emetophobia and Pnd - going mad - what can i do to get better...

[Bexybear]

dont know where to start... DS puked last night so had a very shaky morning and my anxiety levels are through the roof...

I have just come out the other side of what i now realise was pnd - been functioning under huge greay cloud for past two years. Meant I got really ill and run down had four bouts of gastric flu in a year (not nice when you hate puking so much you dont do it -not since i was seven anyway) the fourth bout lasted a month and ended with me having a breakdown and staying at my mums as couldnt look after DS.

But just had a lovely month felt almost normal again, no one ill, went on holiday... but now DS ill I feel like shit... Cant face this for the next howevermany years cant even face having buba number two. Does anything work? CBT, hypnotherapy councelling, Ill try anything now...

didn't want you to be ignored so bumping this for you. Have you chatted to your HV?

Bexybear, as another emetophobe, I know exactly how you are feeling. I don't have any answers, but if you have msn you can chat to me [email protected] Sometimes chatting to someone you know understands your point of view can help.

Hi, sorry to hear you are having such a rough time. There are lots of emotophobics on MN, so you are by no means alone.
I used to be terrible, but have had to toughen up a little, due to having a useless squemish husband, which meant I have no choice but to deal with the childrens vomit myself.
I have a friend who has such a severe form of this phobia that it is completely taking over her life, & she has been referred for some kind of therepy. She has been put down for this by her gp, so it may be worth you paying your doctor a visit & explaining your situation.
I have also suffered with PND & know how miserable that is.
Are you receiving any support from your HV at all?
I am really sorry that you are feeling so low. Take care of yourself.x

Hi all

Thanks for being there - it helped to have a bit of rant and for people to understand. Its not the sort of thing you can chat about to the mums at your local playgroup. first time i read an emetophbic post on mumsnet i was completely shocked as i didnt even know it had a name.

DS got better by the afternoon so im feeling calm again and most importantly the big grey cloud hasnt come back.

I know that HVs and GPs are where you are suppoed to go about these things but i gave up on the HVs when DS was two weeks old (too much criticising, not enough supporting) and saw the GP frequently when i had the bug (not sure why i bothered he kept saying 'its a virus there is nothing we can do' while i blubbed away in the corner)I explained about the phobia and he just said not puking might make the virus stay around longer but didnt suggest treating the phobia...He looked a bit sceptical to be honest...

I will check some old posts for stuff on CBT and hypnotherapy, though totally skint so might have to wait till we win the lottery

Hi goldie

didnt occur to me that ADs would work for this but maybe should think about it. I found the emet website which was quite depressing as it seems that only the phobia about other people throwing up responds to treatments such as CBT. Still wondered if anyone on mumsnet had tried any of these therepies...Maybe i should just resort to drugs specially if they work...

Just wondered how you're doing Bexybear? Another thought occurs to me if you don't want to try drugs just yet. You could try the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) - google it. You can learn it for yourself and it is supposed to be really good. having said that I haven't yet done it myself although I intend to give it a good try. I was always very against anti-depressants for a long time and tried my hardest to do without them, but when I did, it was the difference between night and day and really the whole tone and feel of my life changed!

Greetings,

I thought I already posted to this thread, but I don't see it so I'll do it again. Please do consider trying EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique.
My daughter developed a severe case of emetophobia and I did a lot of research on the subject. Didn't seem to have a very successful cure rate. EFT seemed the most promising and it was amazing how it cured all the anxiety/nausea/panic. I am so impressed and am now a firm believer in it. I strongly urge that you give it a try. I think it's important not to get discouraged if it doesn't seem work the first session. Reason being that there are often a lot of different issues going on and what you need to do is tackle each one a layer at a time. Also takes a little bit of intuition (that's why I recommend a good practtitioner for at least the first time) to be able to pick out what those issues might be.

Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Hi Goldie and californiamum
just seen your messages...im an intermittent mumsnetter!
Thanks for your thoughts...really glad EFT worked for your daughter Calimum...Ive had this since i was seven and really wish someone had recognised it and treated it then... EFT sounds hopeful... im having psychodynmic counselling and thats really not working for me..see other post on this topic!
How many sessions does EFT require? Do you know how much it costs?
I will look into finding someone near me...still have the AD option as a last resort...