40 & still emetophobic

[cuhley70]

I am new to this site but, I am glad it exists. I have been living like this since I was 4 years old. It sucks. Has anyone had hypnosis work? I am starting it next week.
Does anyone remember what triggered your phobia? I know mine started when I had a bad "sv" and my brother always teased me about "v"ing.
I have 2 little girls now and I am deathly scared of them getting sick. Last time they were sick was 2 years ago and I was in full blown panic mode. I just don't want them to be the same way as me. It really sucks living life like this. I know that I do not have it as bad as others. I still go out to eat, I fly, I go on rides,I can say the words, watch it happen on tv, etc but it is always on the back of my mind. Winter time is the worst for me. I am kind of lucky, I had the nissen surgery last year and that makes it so that I can NOT "V" and I take Zofran daily.
I am interested on how others cope and what treatments they have tried. Looking to hear from you

[griffdiz]

I am interested too. I plan on finding a therapist to go to depending on whether I can afford it. I can do daily activities too, but freak out when someone vomits. What is the nissen surgery? I never heard of it.

[ButterfliesInHerEyes]

Welcome... I'm 47 and still emetophobic, so don't feel bad.

I have PTSD and my emetophobia stems from trauma. I have done the hypnosis and while it relaxed me and made me feel better in the short-term, in the long-term it has done nothing. I think you have to try things yourself to see if it works for you because what works for one doesn't for another and vice-versa... probably because our reasons for having this phobia are all different.

Do you get any side-effects from the Zofran? Do you feel medicated and sleepy like with Gravol? (dramamine)

[cuhley70]

The nissed surgery if for GERD. They basically take the top portion of your stomach and wrap it around your esophagus. This prevents acid refelux. It also makes it so you can't really burp and you can not throw up. BUT you are nauseated a lot
No I do not get any side effects from zofran. I have been taking it from since my nissen surgery a year ago

[sage]

Hypnosis can be an integral part of an overall course of therapy. However, the standard treatment for emetophobia is cognitive-behavioral therapy. Some hypnotists claim they have "cured" people of emetophobia, but I haven't heard any of the 17,000 members here over the past 9 years say that.

[sage]

About the surgery - so you can't vomit, however you're still phobic, yes? You're here, so I'm assuming that.

[ButterfliesInHerEyes]

I want this surgery that never makes me vomit! I'd be over this in a snap

Good point, Sage.

[sage]

You wouldn't be over "this", Butterfly! You'd be just as terrified, but of something else. I'm always saying on here, to the point of sounding like a broken record, that vomiting is not the problem. Anxiety is the problem. And that won't go away with any surgery. I'm a class example - yes, me - the wise old sage....it's true! I had very radical surgery 2 years ago (elective). Had my breasts cut off, new ones made, 5 more surgeries to get 'em right. All because I was terrified of getting breast cancer again. Now I find myself rather obsessed with ovarian cancer, and colon cancer. Not as bad...because I have a lot of tools to counteract anxiety. But it's still there. The mastectomies were recommended by my surgeon because of my chances of getting it again, so it wasn't all that nutty. But I pretty much knew it wouldn't cure all my anxiety over cancer and sure enough I was right.

[ButterfliesInHerEyes]

Oh my gosh Sage, I'm so sorry you had to go through all that!

So you're saying the problem with emetophobia isn't vomiting, it's our thoughts? So how do we change our thoughts so the fear doesn't manifest in another way? Although, I'd rather be terrified of spiders than vomiting haha.

[cuhley70]

my surgery has made it a little easier. Taking Zofran makes it easier too since it prevents you from throwing up. I still have the fear. My anxiety comes from my brother teasing me by acting like he was going to puke. So my therapist and I have been working on cbt and starting hypnosis. Hell I am even thinking about trying acupuncture

[sage]

Thanks, Butterflies. Yes, it was quite the ordeal but I'm very happy with the outcome and my chances of getting breast cancer again dropped from 50/50 (yikes!) to about 2%. So that's a good thing. Also, I like my new boobs - hahaha - I had huge knockers before and now I've got little Hollywood "B"s - lol.

cuhley - thank you so much for sharing this with us. So many people on here believe that if they could just be guaranteed not to vomit, they would not have any fear. But since vomiting is not dangerous in the first place, the problem is fearing it so terribly. And that tendency to fear things terribly is what needs to be treated.

cbt and hypnotherapy will probably do you a world of good, cuhley. Good luck with it!

