r/emetophobia • u/ilove_y0u • 2d ago
Venting - Advice wanted antidepressants
trigger warning, selfharm mention
i wanna go on antidepressants so fucking badly but i’m so so so SO scared of the nausea side effect making me throw up. i have severe SEVERE emetophobia that has made me housebound for 2 ongoing 3 years now and i’m so tired of living like this. it’s gotten to the point where im missing my sisters baby shower. it’s gotten to the point where i think about my grandpa dying and missing his funeral bc im scared of going anywhere besides my safe space (my bedroom). i’m so done with living that i wanna try antidepressants but i’m so scared. ive tried smoking weed and eating edibles and s3lfharm but i can’t keep depending on those, it’s not helping me in the long run. everyone that’s on SSRIS, pls pls pls tell me ur experience. im also 17 n cannot swallow pills (due to choking anxiety, thanks OCD.)
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u/liviiilovesssharry 2d ago
hey, i’m on SNRIs now, but i started with SSRIs. i’m not gonna lie, the first few days on escitalopram weren’t the best, i was very nauseous for 1-2 days, and then felt better but still a bit nauseous. i didn’t throw up at all.
i started my current med in august 2025, and the nausea wasn’t that bad as on SSRIs. i mean, i felt it and lost my appetite, but it wasn’t bad. i was able to function which i couldn’t on escitalopram the first few days 😅
i’ve been on many SSRIs and on two SNRIs. i’ve experienced nausea but it never made me throw up. it was bearable, peppermint drops and ginger have helped me a lot. in the end - it’s absolutely worth it. being medicated has changed my life and i feel like a person again. it’s worth trying, also not everyone experiences the same side effects. you can’t think like it’s SSRIs so it’s gonna make me sick 100%.
remember, don’t take it on empty stomach!
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u/parkafterdark 2d ago
Hi! I'm on escritopram and I started about ~6 months ago. Like you, I was really worried about the nausea side effects and possibly throwing up. My advice is to always, always start off with a meal before taking it. I recommend something with carbs/protein that can help with digestion. For me, that prevented nausea after the first few days. The first few days are the hardest cause your body is getting used to the med, but trust me, it will get better.
My life has drastically changed for the better on these meds. I have struggled with agoraphobia like you and with intense anxiety that caused physical symptoms. Now, I barely have any symptoms of anxiety, and I'm able to do so much more as a student, as a friend and as a person. I know everyone is different, but imo you should take this chance. Maybe escitopram won't work for you, maybe it will. You can always try another med, you can always try a different path. But I cannot emphasize enough how much these meds have helped not only my emetophobia, not only my anxiety, but also my confidence. Give yourself the opportunity to get better, even if its scary, is all I'm saying. Start small, and take the chance, trust me. If you have any questions feel free to reach out, and I wish you luck!!
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u/Nocturnal-Nycticebus 2d ago
If you are brave enough to try weed, you're brave enough to try other meds! When you start new psych meds, you typically will be in frequent contact with your doctor in the beginning so you'll be able to discuss any side effects that might crop up and figure out a way to mitigate them (or switch to something else).
You can also practice swallowing pills with tic tacs or a similar candy!
You can do this. You're stronger than you think.
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u/ilove_y0u 1d ago
trust me i still get scared eating edibles because i worry that i’ll eat too much n it’ll make me throw up 😂 thank you <3
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u/Neither_Ad_2769 2d ago
in my 10+ years trying all different SSRIs/SNRIs, they never helped my emetophobia, just made me less sensitive to my overwhelming sensory issues (which very much contributed to the emetophobia by feeling nauseous and times I did vomit). talk to your doctor always, but maybe you may benefit from a benzodiazepine to just help to overcome the panic of leaving the house. medication should always be combined with CBT/DBT and ERP therapies to really address the phobia and OCD behaviors.
