Long story short I puked for the first time in 12 years a few weeks ago. It was three hours of violent vomiting in my trash can at night followed by a fever the next day. I have always been terrified of puking.
Luckily, I learned quickly that it wasn't that bad. Quite contrary, I learned the fear does not make logical sense, therefore the knowledge that it isn't even that bad has barely helped. If anything, my fear has gotten much worse. I'm having panic attacks every night now, and whenever I have a bit of gerd or acid reflux I feel so paralyzed from anxiety, because I had bad gerd before getting sick. Same happens with bad congestion, ear blockage, sweating, or feeling oddly hungry or tired. Since all of these happen sometimes, it's not fun having to deal with this worsening anxiety because of them. Usually I'd say I'm fine but just because I got sick after feeling that way once, I am now slipping on the border of "it's rare to happen again" and "Oh shit this might be me about to get sick again shit shit shit."
I know it's temporary to be sick. I know it's not the end of the world. I know all of the LOGIC behind it. But since this phobia isn't based on truth or any logical answers, I remain terrified. Even as I was getting sick a few weeks ago, as I was thinking 'wow this isn't too bad,' the fear and anxiety was consuming me. How do I get rid of this? I've tried exposure, therapy, on Lexapro that actually makes me feel more sick, ect. I'm a nauseous person with vertigo issues and a bad gag reflex and potential ibs which makes it worse. Prescriber won't give me Zofran. Help.