[turbokinetic]

I want this surgery that never makes me vomit! I'd be over this in a snap.....

Not sure that would be a good idea! The problem with a total inability to vomit is that you still can go through the motions, without anything coming out. It would be a far worse torment than normal vomiting. This is a real concern with procedures that leave one in a state where vomiting is impossible.

I would feel so totally ashamed if I chose to permanently alter my body for the sake of this phobia. I would consider that the ultimate fail at overcoming emetophobia.

And, in agreement with Sage, I don't see how it would help the faulty thoughts and flawed logic that cause a phobia.

Just my opinion, and no offence meant to anyone. It's my opinion I wanted to share.

Respectfully,
David

[cuhley70]

first to Sage, congrats on surviving everything that you have been through.
Now about the Nissen surgery. I had to have it done because of having bad reflux. I am nauseated every day which is why I take Zofran. I would never recommend it as a "cure" for emet. Especially that food gets stuck in your throat and sometimes it feels like you are going to puke it back up. I talk to a lot of people on daily strength that have emet and want the nissen surgery and I have told them it is not all it seems to be. I agree with Sage that you need therapy. Does anyone have any other "mental" illnesses along with anxiety? I have been diagnosed with OCD, a form of bi-polar, ADHD and of course anxiety

[turbokinetic]

...about the Nissen surgery. I had to have it done because of having bad reflux...... ADHD and of course anxiety

Yes, I realized that. I hope I didn't sound like I was implying you had this surgery because of your phobia! I was more replying to someone who posted below you about it. Sorry, I hope you didn't take that the wrong way!

I'm also somewhat ADHD. When I was in school it was a bit of a problem. But now, I have learned to channel that physical energy into doing things I want to do, instead of random stuff!

Sincerely,
David

[turbokinetic]

One more thing I want to tell, since you asked about other mental quirks to go along with emetophobia!

I'm still anxiety prone, when it comes to "social" situations, such as groups of classmates or co-workers, and when it comes to going to the doctor. I expect my heart to race up to 100/min and just "drive through" the anxiety and make myself go into the social situation anyway. The feeling passes in a few minutes most of the time!

With the doctor's office, it is somewhat worse. When I was younger, the fight or flight response would stay with me longer. My body would release so much energy that after 10 or 15 minutes I would be hot to the touch. When I would go into the doctor's examining room, they would see a temperature of 100.5°F or more. I almost didn't get a job because they didn't want to pass my pre-employment physical on account of it!

These things don't bother me except on rare occasions, and it's more a curiousity than a real problem.

Take care,
David

[cuhley70]

no David I don't think you were implying anything. I just want people to know it is not a cure all

[ButterfliesInHerEyes]

Not sure that would be a good idea! The problem with a total inability to vomit is that you still can go through the motions, without anything coming out. It would be a far worse torment than normal vomiting. This is a real concern with procedures that leave one in a state where vomiting is impossible.

I would feel so totally ashamed if I chose to permanently alter my body for the sake of this phobia. I would consider that the ultimate fail at overcoming emetophobia.

And, in agreement with Sage, I don't see how it would help the faulty thoughts and flawed logic that cause a phobia.

Just my opinion, and no offence meant to anyone. It's my opinion I wanted to share.

Respectfully,
David

I said I wanted the surgery in jest. Truth is, I'd be too afraid to have the surgery - even if it's a surgery that would stop me from vomiting EVER - for fear of voming haha. That's an example of one of those crazy thoughts that no surgery - except maybe a labotomy - can get rid of.

You make excellent points, and I agree with them all.