How do you get a prescription of anti-emetics on the NHS? Also which anti-emetic ?

[emet-ana]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here. I'm in my early twenties and have had emetophobia since I was about 7.

I've been reading a lot of people's posts and like nearly everyone else I am petrified of noroviruses.

I also have severe OCD and have got to the point where I can't touch anything that other people have touched and I barely leave my house (I only really leave for walks and jogs). So I imagine that if I was prescribed a strong anti-emetic like prochlorperazine to use if I caught norovirus that I might be able to get back to normal activities!

Has anyone been prescribed strong anti-emetics on the NHS? (I was given domperidone to take with some anti-depressants a while ago but I don't that is as useful for preventing viral vomiting). Also which anti-emetics are best for stomach bugs?

Thanks

[ditchy_jon]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here. I'm in my early twenties and have had emetophobia since I was about 7.

I've been reading a lot of people's posts and like nearly everyone else I am petrified of noroviruses.

I also have severe OCD and have got to the point where I can't touch anything that other people have touched and I barely leave my house (I only really leave for walks and jogs). So I imagine that if I was prescribed a strong anti-emetic like prochlorperazine to use if I caught norovirus that I might be able to get back to normal activities!

Has anyone been prescribed strong anti-emetics on the NHS? (I was given domperidone to take with some anti-depressants a while ago but I don't that is as useful for preventing viral vomiting). Also which anti-emetics are best for stomach bugs?

Thanks

I have been sufferring from Emetophobia since I was about 12, which is nearly 16 years. In my opinion it would be best for you not to have any anti emetics unless they are over the counter. Strong Anti Emetics are used for persons who are sufferring nasty bouts of Vomiting (over 3 days or more), such as when they have Chemotherapy or Surgery. The strong anti emtics you speak of can come with nasty side effects if used in the long term, which is why they are usually used short term. I guarantee like every Emetophobic on here that if we were given anti-emetics, we would use them on a daily basis rather than when we were really ill. Generally Emetphobics are unlikely to experience vomiting as they have a good control of their gag reflex due to their condition.
Also as with every Emetophobe, you have to realise that the fear and anxiety are in your head on not in the stomach. You should go out of the house as there is a very rare chance you are going to catch Norovirus if you wash your hand throughly before putting them in your mouth. You can also search on the internet and buy some special hand cleaner that can destroy norovirus.
I also think that Domperidone is good enough for what you need and it blocks the dopamine receptors to your brain and keeps the stomach flowing the correct way, which means there is very little in your stomach and this counter acts nausea.

[emet-ana]

Thanks Ditchy-Jon,

I have been weighing up whether taking anti-emetics would be giving in to my emetophobia and OCD or not. My plan was to give the anti-emetics to my Dad (I moved back home due to my disorder) and only ask to take a tablet if I had already been sick once or if my family had norovirus. I know that some of the anti-emetics are actually anti-psychotics and have nasty side effects like agranulocytosis and tardive dyskinesia so I definitely wouldn't want to take them habitually!

How do you cope with this phobia?

[ditchy_jon]

Thanks Ditchy-Jon,

I have been weighing up whether taking anti-emetics would be giving in to my emetophobia and OCD or not. My plan was to give the anti-emetics to my Dad (I moved back home due to my disorder) and only ask to take a tablet if I had already been sick once or if my family had norovirus. I know that some of the anti-emetics are actually anti-psychotics and have nasty side effects like agranulocytosis and tardive dyskinesia so I definitely wouldn't want to take them habitually!

How do you cope with this phobia?

Honestly I dont think I could cope if it wasnt for my wife. She is like a rock, she always say the right things and even though I bother her none stop when I have anxiety about it, she still sits and listens to me. Also when I feel a bit rough I try to keep my mind off it usually by watching TV or playing a game on the laptop. Because most of my nausea comes from Anxiety, it usually goes after a certain time. I also have domperidone, which apparently works ok, I too contemplated asking the doctor for more anti-emetics but during Norovirius season, ide be eating them like sweets. I also wash my hands an awful lot, and have brough some Sterizar Foam Hand Sanitiser which gets rid of noroviruses. I have to admit there have been alot of sleepless nights, but sometimes you have to confront your fear and go out the front door. I have to admit I am usually quite bad around winter time (uk) when the norovirus season is upon us.

[5headh]

I have 3 types of anti-emetic from my gp; buccastem, cyclazine and metoclopramide.

Before the metoclopramide I was on proclorperazine but the gp changed it as I had been on them for over a year!

[emet-ana]

Hi Ditchy-jon,

It sounds like you have the right support and it's good you're still able to do normal things. Where do you buy Sterizar foam from? I'm in the UK too and would like to get some but am worried about using a dodgy online pharmacy by mistake!

I know there is a risk of taking anti-emetics too often but I think if I gave the pills to my parents and only allowed them to give me one if I was definitely ill then it might work out okay. With having severe OCD too I think that having a safety net might help. I really need to start doing normal things again and would like to get back to university (on leave) too. I don't tend to feel nauseous with anxiety like most emets so I think I might use them less than some sufferers- who knows! I've found that you can get low-dose prochlorperazine over the counter as an anti-nausea drug for migraine (buccastem) so I might just get a packet of that- if I know it's not on repeat prescription then I might use less of it.

5headh, I was just wondering- how do the different anti-emetics compare? have you ever used one during an episode of norovirus? apparently metoclopramide is also an anti-histamine. What does cyclazine do?

xxx

[ditchy_jon]

Hi Ditchy-jon,

It sounds like you have the right support and it's good you're still able to do normal things. Where do you buy Sterizar foam from? I'm in the UK too and would like to get some but am worried about using a dodgy online pharmacy by mistake!

I know there is a risk of taking anti-emetics too often but I think if I gave the pills to my parents and only allowed them to give me one if I was definitely ill then it might work out okay. With having severe OCD too I think that having a safety net might help. I really need to start doing normal things again and would like to get back to university (on leave) too. I don't tend to feel nauseous with anxiety like most emets so I think I might use them less than some sufferers- who knows! I've found that you can get low-dose prochlorperazine over the counter as an anti-nausea drug for migraine (buccastem) so I might just get a packet of that- if I know it's not on repeat prescription then I might use less of it.

5headh, I was just wondering- how do the different anti-emetics compare? have you ever used one during an episode of norovirus? apparently metoclopramide is also an anti-histamine. What does cyclazine do?

xxx

Hi Emet-Ana

Click the following link to take you to a site called Germ aside http://www.germ-aside.co.uk/. Also if you do onto Sterizar website http://sterizar.com/, it gives you more information about the products. They have been independently tested to get rid of norovirus and have a 6hour projection on them.
I actually like using this stuff as I suffer from Psoriasis and Alcohol Gels and constant hand washing really hurts.

[Russells]

Hi, I have suffered from emetophobia since I was 3 years old, I am 41 now. I discovered Buccastem a few years ago they are available over the counter without prescription (but only the boxes of 6). They are marketed towards people who suffer with migrianes to stop nausea & V* but they work a treat. Worth there weight in gold & have prevented me & my family from V* on many occasions. Wouldn't go anywhere without them.

Russell

[tshell]

I have a prescription for Phenergan. The last time I had a sv I took one. They are 25mg. It did not stop the v* Ended up in the ER where I continued to v* and stopped breathing. The Dr. gave me a shot of Phenergan in my hip. This stopped the v*. I asked him about the phenergan pill not working and he said that I should have taken 2 of them at the onset of the n* and this would have stopped the v* before it even started. I have had a prescription of Compazine and it works faily well also. My doctor did tell me that Phenergan was much stronger though and that Zofran was the next strongest.

[Eloyie]

I have prescription Zofran, but I have only used it when my kids or husband have been sick, or if I have been feeling nauseated for hours. It got me through a sv we had in November, everyone else v* but I did not. I do not take it unless it's a dire need, because I want to have lots of it on hand if I *really* need it.

[emet-ana]

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for your replies. I'm still not 100% about which is the best anti-emetic for norovirus but I found out that I can get 25mg Phenergen (thanks Tshell) over the counter in the UK and also small quantities of prochlorperazine as Buccastem from the pharmacy (thanks Russells).

Is Zofran (ondansetron) particularly effective? I think I'd have to ask for a prescription for that.

Also is it quite hard to keep anti-emetics down when you're ill? I only want to take tablets if I'm ill with a virus and not just in-case- would you not just v* them up?

Thanks Ditchy-Jon, when I saw the germ-aside website when I first searched for Sterizar, I wasn't sure if germ-aside was a reputable company or not. I'm just considering getting some anti-emetics to take if I really am ill as well as some sterizar to prevent catching anything!

xx

[alls]

Zofran comes in ODT ( oral disintegrating tablets) so it melts on your tongue. Its effective i suppose, im getting to used to it but i take it a lot...like atleast 4-5 times a week for a disease i have. However, you do have to take it before you are to the point of V* or it will not be as effective so once N* then take it. Here in the US its kinda hard to get sometimes actually there is a shortage at the moment so the price is high for it. but IV zofran always works much better.

[emet-ana]

Thanks Alls. Unfortunately the GP wouldn't prescribe Zofran (Ondansetron) so I've been prescribed Compazine (Prochlorperazine) instead- fingers crossed it works!