Currently ruining my life and I need help!

[Leigh6870]

Hello all,

I posted awhile back but don't know where it went to. I'm currently 30 and have had this phobia for 22 years. I just figured out it had a name about 5 months ago. For the longest time my parents and friends thought I was just weird, until I sent them the "signs and symptoms" I found on a random website and it pegged me to a T. Then, they were like "Wow. You need to get some help". Why yes, yes I do. But where?!

I was fine for a couple years and then a few months back had an episode of what I now know what heartburn but thought I was going to throw up and...SURPRISE! It's back. With a vengence. I've only thrown up twice in my life so my fears come from the fact that I'm not sure what real nausea feels like or how I know when I'm going to. All I can remember is that my stomach was KILLING me when I was going to.

This has now gotten to a new low. I don't go out to eat in restaurants. The shear grossness of eating food somebody else has cooked is disgusting. I'm even afraid of eating my own cooking. At this point, I'm afraid of food in general. I've lost 7 lbs. in the past couple months. I don't sleep, because I'm afraid I'm going to wake up in the middle of the night and throw up. Not to mention that now I'm dreaming about myself or other people throwing up and then I wake up with a stomach ache. Then I have to try to get back to sleep. Ohhhhh the cycle of this is killing me. This is not healthy. Oh, and I rarely leave my apartment because what happens if I get sick out in public or in my car while traveling to/from somewhere?!

I tried going to a hypnotherapist and while she helped a little, it's time to call in the big guns. What kind of therapies do you recommend? Books you've tried? Websites besides this one that has helped?

I'm moving to New York City this fall (germ central!!) and am not only afraid of getting sick on the subway, I'm also afraid of having to go #2 and being stuck somewhere (subway, street, wherever) and not have access to a restroom. Eeck!

Thanks for listening even if nobody ever posts.

[olschesky]

i absolutely love the subway in nyc.........whenever i visit i spend alot of time down there....lol....never gotten sick from it....and i'm not a big handwasher........also one night while in the city i had to go #2.....in the bus station at times square..........no sickness there either.......the most terrifying part of my trips are the car ride there and back.......and i don't get car sick.....just pure anxiety.

i havent been to a therapist yet........almost feel like i've been this way for 50 years it's not worth trying to find help for now. this website has given me tons of information and lowered my anxiety level. my regular doctor has me on prozac......which has also been a huge help in my obsessing about v........

nyc is my favortie city every........lucky you.....enjoy!!

[tman563]

Look into cognitive behavioral therapy. The admin for this forum has also made a product to help cure emet that sells for $60-$70. Theres a review of it in my signature below

[catlobster]

Antidepressants are a HUGE help in the battle to take control of your life back from emet. The only downside is getting past the anxiety in the first few days of taking them...the listed side effects on every single antidepressant out there is nausea. Very few people actually experience it though, so don't let the fear hold you back. Getting a "safety net" of a strong anti-nausea/anti-emetic (prescription: meclizine, zofran, phenegrin, etc) to have with you helps a lot too...this way, if you start to feel ill, you know you can pop one of those pills and be fine within 30 min (it's more mental than anything else).
When I first started with my awful journey of severe physical illness from emet, the doctor put me on prilosec/heartburn medication...believe it or not, when you're not eating you're prone to severe heartburn, since the stomach acid is just sitting there. Find your "safe food", and go from there (mine was frosted mini wheats. That's all I ate for months- I don't recommend it, but it's better than eating nothing). But an antidepressant is your best bet, complemented by other therapies (talk, CBT, etc). I'm currently eyeballing hypnotherapy...but insurance doesn't cover it...

[ejb199]

i LOVE NYC. id love to live there for a bit - maybe a year or two and work in the city and enjoy cocktails at the roof top bars. lush.

anyways, with going to the loo, try and think out of the box in terms of using toilets. i suffer IBS and knowing the following has helped me feel in control and therefore calmer and less likely to suffer a pooplosion.

locate public toilets - know where they are. just knowing makes u feel in control.
know where public toilets at subways and stations.
good loos at the staten island ferry terminal ;-)
Use hotel lobby toilets. in busy hotels, people come and go ALL the time. no one will give you a second look if you wander in and use the loo - somewhere near the bar or lobby area. and after youve been, you can always go and "enquire" about staying the night whenever and get a brochure.
Fast food establishments - again, busy and no one likely to come in.

[Leigh6870]

i LOVE NYC. id love to live there for a bit - maybe a year or two and work in the city and enjoy cocktails at the roof top bars. lush.

anyways, with going to the loo, try and think out of the box in terms of using toilets. i suffer IBS and knowing the following has helped me feel in control and therefore calmer and less likely to suffer a pooplosion.

locate public toilets - know where they are. just knowing makes u feel in control.
know where public toilets at subways and stations.
good loos at the staten island ferry terminal ;-)
Use hotel lobby toilets. in busy hotels, people come and go ALL the time. no one will give you a second look if you wander in and use the loo - somewhere near the bar or lobby area. and after youve been, you can always go and "enquire" about staying the night whenever and get a brochure.
Fast food establishments - again, busy and no one likely to come in.

That's exactly what I'm doing. =) I've been a teacher for the past 7 years and I'm going back to school to become an ultrasound technician. I live in TX and have lived here my whole life so I'm ready for a change! My plan is just to stay for 2 years, and then move somewhere else.

I would just like to get this dang phobia under control so I can enjoy my new life in NYC!! I absolutely love it up there!