so scared of vomiting

[ills]

help i have a dd just 3 and a ds 15 months and i am so scared of them vomiting. It's ruining my life i'm scared to go in the car with them i do but it is very stress full. I took my daughter to playschool today and there was a note up about d and v going round i just wanted to run away. I know its stupid. Does anybody know of any treatments.

[aloha]

You are not alone. I have a friend with this phobia and several mumsnetters share it.
Your best bet IMO is cognitive behavioural therapy and your GP could refer you on the NHS or you could go privately. I know it is terrible phobia and can drastically reduce your quality of life.

[QueenVictoria]

Nearly posted a thread tonight about my DD's vomit episode this evening.

I wouldnt class mine as a phobia but i cant deal with it either. DP used to clear mine up when i was pg and had morning sickness, and deals with ours DC's too.

DD has been ill all day and culminated this evening in bringing back up her dinner and milk suddenly whilst on DP's lap. He was sat there trying to stop it flowing everywhere and i just couldnt help him. I threw a muslin square at him and that was the best i could do. He then helped sort her clothes and wash it all out of her hair.

Im so glad he understands and just deals with it.

Sorry, ills. You probably didnt want to hear that story but i needed to get it off my chest too. I have no advice but i totally understand.

[ills]

Thanks for sharing that. Glad your DP deals with it. Wish my DH would. Haven't been able to discuss it with it as i am frightened of his reaction. He knows i don't like it but not to what extend.

Hope your DD is better soon

[Skribble]

I would say i did have a phobia, I even once got of a bus in the middle of no where because I thought someone who was coughing was going to be sick.

I managed to avoid being sick myself almost allmy childhood.

When I was nannying I had to deal with one of the boys one evening, I was just about managing and the mum came home as soon as i heard the door opening that was it, I ran outside I could cope no more. I think its because of nescesity with kids that you find ways of coping.

My 2 kids have had numerous incidents thankfully they travel well. I find I can cope not to bad with them and would say it is not a phobia anymore.

On a practical note i recommend pampers care/ change mats. Any sign of them being under the weather and i tuck one of these under them. Any accidents from either end and you just roll it up and bin it. I have seen me with 3 or 4 of them down the whole length of the sofa.
In the car keep them looking out of the window and don't let them read or even play with toys that stop them looking out of the window. lots of eyespy, make sure you have fresh air circulating and not too warm, stop lots to allow a chance to freshen up and carry care mats, bags, wipes, hankies and anti bac spray so if anything does happen you know you've got stuff to deal with it.

I would recommend seeking advise from your GP too. I never got that far as I seemed to desensitise myself when the kids were baby and baby sick wasn't to bad. Good luck and thoughts to you .

[ills]

Thanks for your post. I have managed to stop myself panicking with baby sick. Remember DD first vomit when she was just 12 hours just slime but remember thinking what have i done.

Love them to bits and wish I could stop feeling like this. I have had to cope with them vomiting. Just have to get on with it but count every minute until DH gets home.

Thanks for the tip about pampers mats.

[Skribble]

Typical mums aren't we, I would be more honest with DH whats the worst that can happen. Even if he thinks you are silly you can say fine I am silly but that is how I feel. Phobias sre like that, FGS people have phobias about spiders, balloons, heights, flying. Of them all I would say yours makes more sense and is a more natural reaction.

[Steala]

Ills, you are not alone. Far from it (unfortunately in a way!). It's even got a name - emetophobia. I have the same phobia and for 20 years I thought I was the only one until I discovered Mumsnet! Bizarrely there are lots of us and some people are having treatment at the moment.

I can't post much now because I am exhausted but search the archives for emetophobia and you'll find lots in the same boat. Good luck. Isn't it a horrible thing to go through?

[bobbybob]

I am recovering from a phobia of vomiting. The worst 3 years of my life where living next door to a heavy smoker and drinker, ever time he coughed I imagined he was being sick. I stopped enjoying my holidays after a man spent a whole journey being noisily sick into a bag on our plane.

I still leave other people to clean up ds if at all possible. My mum was sick on a boat and I just told one of the crew she needed help and left her to it. I felt bad but I couldn't watch.

I was fine with baby spits when breastfed, but the last 2 years have been hard. Especially as ds has allergies and his reactions usually involve massive vomiting and lots of heaving.

DH can let ds vomit all over him and not even flinch. I feel I'm getting better because I don't worry all the time, but I'm still no help to anyone being sick.

[ills]

Thanks for the reply's and glad you can get better. It's funny i posted last night and then went to check dd and ds. DS had been sick all over his bed himself etc, first time ever. Dh who had been away for 5 days was due back in an hour luckily. Managed to clean him up but glad i wasn't on my own all night

[Lonelymum]

ills, I am a well known vomit phobic here on Mumsnet, and aloha was right: there are lots of us here. Every so often we have a big long thread about our phobia and we all feel the same as you: miserable and desperate.

I am sorry I can't recommend any treatments as I have not undergone any myself and have yet to meet anyone who genuinely seems cured of this phobia but I have reasearched the cures a bit and know there are supposed to be some out there. I saw my GP and was referred to a CPN but when I saw her, she was unable to help me and gave me a list of charities that are suppsed to be able to help. I don't feel very confident that they can. Recently a Mumsnetter (MarmaladeSun) recommended hypnotherapy for this. I shall try and find you some links to past threads so you can read them if you like and know you are not alone with this phobia!

[Lonelymum]

This is the most recent thread where we emetophobes have got together!

[ills]

Thanks for that being new to mumsnet its nice to know you are not alone. Better go and play with them will try and search for old threads tonight.

[ills]

Just a quick message to say thanks for posting that link. It's great to know others understand how I feel.

I know the people having treatment can't discuss it but hope it's working.

Off to bed now

[Lonelymum]

Glad it helps you to know you are not alone. Now you know who some of your fellow sufferers are!