hi I’m Sharon , first anxiety attack was back last November after a few weeks of stress & upset after family member was poorly ….. since then had heartyburn for 7 weeks now sorted as dr said was anxiety related and put me on low dose AD it worked heartburn has stopped ….
my concern now is I have this annoying burping after eating & drinking & and sometimes strange feeling at bottom of my throat & top of stomache but no problem swallowing , no weight loss sometimes discomfort in top of my back ….all these add to my anxiety but Dr just says she is not concerned as all related to my anxiety 😟 but it worries me something else is wrong with me but dr has done some bloods and best results for years ….. please can anyone else relate to my symptoms I’m so worried 😟 but trying to stay calm
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Timso
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Timso, I think the period of stress and worry you describe may have sensitised your nerves. Anxiety often has this effect.An over sensitive nervous system then produces a series of symptoms that convince us we have something seriously wrong. But these symptoms, such as you describe, are not the result of genuine organic illness. They are false copycat symptoms created by nervous tension.
Make no mistake, over sensitised nerves are very good at imitating the symptoms of real physical illness. And minds worn out with worry are only too willing to believe the worse.
You did the right thing talking to your doctor and having some tests. But by then so strong is your conviction that there's something seriously wrong that the reassurance your doctor gave does not satisfy and you come up with the clichée of those with anxiety disorder: "Maybe they've missed something!"
By now the original cause of your nervous distress is superceded by worry about these strange new symptoms you are experiencing. You start to fear them and these constant fears cause more nervous sensitisation which perpetuates the worrisome state you are in.
So what to do? By all means go back to your doctor, or another doctor, tell them of your misgivings and ask for a 'second opinion'. But when that talk and further tests once again show "the best results for years" you must accept them.
You cannot cure yourself of illnesses you don't have no matter how hard you try!
Recovery depends on breaking the cycle of fear causing more sensitisation causing more symptoms causing more fear causing more sensitisation causing more symptoms ad infinitum.
You can do this through understanding, reassurance and reordering your mind so as to lose your fear of these false symptoms caused by nervous blips and nothing more. Agree to accept the symptoms, agree to co-exist with them, knowing that they are toothless tigers that can do you no real harm. In this way you will gradually lose your fear of them, your nerves will then lose their sensitivity - and you will regain your tranquility and peace of mind.
what a lovely reply & really gives me something to think about …. I think your right it it my anxiety telling me there is something wrong even others have told me this but it’s hard to accept even tho I’ve had bloods done & thyroid checked , but I look on dr Google which I shouldn’t I know & it says burping can be a sign if something more sinister 😌 my heartburn has thankfully stopped after 7 weeks since taking low dose AD but it’s now just this I need to believe the dr or even get a second opinion , my family member is still unwell so my stress / anxiety is still very high level which isn’t helping matters & im also pre menopause 🤷♀️
In my opinion the most helpful self help book for anxiety disorder is "Self help for your nerves" by Claire Weekes (published in the u.s. as "Hope and help for your nerves"). Written many years ago it has helped millions to recover, the book is life-changing. You can pick up a copy for just a few pounds/dollars new or pre-owned on Amazon or Ebay. Everything I know about recovering from AD I learned from that book.
The most important point of all is do not waste your time trying to cure the symptoms, instead cure the cause: health anxiety disorder.
I'm not a medical professional but you have seen your doctor and had tests so no need to take any notice of burping, it's caused by anxiety as your doctor says, it's a symptom. Don't waste energy on curing symptoms, even if you could another would take its place, concentrate on solving the cause instead because when you do that all the copycat nervous symptoms are dispersed. Claire Weekes rxplains this well.
Your doctor is on the ball, she went to medical school five years and has spent many years dealing with ill people every day. So when she says you're fine physically and you say no you're not who should we believe? How many years did you go to medical school for?😊
I know …she had been great I had heartburn every day for 7 weeks takung gaviscon daily which worked but ….. my dr said I’m sure this is all anxiety as I was very stressed and still am …. Put me on a very low dose AD and the heartburn had gone !!! So she said I know now I’m on the right track 🤷♀️ just my anxiety won’t let go and keeps saying I’m burping after food & drink something not right still 😩 ….definate need that book
Burp away. Who cares? Nobody died from burping. When you stop caring, really stop caring, you will wake up one day and say: "Hey! What happened to my burps! I haven't had one for days!"
When you scare yourself you generate fear. That fear releases anxiety hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that keep your nervous system over sensitised. Health anxiety? You're doing it to yourself, a self inflicted injury. We've all done it, believe me.But it's now time to stop the obsession with fake symptoms and direct your attention to the REAL CULPRIT, the real cause of your distress, which is anxiety. So less talk of burps and indigestion. More talk of disarming your anxiety. Said it before, I'll say it once more: You can't cure yourself of an illness you don't have no matter how hard you try.
The secret is to accept the symptoms for the time being, to agree to co-exist with them for a while. As you will read in Weekes' book it all comes down to Acceptance.
The biography of Claire Weekes was recently published, the title says it all: 'The woman who cracked the anxiety code'. You will certainly feel relief reading her book but the knowledge alone that you gain will not bring recovery. It is when you put her method into practice day after day, week after week, that high anxiety is dispersed.'Face. Accept. Float. Let time pass.'
