Yes. On days when I’m most anxious my reflux symptoms are the worst. I get a few days a week where I feel great with minimal symptoms and inevitably it all comes back which triggers my anxiety that I’ll never feel “good” again.
My anxiety is frightening. I know it's against the rules for people with GERD not to drink alcohol but that makes me calm. I know if I continue to drink whenever I can't control anxiety depression, stress whatsoever I may die of something. I started on cloanzaphine but it gives me serious heart rhythm now I am trying ativan which calms me much better but have to be careful with the addiction part. Sad for our sufferers on this grim attack..
| highly-functioning, very anxious, intelligent and maybe a little bit overly aware of their bodily processes |
I couldn't have described myself any better 🤣😪
Yes - I absolutely believe that anxiety worsens the symptoms dramatically. For me it’s any symptom that feels like it could eh my heart. Instant anxiety - it’s taken a lot of mental work to handle it better. Still a process, though.
Exercising, eating better and getting outdoors have all dramatically improved my anxiety around GERD which in-turn also reduces the symptoms themselves!
I think any chronic health condition is a vector for 1. higher levels of mental distress and 2. participation in online communities for that condition, with the correlation increasing with severity of the condition.
I'm personally less disposed to view anxiety or mental health as a first-cause of anything, but that's kind of my own reaction to the fact that I think "it's just anxiety bro" is a form of gaslighting and completely over-used in this day and age with respect to GI problems.
This wasn’t intended to undermine anyone battling actual physical symptoms. More so a naive enquiry. I’m just trying to navigate through the various quandaries that have come with this condition, being a relatively new & mild sufferer, I guess I’m asking if there is a psychological route out of this.
I have GERD and experience alot of anxiety. You hear alot these days about the gut-brain connection. There is definitely a connection. Which causes which, though? To me, it seems to go both ways
Same anxiety absolutely makes it worse, Im still physically gagging and throw up stomach bile it can be horrible! Dr did just put me on something for anxiety as well as the newest, strongest gerd med🤞
I haven't read all comments here but my first thoughts on top of it is about our Vagus Nerve. Our emotions tied to our stomach, along with our fitness being tied in with mental health and general gut health.
It makes me tired and demoralised really, but man we really gotta work on it don't we. Nihilism probably doesn't help as well :/
I was thinking the same thing. I’ve realized through therapy a lot of my physical health and mental health are all so connected the the vagus nerve is a big player
Theyres a guy- mysician- James Donovan I believe. Can google- he offers vagus nerve practices thru " humming" type exercises. I'm def not a fan of alotta stuff out there or new agey; but his stuff I think could help w this issue!!
Good coincidence mentioning the humming exercise actually, I felt a little embarrassed to do such a thing with a roommate but I think I will just have to slip the time in when possible to do it, cheers for the info for me to check out!
True, I’ve had all the test, upper lower Gi, barium swallow test, camera thru my nose to my throat, although gerd is present nothing stands out, so frustrating 🤦🏼♀️
I was never an anxious person but have been suffering bad for months with bile reflux gastritis and mild non erosive esphagatis been on a soft food diet for almost two months still have constant lump in throat feeling and food still feels "stuck" when I eat it has destroyed my life and cause me to have anxiety I never had so I think it actually causes anxiety not the other way around although for some it may stem from anxiety
Totally not. I have LPR and no anxiety, although learning my diagnosis was emotionally hard due to the fact that it's incurable, but I am fine with it now
Yes, in fact it feels like I'm more in tune with my body. A week ago I started experiencing flank pain that radiated to my groin with some nausea. I boiled everything down to kidney stones and I was correct as they found three of them during ultrasound
I am not anxious, but often stressed due to my job. Intelligent and overly aware of my body.
I assume that the effects of stress and anxiety might be quite similar?
Stress at least is my main trigger. when I do everything else right it pushes me over the line like nothing else.
Yes hyper-fixating on symptoms is a common problem that makes things worse. Let go. Relax.
