Anxiety or something else?

[aneres56]

I've had a phobia of vomiting for as long as I can remember. A few years ago I got what I assume to be food poisoning, but I couldn't throw up, even if at points I was just hoping for the experience to be over with. A couple of months ago I came down hard with the flu and at one point was so close to throwing up that I actually felt myself start to vomit, but I felt as though it couldn't pass a specific part of my esophagus. I'm still in high school, and sometimes in class I feel like the back of my tongue is swollen or my throat is swelling up, and I feel sick almost all the time. I also have an anxiety disorder that causes me to sweat profusely and clench my jaw. I wanted to know, would the above symptoms align with acid reflux or anxiety?

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Hi aneres56 ,

Welcome to the group.😀👍

Have you been able to set up an appointment with your doctor to discuss the issue?

[aneres56 in reply to Activity2004]

Not yet, I just wanted some input from people who may have experienced it beforehand to see if it is just all in my head.

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to aneres56]

Please call the doctor tomorrow and see if you can get an appointment. Explain to the Receptionist at the office what you have mentioned on your posting and say you want to see the doctor this week, if possible.😀

[aneres56 in reply to Activity2004]

Hi! I spoke with my therapist and we're gonna see if we can increase my dose on anxiety medication and see if that evens it out.

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to aneres56]

Thank you for letting us know. Please keep us posted on how it works.😀👍

[TheAwfulToad]

Fear of vomiting is actually a thing. Logically enough, it's called emetophobia. I would have to say, I think the word "phobia" is inappropriate, because vomiting is not pleasant for anyone: it's something we all avoid if possible! However, it tends to cluster with other problems like generalized anxiety (as you described), so it's acquired that label.

As for it being "all in your head" - well, of course it's all in your head, but that doesn't make it any less real. There are treatments for anxiety and it would be well worth seeing your doctor about it. If he's unsympathetic (many GPs, unfortunately, don't have much trainign for this sort of thing) then find another doctor. Emetophobia specifically is not really treatable, but you may well find that it becomes less of a problem as your anxiety therapy progresses.

[andyswarbs]

Anxiety and acid reflux will feed each other. Thankfully there's a way out of this by improving your gut biome through increasing the amount of plant foods you eat. Plant foods especially legumes have been shown to help issues like depression and at the same time reduce acid reflux. There ate nuances of foods to avoid and others to concentrate on but that's the broad brush.

[leanneski]

Hi, unfortunately I don’t know much about your condition but I agree with others that going to visit a dr should be your first stop to get some help, it might also be worth speaking to a counsellor or therapist to help with the anxiety. Hope you’re ok 💜 x

[Leaandfrank19]

Don’t underestimate that brain of yours. In my illness it made me see some right weird and wonderful things! So your brain quite possibly is controlling your gag reflexes creating a phobia in you. You need to go the doctors before it gets worse. It’s like a person with an eating disorder being petrified of putting on weight, there brain protects them from hunger essentially, letting them drop to dangerously low weight.

Not telling you what to do but it would be best to get it sorted now rather than later. Good luck! X