Anxiety about vomiting- anyone else suffer?

Hi everyone. I am new to these forums, but glad I have come across them, I'm having issues again with my fears/ phobias, especially my stress over being sick.

I have GERD, and have always had reflux issues, even as a younger girl. And not sure if GERD is brought on, in my case, by worry and stress, which in turn causes nausea, or if GERD and it's nausea are giving me the anxiety.
I am a 23 year old female, and I'm pretty healthy, minus the GERD. I don't drink or smoke, I exercise on occasion, but my job involves more of workout.

I have ALWAYS had a huge fear of throwing up, but I really remember it starting around age 9 or 10. I used to have stomach troubles because of dairy, but didn't know it then, and when I would have stomach "attacks" I started to worry I'd be sick, never actually knew what nausea was until more recent years. about 5 years ago, I started feeling nauseous almost every day, not the nausea in the pit of your stomach, but a tight throat, just that queasy feeling that things are "rising up" you might say, and that in turn gave me anxiety attacks. I went through a bunch of testing,allergy tests, colonoscopy, hida scan... and nothing came back too abnormal but a duodenal ulcer ( probably from anxiety) and some food allergies that aren't bad to handle.
At the end of that year, 2011, I started to get better after I realized nothing was really wrong with me, but notice that the nausea always accompanies times of stress.

I've been going through job changes and other things in these past few months and noticed a huge increase in my nausea, it's almost unbearable, especially at night. I know some of this is a GERD issue, but as soon as I feel a tiny bit of it, I go into an anxiety attack with mostly shortness of breath, heart palpitations and cold/ clammy feet and hands and shaking.

I'm not sure what it is about throwing up, I hadn't done it for years until this March when I had probably a GERD attack and was sick a few times within one night, that should have showed me that it's okay, it will pass, but when I feel slightly nauseous these days, my mind goes to the worst and I start uncontrollably shaking afraid of being sick. I also worry it will happen at my job, or in public and what would I do... what would people think.. etc

Sorry that was so long, does anyone else suffer from this??
Please tell me your experience and how you have helped it if you have?

Hi Sten and welcome.

I am sorry to hear that you are currently struggling with this issue. Know that you are not alone...and that we have quite a few members who have similar challenges with this fear.

In fact, you can do a 'search' here (upper right toolbar) and find more than a few threads on this subject!

I have some recommendations for emetophobia self-help if you are interested...just let me know, and I will be happy to provide them for you.

Also, please see our complete Resources at the top of the main page here. There are great coping skill excercises to try for general anxiety management.:) The breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation are great daily practices that can really make a difference!

Keep posting with us as well if you find it helpful. Support is key!

Scaredy Cat

Check these out and see if they are of any help.:)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cure-Your-Emetophobia-Thrive-Research-backed/dp/0956516645

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Emetophobia-Coping-Extreme-Vomiting/dp/1843105365

http://www.veale.co.uk/resources-support/public-information/vomit-phobia/

http://www.emetophobia.org/showthread.php?34786-Please-read-my-self-help-guide-all-four-chapters

 

S.C.

 

Hi LHA :)

I am sorry to hear that this has escalated and become so challenging. :(

I do hope that you find something useful in the above links...or related material found in the site's suggestions.

There is hope for recovery! I used to be pretty preoccupied with the fear of stomach virus/food poisioning. I have come quite a long way through anxiety managment in general.

Keep posting!

S.C.