Everything Jeff says is absolutely correct. I've suffered from anxiety for many yrs and still do.but it's clair weeks books that have helped me to understand and practice what she advised it's been my saviour and its with me all the time I call it my bible try to get it and wish you peace it's a tough rd to travel good luck 🙂
Thanks for supporting my recommendation to Timso regarding Claire Weekes' method. So many people have regained their lives because of what she wrote. Yes, her book is my bible as well.
there typical symptoms of acid reflux. Unfortunately doctors can be quicker to put things down to emotional issues. If it continues ask gp about a proton pump inhibitor. Good luck
Thanku I had omeperazole a while ago but it didn’t stop it all together , I’d prefer not to take those again really now my heartburn has gone I don’t bring anything up
it’s a viscous circle my minds telling me something wrong although dr has said she’s not worried done bloods & thyroid but my anxiety disorder won’t accept that 😟
I know it’s hard to put things on a rational road with the anxiety. Try and do something positive about how your feeling. If a PPI has helped in the past it’s more likely it’s linked to reflux. X
I feel it’s related to your anxiety. This happened to me when i had my “meltdown” a few years back. I felt better but the symptoms you described lasted a little while longer. Mine went away after about a month or so.
I googled burping & perimenopause lots of ppl have it apparently part of the digestion issues … 😟 part of me wants a camera down but my anxiety says no as don’t want to find anything bad …. Although my dr has said she would be gobsmacked if anything wrong with ne other than anxiety & peri menopause
sounds like it’s all anxiety. I get the same thing as far as my stomach and the heartburn or do you have to just blow with it I know it says easier said than done try and do breathing exercises. Did the doctor say the meds that you’re on could cause that
jo dr just said she’s not worried heartburn stopped with anti depressant so she knows nothing sinister …. Bloods all good & thyroid ok only thing low was ferritin which she wasn’t concerned about as was low but normal range
Hello, I am a doctor but not a professional in gastroenterology. Gastritis and reflux can a caused by stress and anxiety (I am experiencing it right now). Your burping is probably related with reflux. If you are from a country with a high rate of Helicobacter you shod also get test for that (just to exclude it). Don't worry is easily treatable with antibiotics and antiacide pills. You should try to avoid certain food and drinks (spicy food, chocolate, coffee - try to eat before your morning coffee, achool and soda). Also try small and more frequent meals. Avoid antiinflamatory pills like ibuprofen and aspirin, but please talk with your doctor if you have them in your day to day treatment. Don't lay down after eat (take a small walk). All of these are general information. Please check with your doctor because I don't know your medical history and your clinical examination. Anxiety is activaiting your nerves system that produce stress neurohormons. This are accelerating your intestinal transit (you may also have diarrhea), makes your stomach produce more acid than it needs to and relaxes your eso-gastric valve. All of this contribute to stomach pain and esofagial reflux.
Also what is AD coming from?
Hope this info helps, but please go to your doctor and talk to him/her.
I’ve had a h pylori test negative thankfully , my anti depressants are only low dose but hage taken my heartburn away as dr said it’s all anxiety fed but the annoying burps / air bubbles are still there which is really making my anxiety worse thinking it’s something worse than my anxiety 😟 I have health anxiety atm as peri menopause
I know how you feel. I am here because of my health anxiety problems. It can be related with anxiety (I have similar symptoms since my panic attacks started). Also, some antidepressants may have digestive issues as side effects. If you go to your doctor she may be able to make you feel better after a proper clinical exam. If it doesn't work and continue to be concerned about your health and if you think it could make you feel better you can ask for a second opinion. But I suggest not to have more then 2 doctors because it can become confusing and exhausted checking with a lot of doctors for the same medical issue. Maybe it wold help you to see a gastroenterology specialist.
I am a pediatrician. Finish medical school last year and started working recently. I asked what AD means because I am not a native English speaker.
But no online advice even from a doctor cannot replace a face to face clinical exam.
I belive that you do the same thing that I do. Have some symptoms, become concerned about them, make them worse, became more concerned and this cicle continues. If it makes you feel better I always have the impression that I have a heart attack, although I do know it's almost impossible (I'm 25, and the only risk factor is smoking), but I also have the same digestive problems as you have (chestburn, burps, feel a lot of gass in my intestins). I do hope you will manage your anxiety about this problems, because is most likely that your symptoms will disappear after that.
aww Thankyou so much I do see my dr face to face often cry 😢 as my anxiety is just so bad right now a lot of stress on my plate , I do try and be positive but it’s so hard …. Do you burp all the time or just little bubbles after food & sometimes drink , I’ve had some bloods done thyroid check all ok just ferritin was little low but in normal range , but fbc best since 2006 🙏
Almost every time. Sometimes even not related with ingesting food or drinks. I feel like a pressure at the top of my abdomen or chest and after few seconds I burp, after that I feel better. It all started at the same time with my panic attacks and I also had accelerated intestinal transit (I used to suffer from constipation before).
how strange same with me when my stress started back in October last year my digestion went mad , heartburn was terrible (now gone) but the gas / burps are annoying not loud big ones just enough to notice like u say pressure …. Hoping that wen my anxiety is sorted it all goes away , are you taking anything for yours ? I’m older than you 53 so also I think Peri-Menopause & the anxiety digestion issues are part of that too apparently 🤷♀️
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