You will all recover

[thecheesecake17]

Don't worry, I'm not here to brag whilst all of you guys who have awful tummy problems and harder lives than myself sit and listen haha, believe me, I am the very worst emet in times of distress and literally run around like a headless chicken when I feel the slightest bit sick.

However.
What I will say is this - if you also class having your life ruined daily by thoughts/feelings/emet-anxiety/constitent fear of n* or v* as Emetophobia, I can assure this hell does die off. Even if temporary, I can assure you will or moreover CAN get over this. This time last year I weighed 6'12stone. I believe this is roughly 42 or 43kg. According to my height, I should be 56kg to be classed as "healthy". My boyfriend at the time caught noro in May 2015 and I went insane..I drastically limited my portions from the point of his first "I feel sick" up until around two months ago. That's 14 months of hell. I began to hate my weak brittle body and no one knew what was going on... I didn't fear food but I feared getting sick for whatever reason.

I weigh myself today, one year on from an emergency hospital check due to weakness, extreme n*, extreme hair loss(cos of malnutrition and starvation) dizziness and other factors and I am finally at a good 50kg. Sickeningly, I am rather apalled at my sudden weight gain and I'm a bit disappointed that I can't see my hipbones too well but everyone is telling me "we are so glad you're back to normal. You never complain about your tummy anymore?" And that's when it hit me. I think I'm temporarily cured from emetophobia. Don't get me wrong, if I suddenly start feeling n* today I will FREAK and I can't even imagine how I'd deal with a bug but... the thoughts I had from May 2015, such as "omg what if he/she is sick in the bathroom? Ohmygosh what if a full can of tuna will be too filling and make me sick? I didn't wash my hands for longer than 60seconds before! " Have ALL died. My brain sometimes tries to get back to this mindset such as today when I picked at my chicken burger for five mins before to check its colour haha..But honestly... even when I do feel weird, which seems to be very very very rare, my first instinct is "breathe. You didn't get sick since 2002. You're probably quite immune to things. Chill!" And the next thing I know I'm completely fine.

Even if temporary, the horrible anxiety which is making you feel sick and even get sick and ruining your life WILL get better. I was a walking mess and even up until May this year, people were talking behind my back calling me anorexic but I didn't care. Fortunately my metabolism is pretty kind to me and some good friends of mine had my back for the majority of negativity saying "she's just thin!"...

Anyway guys, sorry for the length. Just really want to encourage you guys who are going round in circles, being tricked by your brains and getting positive tests from the hospital and sitting there with ginger capsules and peppermints wondering "Why me?"... I encourage you all to eat. Sounds so damn easy and obvious and I can't speak for those who have proper issues with their stomachs (I'm sorry if you do ) but.. if you know deep down you're fine and just absolutely exhausted from this form of anxiety , eat that extra portion of chips. Go buy that chocolate. my diet has been mostly appalling this year but hey, it got me back up the weight ladder.

Hope you're all ok xx

[jkl81]

Cheesecake, I always appreciate you trying to make a positive contribution to the collective mood around here. Hope you are well.

[AoD]

Don't get me wrong, if I suddenly start feeling n* today I will FREAK and I can't even imagine how I'd deal with a bug but.

You'll do fine even if you do. You clearly have come a long way, and I'm glad for you! That is a lot of progress, and it can't have been easy, but you really are well along on the road to recovery.

Success stories are always pleasant to read, it gives hope that it is possible to get over the phobia.

[tiredofitall]

Glad to hear you are doing well. Many, many years ago I was in a situation similar to yours where I was frighteningly thin, wasn't eating, was exhausted and at the end of my rope. It was all triggered by my son's first sv which my husband also caught. It took a really long time for me to get better but fast forward 23 years and now I can't lose an ounce! However, my life is no longer consumed by the fear and while I do have a very sensitive stomach I still lead a normal life. Yes I do get very anxious if I feel sick enough to think I may v but those times are very rare now. Thanks for posting this and letting others know that it can and does get better.