HA Back Again!

[agingwuss]

I’ve been away from this forum for nearly four years now! You kind empathic people saved my sanity when my HA was up & running away with me, but I really felt that (with your help) I’d kicked it. Perhaps not 100% but I’d got it down to the occasional niggle that I could well deal with.

But here it is again, as large as life & twice as ugly! :weep:I think it started creeping back earlier this year when all those celebrities died at once. (I was especially upset about Alan Rickman as he was one of my heroes & I’d actually met him twice – a lovely man.) And last week a work colleague of mine died of cancer; I hadn’t worked with him very much & didn’t know him well but whenever I’d met him he’d been a lovely guy. He was the same age as me & someone at work said he’d ignored some symptoms. I was careful not to ask what they were & I don’t know if that was true anyway but this immediately got my HA going into overdrive.

I’ve occasionally had heartburn in the past & thought nothing of it but it has suddenly cropped up again & I can’t seem to stop myself thinking the worst.

Thanks for listening to this long burble! The basic question I want to ask is – it is possible for increased anxiety to cause increased acid production & thus heartburn? Has anyone else had this happen? I really do NOT want to google.

[Mindknot]

Thanks for listening to this long burble! The basic question I want to ask is – it is possible for increased anxiety to cause increased acid production & thus heartburn? Has anyone else had this happen? I really do NOT want to google.

Very much so! Read through the symptoms page again, it might help you get back on balance, this news has probably just given you a bit of a shock - http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/symptoms
It specifically says:

"High stress biology produces extra stomach acid, digestive juices and stomach muscle action or tension in order to quickly digest and eliminate food in the digestive system. This helps to prepare the body for immediate action. When high stress biology is maintained throughout the day, the build up of stomach acid and muscle tension produces an excess of stomach acid which then irritates the stomach and causes indigestion, bloating, diarrhoea, and so on."

[WiseMonkey]

Hi, yes I've been plagued with this on and off for years. I hear that someone I know is very ill and it makes me feel very anxious and my HA can return.

In my case it stems from my childhood where my mother would talk to me about people she knew who had cancer. I was under the age of five even!! It was extremely inappropriate of her and later in life she was diagnosed with BPD.

I don't know if it's possible to totally recover from HA, I try to keep mine in check but it still lurks there under the surface even at 59!!

Hope you get the heartburn under control soon, it's one of the most common HA symptoms. Lesley

[agingwuss]

Thanks so much! I think I reacted so badly to having heartburn because it didn't used to be one of my anxiety symptoms; IBS was my speciality! But I searched for 'acid reflux' here & found a thread a few years ago where on of us mentioned her doctor told her that acid reflux is more common in older people (I'm 58) which does explain it.

So now I've just got to convince my subconscious of this! :winks:

[WiseMonkey]

Hi,
Grab some Zantac from the chemist and it should resolve the reflux then you'll feel more relaxed.

Take care :)

[agingwuss]

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm feeling miles better (fingers crossed)! I had forgotten how helpful & supportive this forum is. :bighug1: