New to this site and so happy to have found it:)

[Sseholm]

Hi there I am fairly new to this site although I have been lurking for about a month this is my first post. I have had emetophobia for as long as I can remember.... I though I was handling it really well for about eight years( I am 32) but recently got the flu and v....(for the first time in 8 years) and then 6 weeks later got another bug and v... and ended up going to the ER because I could not come down and they ended up giving me an IV with medicine to make me stop getting sick. Ever since those two incedents which were in Oct. and Nov. I have had full blown panic almost everyday and somedays can barely eat anything in fear that I am going to get sick....Most of the time I seem to panic at night that I am have a hard time sleeping because I am afaird I will wake up and be sick to my stomach. I have three children who are 10,7, and 5 and am divorced so at night I am home with my kids alone... Alot of time I feel like I just need to escape or that I am trapped because I can not leave my children home alone but I feel like I need to run away from myself in order to not feel sick to my stomache. I just found out that I had emetophobia in Dec. for the longest time I thought it was just anxiety or that I was going crazy.... I have so many phobias because of this I feel like I can not fully live my life... I am clausterphobic, I am afaird to travel, I am afraid to go anywhere new or unfamiliar to me, I am afraid of the dentist, I can not go in elevators, carwashes ect... I am going to start counsoling soon and am hoping for some help I am tired of feeling so scared and being afaird all the time... And two years ago when things were pretty contolled with my Emetophobia I started a new job at a daycare so I am always around germs I wash my hands so much durning the day they are dried and cracking so bad.. I am planning on quiting that job in June and going back to school because I can not get a handle on my panic and fear of catching the stomach bug while I am there. Anyways thanks for reading this and I am so happy I found this board I am hoping it will help me to know I am not alone and there are others out there that are going through the same things as me.

[KaydeeJayde]

Hey, Welcome to IES. I hope that it's as great for advice and comfort for you as it has been for me

That's awful that you had those illnesses, and I'm glad you're healthy again, and I completely understand about the panic attacks after something happens. Whenever my boyfriend is ill, it takes me a long time to trust that he's okay again, and I panic around him until I'm comfortable. It should pass, but waiting is the hard part.

Are you getting treatment for the phobia?

[Sseholm]

I am going to start seeing a therapist soon and am taking paxil and have Xanax for when I start panicking and can't control it. I hope that this helps I have only been on meds for a month,

[KaydeeJayde]

Ah, the meds might take a while to kick in, but it's great you're getting treatment for it It's not an easy phobia to overcome, but it'll be so worth the hard work! Good luck