View Full Version : Reflux
Hi all-
My current HA episode is one dealing with esophagus "sensations". Mostly in lower esophagus near top of stomach after eating and drinking. Almost like a "pill stuck" sensation (although I know nothing is stuck and have no problem eating) I have been to the dr and will go back for a recheck in a couple weeks. The rational reason for my issues is reflux or GERD. (along with hyperfocusing on sensations due to my HA.)
My question for you all is this. For those of you that suffer from health anxiety and have had reflux; what symptoms have you had? Other than the traditional heartburn feeling. We all know that HA makes us focus more on sensations and potentially manifest new ones as well... I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation.
TIA
snowflake293
11-11-17, 16:40
Right. I can help you here...
I have horrendous health anxiety. Really bad. Currently on Diazepam to calm me down as I have been freaking out big time.
I suffer with GERD. I have been taking Omeprazole for 10 years but I still have acid reflux flare ups. It tends to get worse if I have eaten trigger foods (tomatoes, chocolate, spicy foods) or had coffee or alcohol, so when it gets bad - I try to avoid them.
The think with feeling like something is stuck - I get this also. I am convinced anxiety causes this. I think it is actually called 'globus' but I could be wrong. I was worrying over my reflux the other week, really freaking out. My acid was much worse and I felt like I had a hiatus hernia and was even worrying over the c-word but it all seems to have settled down now.
I have been in your exact situation so I know how horrible it is, but for me - it passed :) I hope yours passes soon. Aloe vera juice and fennel tea help me with my acid too.
Omg yes I had this all this week & it only gets really bad when I'm at work. So it kinda makes sense how it's a stress thing lol
Yesterday went to the mall with my friend and forgot all about my issues & the sensation was gone! Doing better today but I'm scared it'll come back. It felt like something was stuck in my throat & then I remembered Im a worry wart & a health freakand I told myself to calm down but it didn't help. Due to the fact that yesteday it completely went away when I was with my friend and we were having a great time I contribute it to stress
Makes me feel better to know people feel the way I do !
I have health anxiety and acid reflux, caused by a small hiatus hernia.
Symptoms:
* throat clearing with a phlegm type feeling in throat
*excess mucus, sometimes acidic tasting
* burping
* waterbrash
* at worst, my throat felt like there was something in it when I swallowed; 'lump in the throat feeling'
* nausea, causing loss of appetite
*dry throat
* at worst, soreish throat, like coming down with the cold
* after eating a lot, sometimes get a weird feeling under th ribcage
* very occasional (like very, very occasional) heartburn for a short time after eating if I need over to pick something up.
Most of my reflux issues are throat related. I take 20mg of Esomeprazole a day and have varied between 40mg and 20mg for the last year and a half after the birth of my third child and my onset of reflux symptoms. I'm trying to cut down dosage.
Are you on any medication for your reflux?
Are you on any medication for your reflux?
Yes, just started ranitidine (zantac)
I did have a health anxiety scare a decade ago which was attributed to reflux. It was more throat related though. I know globus was a big part of it. Throat tight, etc. Dr. Said I had reflux and esophogeal spasms. I had an endoscopy and it was clear. I went on prilosec for a year. It went away.
I don't seem to get the traditional "heartburn"... unless I put on a few pounds. I am not overweight (5'3" and 120 pounds), but even if I put on just 5 pounds, I notice I get occasional heartburn. Not bad, but just enough to notice every so often. I also get really uncomfortable in that upper stomach area just after eating if I gain a few pounds. This tends to keep my weight down. lol.
I do believe I have a hiatal hernia. When I lean over sometimes, I can feel my stomach come through my diaphram or ribs. Very strange feeling. I have to arch my back and I can feel it fall back out. (not sure if all that anatomy is correct, but thats what it feels like). I mentioned it to the GI dr years ago and he kinda shrugged it off. It only happens a few times a month when I lean over too much.
I did just gain a few pounds in the past few months... like maybe 5 pounds. I did notice about a month ago I had a few days of feeling heartburn. Then this pill-stuck sensation in my chest followed occasionally. About a month of that not going away and my anxiety began. I went to the dr last week and she suggested ranitidine and to do a h. pylori test.
Thanks everyone for the replies.
Hiatus hernias are very common, I think they say something like 60% of people aged 50 and over have some degree of a HH, although most will be asymptomatic. I'm not sure of statistics under 50, probably they don't have much statistics on the under 50 age group as they don't tend to get endoscopies, usually just get put on ppis. I only got one last year when I was 39 because i was suffering extreme health anxiety over it and the doctors just wanted to reassure me.
jessieblue
11-11-17, 18:02
Hi, I was just on the forum searching for symptoms similar to mine and your post came up! I have very similar feeling plus others and it has totally got into my head at the moment. My current worry is as soon as I wake up in the morning I expect to feel the lump in my throat......and of course I do. So I lay there trying to ignore it as to me i imagine it is stomach contents coming up. I have emetophobia too so am terrified of anything coming out of my stomach! I just get in more and more of a state until i get up when it will normally improve. I also get some heartburn after bending over and sometimes if i have eaten too much or am very anxious. I take omeprazole and have done for years with a few breaks. I had gone down to 10mg but recently had to increase back to 20mg. I glug gaviscon advance too when needed. The trouble I have at the moment is that I am thinking and worrying about it ALL day even when I dont feel it. I am waiting for the next episode. Every burp scares me in case there is the acid feeling. I had endoscopy 6 years ago and all was normal then but I fear I will have to have another one. I get all kinds of weird sensations, like you said the feeling of sliding up and I seem to notice every sngle stomach movement. I am obviously hyper aware but cannot get it out of my mind. Clearly some obsessive thinking going on. I know I am making it so much worse with the anxiety but have gotten into such a vicious cycle. You are definitely not alone.
