The Phobics Support Group - Bring Your Neuroses Here!

[ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas]

Hello phobics everywhere! This thread is a continuation of the thread entitled Does anyone have a debilitating phobia? in case anyone is interested and wants to read up from the beginning.

I have "come out" on Mumsnet and admitted to a phobia of being sick and seeing people being sick and so have quite a few other people! I have been to my GP, thanks to the advice of Mumsnetters and am now awaiting therapy. However, I think a lot of us are getting some light therapy right here, just talking about our fears and knowing we are not alone. Plaes e feel free to join in if you want to, and I hope all the old-timers find their way here.

Hello Again

Thanks for transferring my original posting over here. Its nice not to feel alone in this so thanks also to everyone who has fessed up to suffering from this.

I checked a link on the other thread and what I have in relation to eating in public is called Globus Hystericus which is a fear of choking. I know this because a member of my family choked in front of me when I was about nine and I remember this phobia coming on almost immediately after. The being sick thing has always been there too but I am petrified of choking on it too which is part of why I get so worked up. However, I do eat normally, just not in front of people!

Has anyone suceeded in beating this type of phobia? I have tried medication and hypnotherapy but so far nothing has worked. Maybe cognitive therapy would work instead. Has anyone been for this?

xx

Welcome mum2chloe.
Just wanted to add that I also cannot burp, well not a normal out loud burp like other people. I do however make a strange gurggling noise instead.(sorry if too much info)
Like you lonelymum, I get slightly nervous of my DD who does the biggest loudest burps. She came home from nursery the other week and told me her little friend had taught her how to burp while counting to 10. Lovely eh? (obviously I dont let her do it)
I was also pertrified in the doctors this morning as the old man sitting next to us (almost on top of us) was swaying and burping like mad, was so desperate to get taken.
Does anyone else hate doctors waiting rooms?

When you say medication do you mean anti-depressants? Prozac or similar? My Gp tried to put me on those when I went to see her about this a fortnight ago. I refused as that is not the answer for me.

I am trying some therapy when I get my referral through. I don't know exactly what from it will take. I am interested that you have tried some things and they have not worked. Do you want to tell us a bit about them? I think we would all like a way out of this, but I for one am sadly sceptical of anything working.

Sorry mum2chloe ment to say in your origional post when you asked is there anything that stops sickness. Did you mean medication? If so you can get anti sickness tablets from the doctor. I have these at home and do find that they work.

glad i'm not alone then hausfrau

Oh no faring is OK! Very satisfying too!
Aimsmum, do you mind me asking, on what occasion would you use anti-sickness pills? I would worry about using them if I felt sick because, however much I don't want to be sick, I would worry that not being sick would mean I retained a bug in me that was damaging to me. It's like rats. They can't be sick so they dies from ingesting poison.

How did you get hold of the anti-sickness pills?

FARTING! FARTING! FARTING! I must improve my typing!

How strange. Do you think the British Medical Council would pay us lots of money for discovering this new medical link!

Lonely Mum - one GP tried me on Seroxat but this made me feel really really anxious for no reason. Apparently Seroxat acts like an amphetamine to release seratonin from your brain so racing heart, dry mouth etc are common symptoms, but they were worse than the phobia itself in some ways!

I tried hypnotherapy twice but was a little dubious and neither session (with different therapists) worked either.

I am hopeful cognitive therapy would work a little as the therapist will explore the reasons for it, how you feel when you are suffering, what you do etc etc, then they will give you coping mechanisms. However I have had this phobia for 18 years now and I cannot picture not having it, though it would be bloody lovely not to!

How do your DP's or DH's feel about your phobias? Are they supportive or do they feel restricted by you? DH is always saying I will pass it on to DD which I really don't want to do. He has to supervise her eating and if she is sick it is him who has to deal with it.

I just want to be normal. If there was a brain operation to get rid of this I would honestly, hand on heart, have it without hesitation.

Mumtochloe - yes Seroxat was the other thing I was offered. Glad I didn't accept it after your description!

I too would have the brain operation if I could. I feel like I would never be scared or worried or depressed again if I suddenly lost my phobia. Not true of course, I would still worry about dying etc, but life would be unrecognisable certainly.
My dh is pretty supportive of me, but more so since my phobia became worse and he realised I wasn't just going to pull myself together and get over it. He is pleased I have gone to my GP about it.

God I didn't know about rats....I always just presume that if it was a stomach bug it would come out the other end so to speak.
I got them from my doctor, he gives them out quite freely!! I origionally got them for the first time about 3 years ago when the whole house came down with a stomach bug and DD and DP at the time got over it in 24 hours, but I wasn't actually sick, just retching all the time etc, and then couldn't bring myself to eat, feeling sick all the time etc and the doctor prescribed them and they worked so well, took away the nausea instantly. Anyway I had some left over and I used them everytime I felt sick awfterward (not lots just every now and then). Then i got them prescribed again when I had to be on very strong antibiotics for a bladder infection. But a few months ago I had none left and quite like having them at home just incase so i just asked for a perscription and he gave me a box of 80!
I dont take them much just if I ever feel really sick, or if I'm travelling.
Sorry that was a long rambling explaination, when i could have given a simpler answer

No no, don't apologise. I wondered how you got hold of them. Perhaps you are right and bugs would just travel through to the other end (that happens naturally with me anyway). If the rat scenario were the case for humans too, your GP would be a bit careless giving you a box of 80 for no particular reason IYSWIM.

