Feel full and uncomfortable after eating

[Halle0587]

Hi there,

I’ve been okay for a little over a month. Even my counselor is proud of my progress. Last Thursday I started to feel full pretty fast after eating. I have needed more ginger ale just to help keep things calm-I wasn’t nauseous and haven’t been.

I started my cycle this Thursday, so I’ve chalked it up to bloating and PMS. I usually feel bloated, but not full so quickly so I’m concerned. I start out the day decently and then get worse at it goes on. In the last 8 hours, I’ve had coffee and toast and ginger ale and water.

I have IBS, diagnosed. I had a stressful week last week so maybe that’s what set this off. Of course the fears of ovarian and pancreatic cancer or stomach and esophageal cancer creep in. I’m trying not to catastrophize this and say it could be gastritis so I’ve started Nexium.

Anyone feel like this?

[Londonlady]

I would say 100% period troubles, my bloat is horrible and insane when it’s that time of month, heck even the run up to it!

I do also have polycystic ovary syndrome which is common and can make bloating worse!

Feel your pain! Drink plenty of water it’ll pass :)

[Halle0587]

Thank you for your reply. I pray that’s what it is. It’s 3am here and I’m up crying worried about this upper mid abdominal tightness. I’m trying to ask the questions I see the senior members ask on here. Have I felt this before? What are rational causes?

[Halle0587]

Anyone think anxiety could cause the full feeling and not necessarily an illness? I’m walking around folding laundry, unloading the dishwasher, and having conversations without being in pain. I didn’t eat yesterday, bc Dr. Google suggested if it’s gastritis-which I’ve had before, this sort of feels the same, but the fullness is new to me-anyway, not eating for 24 hours and then starting a bland diet may help calm the stomach. So I am onto bland foods today. Two slices of toast down for breakfast with sips of water. Then bland mashed potatoes for lunch with sips of water. I was definitely hungry for them and finished them completely. About an hour after the potoatoes I’m feeling full under my sternum.

[Halle0587]

I saw my GP for a two month anxiety follow up today. While there I mentioned these symptoms to her. She feels like a recent bout of anxiety may have caused me gastritis. She ran labs as I have a history of pancreatitis (one due to a residual gallstone blocking a duct and once due to acne medication I shouldn’t have been given). Pancreas labs were normal. I was put on b12 back in March for lower levels but not a deficiency. My levels skyrocketed. I of course panicked. She is certain it’s bc I didn’t really need the b12 to begin with and told me to stop taking them. She didn’t suggest retesting, but I plan on asking the nurse to have me retested for piece of mind. Also, the pain/discomfort is less, but the fullness is most definitely still there after some meals. I tolerated cereal with almond milk and a low sodium turkey sandwich on plain bread with zero condiments or toppings. However, bland chicken and a potato and green beans may have been too much for me this evening.

[Katie55]

Sounds just like my symptoms when I had gastritis. It cleared up with 3 months Lansoprazole

[Halle0587]

Just updating my thread for others. I kept having yellow stools after stopping nexium and it felt like a tight band was around my upper abdomen under my bra after eating. It would go away after a bit, then return after eating again. I tried distraction as my counselor instructed. I had been walking to help digestion and bloat. Walking did seem to be my best distraction, but today I was so hungry after eating rice for lunch I just broke down. I went to urgent care this afternoon, labs were normal, CT was normal (a cyst on my ovary was all they found-incedentally.). They gave me a “GI cocktail” of lidocaine and gaviscon tonhelp release my stomach a bit so I could eat tonight as my weight is 4 pounds down since Monday. I was able to eat some for dinner. I think I’m just shaken up. The doctor said gastritis is a possibility but after telling him about the life change my husband and I were deciding upon he thinks it could be anxiety as well. I’m flabbergasted at the thought that this feeling could be anxiety. Anxiety has messed with me IBS wise and caused yellow stools before, but the tightness in the upper center of my abdomen, caused by anxiety...that blows my mind.
I’m satisfied by the results, I was concerned about the cyst, but he assured me the radiologist stated it appeared as a simple cyst and I will be rescanned in three months to check on the size. So that helps. I think he knew I was going to be nervous about it.
I developed my health anxiety after my son was born two years ago, I have ups and downs, but distraction seems to be my best weapon against anxiety.