this God awful phobia.

I have just read Cure Your Emetophobia and Thrive by Rob Kelly. It hasnt cured me completely but has certainly helped, I am just not as occupied by the whole thing as I was. Worth a try.

Hello sw25, I can offer some encouraging words here.

I suffer from emetophobia and have experience of taking citalopram and having counselling for the phobia. Whilst the citalopram is not a magical cure - I was up to 40mg for a while, and I still experienced some breakthrough symptoms - it did help, and I did not experience more than minor symptoms. I have several friends who've taken it, and none of them have experienced any side effects at all.

I started at 20mg just before bedtime. 5mg is a very low dose, so I do wonder how helpful it will be?

Also, if you are unlucky enough to vomit during childbirth or a C-Section, (and not everyone does), in a hospital, you are very quickly supplied with anti-sickness drugs and it's over in a couple of minutes. Truly. I vomited after giving birth, and within seconds, they had given me an injection that resolved it. Wonderful stuff, and something that you could possibly ask for in advance.

Finally, get some Motilium, which help wiht any mild nausea. No magic solutions, but really no need for the intense panic.

Good luck, and God help all of us trying to deal with this nasty phobia.