Anxiety and Gerd

[Robvandam12]

I am suffering from Gerd ( Gastroesophageal reflux disease ),stomach heat and headache from few years. Initially i went to doctor who told me it's caused by depression and anxiety but i thought it is a problem of stomach, how can it be related to depression. He prescribed me some medicines ( for morning - proton pump inhibitors like nexium --- which he kept changing monthly .....

And for night he prescribed me some anti-depressant medicine [ SSRI ] ) .

Meanwhile i take a morning medication for sometime, which was not effective ,

then for sometime i started taking medicine for night and day . after which i started feeling some good . After that i myself started talking an anti depressant (Escitalopram) at night only for years, i canceled the morning medication, everything was fine . But the problem is if i am stopping having anti depressant medicine for even a single day, i am having same kind of feeling , same Gerd ( Gastroesophageal reflux disease ) and headache which was at starting moment ?

Now what should i do ?

Tests done

ultrasould - Normal

ECG - Normal

Endoscopy - Normal

[gemp54]

Hi, unfortunately I'm not able to help much but I feel for you! I have the same except my symptoms are more like LPR (when the reflux comes higher) and none of the meds seem to help. Have you tried looking at your diet to see if anything triggers it? What about natural remedies like DGL liquorice as that seems to help me although the relief doesn't last long unfortunately. X

[Robvandam12 in reply to gemp54]

Actually in my case there is no trigger, i can anything what i want . If i am having antidepressant at night, it keeps me good for 1 day

[Devin76oh]

I think you are asking yourself the wrong question. There really isnt anything that you can do if your tests are coming back normal.

You have to understand that, yes anxiety and depression can physically make you feel like something is wrong. So medically you are very healthy especially if you have gone to your doctor with all of your symptoms and there is nothing. I have had these done and I had to convince myself that there is nothing going on.

You feel these things because you are fixated on them. You are only thinking about them and that is where it comes in. I live with GERD. So I know the feelings and I too have had the same tests like you and nothing was found. So, I just watched what I ate and understood that I will feel these things from time to time. Somedays are great (where I feel nothing) others are not so great (I have constant dull pain) BUT I know there are good days so I wont have this feeling always.

The doctor that did my endoscopy mentioned that there are many cases where anxiety and depression cause these feelings.

Im not sure if this helps but I hope it does. Maybe medication is not the route for you and maybe just a lifestyle change. Eating right, no drinking or smoking. I really dont know.

Whats helped me is prayer and God, to help me not focus on the feelings and to improve my well being by changing my life style. It has worked tremendously!