As I write this blog entry, I’m calming down from a mild to moderate panic attack. I’m still shaking and shivering. My face feels warm to the touch. My breathing is irratic but that’s starting to slow down. My heart is no longer racing. This time I didn’t cry but the thought of “never eating again” kept creeping into my mind.
If you’re one of the emetophobic readers of this blog, you’re probably shaking your head in agreement because you can relate to what I’m feeling. For those lucky readers who never have had phobias, I hope to open myself up a bit so you will understand how devastating this phobia can be.
What caused my panic attack? Would you believe a simple case of bloating caused by gas? Emetophobics are controled by fear. We are so scared of vomiting and the symptoms that lead to it, we can no longer differentiate certain stomach conditions with actual nausea. A simple rumble of gas in my intestines sometimes sets off my panic button especially if it’s accompanied by diarrhea.
Tonight it was that bloated, gassy, acidy feeling that did it. What makes even more irrational is that these feelings started after I drank a glass of pineapple juice – an acid rich fruit which always causes me to feel this way everytime I eat it or drink the juice from it. It’s not from a stomach virus or food poisoning, merely a high acid juice.
The bottom line is, I know what caused me to feel physically rotten and I know it won’t make me vomit – yet I still get panic attacks. That’s the nature of phobias.
fearsandphobias.blogspot.com
Oh man, do I KNOW THAT FEELING!!!! I don’t care what it is, if it has to do with my stomach, it will start a nausea attack in seconds and take hours to subside! What I have been doing to stave off the panic/nausea attack is every day I take my antidepressant (clonazepam) and Prilosec OTC. This is my basic daily dose. I have ordered promethazine online and keep that in my medicine cabinet. It is an anti-emetic and if I even feel my heart pumping fast or that familiar panicy feeling that is the onset to the debilitating nausea then I take one. I travel with it and everything. I have done insane things not to get nauseous and vomit. I can’t begin to tell you. I do feel better that I am not the only one with this affliction. I used to think I was the only one in the entire world and NO ONE. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IN MY FAMILY OR ANY OF MY FRIENDS NO ABOUT IT!
Hi,
I came across your blog and just thought I’d let you know that there is a free website with lots of information about treatments and help with emetophobia. There is even a section for therapists, as well as a microbiologist’s article on how noroviruses are spread, so folks can be calmer.
I have nothing to “sell” on this site – no miracles cures or scams – just information. Thanks
http://www.emetophobiahelp.blogspot.com
Sage
Sage, I know who you are and I would like to extend a big thank you for posting your website here. I’m on the IES forum(emetophobia.org) and you have helped many forum members, including myself, during rough times.