GERD and panic attack

Hi Bungielove

Oh hell yeah, I got a ton of panic attacks. I got really bad burping where I felt like I couldn't breathe in. Or I'd get some other new symptom that would set me right off. I'm not one to ever panic before this, but I think stressing about our health is a nerve-wracking thing.

I didn't start getting panic attacks until I started taking the PPI. I think in my case they caused anxiety and worsening reflux symptoms (I had several symptoms that started when I began taking the drug). After a month of being on it, I took myself off and after two weeks the panic attacks subsided greatly. I don't recommend that you do this, nor am I suggesting you do. Everybody is different, and I knew I was not reacting well to that drug.

My doctor was not helpful in terms of finding an alternate and recommended I double up on the PPI when I brought him my concerns. Hopefully yours will be better.

Panic makes the GERD way more worse, and sometimes there's nothing you can really do about it until you let your mind and body figure it out. You're not alone, this is a very scary and debilitating disease. At the same time, it can't really kill you, and you will heal if you improve your diet and lifestyle.

Also, keep a food journal and see what is making you worse. I figured out my burping was caused by fatty foods like dairy, and fried scrambled eggs. I started eating bland alkaline foods and my burping all but disappeared.

I think of mine as a wake up call, to smarten up, and stop with drinking, eating late, eating fried foods, etc, etc.

You're in my thoughts!

Hi, I never got anxiety only after when I got gerd. Through the years I've researched from a few doctors that actually know what causes gerd I'll try to explain your symptoms.

burping - Undigested food staying in stomach too long. Its sually caused by little or not enough stomach acid

shaky feeling - When acid splashes in your esophogus it shocks the body and can cause anxiety. For example, when you cut your finger your heart races because of stress

blurry dark eyes - Since your not digesting your food well your not absorbing much nutrients and your always in physical pain cuz of the damage to the esophagi which causes stress to the body

feeling like am gonna faint or die - There is a nerve called the Vagus nerve in the esophagus when its irritated (in this case the acid splashing it) it can tell your heart to pump faster.

shortness of breath - Since your esophagus is always splashed with acid it will become inflamed and you'll feel like you cant breathe

Try to wean off PPI because they make gerd worse. Unfortunately, most doctors think gerd is caused by too much acid but recent studies show the opposite. Type "gerd john bergman" on youtube he's one of few people that will explain this to you.

you have the exact same symptoms that I have and I hope this helps.

Post Edited (k1m11) : 5/19/2017 4:50:49 AM (GMT-6)

you got good strategies to calm you body down so you can eat.

I have this 4+ year long log that I write down about my gerd and tests that I do VS the research I find from doctors.

Currently, these what seems to be working for me:

1) Taking HCL w/ minimal water before eating a protein meal, drinking only 30 min after a meal
2) fixing my posture to sit up or stand up. specially after eating
3) eating small meals at consistent times every 2-3 hours
4) Chewing food 30+ times before I swallow. It seems to pre-digest your food before it hits your stomach

I'm not perfect because I obviously need to change my life style since I tend to stay up late at night, sometimes eat junk foods, and not as active as I once was.
I remember reading somewhere about stress on nervous system decreases acid production which makes sense. You just don't randomly stop producing acid. There's a cause and effect.

anyways, I hope everyone to get well in this forum