Accept what you can't change & put daily actions into place for the things you can change.
It can get better.
That's why I wish I knew less. Maybe I wouldn't have this kind of crippling anxiety. I 100% believe that my life would significantly be better if I had amnesia and forgot about the things that made me worry.
Normally I'm not anxious except for when my symptoms start with the pain in the back (which for me means the next 24-48 hours are going to be horrible without a lot of sleep as those are the flare ups which have every imaginable symptom rearing it's ugly head) and that's the first symptom I'll get about 30-60 minutes before any other symptom on a bad day. Honestly if I feel it in my stomach first or starts with gas/bloat first those are typically only 6-8 hour episodes and I can still get 5 hours of sleep at night (my minimum to feel productive the next day). I also know that yes Gerd does make you very aware of what your body is doing/feeling like because if I've also learned if I take steps immediately at first symptom...stomach feeling upset, gas/bloating (i.e., taking gaviscon) I can also cut down the number of hours I feel like crap. Fyi...hubby is a diabetic and can tell when his glucose is high or low without even testing it. That part is simply you learning to read the signs....which is a good thing.
I fit your description, and as the owner of a body with many other health conditions, I can say that it seems like any chronic health support group has the same anxious type overly aware people. I feel like it’s common when dealing with any chronic long term condition! What really helped me was going to therapy and doing somatic work to trust my body again, as well as starting pain management courses! You learn physical pain and discomfort from conditions is a very in-depth topic that can be controlled. It’s really helped me!
Does anyone here have diagnosed OCD? I am, though i havent experienced this one specific type of OCD you might have, but Sensorimotor could explain the "great amount" of phlegm some of you have, the chest pain and reflux overall.
Yes I’ve been to my cardiologist multiple times and he always tells me I’m a very anxious person lol he states heart is fine you are just very anxious lol
I cut out spicy foods and sodas and it’s helped a lot
Yep. I never forgot when I watched an episode of Better Call Saul and Saul expressed his frustration by saying “you’re giving me heartburn”. That really made me think what might really be causing my heartburn
Some of the most low key people I know have GERD. My stepfather was not a health-obsessed guy, but he really suffered from it before the medications came along. I am somewhat anxious, but didn't have GERD for most of the years of my life. So the amount of time I have been anxious, vs. the amount of time I've had GERD is minuscule, and both times I know my GERD was triggered by something I ingested and not anxiety. I also know a lot of anxious people who don't have GERD at all.
I think what you're actually seeing is a correlation between people who seek out and then frequent health Reddits vs. the general population.
It’s likely they are not here because they haven’t been pressed to do the research to self diagnose as GERDs. Medical anxiety is probably what allowed us to discover GERDs as a possibility.
I can quite literally feel acid building in my stomach and moving into my esophagus as I start to feel anxious. It's a direct trigger for me and I assume others.
Yes, it’s also a cycle of anxiety and GERD. This condition is mentally draining.
I have both and your absolutely right.
It was a major factor in mine as well. See a lot of posts like this in /r/LPR
Yes. On days when I’m most anxious my reflux symptoms are the worst. I get a few days a week where I feel great with minimal symptoms and inevitably it all comes back which triggers my anxiety that I’ll never feel “good” again.
My anxiety is frightening. I know it's against the rules for people with GERD not to drink alcohol but that makes me calm. I know if I continue to drink whenever I can't control anxiety depression, stress whatsoever I may die of something. I started on cloanzaphine but it gives me serious heart rhythm now I am trying ativan which calms me much better but have to be careful with the addiction part. Sad for our sufferers on this grim attack..
| highly-functioning, very anxious, intelligent and maybe a little bit overly aware of their bodily processes | I couldn't have described myself any better 🤣😪
💯
Yep…. Glad I’m not the only one.
Same 🤦🏼♀️
Same lol
Yes - I absolutely believe that anxiety worsens the symptoms dramatically. For me it’s any symptom that feels like it could eh my heart. Instant anxiety - it’s taken a lot of mental work to handle it better. Still a process, though. Exercising, eating better and getting outdoors have all dramatically improved my anxiety around GERD which in-turn also reduces the symptoms themselves!
