Emetophobia (fear of vomiting) Support

[kacaju]

WHEW...Read all 10 pages!!

Once again thank you all for sharing your stories.

Here is ours.
First off, my oldest dd17 has OCD and anxiety. She has tricotillamania (sp??) which is she pulls her hair out.
I had no idea she was so anxious until she was in 7th grade and had a bald spot on her head!!

Sooo.... when my now dd11 started showing signs of being anxious...I didn't wait to long to get her into therapy.

Dd11 anxiety started about 2 years ago. Someone vomited in school. She started slowly with her anxiety. She was afraid for a while to take the school bus for fear of someone vomiting on it. I pushed her and made her take the bus after making sure she had no bullies on the bus. At this time I did not know what her fear was, but as long as no one was hurting her I did force her to take the bus.

She has named her anxiety *Bob* Bob bothers her mostly at night...we talk about what is bothering her (most of the time she could not tell me exactly what it was) her panic attacks would set in and I now know she had a hard time explaining it.

Her biggest fear is sleepovers. She went to one sleepover and called me at 2am to come get her. At this time I had no idea her fear was vomit. I really thought up until she started therapy it was being away from home. NOPE... it is the fear someone will get sick. She cannot cope with *normal* people sleeping sounds...to her any sound of movement by another person, or a moan means that person will get sick. Our biggest challange this year is the 5th grade camping trip!! (3 days, 2 nights away with no contact from home) Her school/teachers are well aware of her fears.

She really wants to go, but I know her fear will get her if we let it. So we have been working with the therapist to make sure she can go!!

We also got a letter from the therapist asking the school to consider letting her
sister (17) go on the trip as a councilor. They do allow Juniors and Seniors on the trip...it is just that so many sign up they all can't go.

Both of my dd's are perfectionists. We have been told by their therapists this is very common with many people who suffer from OCD and anxieties.

With her therapists help and the help of her best friends Mom...dd11 will have her first sleepover at her best friends house this Thursday!! Right now she is really looking forward to it. My friend knows all about her anxiety and dd knows that so we are hoping this will work out!!

Thanks again for listening..Tina

 

[kacaju]

well, tonight is the big test. She will be going over to a friends house tonight for a sleepover. she will have her phone so she can call or text me if she needs to

 

[TaraPA]

Good luck to you and your DD tonight! Let us know how it goes!

My anxiety is in overdrive yes again. DS10 refused to eat his favorite meal, he just cried & said he's not hungry for it tonight. He looks pale & tired, but says he feels fine. But he just had a meltdown over getting in the tub. So something's not right!

 

[lukenick1]

well, tonight is the big test. She will be going over to a friends house tonight for a sleepover. she will have her phone so she can call or text me if she needs to

I remember attempting to do sleep overs but ended up calling MOm to come pick me up. I hope she makes it!

 

[kacaju]

I remember attempting to do sleep overs but ended up calling MOm to come pick me up. I hope she makes it!

thank you!!!!

 

[kacaju]

OK drop off went well. She said good night to me and went off with her friend to play wii.
Her friend just came back from Orlando, she did one day at Harry Potter and then 2 days as Epcot (stayed at the swan/dolphin) so I made sure I reminded her that the friend was just there and ask questions for our upcomnig Harry Potter trip in Aug..I figured that would help keep her mind off of the *vomit* thing.

 

[lukenick1]

Well?????? Did she make it??

 

[kacaju]

YES!! She made it, no calls or text messages last night!! My friend texted me this morning and said they went to bed around 11 and they had just woken up. This worked out well, it was just her and her friend.

Besides the up coming camping trip our next challenge will be getting her to go to a friends Birthday party sleepover. At age 11 sleepovers are the big thing, and she has not done them in 2 years. She goes to the party until 11pm or so then we just pick her up.

 

[kacaju]

It does make sense to me. Did anyone here watch the series last year called Obsessed or OCD or something like that? Probably A&E or TLC...they took about 6 people with extreme OCD to an inpatient program...well anyway, the one girl was OCD about being clean & her rituals - she felt someone would die if she didn't do her rituals...and it stemmed from watching her fiance die of cancer. Her OCD made her think if she was dirty or didn't do her rituals that someone would die. So I see what you're saying. And sorry you had to go through that with your mom.

One of those shows had someone with the fear of vomit on it too. I wish I saved it. We DVR those shows because of my older dd. At the time I didn't know that my younger dd was so anxious over vomit.

 

[lukenick1]

YES!! She made it, no calls or text messages last night!! My friend texted me this morning and said they went to bed around 11 and they had just woken up. This worked out well, it was just her and her friend.

Besides the up coming camping trip our next challenge will be getting her to go to a friends Birthday party sleepover. At age 11 sleepovers are the big thing, and she has not done them in 2 years. She goes to the party until 11pm or so then we just pick her up.

Yay!!!!

 

[kacaju]

she is home!! Her anxiety did get to her last night a few times, but she was able to talk herself out of it. I am so proud of her. I know this was a huge step for her to take.

