Help! no one understands...

[acrykbost]

Hi...

I'm new here, and I'm in crisis. I am 25 years old, and have suffered with this since I can remember. I am a RN (surprise!), I have 2 young children, and I am a single mom. I should also mention I have IBS, which is specifically triggered by stress, i.e. vomiting.

My reason for posting today is for a few reasons...this fall my boys and I have had every stomach bug around, TWICE! This week alone I had to take care of my oldest alone while he was vomiting, and my youngest has been sick for 3 days with vomiting and diarrhea. No one in my family understand, they tell me to "suck it up" and "what kind of nurse am I" because I panic with vomit. I am looking for support....some resources, things that have helped others...anything! I want to be able to be there for my children fully and be ok with sickness, instead of feeling nauseated and in pain myself and panicked for days on end.

My thoughts are consumed with when its going to happen again...I get anxious when my sons complain of a stomachache...i don't sleep, i don't eat...I'm useless...
Please help!

[olschesky]

welcome to the forum. sounds like you are really having a tough winter......i've been hearing of some really bad cases of this sv.......

how amazing that you are able to be a nurse....and a mother......two occupations that totally call for being around sick ones......i never had children so can't relate to that.....but there are lots of mothers on here and i'm sure they will offer you some good advice.

hoping you find lots of help and comfort in here.......we all totally understand how you feel......and knowing that is a real comfort for me.

hope everyone is feeling ok around you

[acrykbost]

Thanks! Its great to know I have support instead of being mocked...a new experience for me. Ill continue to work on improving, but any and all advice is welcomed.

[Yggdrasil]

Though seeing vomit doesnt bother me, I am pregnant and am dealing with a horrible bout of morning sickness and I can definatly relate to the panic and anxiety and comes with having to or feeling like you are going to vomit. Its very traumatizing, especially when you are dealing with a situation like yours.

personally I think there is nothing wrong with feeling this way, it is a survival instinct to not want to vomit. vomitting dehydrates us and dehydration is a killer, so its only natural to feel extreme anxiety where vomit is concerned.

I am sorry that your situation is so terrible after I have my baby I will be trying for a hysterectomy so this dosnt happen again. I am in college to become a Surgical Technician and the last thing I need is to be in the middle of a surgery and lose it all over the patient. Not a very good thought...

[acrykbost]

It's been a struggle for sometime...and I am always reluctant to talk about it to people I know because they just don't get it. My son seems to be doing better, but he was a bit pale this morning, and it got my mind racing. I'm a bit nauseated myself, but I think its just from the stress, thank goodness for Gravol

Ygg: I'm glad you are going to pursue the career you are...and that you will have a child. It is hard to do both (trust me) in regards to sickness, but I didn't want to let my fear prevent me from being a mother and doing a career I love. Good on you!

[Leo StarGazer]

I'd just like to say that I totally admire you! I am new here too and I want to work in a field which deals with vomit - vet nursing. How do you do it? I think that if I were to be an emetophobic vet nurse I would be fired. Anyway, I'm not sure if this would help you, but I've started giving myself 'exposure therapy' which is probably not the best idea to do it by yourself, but I'd rather it be that way.
I guess you've already had lots of exposure, so my post was probably useless. Just letting you know that I understand!

[acrykbost]

Leo: I love nursing, I love what I do....and I am good at it...the only issue I have is with this, so I did not let it stand in my way. At work, I can't be in the room when someone vomits, but I can tolerate the aftermath....at home with my kids, I don't handle it well at all...I guess its situational what I can and can't tolerate. At work i have people to help me, where as, at home I don't. Again, I commend you for taking on a job where you have to deal with it. it's hard work!
I have exposure every day, and with my kids I'm making slow progress (i.e. Washing whatever was messed up instead of just tossing it out) etc...My whole goal is to be able to manage my IBS while dealing with my phobia. So far no luck!

[Yggdrasil]

Acrykbost- It'd be difficult even without the emetophobia, long hours in the medical feild and then having to come home and get the house together and take care of the children. its going to be one hell of a ride! I feel the exact same way, I'm not going to let anything stop me from doing what I love to do! Its a good feeling to be able to say that, keeps me determined.

[acrykbost]

Ygg: I will try to channel your determination....this season is just getting to me. Ugh! So far everyone is recovering, fingers crossed it stays that way for a while!

[sage]

Hi and welcome to the site. Check out my website for all kinds of information, help and support. Good luck!

[acrykbost]

Hi and welcome to the site. Check out my website for all kinds of information, help and support. Good luck!

I can't access it, but thank you for the thought!

[bcrnkovich]

I'm right there with you It has been over 2 weeks since both my boys had a bad sv, and I still can't eat, sleep, anything. I hate living like this.

[chelz]

hi there acrykbost my name is chelsea and i am 22 yrs old i want 2 be a paediatric nurse but am wheelchair bound and bedbound in hospital at the moment but i am determined that one day i will be well and walking and beable 2 pursue my dream career so i really admire you anyways i too am a severe emetophobic who is currently getting over severe malnourishment and dehydration and severe metabolic acidosis due to vomiting for a whole week and not being able to take my tube feed and fluids and my meds apart from iv i have been terrified to take anything into my stomach i am slowly taking more meds although iv got loads to go and my feeds are starting to increase rate and volume but today iv refused to due to pain in stomach nausea and anxiety i would love to chat to you some time so please message me back im new on here too xxx sending big higs ur way xxx

[andee]

Welcome to you both! Hang in there Chelz! Hope you are better.
I am a medical assistant and also love phlebotomy! It's been a hard road and I had to give up my dream job of drawing blood on the floors in the hosp because I couldn't handle the patients possibly "getting sick." I love medicine too but this fear does get in my way. I also have 2 children, and it does get very stressful when they are sick. Fortunately I have my hubby who has to take care of them...I literally can't even be in the same room with them. I wish for you to have some help at those times. It must be so hard that no one understands...how about a neighbor maybe? Take care and remember you are strong.