Anxiety and gerd

[ali1983]

Morning guys.

Hope your all well.

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced what im going through now.

I have had heartburn for many many years but recently it has started to get worse, a real burning from my tummy to my throat. I have had what feels like a lump in my throat for 4 days now that i just cant shift. I have been to the doctors whi have given me medication for GERD. Obv suffering with anxiety i have googled my symptoms and diagnosed myself with the dreaded C word, cancer of the throat. Im thunking i shouldnt have ignored my heartburn for so long and that it must be something awful and its my own fault.

What are rhe chances its cancer? Is anxiety playing havoc on my symptoms? Any help would be appreciated, as i have convinced myself i dont have long to live and its efdecring my sleep, im thunking about it 24/7 and im worried im not going to see my little girl grow up.

Thanks

Ali xx

[ineedmylifeback]

Hi Ali,

I have had acid reflux for years too but only mild symptoms, until last year. I developed really bad gerd symptoms and was put on omeprazole, I also had my bloods taken and was shown to have an underactive thyroid so was put on medication for that too. I felt ok for the first few weeks but then symptoms came back although not as bad. I had follow up bloods done and my thyroid was back to normal so was taken off the medication for my thyroid and also the omeprazole. I felt slightly better once taken off all medication for a few weeks and then the anxiety kicked in big time....I thought I was dying, panic attacks, sweating, nausea, breathlessness, insomnia, you name it, I had it. Anyway, probably slightly different to you but I am 52 and have gone through the menopause I thought ok but my dr put me on HRT (even though I wasn't keen on the idea) but I just wanted to feel normal again. Felt better again for a few weeks and then the anxiety returned with a vengeance AGAIN.....so back to dr who has just put me on anti-depressants/anxiety tablets, waiting for them to have effect as we speak as only been on them 5 days.

I am totally convinced that anxiety and gerd are related....my gerd symptoms have now subsided, although I do have the feeling in my throat of acid and also the lump in my throat which I think is more from the anxiety. I am sure one sets the other off, please see your dr sooner rather than later, I didn't because I was too scared I was going to be diagnosed with some terminal illness. In short, I have suffered longer than I needed to and it is a really debilitating illness if left unchecked.

I did have a lot of stress, looking after 2 terminally ill members of my family, and a move to a different country, away from family and friends, which is what I think has caused this anxiety/depression. My husband and I have just made the decision to move back home which has made me feel slightly better.

Have you had a lot of stress lately ? Or worried about anything ? Don't think you are weak, this is a true illness that many people do not understand.

Go and see your Doctor, who will be sympathetic and will help you all he/she can. There is medication out there that will help you to enjoy your life and your little girl.

Good luck,

Let me know how you get on.

xxxx

[ali1983 in reply to ineedmylifeback]

Hi ya

Thanks so much for your reply. I did go to the doctor yeaterday and i called again today. He has told me to keep trying the acid reflux medication for a couple weeks to see how i get on and to stop googling things as this makes my anxiety sky rocket.

I just cant help but feel its not just acid reflux and that they are gonna tell me i have full blown cancer and nothing they can do.

Can anxiety also make you feel your throat is sorer than it actually is. It also feels a but painful behind my nose so could this be where i am irritating it by swallowing all the time to tey and get eid of the lump.

My chest feels tight aswell which he is saying is prob the anxiety but i dont want to feel as if they are using this as an easy answer.

also had a cbc 2 months ago which came back fine, he said that they would have expected to see something if there was something underlying going on.

I have noticed the lump feeling is getting painful throughout the day, is this normal? Or am i right in thinking it could be cancer?

Sorry to go on, im just so so worried, to the point i want to go to a&e just to get some solid answers

Thanks

Ali

[ineedmylifeback in reply to ali1983]

Hi Ali,

I can feel my throat all the time in some varying degree....at one time it felt freezing cold all the time which I presume was the acid, that was a horrible feeling. I am sure your sore throat is due to your gerd/anxiety symptoms, I am not a doctor but I am sure anything serious would have shown up in your blood count. I was always under the impression that if you had cancer there was normally no pain with it, my husband was diagnosed 8 years ago with bladder cancer but he didn't have any pain with it (touch wood, he has been cancer free since his treatment).

With gerd, apparently your nose makes more mucous to try and get rid of the acid in your throat, this is called nasal drip so maybe this could be what you are experiencing.

If you are not happy with your doctor could you try another one in your practice ? I wasn't happy with mine and when I changed Doctor I seemed to get more joy, I am not sexist but I changed from a Male dr to a Female dr and she seemed to be more understanding.

I know it's hard, but the worrying will not be helping you, I am still quite new to all this and struggle myself most days, maybe you have health anxiety which is what I think I have, which can be triggered by anxiety. I am slowly trying to teach myself that there is nothing seriously wrong, if you could see me talking to myself in the car etc, lol

Try and be positive I am sure that your symptoms are due to gerd/anxiety.

Get a second opinion from another doctor, if they say it's down to anxiety/gerd then that should help you to feel better.....2 doctors can't be wrong.

Trying to stay positive is very hard but we can do it !!!

Keep in touch, let me know how you get on.

xxx

[ali1983 in reply to ineedmylifeback]

Thanks again for your reply. Its so lovely talking to someone that understands. Im really pleased to hear your husband is doing well.

I trying to stay calm but have just had a bit of a breakdown with worry, ended up in tears oh dear!

Im hoping tomorrow is a better day but if its not im going to find it hard not taking myself to the hospital to be checked out.

Iv had cbt for general anxiety and it seemed to work for a while but recently its all coming back doubley hard. Erghhh!!!

Ali xxx

[Lolly75]

Hi, I have anxiety and gerd with the dreaded lump in the throat feeling, that can be a symptom of both illnesses, with the gerd it's because the acid is making your throat sore, with the anxiety it's because your muscles are tight, neither are life threatening. I know it's really hard but try to forget about it as that makes it worse I also take omeprazole which helps. Or a gentle neck massage if it's your muscles.

[ali1983 in reply to Lolly75]

Hi.

Thanks for reply lolly75. I dont really feel the acid all the time but definitely feel the lump all the time, is it the same for you? Also when i swallow it sometimes hurts my back or chest.... Does this sound familiar? Is this gerd or anxiety or both. Im so convinced its cancer or something as iv suffered with heartburn for 15 years and only doing something about it now as its got worse.

Ali xxx

[Lolly75 in reply to ali1983]

Hi Ali 1983, this all is very familiar to me, I don't feel acid all the time and I'm getting better with the lump feeling, I had all the serious feelings of heart attack, cancer, tumours, stroke all sorts of illnesses for the last year but I'm still here. It is really hard but you need to chill out and take your Mind off of it, try breathing exercises, yoga, going for a walk.

[ali1983 in reply to Lolly75]

I will try my brrsthing exercises again.

Did you have an endoscopy or anything? Shall i rewuest one? I dont think i can relax until iv been seen thoroughly

Xxx

[Lolly75 in reply to ali1983]

Yes I have had a camera down its one of the most uncomfortable things ever but needed to be done, I had never been so happy when she said she had found something as all the other tests were normal.

[ali1983 in reply to Lolly75]

What did she find? Gerd?

Xxx

[Lolly75 in reply to ali1983]

Yes i also had a lot of bile.

[ali1983 in reply to Lolly75]

So can i push for a refferal to ease my mind as the worry is taking over my life.

Xx

[Lolly75 in reply to ali1983]

Hi, yes I would push.