 

[kacaju]

ugh!! so my dd just told me she does not want to go on her 5th grade camping trip. She did real good sleeping over her friends house, but it was rough on her and now this.... I told her we will have to talk to her therapist on tuesday to see what he says before I can tell her she has to or doesnt have to go on this trip
The camping trip is for 2 nights, 3 days. I know she will have so much fun during the day..it is the night time that kills her.

 

[kacaju]

YES!! We just found out that my oldest dd (17) is able to go along on the 5th grade camping trip with her sister! I had the therapist write a letter stating it would be helpful to my younger dd to have her sister there. They always pick a few juniors ans seniors to go on this trip as chaparones/.camp counsilors

DD11 has had a rough week, it was State testing this week and she was sure someone would get sick while they were testing..(no one did) but now her focus will be on this trip and her anixiety level is building.
I am also having a meeting next week with the teachers who will be on the trip so we are all on the same page.
Of course with Emetophobia the last thing I want is for her to tell the teachers, nurse she is sick and have them call me to come pick her up!!!

 

[TaraPA]

That's good news that your older DD can go along on the trip! Maybe with her along she won't need to call you to come pick her up, even if she's having a lot of anxiety. Is she comfortable talking to her sister about it? I understand how the anxiety an be all-consuming. Sometimes it just eats you alive.

 

[kacaju]

That's good news that your older DD can go along on the trip! Maybe with her along she won't need to call you to come pick her up, even if she's having a lot of anxiety. Is she comfortable talking to her sister about it? I understand how the anxiety an be all-consuming. Sometimes it just eats you alive.

Yes, she can talk to her sister..her sister is very good with her and will be able to help her while on the trip.

 

[kacaju]

Well tomorrow is the big day...the 5th grade camping trip!!!

DD is very excited for the trip...Much different then she was 2 months ago when she feared this trip. She went to therapy today...with her sister who is going along on the trip as a counselor so they could come up with a plan in case her fear gets to her while away.

I have a letter for the teachers from the therapist...explaining in detail about Emetophobia...what it is and why dd gets so upset.

What to do and not do with her. ie.. do not call home or allow her to call home unless the nurse/medic determines it is an actual emergency.
If someone in camp actually does vomit, get dd away from the area and allow her time to relax if she actually witnessed it.
A few other things and also my dd's have an *emergency* plan if she does get overwhelmed.
I do think she will be fine...as I said, she really has come a long way..I know tomorrow night will be the toughest part for her.

 

[SDSorority]

Hi everyone- another emeto here! Just wanted to check in and say hi! Emeto runs in my family (mom's side). Luckily DH doesn't have it- he's very patient with me and my panic attacks. I haven't read through the thread very much- does anyone take Bach's Rescue Remedy?? I started taking it when I had a nervous breakdown last December- DH had the tummy flu... freaked me out in a MAJOR way. I started taking Rescue Remedy and it really does help me. Check it out if you've never heard of it!!

 

[Sleepyhappyandgrumpy]

Hi All!

I also have a phobia of vomiting. Not of other people vomiting, although I used to, unless it's contagious.

I haven't puked since 1987, except for the dry-heaves once in college... (Knock on wood.)

I could really like to keep it that way, or to not be afraid anymore. It's exhausting. It doesn't interfere with my daily life too much, unless someone I've had contact with gets the stomach flu.

When that happens I am a mess until the carefully calculated incubation period has passed. I dread the panic I feel almost as much as I dread vomiting.

I'm sorry that you all have this too, but I'm glad to have found you!

Anyone else sleep with zofran under their pillow?

 

[TaraPA]

Well tomorrow is the big day...the 5th grade camping trip!!!

DD is very excited for the trip...Much different then she was 2 months ago when she feared this trip. She went to therapy today...with her sister who is going along on the trip as a counselor so they could come up with a plan in case her fear gets to her while away.

I have a letter for the teachers from the therapist...explaining in detail about Emetophobia...what it is and why dd gets so upset.

What to do and not do with her. ie.. do not call home or allow her to call home unless the nurse/medic determines it is an actual emergency.
If someone in camp actually does vomit, get dd away from the area and allow her time to relax if she actually witnessed it.
A few other things and also my dd's have an *emergency* plan if she does get overwhelmed.
I do think she will be fine...as I said, she really has come a long way..I know tomorrow night will be the toughest part for her.

Well?!?!? How did it go?!?! We you anxious the whole time she was there? I know I would have been!

 

[TaraPA]

Welcome SDSorority & sleepyhappyand grumpy!

I hope no one mids, I posted about our thread here on another thread on the Theme Parks Board about people vomiting. Seems like there were some emets over there & I wanted them to know this is more common than people think, and there are many of us who suffer from it!

I haven't tried the Rescue Remedy - what exactly is it? I'm glad it's helped you!

I don't sleep with zofran under my pillow but I have many emet "rituals" that would seem bizarre to anyone else who doesn't have emet. We all "get it" here, we do what we need to do to calm our fear & anxiety. It's real to us!