Now I've Got Swine Flu Phobia!!!

[Jenny40]

Hi everyone!

I suffer from Emetophobia and have done all my life. At the moment it is getting particularly bad though because of this damned 'swine flu' pandemic. At first I believed that swine flu was sore throat, high temp and cough with muscle aches and pains - not very nice....but more and more I'm reading that symptoms often are vomiting - OMG!!!! Well that's it I'm in total state of panic constantly now.

They say that they are 'hoping' that over the summer the number of cases will decrease slightly since the schools will have stopped but are warning that come the autumn it will flare up rapidly and even mutate into a much worse virus.

I hate late autumn time anyway because of the annual 'winter vomiting bug' and spend most of my time worrying that any of us will get it - now, I've got two major things to panic me.

I stay in Scotland as well which seems to have been hit worse.

Seriously, I am absolutely terrified of winter coming this year. Being 41, I am in the age group that they say seems to be getting it.

Anyone else out there feeling this way? HELP!!!

[NoPoet]

Hi Jenny, for what it's worth the media built swine flu up into the next "doomsday virus" without knowing any of the facts. The facts are that swine flu appears to be a mild form a flu. More people die from ordinary flu than swine flu. The overwhelming majority of people who contract swine flu recover in a short period of time. We also have major drug treatments in case swine flu does become more severe, and these drugs are effective. Hardly a doomsday scenario.

[belle]

This Swine flu is no different to normal flu as far as symtpoms go, aches, pains, fever..... Do you know how many people get the flu every year?? 20% of the population..that's a lot. As long as you wash your hands...don't worry.

[sweetypie]

im worrying also but only because i no tamiflu causes vomiting
the thought of winter cuming is killing me
i start my proper sessions of cbt on thurs so im hoping to be some what over my emetophobia before a vomiting bug outbreaks
ohhhhhhh god the thought of it and typing is making me panic
but like every one says this swine flu is nothing compare to normal flu the media are only making a fuss because its from a differnt country
and only two people have died ffrom it and thats because they had other health issues
when i red that there could be nausea vomting with it i did panic but any flu can cause this that is why i always wash my hands so i can prevent myself from this stuff

[moore]

hehe..I live in birmingham about 100yds from one of the schools hit badly, and am currently sneezing my head off...with hayfever.
touché!!
On the lighter side, walking around birmingham sneezing gets you a LOT of space!!!

[moore]

Also, dont assume you're going to get it anyway. You may actually have natural immunity to it!

[Anxious_gal]

yeah I have started washing my hands more and using hand gel but I'm not too bad. you only need to worry if your already ill or have a health condition.
but the swine flu only causes as much harm as the normal flu, its just the media have been reporting everything on swine flu

[Lauren1992]

Hey My Name'z Lauren Im 17 Years old i suffer with Emetphobia too, And a bit worried about swine flu too.. i spoke to a nurse and she said tht its just egsactly the same as a common cold, just a bit worse she said no one really vomits unless they have othere difficulties.. like heart problems or somethink, also there was a lady on tv that had had swine flu, and she said she didnt even realise she had it. just had bit of a headake sore throut bloked nose ect ect.. No worries. were not all gonna get it. its just the papers and news trying to make money..xx

[Baldy]

Hi everyone!

I suffer from Emetophobia and have done all my life. At the moment it is getting particularly bad though because of this damned 'swine flu' pandemic. At first I believed that swine flu was sore throat, high temp and cough with muscle aches and pains - not very nice....but more and more I'm reading that symptoms often are vomiting - OMG!!!! Well that's it I'm in total state of panic constantly now.

They say that they are 'hoping' that over the summer the number of cases will decrease slightly since the schools will have stopped but are warning that come the autumn it will flare up rapidly and even mutate into a much worse virus.

I hate late autumn time anyway because of the annual 'winter vomiting bug' and spend most of my time worrying that any of us will get it - now, I've got two major things to panic me.

I stay in Scotland as well which seems to have been hit worse.

Seriously, I am absolutely terrified of winter coming this year. Being 41, I am in the age group that they say seems to be getting it.

Anyone else out there feeling this way? HELP!!!
Hi Jenny,
I'm a newbie here, but after reading your post I thought I'd respond.
I can truly sympathise with you as I have suffered with Emetophobia all my life.
I'm a 43 year old guy and it seems to be mostly women who have this debilitating phobia.
I have tried various means of treatment before but none have worked so far. I recently had a session with an EFT practitioner, but that did not help either.
Like you I am in a state of panic about the symptoms of swine flu. I too thought it was just an upper respiritary illness but have since found out that some people have sickness with it. Only this morning a guy told me the symptoms include projectile vomiting.

Add to that the ever increasing norovirus each winter, I am getting more and more depressed by the thought of winter coming.

A couple of times when my wife felt ill I went off in the car, I couldn't cope with the thought of her being ill around me. This situation is getting worse.

I keep reading about treatment by desensitisation (hope I've spelt it right) where you are exposed gradually to your fear.
I can't get my head around that, if you could face it then you wouldn't have a phobia in the first place.
I'm trying to save enough cash for other cures as I have to get over this or I'll have no real quality of life.
At least we know we are not alone in our suffering.

[paula1]

im exactly the same...have emetophobia....really worrying.....got a little girl starting school in september

[sailor stripes]

Hey, I'm new here :waves:

I've suffered from emetophobia my whole life too, and I've been panicking about this a LOT (that plus there is a vomiting bug sweeping my office, I've dehydrated my hands with alcohol hand gel!)

BUT if I may reassure you... I've come down with swine flu this weekend. It's only my second day today and apparently it can get a little bit worse on the third day, but so far *touch wood* I've had no gastric symptoms at all - in fact, I've been absolutely starving these past two days, which is very unlike me... I usually have very little appetite because of the emetophobia. I've just had the usual symptoms of a heavy cold:

sore throat, headache, aches and pains, chills/fever, a bit dizzy and woozy.

Everyone I know that's had swine flu has had the same, nobody I know had nausea or vomiting with it.

I was given authorisation for Tamiflu, but was unsure about it as I'd heard the side effects included nausea and vomiting. Also I just started on fluoxetine (Prozac) last week for panic attacks and anxiety, and after just starting to level out on that I didn't want to bombard my poor body with more chemicals! An NHS Direct nurse rang me earlier, and reassured me that I just had a mild case, my immune system seems to be fighting it by itself, and Tamiflu would probably make me feel worse - it reduces the symptoms of those with it more severely to make it more like my case.

Anyway, this is a long post but I just wanted to reassure you, from a fellow emetophobic, it's not bad at all :) x

[nok_tok]

im giving my kids the fear, everytime someone coughs of sneezes in public they are like 'quick get out of the way its swine flu jerms'...

[Lissy43]

I am just getting over swine flu, my symptoms were just a heavy head cold, a few aches but mainly feeling very washed out and hot at times.

I wouldn't worry.

[teez]

im just getting over the swine flu too,,it was fine,,like you i was scared stiff,,as ive two major i,llness,s as well had visions of being carted off but i was fine,,sore throat,,,slight headache,,temp on the first two days,,but other than that i was ok,,,not everyones getting the sickness,,in fact very few keep calm you,ll cope