Meet my best friend, Zofran
Emetephobia is no joke. Don’t mess with the Zofran.…(and no, she’s not paying me to say this—though she absolutely should be.)
Look, I’m not the kind of person who calls just anyone “best friend.” That title is reserved for the people (and apparently now medications) that have changed my life in meaningful, lasting ways. Enter: Zofran. Or as I like to call her, The Only Reason I Can Function Like a Human Being.
Let’s back up.
For as long as I can remember, nausea has ruled my life—sometimes subtly in the background, sometimes full-blown ruining entire days and causing sleepless nights. Thanks to a lovely cocktail of celiac disease, food intolerances, and the occasional uninvited guest called cross-contamination, nausea has been my unwelcome sidekick. Add in a past life chapter titled “Endometriosis Hell,” and let’s just say, my stomach has been through it.
My relationship with Zofran began years ago, recommended by an actual doctor (important detail, and here’s the part where I remind you: I am not a doctor. Please talk to a medical professional before trying anything I mention here.). When I was in the thick of my endometriosis journey, I was prescribed Zofran to manage daily waves of nausea that made basic things—like walking through the grocery store or smelling food—completely unbearable. I would work at the bakery doubled over in pain, barely standing, and ready to vomit at the smell of food……in a bakery….where it always smelled of food. Sometimes I had to run outside to get some different air and take deep breaths until it (sort of) passed. But honestly, the hysterectomy was my only hope, in the end. And I was willing to do anything to get rid of the pain and nausea.
Fast forward to my post-hysterectomy life, and while I no longer need Zofran daily, it’s still tucked in my bag, my nightstand, and every travel pouch I own. I now take it as needed—usually when I’ve been glutened, accidentally cross-contaminated, or my body just decides to turn on me for fun. I even take it every time I get on an airplane or go on a long road trip, to try and head off the motion sickness before it begins.
And here’s the part that makes me sound slightly unhinged, but it’s important:
I’ve had emetophobia (the irrational, all-consuming fear of vomiting) since I was a kid. And when I say fear, I mean capital-F FEAR—the kind that dictates decisions, ruins plans, and sneaks in at the worst times. Zofran, in all her tiny, magical glory, has helped me calm that fear in a way I never thought possible. Just knowing she’s there gives me the freedom to live again. I am literally afraid of nothing and no one, except vomiting, bees and wasps (hello epi pen), and maybe bears (they look so cute, but they will murder you).
Is it dramatic to say a prescription anti-nausea med gave me my life back? Probably.
Am I going to say it anyway? Absolutely.
Thanks, Zofran. You're not just a med—you're the calm in the stomach storm, the safety net for my brain, and the unsung hero of my gluten-free life.
