HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Is this reflux or something else?

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/1/2015 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hello! I'm new here, so bear with me. I have been under a lot of stress and have been having anxiety over my new job (teaching). On Friday, my principal sent me home because she thought I was going to stroke out. So on Saturday, I was walking in the mall and out of nowhere I got dizzy, my heart started racing, my hands were shaking, and I felt like I had to vomit (I also have emetophobia).
I had to sit down for a while in the mall. On Sunday, I was OK for a while. I was still dizzy and still nauseous. Monday was bad. Tuesday, I went to the doctor and she prescribed Lexapro and famotidine. I started shaking and panicking in her office. She also referred a therapist. I was OK for most of the day. Still dizzy and nauseous. My stomach will occasionally rumble, like I'm hungry .I keep getting a lump in my throat (I have acid reflux too). My stomach just can't get right! What is wrong with me!? cry
Posted 10/2/2015 7:18 AM (GMT 0)
Stress and anxiety can exacerbate Gerd and stomach problems and the two are closely related, so it could be the after effects of all the stress, it takes a while for the body to calm down and get back to normal after periods of extreme stress. I often get dizziness when I have stomach issues for some reason too. I would try sticking to a bland diet, try to eat little and often and that should help settle your stomach. The stomach can take a long time to heal so don't expect it to get better over a few days, be careful what you eat for a few weeks and avoid acidic or spicey foods and you should start feeling much better.

For the anxiety you can try relaxation exercises like progressive muscle relaxation,this really calms the body down and gets it back to normal.I think seeing a therapist is a good idea too, better to get a handle on the anxiety now before it becomes a bigger problem.
Posted 10/2/2015 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor prescribed me some famotidine, which helps a little bit, but it's like when I go to the bathroom, I start to dry heave and feel like I'm going to vomit. Then I start to panic. I've been lying on the couch mostly. When I move in the slightest, I get dizzy, nauseous, and feel like I have to vomit and get a lump in my throat.
Posted 10/2/2015 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
What kind of foods are you eating? Sounds like you've got gastritis or something. I just eat mashed potatoes when I'm feeling like that and it takes weeks to really get better. If it continues more than a couple of weeks I would get back to the doctor and ask for a stronger acid blocker, but try the bland diet first.

Lying down can actually make it worse, try sitting in a recliner or on the couch up a bit, it will speed up things emptying form your stomach and stop acid refluxing into your esophagus if that's causing the symptoms.

I know what you're going through, been through it a lot myself but it does get better and try to do some relaxation exercises for the anxiety too as that will make you feel worse. Listen to your body though and if it wants to rest and not move about much then do that, play some games or something to take your mind off things while you heal.

The bland diet should work in a few days but if it doesn't then you should go back to the Demand ask for a PPI, stronger acid blocker
Posted 10/2/2015 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
Well, before this, I was eating whatever I wanted. Because of the acid reflux, I avoided anything spicy or acidic. At my job, I wasn't eating enough. I would only eat lunch for 2 days. Those were the only days that I didn't have lunch duty. So I would eat breakfast at 6 something in the morning and wouldn't eat again until I got home at about 5. The stress and anxiety doesn't make it any better. My mom thinks it's low blood sugar.

On Saturday, I had eaten a baked potato from McAlister and I was fine, but I had that panic attack about an hour and a half later in the mall. I still have that annoying lump in my throat and the lump feeling makes me nauseous and when I move it makes me feel like I need to throw up.

Post Edited (Warhawk13) : 10/2/2015 11:42:04 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/3/2015 5:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Warhawk13, Andy1986 has a lot of points and learning from it will help you, of which I have experienced back in June. I was on PPI meds when i was feeling dizzy and my stomach feels empty. Actually I was not able to eat at all, I was feeling worst than nausea. Then i start getting anxiety attack. My hands and feet got sweaty as if I'm afraid of something/unknown. Then I had few doctor's visit which was just to tell me to take the anxiety pills. I took it twice only when I needed it but it did not help my GERD situation. I did all kinds of test, Stress test, all kinds of blood work, Hpylori, chest/ Lung xray and CT scan. All were normal except diagnosed with GERD. I did lost a lot of weight. Even my test were normal I felt so horrible that I wasn't sleeping.

The forum members become my friends, reading their experiences helped me felt better. I did my strict diet took good probiotics, and some supplements. After 6 weeks I wean myself from PPI to Zantac and then to Tums/Rolaids. We are different but learning from each other had helped me.

I'm still on a strict diet and on my road to recovery. I pray a lot and I thank God every moment I'm feeling good.
Thought it might be tough, try not to stress yourself and not worrying on things you can't control. Do the diet(forum moderator have a lot of information) and pay attention on the food intake. Eating in small portion and chewing your food properly always help. I'm chewing gum after each meal (from organic store) and it is also helping me.
God bless.
Posted 10/4/2015 8:44 AM (GMT 0)
You poor thing, sounds like you are having a rough time of things. I have generalised anxiety disorder and when its not managed I have awful digestive tract problems (unrelated to my LPR). Even in people without GERD, anxiety attacks can trigger over production of acid. It can also cause that sensation of having a lump in your throat.

It took quite a while to find a medication which really helped to properly manage my anxiety, SSRI's were never effective enough, but eventually I qualified for one of the newer SNRI's at the time, Venlafaxine, and it was a godsend. Have you seen a psychiatrist? Because GP's tend to pick from a narrow batch of SSRI's and anti-anxiety meds because they work for the majority of people, but a psychiatrist would be able to properly evaluate which ones would work best for you and if a combination approach may work better.
Posted 10/4/2015 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Try to eat little and often and avoid having an empty stomach, that should help with nausea and stomach pain. An empty stomach and panic attacks can definitely cause lasting stomach problems. Try to get the anxiety sorted before its gets out of hand, its not usually something that goes away quickly but if you accept you have anxiety at the moment and then deal with panics as they come you will find it a lot easier. Sudden onset of anxiety problems can be very difficult to manage and cope with and feel overwhelming but there are good treatments out there and you will beat it at some point, it may take time but nothing lasts forever.

You sound very similar to me 3 years ago, my anxiety was awful I stopped being able to sleep and all the stomach and physical problems came along with it. It took me a good 6 months or so to beat it but I did and then went a couple of years without much anxiety problems at all. So we've been there and hope you get a swift recovery. I find relaxation exercises are very useful along with the right medication. Particularly when I get the lightheaded feeling and start feeling exhausted.

Post Edited (Andy1986) : 10/4/2015 6:14:39 AM (GMT-6)

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply