wv_guy99
01-04-2017, 10:13 AM
Hello all! I am a new member who was diagnosed with GAD and depression in August of 2016. Here is how it all started......
2016 was a heck of a year for me. My job was in danger of being eliminated, so I sold my home and moved into my grandmothers house in November of 2015. In December of 2015, my grandmother passed away, and the day after we buried her, my grandfather passed away. I ended up being laid off from my job in May of 2016. I have a auto racing car that I tried to sell with no luck, to give us some money to get by on. I tried hard to go back to school, but no assistance was available to me. I had to rush my father to the hospital to have his galblatter removed. It was just one bad thing after another and I guess my body and mind could only take so much.
I woke one night with a terrible burning in my chest. I automatically thought heart attack, but as I sat on the edge of the bed for a while, the burning went to my stomach, I passed gas and all was fine. The next morning, I purchased some GasX and took it for a few days and it gave me some relief. A week or so later, I was mowing grass, when the same burning sensation came along in my chest and spread into my arms and shoulders. I thought again, heart attack. I went in, cooled off and passed gas again and it was like it never happened. At this point I was concerned so I went to my family doctor and explained the situation to her, and she prescribed Prilosec. I took it for 3 weeks with much relief. Then all of a sudden, my stomach started hurting, legs, back hurt as well. Even had soreness in my genitals. I would sweat profusely for no reason. I started feeling scared. I had an ultra sound done on my galblatter, everything was fine. I was starting to not be able to sleep at this point. Blood pressure was out of sight. Had an EKG done, nothing wrong there. I had diarhea. I could not eat, and lost about 12 lbs during all of this. Finally, my parents felt it was my nerves giving me fits and making me feel this way. I went to the doctor again, and told him EVERYTHING this time, he gave me a "test" and afterwards said I had anxiety and was depressed. He prescribed me valum and Effexor. I didn't want to be someone who was on medication because I couldn't deal. So, I ended up in a full blown panic attack. Heart palpitations, sweating, thought I was basically dieing. Went to the ER, had another round of blood work, and EKG and everything looked great, said the doctor. He said my heart was strong. Also had a chest xray. He explained to me what was happening and explained many of the symptoms of anxiety. I began my medication and have really improved. I have my appetite back, gained my weight back, etc. I still have times of nervousness and I worry all the time still, but much better. The only thing that continues is I have excessive gas.
Now, to my question.....When I am working sometimes, I get that burning sensation in my chest. It kind of starts in my stomach and goes up. It burns my throat, hurts my shoulders and arms and back. Once I rest a minute or two, it goes away and I will belch and pass gas and everything is fine again. Is this my anxiety causing upset stomach and gas? Do I have a heart issue, even though I've had 2 EKG's in the past 3 months and a chest xray and everything was fine? Is it a side effect from my medication? It bothers me and I spend a considerable amount of time thinking and worrying about it.
Thanks for any help, advice, etc!
2016 was a heck of a year for me. My job was in danger of being eliminated, so I sold my home and moved into my grandmothers house in November of 2015. In December of 2015, my grandmother passed away, and the day after we buried her, my grandfather passed away. I ended up being laid off from my job in May of 2016. I have a auto racing car that I tried to sell with no luck, to give us some money to get by on. I tried hard to go back to school, but no assistance was available to me. I had to rush my father to the hospital to have his galblatter removed. It was just one bad thing after another and I guess my body and mind could only take so much.
I woke one night with a terrible burning in my chest. I automatically thought heart attack, but as I sat on the edge of the bed for a while, the burning went to my stomach, I passed gas and all was fine. The next morning, I purchased some GasX and took it for a few days and it gave me some relief. A week or so later, I was mowing grass, when the same burning sensation came along in my chest and spread into my arms and shoulders. I thought again, heart attack. I went in, cooled off and passed gas again and it was like it never happened. At this point I was concerned so I went to my family doctor and explained the situation to her, and she prescribed Prilosec. I took it for 3 weeks with much relief. Then all of a sudden, my stomach started hurting, legs, back hurt as well. Even had soreness in my genitals. I would sweat profusely for no reason. I started feeling scared. I had an ultra sound done on my galblatter, everything was fine. I was starting to not be able to sleep at this point. Blood pressure was out of sight. Had an EKG done, nothing wrong there. I had diarhea. I could not eat, and lost about 12 lbs during all of this. Finally, my parents felt it was my nerves giving me fits and making me feel this way. I went to the doctor again, and told him EVERYTHING this time, he gave me a "test" and afterwards said I had anxiety and was depressed. He prescribed me valum and Effexor. I didn't want to be someone who was on medication because I couldn't deal. So, I ended up in a full blown panic attack. Heart palpitations, sweating, thought I was basically dieing. Went to the ER, had another round of blood work, and EKG and everything looked great, said the doctor. He said my heart was strong. Also had a chest xray. He explained to me what was happening and explained many of the symptoms of anxiety. I began my medication and have really improved. I have my appetite back, gained my weight back, etc. I still have times of nervousness and I worry all the time still, but much better. The only thing that continues is I have excessive gas.
Now, to my question.....When I am working sometimes, I get that burning sensation in my chest. It kind of starts in my stomach and goes up. It burns my throat, hurts my shoulders and arms and back. Once I rest a minute or two, it goes away and I will belch and pass gas and everything is fine again. Is this my anxiety causing upset stomach and gas? Do I have a heart issue, even though I've had 2 EKG's in the past 3 months and a chest xray and everything was fine? Is it a side effect from my medication? It bothers me and I spend a considerable amount of time thinking and worrying about it.
Thanks for any help, advice, etc!