Damn can CHOCOLATE really be a trigger or ... - Anxiety Support

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Damn can CHOCOLATE really be a trigger or can heighten acid reflux, and cause more anxiety!!!

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
16 Replies

All i did was ate a piece of a brownie and now my stomach feels more upset and acid reflux in backing up in my throat a little. I was already feeling a upset stomach from earlier today after i had my one meal which was fried shrimp, fries, one hot wing from Carrey hilliards and all was a kiddy portion not a adult size of it. But all day even before i had that meal i just felt uneasy, my usual anxiety of feeling dread and worry. But fast forward to tonight i tried one piece of brownie and not even 10 minutes later my stomach feels more upset like mild flipped and feel mild mausea. Can foods really be a trigger especially chocolate? I have upset stomachs now over all kinds of foods that i once was able to eat with no problem. Now its like my body cant tolerate hardly anything out side of bland foods.

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Icanbeathis2016
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16 Replies
Christory77 profile image
Christory77

Absolutely. Try an OTC like Prilosec or Nexium. They help a lot. I have GERD and everything gives me heartburn without the medication.

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Christory77

Thanks so much for the quick response...I was definitely considering taking an OTC for it. Did you always suffer with GERD or was it brought on with your anxiety? Or did it get worse with your anxiety? Its like i didn't experience these stomach issues until my anxiety got worse?

Christory77 profile image
Christory77 in reply to Icanbeathis2016

I’ve always had acid reflux. Ironically my anxiety doesn’t affect that. Probably because I’ve taken Prilosec for 20 years lol

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Christory77

Ohhh ok. I was prescribed omeprozol about a year ago when i first noticed or was told by an urgent care doc that its probably acid reflux. i didn't know what that was i was going through as far as the burning sensations, and vomit in my throat. But i took the omeprozol for about 2 months and stopped taking it ever since. Im now considering taking whatever i need to just to see if it will help. OTC or omeprozol.

HearYou profile image
HearYou

Yep, fried food. Devil incarnate. Shrimp, fries and (spicy?)chicken wing. And only one meal a day, not several simple nonfried food? You are having a terrible time with your gastrointestinal system, aren't you? You have anxiety and that can mess with your body in a variety of ways. But my husband has no anxiety issues, and he keeps tums next to his bed. Never knows when something is going to bother him. Perhaps you could have a gastrointestinal doctor make certain you don't have something physical going on and not just your anxiety.

Our bodies do change just about the time we finally get used to them. There are so many things I would like to eat after 7, but I don't dare as I know I'll pay for it later by not sleeping. I hope you are able to reach your doctor again and figure out this puzzle.

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to HearYou

Hi..thanks for your response. I wish i could afford a gastro doc. I dont have insurance and i dont make enough money. So ive been going through this as a guessing game; meaning im guessing I have GERD. Because all the symptoms seems to fit. I have one went to a clinic and explain my stmptoms about the burning sensations i get quite oftsn whenever i eat certain foods and how i get the wet burps and feeling of vomit in my throat which they automatically said its acid reflux but as far as being diagnosed with GERD, I wasnt diagnosed with it. But i can hurtfully say, my body is definitely changing on me month by month. I cannot eat hardly any of the things i used to be able to eat even just a year ago without it flipping my stomach upside down, vomit feeling in my throat, wet burps, or gassy, burning sensation, and some times its so bad whatever i may have ingested that dont agree with me my stomach will feel like someone put it on a stove like a pot of boiling water and ive even had cold sweat afterwards, and feel ill like a flu. I dont know whats going on.

Agora1 profile image
Agora1

Hi Icanbeathis2016, You've gotten some great answers but the forum is about personal experiences. I can't have caffeine in any way shape or form EXCEPT in a Milk Chocolate Bar. Not only doesn't it bother me but makes mellow and I fall asleep. :)

BUT...when I eat a brownie within minutes my heart gets irritable. Go figure x

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Agora1

Wow that is wierd...Im still trying to figure out what sets me off. I barely at a piece of the brownie and i notice a difference. I have heard how some chocolates are ok like dark chocolate but i guess whatever kinda chocolate was in that brownie is not the good pne for me.

