fear of puke – Emetophobia Help

The Dreaded Colonoscopy

Often I work with clients who have gastro-intestinal issues. Their doctors almost always recommend a colonoscopy. It’s a simple procedure done under heavy sedation (you’re usually totally asleep, but not under general anesthetic). Most emetophobics aren’t too worried about the procedure; they’re just terribly worried about the prep the day before. Since it’s important that your whole colon is clean as a whistle, you’re usually told to eat no fibre for a day or two, then have only clear fluids the next day, and then drink some form of powerful laxative to clean out your colon. Yes, it’s a day of diarrhea, but it beats paying for one of those “colon cleanses” at a spa, since it’s the same thing and generally paid for by your insurance or medical system. And of course it’s waaaaaay better than getting colon cancer! I myself have had several of these procedures and I don’t mind them at all anymore. Then again I don’t have emetophobia anymore so maybe that doesn’t count.

So why is it “dreaded?” Well, emetophobics worry that drinking the laxative will make them sick. Even though I’ve never talked to a single emetophobic who ever got sick from it. Some folks who have very weak stomachs and are NOT afraid of vomiting report getting sick from it. These people are not you guys! Emetophobics can control vomiting at the worst of times, and this is not the worst of times.

One of my clients, Jessica, has gone through several colonoscopies when she was very phobic, and she was kind enough to write a short post about it. So here it is:

“Three years ago I had whittled down to 100 pounds after being nauseous and having an upset stomach for seven months (an emetophobic’s worst nightmare). I finally got an appointment with a GI doctor who suspected Crohn’s Disease from my symptoms. When he mentioned the colonoscopy procedure to confirm, my chest tightened and heart stopped. How was I ever going to drink all the liquid to prep for it? What if it made me sick? I had only ever heard how terrible prepping for one was.

I made a decision. I immediately went into fight mode, toughened up, and decided to just do it. I surprised myself when it was way easier than I imagined. I was instructed to drink 64 ounces (2 litres) of Gatorade mixed with the prep medicine. To make it easier, I drank the prep/Gatorade mix with a straw over ice. I stayed calm, stayed distracted, and reminded myself it was a temporary discomfort for a healthier me. I watched a tv show and played Yahtzee with my family.

The next morning I went to the hospital, and completed the colonoscopy under general anesthetic. I woke up next to my husband and nurse. My doctor made sure I stayed comfortable in the recovery room as well. They offered me anti nausea medicine for when I was coming out of the anesthesia and warm blankets for my feet. Once I was home, it was like nothing had ever happened. I’ve had two colonoscopies in the last three years and when it comes time for my next one, I will be excited for the best nap I’ve ever had.

Nothing is as ever bad as our heads tell us it is.”

Anna’s notes: 1) Most colonoscopies are not performed under general anesthetic anymore, but rather “conscious sedation.” There’s no nausea afterward. 2) The prep mixtures are getting way better with every passing year. For my last one, I only had to drink a small bottle (less than a cup) of lemon-flavoured liquid the night before and another one the morning of. 3) Jessica met with me for about 14 sessions and is doing great! Thank you, Jessica, for submitting this for me!

coronavirus and emetophobia

Edit: August 7, 2020. Wear a mask over your nose and mouth. Don’t touch it except to put it on and take it off. If you have to go out, try to keep 2 metres away from other people, even if they’re wearing masks. Don’t congregate in groups larger than 10, and be sure to know everyone in the group or have some contact info for them. Get tested if you show any symptoms at all.

Edit: March 12, 2020. “Cancel Everything” – don’t go out unnecessarily to places where there are a lot of people. Avoid travel. Protect the elderly. End edit.

When Coronavirus was first publicized in January, many of the Facebook pages and chat sites for emetophobia carried the same message: “I’m not afraid of it, because none of the symptoms is vomiting.” In other words, if you’re only afraid of vomiting and not of dying then you’re good. If truth be known, emetophobic people are also afraid of dying – they just don’t realize it. Vomiting=dying in some part of the emetophobic brain. Other forms of dying we feel pretty much immune to, even though there is risk involved. Phobics are naturally unwilling to take any amount of risk as it relates to the thing they fear, even though they’re quite willing to get into an automobile every day.

I was hoping that the conversation might be a bit more realistic, which it has now become: we germ phobics have something to teach the rest of the world – good hygiene! Wash your hands well, and don’t touch your face, meaning the “T-zone” of eyes, nose, mouth. Those are the mucus membranes just waiting for the virus to find its entry point.

With norovirus, touching one’s nose is less likely to infect you, and touching the eyes even less, as norovirus must be “swallowed,” meaning vomit or fecal matter has to make its way to your stomach and intestines. Ew. Coronavirus, on the other hand, just needs to make its way, via your mucus membranes, to your lungs. Gah!

Wearing a mask may help you to remember not to touch your mouth or nose, but as masks are in high demand just now it’s better to leave those for folks who are actually sick. That way, their sneezes and coughs can’t infect anyone else. Gloves are pretty useless because, just like hands, they touch everything and are quickly covered in germs.

Click here to link to a great Washington Post article that talks about the psychology of why refraining to touch our faces is so difficult.