Does anxiety make you physically ill???

[Cimmy]

Good morning all, how does your anxiety affect you??, I’m so worried, I’ve had lots and lots of tests, CT’s, ultrasound, stool test, waiting on blood tests, colonoscopy, gastroscopy which came back ok but feel so ill, my symptoms are nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea, headache, aches and pains and just so tired, even just writing this I’m getting breathless, what is going on. My doctor has given up I think, but I can’t go on like this, any feedback would be so appreciated

[JC33]

Hi Cimmy, sorry to hear you’re going through this. I have aches and pains, which the doctors don’t feel is anything sinister, but I just constantly worry about it so can relate to how you’re feeling and the distress it puts you through. All I have had so far is a blood test which came back fine, but they seem reluctant to do further tests because of my anxiety.

I would try and take comfort in the fact that you have had lots of tests and they have come back fine. Still it must be very unsettling for you to be having these physical symptoms. Anxiety I think can really affect the body physically in different ways. Are you getting any help for your anxiety? Do you find certain foods make your stomach worse?

[Cimmy in reply to JC33]

Hi jc33, thank you for your swift reply, I am on medication for anxiety, which I might address with the GP as it doesn’t seem to be working. I have started keeping a food diary to hopefully work out if it’s something I’m eating that is affecting me, I’m so down with it all, I do suffer with IBS but have always managed to control it in the past, everything just seem to affect me nowadays. I just want to get out of bed and think today is a good day☹️ Take care and thank you again

[JC33 in reply to Cimmy]

my father in law was struggling with fatigue and a funny stomach, he saw a nutritionist who checked all sorts of things and gave him a list of foods to avoid and he found this made quite a difference to him. My partner too suffered with IBS quite badly a few years ago and a lot of it was down to stress as he has found now he is less stressed there is a marked improvement, although he has certain foods he has to avoid like onions and too many pulses/beans which can upset his tummy. So it may be the case that if you can help your anxiety levels you notice an improvement with your IBS.

Also I have no idea if it will help at all but I am beginning acupuncture for my anxiety tomorrow and have heard this being a help to some people for all sorts of things.

[Cimmy in reply to JC33]

Oh that’s sounds interesting, please let me know how it goes if you don’t mind, I’m willing to try anything, just want my life back, my husband is not very supportive I’m afraid, he’s fed up with it all and I don’t blame him I suppose. I’m definitely going to eliminate so things out of diet and see what happen. Thank you so much for your interest and reply, it means a lot to know someone is listening to my rants 🌹

[JC33 in reply to Cimmy]

Sure happy to let you know how it goes. Have you got friends you can talk to besides your husband? Sounds a good idea to do some tests on eliminating certain foods and see how you get on. Always here if you need to talk x

[Cimmy in reply to JC33]

Thank you 🙏 I’ve spoke spoke to the GP and my blood test came back satisfactory, no ct results yet , she suggested I go on a strong painkiller which might help as I’m always in pain and take co-codamol but to no avail, she sending over some opiate based painkillers to the chemist for me to collect, but I’m so worried about taking new medication, so reluctant to take them now and now I winding myself up about it. 😳

[JC33 in reply to Cimmy]

Yes I am the same way concerning medication. Might be worth seeing if you can find reviews online from people that have taken them?