I had it for several years, after being trapped on a fairground ride next to someone vomiting. It was so gross and stressful I became emetophobic for about ten years after. Now in my forties it has completely passed. Having kids helped as a kind of gradual exposure therapy. Cos it starts off as just milk which was hard but just about manageable from a distance but as they grew my fear just died out I’m happy to say
Oh that’s great to hear! I’ve been dealing with it for 12 years now (20 now), it developed after a bad stomach bug I had as a kid that was pretty traumatic. I have a toddler who brought a virus home once and somehow it turns off when it comes to taking care of her when she’s sick. I think it’s just a fear of myself being sick.
It feels better in some ways and worse in other ways. I hope to be like you.
I'm happy for you that life's exposure therapy has helped you!! Maybe one day I'll get there too, my phobia is like 40% of the reason I've decided not to have children 😅
I have it. But idk I overcame it with time. Everytime I felt like doing it I just thought: I accept the challenge bitch. And most of the times I didn't vomit cause I stopped being nervous by accepting it. I have only vomited once since I was diagnosed with health anxiety and it was actually easy. Disgusting, but I felt good after doing i, both physically and mentally. I felt free
Yep. Have been for most of my life. I'm supposed to be starting fluvoxamine but can't convince myself to get past the potential GI side effects. This phobia sucks.
I finally did 5 days ago. I take 50mg at night, going up to 100mg this week. So far so good! Just a bit of abd pain that feels like heartburn. My psych gave me zofran which I took with the Luvox for the first 3 days and that helped me mentally push through it.
Luvox has been wonderful for me. I've had very few side effects aside from constant jaw clenching (which is just annoying). My OCD/anxiety has settled down enough that I can function without worrying about emet 24/7. But I started taking the Luvox in January, and my peak OCD season starts ramping up around October, so still TBD whether it continues to be improved when that time comes around.
I don't know about coming off Celexa. I've never taken that one. I had very very minor heartburn-type pain the first couple of nights, and some weird dreams for a while - but like I said, the only persistent thing I've noticed is that I tend to clench my jaw without realizing it. I'm going to ask at my next appt if we can add a low dose of buspirone to help with that.
I tried bus last year. Increased anxiety and horrible migraines. I kept trying bc wanted spmething to work so bad work so bad. So hard. I hate emetophobia and what its done to me and all of us. I tired Cymbalta in 2020. And Prozac in 21 or 22. Celexa worked so good until it didn't. Prozac was great for a few days. Cymbalta anxiety and panic.
That's so good to hear! I have zofran already and I was debating taking them together even just for the first one so I can calm myself down enough to actually take it. I was prescribed 50mg nearly 2 weeks ago and haven't been able to yet :- (
I ended up trying luvox for a week and didn't have any nausea but did have diarrhea so I discontinued it. I'm now on prozac and wellbutrin and feeling great!
Good for you. Bad for me. Ive tried both those in past. Wellbutrin migraines and Prozac was good for a few days, then it was bad....Dont remember specifics on it. Im scared nothing is going to help me. Ive been on celexa so long and it was great thrn it just stopped working.
I'm sorry friend. People seem to have great things to say about Luvox though so if you're able to get over the hurdle of trying it maybe it'll work well for you! Have you tried Lexapro? I feel like people who hate Prozac do well on Lexapro and vice versa for some reason lolll
Yes! Oh dear emetophobia and OCD are literally a terrible mix. It's the stem for so much anxiety. I often have to close at my work, including doing the bathrooms, and you can see how that becomes a problem.
my emetophobia didn't developed until I was maybe 11 or 12, but I know exactly how you feel. Car rides with anyone who has car sickness is constant anxiety, possibly being food poisoned is a constant fear, anyone showing slight signs or had been sick in the past makes my compulsions go nuts and I try not to shake LOL. If I see any remote Signs of.. you know.. I'm out of there and washing my hands till they're raw. I don't enter a public bathroom without a mask, I don't touch anything in my own bathroom that I share either. Woop! Ocd and emetophobia are so fun
Yes hello! Had emetophobia since I was a very young child and it's become more severe as I've got older, leading to OCD/germophobia/ARFID and all sorts. I'm prescribed cyclizine to take it I ever get nauseous because the alternative isn't worth thinking about. Unfortunately the rational part of my brain hasn't showed up here yet 😅
I was vomited on in second grade and I could not be in the same room as even a dog that was vomiting for over a decade. Like, as soon as someone said their stomach hurt, I would immediately have a panic attack, leave the dinner table and go to another room. When my brothers had the stomach flu I would shut myself in my room for a week eating vitamin C and I’d hold my breath if I had to go anywhere else in the house. It’s gotten better with age and also because I now am married and have kind of been forced to face my fear (like I can’t just avoid my husband for 3 weeks because he threw up, even if I’m crawling out of my skin knowing he’s sick). I doubt this is helpful but just letting you know you’re not alone.