Usagold profile image
Usagold

Ahh, chocolate, I have to comment on this one! I just had my daily 3 or 4 squares of dark chocolate, the one with sea salt & almonds in it tonight. I eat very healthy other than my chocolate "addiction". I eat a little bit every day and a whole lot some days. About 20% of the time, about 20 mins after I indulge, I notice I get way more skipped beats, like up to 20 every 2 minutes (or 10/min, haha just being dumb) but I know what causes them, so they don't scare me too much anymore, and my heart calms back down after about.... 20 mins (you guessed it). I have also experienced stomach trouble since I've had anxiety. It was real bad a few weeks ago! I've never had an ulcer, but it felt like I think an ulcer would feel. I was asking myself, "Could anxiety cause this too?!" I was miserable and couldn't eat normal foods. I switched to easy-to-digest foods, I had oatmeal for breakfast, a banana sandwich for lunch, chicken & rice w a little broccoli for dinner, and of course, my dark chocolate. It helped, but, not immediately. I thought I was better, and had a steak dinner one night and oh my gosh, I suffered with stomach pain all night! Went back to rice & bananas, & it finally healed up, thank God, and I'm fine now.

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Usagold

See, I totally think this is what im experiencing with the foods i eat too. I noticed i feel alot better if i eat bland foods(boring food rather) like rice, certain vegetables, baked foods, oatmeals, grits, certain fruits. I can eat like that an feel ok but when i have my days of wanting to halfway enjoy myself and say FORGET THIS I want some good food, i pay for it the next day or actually that same day. Last week i had a bagel with chocolate chips in it and cream cheese on it and turkey sau with it and by that evening i felt so ill. Upset stomach, acid reflux got worse, burning sensations, stomach cramps, burping. Im wondering was it the chocolate chips that were in the bagel but it wasnt like i ate an entire candy bar. And it takes so long for me to recover when i get bad reflux. It seems to take a few days for my stomach to settle down enough to eat normal again.

Usagold profile image
Usagold in reply to Icanbeathis2016

Yes, me too, and I never had this stomach trouble before the anxiety. It's weird b/c as long as I am careful what I eat, I'm pretty much ok. For me, it's red meat (hamburgers, steak, roast...) fried foods, cheesy foods, bacon or sausage, and sugary foods. I thought it was bread, since it hurt after a meal that included bread, but other times, I eat bread and I'm fine. Please don't make me go gluten free! That's my worst nightmare. I have also been feeling the heart burn/throw up feeling in my throat you referred to, especially if I eat late, so I'm trying to eat earlier. That's interesting that you're having the same thing. It must be related to our anxiety.

Usagold profile image
Usagold in reply to Icanbeathis2016

See if your stomach feels like this... Not cramps, no diarrhea or issues like that, not usually nausea, although I did wake up with mild nausea many times during this time (I started thinking I might have cancer). But, I had an almost constant pain in the pit of my stomach that made me feel bad all over like I was sick. I was doubled over sometimes from the pain. It felt like a gnawing, hunger pain or emptiness even though I wasn't hungry. It woke me up at night, and was difficult to function. My stomach also felt bloated and just not normal. Sometimes it felt bad & heavy like I had swallowed a brick. I struggled off and on with this for about a month, and still get stomach pain if I eat the wrong foods. Is yours the same?

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Usagold

I definitely had those same effects. The growling, grumbling sensations in my stomach and some times it even felt like my stomach was a pot of boiling water which led to me had sweats and chills. And yes it times my stomach feel like its on knots like something is pulling my stomach down or twisting it. And i couldn't tell if its from something bad i ate or just that my stomach dont agree with certain things or if it was anxiety. But it would be bad. It would take a few days to settle down before i could even eat. I'd feel ill. And funny you mentioned the foods like red meat, steak, roast, cheesy foods, greasy foods because i really notice i get bad stomach issues after having some of those things too. Like i had roast for the first time in a very long time we cooked this about a week ago and no lie the next day i felt ill in my stomach bit i didnt know what it was from. I was even saying i was gonna stop eating pork. And i really may do that because i think the pork is bad too. But yes we are similar in this. Did your start after anxiety or were you aleays having stomach issue? Mines did not ever seem to be this bad until my anxiety got worse..

Nicki1984 profile image
Nicki1984

You could have IBS. Look at low FODMAP diet to identify your food triggers. Wheat, gluten and dairy tend to be main triggers as well as fatty and sugary foods also onion and garlic. X

Icanbeathis2016 profile image
Icanbeathis2016 in reply to Nicki1984

I believe i have that as well. I have researched the symptoms of it and i go through that alot but i was never diagnosed with it. What is low FODMAP how can i find that?

Nicki1984 profile image
Nicki1984 in reply to Icanbeathis2016

Google it most suggest you do it with a dietician but would need to be diagnosed first. Get some blood tests at doctor to rule out other things. Keep a food diary to keep an eye on what your triggers may be. I also find I cannot eat large meals - too much to digest x

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