I remember the first time my ds1 had a bad bug: he vomited every 20-30 minutes all through the night (I'm afraid that is what he is like with bugs). We were so anxious the next morning that dh took him to hospital and came bcak with some anti-sickness medicine but I am not sure we actually gave it to him, and I think I threw it away eventually. I just would feel really anxious using it in case I poisoned my children with it.

My DD is exactly the same with tummy bugs, she can never even keep down water and was once hospitalised with dehydration because of this. But she has been given the same medication I have prescribed in liquid form for her twice (once was from the hospital) so I have presumed it is ok to take during a tummy bug. Although DD gets so bad sometimes she just brings that back up too.
Its really awful isn't it my DD is never ever just sick the once she seems to pick things up really badly.

I do think it is quite safe though. I will go and look for the correct spelling and tell you what it is called.
x

I never offer my ds1 water of anything until he has stopped being sick. It is just fuel to the vomiting to him I think. Sorry, too much info there.

Farting is something I am very good at lol!

How do you get anti sickness tablets? Will GP's give them to you for a phobia? Do they work if you have a tummy bug coming on?

The anti-sickness tablets are called stemetil.
\link{http://www.medicdirect.co.uk/med_cabinet/medicine.ihtml?pid=332&step=4\stemetil}

I alwats offer DD sips of water even though I know they will probably come back up because it was so scary when she was in hospital with dehydration. I can also cope much better when it is just small amounts of water being brought back up. Ok will stop there, sorry too much info.

mum2chloe, the anti-sickness pills will not stop you catching the tummy bug but will stop you being sick with it. It will just pass through you out the other end IYKWIM.
I dont know if your doctor will give them out for a phobia, but mine gives then out for a lot of things, travel sickness etc. Although I do have a crap doctor, other doctors might actually ask you questions or examine you etc....(mine does none of these things and also misdiagnoses illnesses etc, I'm trying to change Drs at the moment)

Aimsmum - are they addictive or anything? If I were to go to my GP to ask for them I don't want him to think I am a junkie after a fix lol. what do you think I should say if I were to ask for them?

I don't blame you for trying to change GP's - just make sure you get your supply of anti sickenss tablets first!

Where is everyone located by the way?

Hi I dont think they are addictive, I mean I dont take them every day or anything I only take 1 tablet maybe every couple of months or something. But when I had a bad bladder infection I got prescribed them to take along side really strong antibiotics (as I was told they would be likely to make me sick)and I was taking 3 a day everyday for a month, and never became addicted or anything!

I'm in Glasgow and I have 1 DD who has just turned 4. What about you?

Well, I'll give it a go and see if my GP will give me some. The only thing is, I would only take them if I felt sick or if DD was sick. If it was me feeling sick, wouldn't I bring them back up again before they could take effect?

DD is 3.5 and I am in Hove on the South Coast- probably about as far away from you as you can possibly get!

Thanks for your advice Hun xx

Hi mumtochloe, I am in West Sussex. My children are 8, nearly 7, 4 and 21 months.

If you want to get hold of some of those pills, I would suggest you told your doctor you suffered from travel sickness. I have to admit though, I wouldn't feel happy taking them myself, but I don't think Aimsmum is the only emetophobe who does take them.

As I said I only take maybe 3 or 4 in a year, if I've a stomach bug or travelling, but I wouldn't take them more than that. But I have never been sick after taking one.
Obviously they are not a cure and can't actually stop you from catching bugs etc, but you could always ask your Dr and see what he/she says.
I feel a bit like i'm encouraging people to take medication, and that not the case at all.
I just hate the though of both me and DD being ill at the same time, cos I dont know how i'd cope, as I am on my own with her and have no family nearby or anything, and none of my friends have children, and don't really understand what its like.
Sorry rambling again

Aimsmum, I've just read your last post and I am worried I sound like I am criticising you. Honestly, I am not. I am right there with you and I know with a phobia you have to do whatever it takes to get you through. I'm sorry if I make you feel defensive about the pills. I'm sure 3 or 4 a year are not going to be a problem and anyway, take as many as you need to get you through each crisis. Hugs to you.

Hello

How is everyone doing today?

I didn't think of it like this either Aimsmum - I am really glad you mentioned it as it is something I never even considered before. I understand how hard it would be - we have no family near us either so if we all get sick then it is really hard, and there are two of us too.

Had another interrogation today! A colleague who I also happen to get a lift to work with, has started throwing up. However it is because she has a cough which is making her sick so it shouldn't be contagious...should it????

Whereabouts in Sussex are you Lonelymum?

xx