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Thread: Serious Problem

  1. #1

    Default Serious Problem

    So for the last few years I have found that I started getting emetophobia. I am also a huge germaphobe, and a hypochondriac. I have not v* in six years, thankfully. About a year ago I got a lot worse after I started having this problem. I would feel extremely sick (n*, stomach pains, weird feelings, etc.) and I refused to keep going to school. I decided this year I would online school because of it. Everyday I felt like this, and it was torture. In October I got an endoscopic to check my stomach and what not and everything came back fine. Still no answer. Then I got a Hydrogen Breath Test, and it turned out I had SIBO (Small Intestinal bacteria Overgrowth). I went on a 2 week antibiotic course (Flagyl and Batrim DS) and I refused to take them without Zofran, as the combo of both drugs would cause severe n* and v* and I was not about to let that happen. I also started a diet of only natural foods (meats, fruits, veges, and nuts), and it seemed to all help. Mind you before I had gotten the antibiotics, every time I ate I felt like I was going to v* and extremely heavy/bloated. Also be minded that I was born with bad GERD, and acid reflux and heartburn do not bother me at all considering I get them almost everyday since the day I was born, it's become natural to me. But here's the problem. Ever since then I've become horrible. I am not comfortable leaving the house for more than 1 hour in case my symptoms start up as usual (I still feel icky 3-4/7 days a week, but nothing as bad as before). If I so much as know that I have plans or anything is set in stone about me going out or doing anything, anxiety starts up and I will start feeling sick. I can't mentally handle getting a job because of it either, which is causing problems. I have someone take a bite of everything I eat out of fear that I will get food poisoning, if someone near me so much as coughs I have a mental breakdown, and if I feel like I'm going to v* I get anxiety and freak. let me explain...
    My heart will start racing, my breathing gets quick, my jaw will lock, I will start pulling my hair, I will cry, I'll start pacing back and forth, and I get tense. The anxiety only makes it worse, and I try to remind myself that.
    I have started taking probiotics daily to help with my flora to help me from catching anything, and I've started dabbling in herbal medicine as well.
    Does anyone have an suggestions to help with my problem?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    405

    Default Re: Serious Problem

    I know that when I quit work and school, my emetophobia got way worse. I allowed it to completely consume me. Simple things like going out to the mailbox gave me horrible anxiety. At that point I lived with my mom still. I never left her house! The first step in me getting better (still have emetophobia but I managed to go to a university and get a bachelors degree while working full time and live on my own an hour away from family) was to go to therapy once a week. It was really really hard for me to get out of the house and drive to therapy and then stay the whole hour. I had to go up a flight of stairs to get to her office and some days it'd take several tries to just get to her office because my anxiety was so bad I was afraid of v or passing out, I'd make it part of the way up and then back down to the car. Then try again!

    After that, I started trying to get myself into more public places, sometimes with family, mostly alone. I'd start by running to the gas station, grab a pop and pay, go back out. Sometimes I'd sit for 20 mins in the parking lot in my car contemplating going in. I'd visualize the aisles, make sure there weren't many people in there, plan a quick escape if I had to run out, etc. then on to bigger stores. Going deeper into Walmart, then all the way to the back.

    I finally felt strong enough after months and months of conditioning to try for a job again. I'd done housekeeping at a hotel before, so I applied and got a job right away. It seems crazy, but I've never had to clean a room with v in it. I suppose if I had to, I'd just tell me supervisor I didn't feel well and leave it for someone else! Housekeeping is great because you're totally on your own once trained. If you're anxious, just shut the door and take a second. No one is watching, you don't have to explain yourself. It's also physical and fast paced. You can have tv on or listen to your music or watever while cleaning.

    Today I'm working as an HR Admin and working on some premed classes. Like I mentioned, I went from being afraid to leave my moms house to a university! You can do it, you just have to push yourself! It will be uncomfortable and scary. But you will be okay. One day, one moment, one breath at a time sometimes. God made it possible for me.

    It it probably feels like life will never get better or be normal, but it will be.
    Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. -Isaiah 41:10

 

 

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