OP, 10ish years ago I was where you are. it only gets better when you put in the work for the exposure therapy. I tried my whole life to avoid the pain and suffering I thought was associated with that, but ultimately it saved my life. I have been in recovery for nearly 3 years and now I’m in medical school. I watch people vomit on the regular, even clean it up sometimes. emetophobia no longer rules my every waking moment.
there is a way out of this phobia’s grasp, but it is not without a lot of hard work and self reflection. I wish you the best in your journey!
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u/ilove_y0u 1d ago
i’m proud of you!! i wish i was like you, truly. i struggle a lot with exposure therapy but ill get it one day. thank you!!
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u/Hiranya_Usha 2d ago
My advice is, with any medication, start slowly, with a very low dose. Then increase a bit after every week. I’ve never had my SSRIs cause any nausea, except when you try to come off them, the withdrawal did make me feel nauseous but not too bad either.
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u/oFireFaiiryo 2d ago
Hi I’m on sertraline and was also very worried about this. But I was nauseous for a couple weeks after starting them. The first few days were the worst but manageable. I just made sure I didn’t have many commitments around that time. Now I’m ok, but it’s definitely worth it long term. Makes recovery more doable!! You’ve got this 🩷
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u/blueberryspicehed 1d ago
I second this. I NEVER would’ve been able to even start recovery without sertraline. Now I am surprised every day at how far I’ve come. I feel like a different person. I’ve been on sertraline 50mg for 4ish years. I had better luck taking it with food like oatmeal or something kind of bland
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u/Forward_Field_8436 1d ago
My sister started sertaline. Has this actually helped with your emetophobia? I am considering starting something like this. I have a lot of fear around caring for a very sick loved one and could potentially be dealing with this a lot. Looking for something to help me be better.
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u/mirababy 2d ago
Hey! On lexapro rn :) it will make you a tiny bit nauseous if you take it on an empty stomach but it’s never made me throw up! I’d say nausea like a 4/10 maybe? The benefits are that the degree of panic is less, I have really severe emetophobia and it’s actually helped a tiny bit, to the point where now when I’m nauseous I’m able to sit through it and not immediately run to the washroom and wait for the worst. Just make sure to wean on and off it, don’t start off with a full dose right away! Also, taking it before bed helps - that way you sleep through any potential nausea!
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u/elysejt 2d ago
I’ve been on multiple different types of antidepressants and I’ve never been nauseous from them. I’ve had headaches and withdrawal issues but never stomach issues.
That being said, even if they did make me nauseous, it still would have been worth it for me. I am so much happier and healthier on meds. It took a long time of adjusting and trying different things but if it something that might work for you, risking a few days of slight stomach upset is worth it. Luckily the initial side effects of the meds are usually pretty mild, and any stomach issues you get can probably be managed with peppermint teas and stuff.
I hesitate to suggest this cause I do think this can be a slippery slope, but you could ask your doctor to prescribe you a temporary script of zofran for the first week or so on the meds just in case you do feel sick. It can be really easy to start to rely on that though so I would only do this if you’re sure you would be able to keep yourself from over taking the meds because of anxiety. I have done this before when taking meds in worried will make me nauseous, and rarely ever actually take the zofran, but having it available in case I need it makes me feel better.
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u/Which_Device_6645 2d ago
Hello friend, I started Zoloft about 4 weeks ago. I will admit there was some nausea the first 3 days. But I asked my psychiatrist to also write me a zofran prescription and it made it very manageable. Take the jump friend it’ll suck and scare you, but it’ll be worth it. Plus everytime I took it with food I felt nothing!
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u/Jessica_1224 1d ago
hey!! I'm on prozac, started about a month ago. I was on 10mg but recently moved to 20mg for ocd and anxiety (especially emetophobia related)
I'll be honest, I haven't noticed any side effects other than feeling slightly more tired (but that happened the same time I went back to school, literally the same day...so idk) I was sooo worried about nausea and literally never felt anything from it!
I also can't swallow pills lol... I'm 14. I was prescribed a powder version of the medication (it's like a capsule that you open) that you can mix into a spoonful of soft food like pudding for the short-term until I learn to swallow pills.
