Pregnancy, reflux and emetophobia

[mhope]

I'm 14w pregnant with our first child and really struggling with reflux - has anyone else with emetophobia experienced reflux while pregnant? How did you cope? I'm finding gaviscon doesn't always help, and this morning I had a huge panic attack because the reflux was making me feel like I was going to be sick. I think the anxiety is making the reflux worse too! Just looking for some reassurance and advice as feeling so deflated today 😔

Hey lovely, I am severely emetophobic and have a 2 year old daughter 😊 I had severe reflux when I was pregnant with her and went to my GP and they gave me tablets including anti sickness! Don’t suffer in silence please go to your GP they can help! Also just wanted to give you a bit of hope! I was terrified of having my daughter because of my emetophobia! I had to have therapy because I was terrified that if she was ever poorly I would leave her in the bath and run away 😒 I can honestly say that everytime she has been sick (she had reflux too!) the maternal urge I felt to look after her was so much stronger then my fear! Yes I was anxious but I never once wanted to run away and I just wanted her to feel safe! We also had norovirus and I caught it (wasn’t sick somehow just the other end!) but I still managed to cope and be her mummy! I wish you well in your pregnancy and hope your GP is really helpful! Lots of love you you, I know how tough this phobia can be ❤️

Thank you so much for such lovely encouragement - it is so great to hear positive advice from somebody who has lived this! It is such an awful phobia and up until I got pregnant I was coping pretty well but since being pregnant I've had so many panic attacks and I've started really worrying about what I'll do when our child gets sick so it's amazing to hear how well you have coped! ❤️ I've booked myself in to see the GP this week so I am really hoping they can give me something stronger than gaviscon! Thank you so much lovely, honestly so grateful for your kind encouragement ❤️

Absolutely no problem at all! It really helps to hear from others who suffer the same and have the same worries but honestly you will surprise yourself so much when little one is here 😊 I forgot to add also to try and make sure you have something stodgy in your tummy as often as you can! I found white bread and butter and salted crackers like plain tuck biscuits really helped! I ended up eating the whole pack but hey your eating for two right lol also if you can tolerate it a small glass of milk every now and again helps to neutralise the stomach acid ❤️