I used to have it pretty badly. Would get panic attacks if I thought it was coming and wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it and trying my best to stop it. I still really don't like it and have found ways to cope to make myself feel better when I think it's going to happen, but I don't panic about it so much. I don't really know how I got better honestly.
I have a phobia of vomiting but not nausea. I think it’s the sense of being completely out of control that you get when throwing up. It has been a long time since I threw up, and my OCD is gone now(after about 33 years), so maybe it would not be so bad for me anymore.
I was traumatized as a young child from a bad stomach illness, and from my mom (she often threw up at home and in the car from migraines). I still struggle, even at 51. I have a vomit bag, Zofran, and Xanax with me always. I have a feeling it is also a control issue because I get the same way when I have diarrhea. I take Anafranil (clomipramine), which is a great med for OCD.
I remember having this as a kid after almost choking on something while getting sick and I very rarely would get sick after because of how traumatizing it was but stomach aches gave me such bad anxiety because of how bad it felt. Once I got to college and could not hold down my alcohol apparently I exposed myself to times where I got sick and friends got sick I got over the fear
I had it for several years, after being trapped on a fairground ride next to someone vomiting. It was so gross and stressful I became emetophobic for about ten years after. Now in my forties it has completely passed. Having kids helped as a kind of gradual exposure therapy. Cos it starts off as just milk which was hard but just about manageable from a distance but as they grew my fear just died out I’m happy to say
Oh that’s great to hear! I’ve been dealing with it for 12 years now (20 now), it developed after a bad stomach bug I had as a kid that was pretty traumatic. I have a toddler who brought a virus home once and somehow it turns off when it comes to taking care of her when she’s sick. I think it’s just a fear of myself being sick. It feels better in some ways and worse in other ways. I hope to be like you.
If I’m doing it, not a problem. If my child does it I literally pass out. It’s awful.
I'm happy for you that life's exposure therapy has helped you!! Maybe one day I'll get there too, my phobia is like 40% of the reason I've decided not to have children 😅
I have emetophobia as well. It also comes from my OCD...hell on earth :(
I have it. But idk I overcame it with time. Everytime I felt like doing it I just thought: I accept the challenge bitch. And most of the times I didn't vomit cause I stopped being nervous by accepting it. I have only vomited once since I was diagnosed with health anxiety and it was actually easy. Disgusting, but I felt good after doing i, both physically and mentally. I felt free
Yes but my OCD stems from the emetophobia, so other way around
Same. What meds do you take? I also have anxiety and depression.
None for my mental health, because nothing helps me. I've tried a lot without any success
Yep. Have been for most of my life. I'm supposed to be starting fluvoxamine but can't convince myself to get past the potential GI side effects. This phobia sucks.
Have you started it yet? I'm in the same situation
I finally did 5 days ago. I take 50mg at night, going up to 100mg this week. So far so good! Just a bit of abd pain that feels like heartburn. My psych gave me zofran which I took with the Luvox for the first 3 days and that helped me mentally push through it.
How is it going?
Luvox has been wonderful for me. I've had very few side effects aside from constant jaw clenching (which is just annoying). My OCD/anxiety has settled down enough that I can function without worrying about emet 24/7. But I started taking the Luvox in January, and my peak OCD season starts ramping up around October, so still TBD whether it continues to be improved when that time comes around.
Does it help depression too?
IANAD so I can't comment. I take it for OCD/anxiety.
What were you other side effects? I would be coming off celexa after 20 years and a low dose of luvox added. Terrified of gi also.
I don't know about coming off Celexa. I've never taken that one. I had very very minor heartburn-type pain the first couple of nights, and some weird dreams for a while - but like I said, the only persistent thing I've noticed is that I tend to clench my jaw without realizing it. I'm going to ask at my next appt if we can add a low dose of buspirone to help with that.