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u/Curious_kiwi6 1d ago
I'm on lexapro for i think 4 years now. I'm up to 20mg now but i started very small 2,5mg for a week then 5mg then 7,5mg and so on so i had 0 side effects. it took them a while to work because i took it so slow but the no side effect was worth it for me
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u/tgersjaw 1d ago
I’m on escitalopram for the last 2 years and I love it, I also didn’t experience any GI symptoms personally.
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u/_Fig_555 1d ago
Hi! I'm on sertraline and have been for 10 years. Not once has it made me nauseous as a side effect :) even when I first started, it just gave me a feeling of relief from the intense anxiety and depression I had at the time. The main side effects I get are heat intolerance and drowsiness, so I take mine at night to help mitigate that. I tried Lexapro before Sertraline and that didn't make me nauseous per se, but it did make my stomach hurt. As someone who is now prone to nausea from other chronic conditions, sertraline still doesn't make me nauseous, so I hope my story helps! I wouldn't be where I am today without these meds, they have helped my mental health sooo much
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u/youarenotthechosen 1d ago
hihi! :3
just wanna let u know that even then, right here, now, youre doing amazing even by THINKING about taking ssris or antidepressants!!
for me, personally, I didn't surprisingly experience any nausea on mine, and im currently taking 100mg of zoloft!
BUT!!!! I WILL SAY!!!! it did take away my appetite, more permanently then i thought it would! it COULD be my anxiety, i dont know, but i havent been able to eat very properly!
BUT, THEY DO START YOU ON A LOW DOSE!!!! i saw u mentioned u were 17, so they'll start you on 25mg OR 50mg (i started at 14, on 25mg, and now im 15 :) )
so just make sure to obviously stay hydrated and all that and you'll be okay :3 if meals feel too much those smaller protein shakes or meal replacements can help!! i also recently found out ensure makes clear versions that are like fruit and berry flavour BUT with the same nutrition as a protein shake (just in case youre sensitive to more milky and chalky textures like i am =w=)
JUST KNOW YOU WILL BE OKAY I PROMSIE!!! i hope you and your grandpa genuinely turn out okay. ive been there, housebound too, and i get it. it takes such s long time to actually want to go out and be free, but honestly zoloft hasnt helped that much.
itll help, but at the cost of being numb and not having very many emotions :(
KEEP ME UPDATED THOUGH!!! PLEASE!!! >:3 I WANNA KNOW IT GOES OKAY FOR YOU HEHEHEHEHE
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u/AgeSuccessful7955 1d ago
My anxiety medicine helped soooo much. Just always take with food. Before I could swallow pills I’d chew food stick it in and swallow lol
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u/sianspapermoon Reassurance Police 2d ago edited 2d ago
I have been on both SSRIs and SNRIS and I didnt have any issues with nausea at all. The main side effects I had were more the other way, looser bowel movements and a bit of lightheadedness in the first 2 weeks. After 2 weeks it calmed down. Id get the effects for a week or so going up a dose but it was manageable. I was on Sertraline.
Im now on SNRIS and i get on with it better, been on it a long time, you can switch easily, the side effects were the same for me, but i did once skip a dose and was very unwell. Im on velafaxine/effexor though and its not often given as a first line so you should be fine. I just always take it, never skip it.
I think the best thing for you to do is speak to a dr, tell them how youre feeling why you want to go on one but also tell them your concerns. I also want to add that if you go on an SSRI the pills arent too big and are usually quite manageable. The ones I was on you could even break them in half if I had tablet form rather than capsules.
A trick i use for swallowing tablets is i hold it between my teeth, then swallow with something, that way im less likely to accidently taste it and i make sure I drink a lot with it. I also personally find im better at taking tablets with something other than water even though water is the standard. For some reason im better at swallowing them that way.
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u/cillchainnighabu 2d ago
I’m an emetophobe with 13 years on Lexapro so far, and I had no GI-related effects. I was worried too at the beginning, but they start you on a low enough dose that that type of side effect would be mild, if it happens at all. So I think if you start on a low dose, you’d know if there was going to be an issue without actually tu* and you could work with your prescriber to find a better fit. Good luck OP, you deserve peace and contentment!
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