Feeling sick (anxious) about nothing...

Hi All,

I was just looking for any advice/ knowledge on some of the problems I have been incurring mentally/ physically!

about 1.5 years ago I began to feel very anxious/ obsessive. It was initiated by starting a new relationship, one I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to get into. This caused initially a great deal of anxiety, followed by obsessive thought and worries. I plodded through feeling very sick, anxious and slowly losing my mind. The relationship ended, but the thoughts and worries continued!

This continued until Jan this year (2015), when my doctor prescribed me sertraline (non-branded Zoloft). After getting through the initial bumps of the side effects of sertraline, over the following 6 months via the medication and counselling, the obsessions & anxious thoughts dramatically reduced/ disappeared.

I am now in a position where 90% of the time I "think normally" and understand where some of my obsessions etc. came from.

Unfortunately whilst the mental problems have calmed substantially, the physical side has not particularly changed!! I spend ALL day EVERYDAY feeling sick, with a tense stomach and general feeling of a lil down because of it. I can honestly say I don't have any particular fears or worries flooding through my head 24/7, so why is it physically I still feel the same? There is no triggers, it is just a constant tense sick feeling.

Considerations:

- I am on 25mg of sertraline, in a position where mentally I feel like I want to get off but the physical side pulls me down a bit.
- I am also suffering of a yet un-diagnosed digestive issue (perhaps IBS, Diverticulitis, Inflammation)
- The thoughts and fears do still crop up occasionally, but I recognise them and they go away quickly.

Basically any ideas/suggestions as to how I can get rid of this sickly/tenseness?

Thank you in advance for any information :)

I am having blood tests next week to get to the bottom of my stomach issues. I have a feeling that the anxiety makes the stomach issues worse.. then the stomach issues make the anxiety worse (What can you do!)

It is just odd.. previously I have had periods of worry (maybe a month or so), but it would fade. This time the little bugger doesn't want to go at all! Which is just not like me usually, I typically deal with stress very well! :S

Thanks :) Life is just one long lesson ey!

I will be honest, being a "man", I had real issues coming to terms with the fact I was being effected by mental issues! Whilst it is a pretty horrific thing to suffer/go through, it certainly has opening my eyes and made me more understanding.

I can tell you from suffering from IBS, stress is a HUGE if not the biggest effect on your digestive system. I went through 2 CT scans, 2 upper endoscopies, a myriad of x-rays, 5 different GI specialists. It doesn't seem the rx is the reason for your digestive issues if you were having them prior to the start of the meds. I've done so much research and study's on the effects of anxiety/stress on the digestive system, I should write a book lol. If your rx isn't cutting the mustard anymore for your stress/anxiety, maybe an RX change would be a valid venue. I know quite a bit of folks who do suffer from IBS or digestive issues, and they take an anti-anxiety med on a low dose such as Lexapro at 10mg, and it does substantially well with helping resolve or at least minimize their digestive disorders. Just a thought