New here and feeling unwell

[swish2101]

First off I just joined so I'm sorry if I don't quite have the abbreviations down yet. If someone could fill me in on those that would be great. I've been emetophobic since an incident at school in second grade, but recently it has been becoming even more intense. It's kinda been taking over how I think about things like going out and eating. Anyway, today I began to feel rather n* (was that the right usage?) and knew something was off, and indeed, I spent the next few hours in the bathroom with my mom. (Fortunately it seems my willpower is strong when it comes to this, and I did not actually v*, however it was definitely an actual illness, not anxiety as I usually get at night.) After a few hours I was feeling much better, but am concerned about how I should go about recovering. As it was three sips of water that set everything in motion this evening, what should I do? What sort of foods should I eat? Since I can barely remember the last time I was sick in this manner, I'm nervous that I will set off my stomach again inadvertently. Also, I have been discussing exposure therapy with a therapist, has anyone found this to be effective? It seems like it would be very stressful to me.

[Kittycat319]

Hey I know it's hard to get advice on what to do when you actually get sick (so many people on here haven't been sick in an impressively long time) but I think I can help.
I had an sv* (stomach virus) last year where I actually v* twice.
As far as recovering goes my best advice is water, not super cold and drink through a straw so you do dot gulp it
If you sart to feel like you want food maybe try some noodle soup. I if you can hold down liquid things then introduce some crackers. Also if you want something sweet try making ice cubes out of Gatorade my mom did that for me last year, very yummy and hydrating. Hope you feel better soon!

[KaydeeJayde]

To add to what KittyCat said, look into the BRAT diet. It's great if your tummy is feeling a little off or if you're recovering from an illness. It's Banana, Rice, Applesauce and Toast.. B-R-A-T

Welcome to the forums, by the way!

[missj]

First off, welcome! Second I think it's awesome you're able to hang out in the bathroom with your mom when you don't feel well. I know, for me, I lock myself in the bathroom and don't let ANYONE come in and turn on the water just in case anyone could hear anything. I know it sucks to have this fear, trust me, but I think it's great that you have a safe person! One thing that has helped me is trying to live as stress free as possible. That included getting rid of toxic relationships and not doing this just because I "should". I honor how I feel. If I had a plan to go out on a date with my fiance somewhere big and public but I don't want to, I don't. I'll get there, and I don't need to force myself. Little steps! Also, ruling out food allergies can also REALLY aide with eliminating nausea! I am just about to start CBT with a new therapist so I am hoping that helps. *HUGS*

[chixy]

Welcome!! Some of the abbreviations I've learned on here are...
**GRAPHIC if your triggered by words!**
N* - nausea/nauseous etc
V* - vomit
D* - diarrhea
FP* - food poisoning
SV* - Stomach virus
BM* - Bowel movement (usually used like "loose bm*" and stuff like that. At least when I've seen it)
those are all the things I can think of on the top of my head, I'm sure the are more!
*end of graphic :-)*
I do agree with precious posters that the BRAT diet is great. I've been following that diet every time my stomach has been upset without even knowing there was a name for it haha :-). Although, a rule of thumb is that if something sounds good, it's fine to eat it. Usually if you've lost your appetite due to a fp* or whatever, you would usually feel worse just thinking about food and if something then sounds good to eat its usually fine to do so as long as you eat slowly!
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