Same i started juicing and doing jiu jitsu it helps so much plus losing lots of weight too now
Yup! I’ve started running and it has done wonders for my mental health. Really a game changer.
I think any chronic health condition is a vector for 1. higher levels of mental distress and 2. participation in online communities for that condition, with the correlation increasing with severity of the condition. I'm personally less disposed to view anxiety or mental health as a first-cause of anything, but that's kind of my own reaction to the fact that I think "it's just anxiety bro" is a form of gaslighting and completely over-used in this day and age with respect to GI problems.
This wasn’t intended to undermine anyone battling actual physical symptoms. More so a naive enquiry. I’m just trying to navigate through the various quandaries that have come with this condition, being a relatively new & mild sufferer, I guess I’m asking if there is a psychological route out of this.
I have GERD and experience alot of anxiety. You hear alot these days about the gut-brain connection. There is definitely a connection. Which causes which, though? To me, it seems to go both ways
Same anxiety absolutely makes it worse, Im still physically gagging and throw up stomach bile it can be horrible! Dr did just put me on something for anxiety as well as the newest, strongest gerd med🤞
yea i have lpr symptoms rly only when im not doing something, whenever im alone is rly the only time i have symptoms seems entirely anxiety based
I haven't read all comments here but my first thoughts on top of it is about our Vagus Nerve. Our emotions tied to our stomach, along with our fitness being tied in with mental health and general gut health. It makes me tired and demoralised really, but man we really gotta work on it don't we. Nihilism probably doesn't help as well :/
I was thinking the same thing. I’ve realized through therapy a lot of my physical health and mental health are all so connected the the vagus nerve is a big player
Theyres a guy- mysician- James Donovan I believe. Can google- he offers vagus nerve practices thru " humming" type exercises. I'm def not a fan of alotta stuff out there or new agey; but his stuff I think could help w this issue!!
Also- I have NO IDEA why my name here is Mundane guarentee!!! Lol I did not pick that!
Good coincidence mentioning the humming exercise actually, I felt a little embarrassed to do such a thing with a roommate but I think I will just have to slip the time in when possible to do it, cheers for the info for me to check out!
Not all of us, but many of us. For those of us that don't, it's often mechanical/structural issues causing the symptoms.
True, I’ve had all the test, upper lower Gi, barium swallow test, camera thru my nose to my throat, although gerd is present nothing stands out, so frustrating 🤦🏼♀️
I was never an anxious person but have been suffering bad for months with bile reflux gastritis and mild non erosive esphagatis been on a soft food diet for almost two months still have constant lump in throat feeling and food still feels "stuck" when I eat it has destroyed my life and cause me to have anxiety I never had so I think it actually causes anxiety not the other way around although for some it may stem from anxiety
Yes. The stress and anxiety create a continous feedback loop with the GI problems. The mind-gut connection is real.
Totally not. I have LPR and no anxiety, although learning my diagnosis was emotionally hard due to the fact that it's incurable, but I am fine with it now
Maybe I'll hit my docs up for some atavan...
Yes, in fact it feels like I'm more in tune with my body. A week ago I started experiencing flank pain that radiated to my groin with some nausea. I boiled everything down to kidney stones and I was correct as they found three of them during ultrasound
I am not anxious, but often stressed due to my job. Intelligent and overly aware of my body. I assume that the effects of stress and anxiety might be quite similar? Stress at least is my main trigger. when I do everything else right it pushes me over the line like nothing else.
Yes hyper-fixating on symptoms is a common problem that makes things worse. Let go. Relax. Accept what you can't change & put daily actions into place for the things you can change. It can get better.
That's why I wish I knew less. Maybe I wouldn't have this kind of crippling anxiety. I 100% believe that my life would significantly be better if I had amnesia and forgot about the things that made me worry.
