Acid reflux/GERD and health anxiety

[snowflake293]

Hi all

Do we have any other acid reflux/GERD sufferers here? Do you find your GERD symptoms trigger your health anxiety?

I have been here before, and I am here again... every time it flares up I start thinking I have the c-word or a stomach ulcer, or something isn't right.

Last week I ate a LOAD of pickled jalapenos, like - half a jar. I really like them. I knew it was a stupid thing to do though and I have been paying for it since.

If I take my x2 20mg Omeprazole (one in the morning, one at bed time) sit up after eating, avoid jalapenos (lol) and avoid too much coffee or alcohol I am fine... BUT my health anxiety always tells me otherwise :(

I am so super anxious today... when I feel like this I focus on my symptoms more. I convince myself there is something deadly wrong with me but deep down I know it is health anxiety!

I feel like cause I have had health anxiety for so many years and cause for a whole year it went away (thanks to CBT and medication, but it came back when I had a miscarriage in June) my brain does know how to deal with it... I just need to keep using the techniques I learned before.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if anyone else who posts here has acid reflux and if it triggers them when it flares up?

[samina77]

Hi Snowflake,

Reading your post was like reading my own mind! I'm convinced the things are connected, I know a lot of people who suffer from reflux and notice it worsening when their anxiety levels are up...

I am in the middle of an acid reflux flare up, it's been about 3 weeks I'd say, maybe more and guess what, just like you, it's really getting me down. My brain is going all sorts of places and as a consequence, I think it's actually making the symptoms worse and the two things go hand in hand and off I go feeling like rubbish...

I am turning 40 tomorrow, my little one has just started nursery and I have scanxiety for a scan I have to do on Monday... not helping either.

My doctor gave me Riopan Malgradate (I have never taken medication before for the reflux), she said to take it every day for a week and cut out coffee. I also feel every night that my throat is "tight" (I don't know how else to describe this) it's not sore or anything, I don't have problems swallowing, nor to I feel like something's stuck, it's like the throat muscles are tight...

Definitely agree you should start doing those techniques, I am going to try and have a massage today just to kick start some relaxation, try and meditate a bit (I use guided meditations, have you tried that?).

Hope you feel better :)
Sxx

[snowflake293]

Thank you xxx

Glad I am not the only one but sorry to hear you suffer too. What is your scan for? Good luck. I have a huge fear of tests and scans and get really nervous about both. I am due my smear in January and absolutely dreading it! It is the waiting for results I hate the most.

I could do with a massage myself. I hold all my anxiety in my shoulders and I sleep like a balled up hedgehog. I am like a coiled spring. My shoulder/neck tension causes rib pain too which always worries me as I start thinking it is my liver or c-word.

My throat feels tight too especially when me acid and anxiety are bad. It is horrible.

I have done guided meditations before and they really help so I might try that later on.

Hope you feel better soon too! xx

[SG]

I struggle with acid reflux sometimes too, but it comes and goes and I haven't been bothered for a few months. The symptoms definitely make my anxiety worse because I often feel like I can't take a deep breath and my throat feels tight which brings my attention to my chest which leads to me thinking too much about my breath and then I can't catch it and start to panic and then my mind starts racing and on and on and on. I have actually found myself wondering several times whether acid reflux can cause anxiety, I even sometimes feel spaced out when suffering from the acid reflux but can't work out if that's just the anxiety.