Is there a stomach link?

[Jude84]

Tonight I had a vivid dream that jolted me awake and awoke with that impending sense of doom feeling, a slightly elevated pulse, dizziness and dry mouth. I felt horrible and again the anxiety was do bad I thought I was going schizo. It subsided after a few glasses of water and calming down. I'm fine now and feel ok, but there is this underlying anxious feeling a bit that won't let me be 100%. I know everything should be fine and it is and for the most part I do feel fine but there is this little worry that just don't die.

Anyways I also noticed a major thing; the food I had ate almost seven hours ago had not digested properly and I could still taste it in my burps. Also after a glass of water I couldn't sleep unless I went to the bathroom to digest the food aka bowel movement. After that I felt much better.

Could these anxiety attacks I've been having be a larger stomach issue? Last night I experienced a bit of anxiety but was relieved of some of it by taking a probiotic.

Can someone please give me some advice? I should be fine and overall I feel fine but I cannot shake this bit of anxiety that keeps bugging me like a fly ruining a good picnic.

I was fine when I was on this ginger, turmeric, and hibiscus tonic. No major problems like this. The second I got off all these problems hit me fast and at once. The first night was the worst with each night after getting better.

Before I go seek some medical attention o would like to know if anyone else has had or has these symptoms?

If so what is your advice? Please I feel like if I don't do something I'm gonna go nuts (annoyed not literally mental).

[Jude84]

Hello can some one please help?

[lalouba_jane]

Hello poppet. Since nobody has replied I thought I'd step in.

Since my anxiety started my digestive system has gone to pot. Sometimes within 20 minutes of eating I'll need to rush off to the loo. Other times I won't have a bowel movement for days at a time and I'll feel awful. I get a lot of stomach cramps, gas pains (that sometimes go through to my back ribs,) burping, nausea, random intolerances to certain foods etc. Nightmare!

It sounds to me like you might have IBS. If you look it up on Google you might find some similarities. It's one of those mysterious illnesses that doesn't have an obvious physical cause in most people and they're yet to properly figure it out. It's very common in anxious or depressed people as its main suggested cause is stress! Shocker! Haha.

My IBS has only improved since I kept a food diary for a month, noting down my digestion issues each day along with the food and drink I had consumed and seeing a pattern, then eliminating the foods and drinks that would flare it up.

I tend to now stay away from caffeine, eggs, dairy and any product with white flour. Also gluten is a mild irritant for me.

A food diary would also give your doc a better idea of what they're dealing with if you did feel inclined to go and see someone about it. :)

Hope this helps! :)

[Jude84]

Thank you!!

I really do think I have that IBS. I was the best when I was on a gluten free dairy free diet and I took a lot of ginger and tumeric.

The one thing I don't really stay away from is green tea. For some reason it works wonders for me but I get the impression that without it I would be a total wreck. The little bit of caffeine and antioxidants and some L-thesine(sp??) aids me.

When I drink the green tea I feel like I can think and breathe and don't have this terribly anxious feeling or this feeling like I'm stuffed up, clogged or in a mental fog.

[lalouba_jane]

If you feel the green tea helps then you should definitely keep up with it. Anything that makes us feel better is worth sticking with.

I definitely think a food diary would help you. A month should be plenty to give you a rough idea of what's going on and might put your mind at ease. Sounds very much like IBS to me! :) feel better!

[frankzito]

My stomach problems got better once I got on a anti depressant. I realized it was the anxiety causing my stomach problems after eating, in certain situations. Still wish I didn't have to take it though :-/

[carissapink]

I have stomach issues too and have seen an internal medicine doc and had the whole work up and all that was told to me was that I have IBS. Sometimes I get so bloated that I can hardly stand up straight bcus it hurts so bad and I look like I'm 3 months pregnant. I have noticed if I am stressed or anxious it def affects me more and my stomach gets crampy and I have to go to the bathroom right away. Just as the statements in the thread above, I have started keeping a food diary just to see if there are any triggers although I really think my anxiety is to blame...

[Jude84]

I appreciate all the responses. So far I've felt anxious but got on back to this probiotic blend of turmeric, ginger and hibiscus. It also oceanic minerals in it. That has worked like a charm for me. It's helped but since its the first day it hasn't really made that much of an impact. I'm just hoping I will finally rest for a solid eight hours with no jolting awake in the middle of the night, no anxiety and no sense of doom panic.

During the day I am mostly helped by this probiotic tonic and green tea. The light caffeine and that L word ingredient on the tea keep my anxiety in check. So the days are ok but the nights are what I dread. Going to sleep is what I dread most.

So these experiences I'm having are pretty normal for someone with IBS?

[lalouba_jane]

They're certainly similar to mine yep! Although everyone with IBS has completely different symptoms, it's what makes it such a mystery to doctors! Any kind of sustained irritation to the digestive system for a period of three months or more (without an obvious physical cause) is considered to be IBS.

[robocop01]

Jude 84, I can definitely relate to you. I used to be big into body building, eating all the right food, taking my protein drinks. I have so much anxiety now I can barely eat. I had lots of blood work test done and all came back great. I just can not eat in the early morning when I first wake up because I have so much anxiety and I feel sick to my stomach. I have been prescribed a stomach acid inhibitor to settle my stomach and it works. I also have started to force myself to eat in the morning. Try some really good cereal that you love, or some flavored oatmeal which usually helps. Remember, You are never alone.

[SleeplessInPA]

My anxiety has caused me some major stomach issues. There were times I could barely eat and when I did it went right through me, at one point I was down to a size 2 (I am 5'7). I agree with the idea of a food diary, the would help you identify if it is certain foods you are eating. I would also note your anxiety level at the time.