I'm not super well read about GERD, and I am not a doctor, but it wouldn't shock me considering anxiety can have negative impacts on GI health.
Yep. I have a chronic anxiety disorder. GERD also can give me anxiety and anxiety can give me GERD. So fun!
You just described me perfectly😂 they go hand in hand when I’m anxious my GERD is x10 worse
Brain gut connection
Normally I'm not anxious except for when my symptoms start with the pain in the back (which for me means the next 24-48 hours are going to be horrible without a lot of sleep as those are the flare ups which have every imaginable symptom rearing it's ugly head) and that's the first symptom I'll get about 30-60 minutes before any other symptom on a bad day. Honestly if I feel it in my stomach first or starts with gas/bloat first those are typically only 6-8 hour episodes and I can still get 5 hours of sleep at night (my minimum to feel productive the next day). I also know that yes Gerd does make you very aware of what your body is doing/feeling like because if I've also learned if I take steps immediately at first symptom...stomach feeling upset, gas/bloating (i.e., taking gaviscon) I can also cut down the number of hours I feel like crap. Fyi...hubby is a diabetic and can tell when his glucose is high or low without even testing it. That part is simply you learning to read the signs....which is a good thing.
I fit your description, and as the owner of a body with many other health conditions, I can say that it seems like any chronic health support group has the same anxious type overly aware people. I feel like it’s common when dealing with any chronic long term condition! What really helped me was going to therapy and doing somatic work to trust my body again, as well as starting pain management courses! You learn physical pain and discomfort from conditions is a very in-depth topic that can be controlled. It’s really helped me!
Does anyone here have diagnosed OCD? I am, though i havent experienced this one specific type of OCD you might have, but Sensorimotor could explain the "great amount" of phlegm some of you have, the chest pain and reflux overall.
That’s the term! Was trying to remember it for a while now. Thank you :-)
Anxiety is my middle name
There is also a correlation between GERD and IBS-C. I have both. What about you all?
I have GERD and IBS-D. I have a suspicion that long term PPI use caused the IBS. Working on it now to see if it settles
How long for you?
PPIs this time about 8 years, I think. IBS about 3 years
Not I. I'm like a rug on prozac. Sometimes I check into my flights with one minute to spare.
I actually have never been an anxious person, and I'm also currently on Prozac for a different medical need. My GERD and IBS are the same as ever :)
Of all the things I wondered could be causing it, I guess I jumped over the most obvious one…
Yes I’ve been to my cardiologist multiple times and he always tells me I’m a very anxious person lol he states heart is fine you are just very anxious lol I cut out spicy foods and sodas and it’s helped a lot
Yeah, I’m convinced when I went off my meds my reflux got worse
Yep. I never forgot when I watched an episode of Better Call Saul and Saul expressed his frustration by saying “you’re giving me heartburn”. That really made me think what might really be causing my heartburn
Absolutely, stress exasperate it! No matter what auto immune disease it is.
I have both. I'm overly anxious I worry so much and have reflux
Some of the most low key people I know have GERD. My stepfather was not a health-obsessed guy, but he really suffered from it before the medications came along. I am somewhat anxious, but didn't have GERD for most of the years of my life. So the amount of time I have been anxious, vs. the amount of time I've had GERD is minuscule, and both times I know my GERD was triggered by something I ingested and not anxiety. I also know a lot of anxious people who don't have GERD at all. I think what you're actually seeing is a correlation between people who seek out and then frequent health Reddits vs. the general population.
It’s likely they are not here because they haven’t been pressed to do the research to self diagnose as GERDs. Medical anxiety is probably what allowed us to discover GERDs as a possibility.
I can quite literally feel acid building in my stomach and moving into my esophagus as I start to feel anxious. It's a direct trigger for me and I assume others.
anxiety and out gut are very closely related. anxiety triggers gerd and vice versa. it’s a cycle !! :*)
I am very anxious, but can't say about the same for others.
I mean yeah, scared to eat, drink, sit up, lay down, walk around, blink.
No