What is this thing???

[h1gg1]

Hello, my name is steve

I am getting to my wits end and wonder what it is i am suffering from.

I avoid certain situations because i sometimes have panic attacks when i eat from the feeling of fullness / bloatiness / windiness after food.

Panic occurs in public places generally where there is no quick escape, such as on a train, in the back of a moving car, in a department store, in a restaurent or in the centre of town, etc, etc.

Sometimes when i get called into meetings also and start to panic within myself as there is no way out unless i make excuses, which i have done a couple of times to say i needed the toilet.

I always seem to be looking for an exit and the feeling goes when i reach one and know i am safe and will not 'throw up' in the presence of others and make a complete fool of myself.
I do not have Emetophobia/Phobia of sickness as throwing up does not cause me a problem if i am poorly for some reason or another.

This problem only seems to occur after eating, so it is difficult for me to go shopping for a day and have a meal and then carry on shopping or have a meal and goto the cinema or theatre or travel in the back of a car etc.

I do not have any problems in these situations when i am on an empty stomach??

Just today i was invited to a meal after a meeting in town and felt i had to decline because i know i will have this feeling at some stage in the meal and then cannot finish my meal / enjoy it and i had to get the tram back to work after.

I dont tend to get this feeling in familiar places.

I feel so alone and could do with some help, i have had therapy before which did not help much, but about a year ago things did seem to get better but i am regressing again into these feelings and feel my life is slowly being ruled by this problem.

Is this familiar to anyone(eating in public/bloated/panic scenario) - can anyone advise on the best way to self help???

I really want to live my life normally without having to plan around this silly problem.

Many thanks



s.m.higgins

[sophieunderscore]

Irritable bowel syndrome steve!

Thats what it sounds like to me, theres an article on the no more panic website. Its a very very common thing and can be triggered by anxiety :)

Speak to your doctor just to make sure, but you definately have the symptoms.

[april tones]

Hi, i bloat up after eating wheat, it makes me feel weepy too
do you feel agiated after all foods or just some? x

fibrochat) http://apriltones.proboards54.com

[feege]

Hiya

Unfortunately IBS is incredibly common for stressed/anxious people but is often very manageable with medication - there is lots of good stuff on here about it.... Anxiety around food is so so common!

I would try giving up wheat for a while (which isn't easy I can tell you!) in case you are sensitive/allergic which is also incredibly common.... Wheat/gluten are implicated in IBS and anxiety symptoms....

But most of all try not to avoid situations - we all know what you mean about not wanting to have to plan round it, but that's what will happen if you start avoiding. Keep doing everything you can or it will get harder and harder!!!!

I hope you manage to sort it out - good luck xxx

Fee xxxxxx
www.like2like.com

Why live life anticipating the bad things when you could be anticipating the good?
Good and bad things WILL happen!

[bubblestar]

Hi

i am exactly the same!! i totally understand how you feel. i wont eat out, or eat if i cant come straight home afterwards. i get the same anxieties if im stuck somewhere and ive eaten.. and tend to go hours without food to avoid being anxious if im out. yet im so much more at ease and comfortably if i no i have an empty stomach
i do have ibs, and i no its triggered when get the anxiety, so if i no i havnt eaten, its kinda like its got nothing to make me sick or need the loo!

i dont really know how to get over this, because its a big problem at the moment for me too. seeing my dr today, so if i get any help il post again.

N x

[jackie]

steve the girls seem to have hit the nail on the head.

all that is left for me to say is welcome and i really hope you feel at home here, because this anxiety and panic thing can be sooooo lonely. not anymore

jackie

[joolsukuk]

hi
i too get like that when im out im not worried atall about what other people think so its not embarrasment or anything just get all panicky and feel sick and look for escape hope you keep on top of it and thinking of you your so not alone xx

jools xx

[pepp65]

Hi Steve new member this evening came accross your thread and all the things you described shocked me it was like me describing it to someone feel after reading some of the replys i will see my gp and ask about ibs this seems to happen to me at home as well im not imune from it anywhere it seems.
Do suffer with general anxiety and panic attacks at other times as well but really go through it with the whole bloated full stomach thing. Your not alone
not very nice but as we all know well most we come out the other side ok just try telling yourself not easy ay i need a magic wand.
Alll the best Ian

[nbhun]

hi steve
I suffer like you,I panic before a meal out so much that when I get there my throat feels like its closing up and I jut sit playing with the food, cant be stuck in a corner,Ive found if you pretend your someone else a bit like an actor in a play, and play someone more confident and bossy, sounds silly but it works for me and take citalopram, counciling didnt work for me. good luck you are not alone

[CJH86]

Hi, my boyfriend has IBS and used to get this when he was at uni....hes not really an anxiety sufferer wth anything else, just after he had eaten he got like this. He wouldnt eat or drink before uni or work, in lectures or seminars he had to sit as near to the door as he could.....he also had this real fear of having to go to the toilet at work. Needles to say he he is fine now and almost completely free of the anxiety related to this.

[cheekycharlie]

Hi, If I was you, I would go see your GP & explain what you are getting, Sounds like IBS so doc will either refer you to the hospital for a colonospoy or just give you meds to try & realive the pain.

I have had IBS for 7 yrs now so if you have any questions, welcome to PM me. x