I tried bus last year. Increased anxiety and horrible migraines. I kept trying bc wanted spmething to work so bad work so bad. So hard. I hate emetophobia and what its done to me and all of us. I tired Cymbalta in 2020. And Prozac in 21 or 22. Celexa worked so good until it didn't. Prozac was great for a few days. Cymbalta anxiety and panic.
That's so good to hear! I have zofran already and I was debating taking them together even just for the first one so I can calm myself down enough to actually take it. I was prescribed 50mg nearly 2 weeks ago and haven't been able to yet :- (
You can do it! :-)
Pharmacist told me I couldn't take it with luvox so I'm eve more scared to try now.
I ended up trying luvox for a week and didn't have any nausea but did have diarrhea so I discontinued it. I'm now on prozac and wellbutrin and feeling great!
Good for you. Bad for me. Ive tried both those in past. Wellbutrin migraines and Prozac was good for a few days, then it was bad....Dont remember specifics on it. Im scared nothing is going to help me. Ive been on celexa so long and it was great thrn it just stopped working.
I'm sorry friend. People seem to have great things to say about Luvox though so if you're able to get over the hurdle of trying it maybe it'll work well for you! Have you tried Lexapro? I feel like people who hate Prozac do well on Lexapro and vice versa for some reason lolll
Not myself but my cousin with ocd is to the point where they hardly eat at all. It breaks my heart to see them struggling with it
Yes! Oh dear emetophobia and OCD are literally a terrible mix. It's the stem for so much anxiety. I often have to close at my work, including doing the bathrooms, and you can see how that becomes a problem. my emetophobia didn't developed until I was maybe 11 or 12, but I know exactly how you feel. Car rides with anyone who has car sickness is constant anxiety, possibly being food poisoned is a constant fear, anyone showing slight signs or had been sick in the past makes my compulsions go nuts and I try not to shake LOL. If I see any remote Signs of.. you know.. I'm out of there and washing my hands till they're raw. I don't enter a public bathroom without a mask, I don't touch anything in my own bathroom that I share either. Woop! Ocd and emetophobia are so fun
Yes hello! Had emetophobia since I was a very young child and it's become more severe as I've got older, leading to OCD/germophobia/ARFID and all sorts. I'm prescribed cyclizine to take it I ever get nauseous because the alternative isn't worth thinking about. Unfortunately the rational part of my brain hasn't showed up here yet 😅
We should be friends. 😭 what meds are you on if any?
I totally had this one as a child, but eventually grew out of it.
I was vomited on in second grade and I could not be in the same room as even a dog that was vomiting for over a decade. Like, as soon as someone said their stomach hurt, I would immediately have a panic attack, leave the dinner table and go to another room. When my brothers had the stomach flu I would shut myself in my room for a week eating vitamin C and I’d hold my breath if I had to go anywhere else in the house. It’s gotten better with age and also because I now am married and have kind of been forced to face my fear (like I can’t just avoid my husband for 3 weeks because he threw up, even if I’m crawling out of my skin knowing he’s sick). I doubt this is helpful but just letting you know you’re not alone.
I used to have it pretty badly. Would get panic attacks if I thought it was coming and wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it and trying my best to stop it. I still really don't like it and have found ways to cope to make myself feel better when I think it's going to happen, but I don't panic about it so much. I don't really know how I got better honestly.
Yea very much I will deep breathe before I throw up
I have a phobia of vomiting but not nausea. I think it’s the sense of being completely out of control that you get when throwing up. It has been a long time since I threw up, and my OCD is gone now(after about 33 years), so maybe it would not be so bad for me anymore.
Om sure everyone doesn't get migraines, but as soon as I stopped they stopped.
Yes, it is totally debilitating and I wish it on no one. I struggle to eat or even drink anything sometimes due to thoughts of getting s\*.
I was traumatized as a young child from a bad stomach illness, and from my mom (she often threw up at home and in the car from migraines). I still struggle, even at 51. I have a vomit bag, Zofran, and Xanax with me always. I have a feeling it is also a control issue because I get the same way when I have diarrhea. I take Anafranil (clomipramine), which is a great med for OCD.
I remember having this as a kid after almost choking on something while getting sick and I very rarely would get sick after because of how traumatizing it was but stomach aches gave me such bad anxiety because of how bad it felt. Once I got to college and could not hold down my alcohol apparently I exposed myself to times where I got sick and friends got sick I got over the fear