I'm envious of people who rarely throw-up. I've vomited so many times in my life it's impossible to count. And I've thrown up everything imaginable: from Chinese food, to plain spaghetti, to movie theater popcorn. I hated vomiting when I was younger. It would make me cry and I dreaded it. I remember throwing up my favorite fruit drink as a kid and not drinking it again for months. Now, getting sick is just a relief from stomach pain.

My first year of college, I threw up often, and not from drinking. Just any kind of normal food could trigger it. It got worse as the years went on. Junior year, in particular, I started skipping class pretty regularly because I would just get an upset stomach and wind up throwing up. It got to the point that my academic standing was in jeopardy. If I didn't meet the attendance requirements, I would not pass my classes. But the severe pain prevented me from being able to sit in class. I spent many hours laying on the cold tile of the bathroom floor in my apartment crying until I could empty my stomach contents and feel a bit better. That was the year I decided to see a doctor about what was going on.

I set up meetings with several professors and let them know I was missing class because of vomiting. I didn't have doctor notes for my sick days because there's no need to go to a doctor just because you're throwing up. Luckily, my professors worked out things with me and I was able to get through the year. Unfortunately, the doctor couldn't pinpoint what was causing my constant vomiting and nausea. I thought there could be a serious problem or perhaps a food allergy. She asked me to keep a food diary and log each time I threw up and to return after a month.

When I went back, it was very clear that there wasn't a specific food trigger. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and given a pill to take. It didn't really help, so I stopped taking it. Even though I used to hate throwing up, it's gotten to the point where it just makes me feel better. I've thrown up SO many different foods, it's hard to say which is the worst. Popcorn, salad, spaghetti, Doritos, hamburgers; they are all bad. I sometimes regret spending money on food because it'll just make me sick after, such as when my boyfriend and I ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando and I spent the rest of the night getting sick in our hotel. I've thrown up on myself twice while driving. I've gotten sick at home, but I have also been sick in restaurants, hotels, and other people's houses.

I intend to continue investigating what is wrong with my body. Lately, I haven't thrown up as much as I have in the past, but I still get frequent upset stomachs. I can usually tell I'm going to throw up now when I start feeling really hot and the stomachache is paired with a headache. Throwing up constantly has led me to be fearful and cautious about food. I even tried being vegetarian for two years to see if a different diet would help my digestion. My favorite foods are not food at all; I like protein smoothies the most because it's gentle on my stomach. My issues with nausea have interfered in the past with school. It's also just painful and uncomfortable. It may sound like I have an eating disorder, but I truly do not know why I have these constant issues, but I hope to understand one day.