I have health anxiety and acid reflux, caused by a small hiatus hernia.
Symptoms:
* throat clearing with a phlegm type feeling in throat
*excess mucus, sometimes acidic tasting
* burping
* waterbrash
* at worst, my throat felt like there was something in it when I swallowed; 'lump in the throat feeling'
* nausea, causing loss of appetite
*dry throat
* at worst, soreish throat, like coming down with the cold
* after eating a lot, sometimes get a weird feeling under th ribcage
* very occasional (like very, very occasional) heartburn for a short time after eating if I need over to pick something up.
Are you on any medication for your reflux?
These symptoms are pretty much me as well. Mine is due to a small Hiatus hernia that I think I got from trying to lift something far too heavy when I moved house last year. The cancer scare from it is actually what started my HA
I don't think this is globus which is a throat sensation. My pain is lower, I would have to say right at the lower esophageal sphincter or just above it. My logical mind says definitely reflux/hiatal hernia along with esophageal spasms instigated by anxiety but the dragon on my shoulder thinks this is something much worse.
Woke up with this "pill stuck" feeling pretty strong and having a tough time with it this morning.
just an update:
I visited my primary doc yesterday. He has ordered a barium swallow test and a referral to see a gastroenterologist. I have had some dysphagia over the past week and sometimes have to take a very large gulp of water to get food down. I also notice some soreness where the lower espshogeal sphincter would be.
My primary doc switched me to omeprazole and in thinks this might be reflux or hiatal hernia or stricture. Im glad I will be able to see a specialist for this.
Unfortunately, my health anxiety has taken a turn for the worse. After just increased anxiety over this issue and being afraid of esophogeal cancer, I finally broke down and have been having panic attacks over this. And once that happens, the recovery through is is long and difficult. (I went through it last year with ALS).
So here I am again...anxious, depressed, and defeated that I am finding myself here again. I am being treated by my primary care doc, psychiatrist and therapist. Using klonopin for the extreme anxiety and increasing zoloft currently. Hoping I can navigate myself through this soon.
Hi Emma
Thank you so much for replying to my ALS thread - now maybe I can help you! I have had the exact same symptoms as you before: the sensation that something was stuck low down in my chest. I knew it wasn't globus (which I've also had) because it was far too low. Sometimes it also felt like food was actually sticking there as it went down and sometimes it also felt like a fullness and pressure. Of course I thought it was esophogeal cancer and eventually had a gastroscope (nothing found). It could have been hiatus hernia (which moves up and down and cannot be seen on gastroscope, but most likely hyperawaness was to blame. It really is incredible what sensations the body can generate when you pay attention to it! I hope this fear passes soon!
Xx
Hi Emma
Thank you so much for replying to my ALS thread - now maybe I can help you! I have had the exact same symptoms as you before: the sensation that something was stuck low down in my chest. I knew it wasn't globus (which I've also had) because it was far too low. Sometimes it also felt like food was actually sticking there as it went down and sometimes it also felt like a fullness and pressure. Of course I thought it was esophogeal cancer and eventually had a gastroscope (nothing found). It could have been hiatus hernia (which moves up and down and cannot be seen on gastroscope, but most likely hyperawaness was to blame. It really is incredible what sensations the body can generate when you pay attention to it! I hope this fear passes soon!
Xx
And thank you for your reply! I also know this is not globus...I dealt with that for a year and now know what feeling that is... in the throat. What you describe is exactly what I am feeling.
I actually can feel my stomach get "stuck" through my diaphram when I lean over and I have to arch my back and can feel it fall back out, and my doc said exactly what you have said. That has been happening for years and never caused me distress. During endoscopy you are laying on a table and so the hiatal hernia does not show up.
So I am really doing just "okay" with logical convincing myself this is not cancer... but since having multiple panic episodes over the past week I am in a completely sensitized and damaged state and feel I can be set off at any time. I need to keep busy but don't "feel " like doing anything. I just want this to be over but I know it will take time.
Thanks again for your reply... it does definitely make me feel a bit better.
Goodness we are both in a pickle aren't we. I entirely relate to the panic attacks when the health anxiety is spiking. And you feel so awful and wretched and low. It is the most terrible feeling.
I too have a wonderful supportive family but they cannot understand. They don't suffer from health anxiety and they just can't see why I keep thinking like this. They get inpatient with the irrationality i suppose. And so I end up hiding what I am feeling (in between asking for reassurance "does my voice REALLY sound normal?"!!). It's quite lonely, isn't it?
How are you coping with your panic attacks and do you think your worry will go away after the barium swallow?
Hugs
The panic has been up and down. Some days are worse, some better. I worry about "down time" where I am not occupied. I am on the thanksgiving holiday starting today through the weekend so am concerned with how I will fare. I walked on the treadmill this morning and did some laundry and have an appointment with my therapist this afternoon so today has been okay so far. I am definitely relying on the klonopin to help me through this though.
Tomorrow I head to Cape Cod to a cousins house for the holiday so hopefully this will help keep me occupied. Taking it day by day.
Ah lovely Cape Cod! Enjoy it. And happy thanksgiving too. I am in Britain so its just a normal day for us, but I'm sure the day will be wonderful therapy for you
Xxx
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