New here - please help. Felt ill every night for months....

[cabaretmummy]

Hi everyone. I'm new here, and have been emetephobic since I can remember, although it's only in the past year or so I've realised it's a phobia. Before, I thought everyone went into a panic attack at the idea of v*!
I used to cope fairly well, and unless I had a bug I'd be fine. Since giving birth over 9 months ago, though, where I didn't v* but did have an extremely traumatic birth, I have felt ill almost every night. This has grown in severity, and is now at the point where I am up at 3:30am because I am terrified that I will v* if I lie down. I know I'm probably exhausted, and that's why I feel n* and dizzy, just like I have done every night the past week and been fine, but I just can't wind down and chill out enough to stop feeing anxious and go to bed. Every night it gets worse, and now it's started making me feel ill in the day, too.
I need to get s grip on this; I'm tired all the time and constantly worrying about v*, and it's starting to destroy my life. I can't do anything without panicking, even eating and sleeping! I barely eat at all in the evenings now, which probably doesn't help!
Sorry for the long ramble, but I am at my wit's end. What do I do?!? I can't take anti-emetics (That I know of) because I breastfeed, and if I talk to my GP I'l be put on a waiting list. I will go, but what do I do in the meantime? And how do I get to sleep?!?

[wargerbil]

I think you should talk to your GP about what would be safe to help you sleep and be compatible with breastfeeding. I believe you can take zofran when you're nursing, it's a prescription nausea med. You can take it when pregnant and it often prescribed for morning sickness. You may also be able to take unisom to help you sleep; again it's often recommended to take if you have morning sickness.

In general, not eating enough in the evening definitely can upset my stomach at night. I get over hungry and acidy. I take a zantac at night as per my gastro, and she told me it was safe to take pregnant (since my husband and I are hoping to have a baby in the not too distant future), so I imagine it's also safe breastfeeding. Something like that might help you at night too. But of course, check with your doctor!!

And this may be a totally random suggestion -- can you sleep somewhere other than your bed? Sometimes when I'm not feeling well I feel really panicky I feel trapped in my bedroom. I go down and lay on the couch and watch TV and can fall asleep easily there. You could try making yourself a nice cup of camomile tea with honey (good for digestion and sleep!), get cozy on the couch with a blanket and a pillow, put on a favorite movie or TV show and see if you sleep easier someplace outside of your bed.

[emmalinda]

I so understand wha your going through. i wish i had oe day/night where i didnt feel n* But i think most of the time its anxiety but the symptoms are so real. its very hard i know, and with a baby it must make it even harder. i say make an appointment at the dr to get help. Do you have a tv in your room? i have a tele and it helps a lot.

[cabaretmummy]

Thanks for your hep I finally got to sleep around 5am. I think I will book an appointment with my doctor tomorrow and see what I can get. Sadly I don't have a tv in my room, but I do have a laptop!I've discovered that online games are a good way to distract myself, which is better than nothing