Anxiety/Dizziness/Severe Gagging

[Tara56]

Hi, I have a big problem with feeling overwhelmingly stressed out, and always feeling anxious. I also am constantly edgy and have a very short fuse, and find myself having outbursts of anger and people for doing something that normally would not upset me. My doctor said I have GAD and perscribed me Wellbutrin XL. I have been on it for a month, doesn't seem to be helping. I have also tried Paxil, but it gave me bad side effects. Ok, that is the basic background.

My question is, for a long time, but more severely recently, I have had an extremely sensitive gag reflex and causes me to gag/dry heave from almost anything. From physical things like brushing my teeth and eating to mental things like thinking of something that tastes bad/smells bad or is gross to me. It has become a very persistent problem that has gotten very frustrating. I try to eat yogurt in the morning, and end up gagging to the point that i can't swallow it. I will then feel nauseous for the next 10 minutes or so. This happens around 10-20 times a day.

I am also very dizzy all the time, regardless of the medication I am on, and have been like that for years. I also suffer from a constant mild headache, I had a CAT scan that turned out normal. The constant dizziness increases the nauseous feeling I have through out the day.

My biggest question, do you think that these are all related, or could there be something wrong in the throat causing me to constant gag and dry heave, or is it related to anxiety (although no anxiety med has helped this yet) and is the dizziness related to the anxiety, or could I have an issue with my inner ear?

This was long, I am sorry, but I would love input from anyone. Thank you!!!!

[SuzyB88]

I have the same problem with gagging and anxiety. I just get so overwhelmed with college and school work I just feel like gagging would release my tension or something... But I absoluetly hate it and I feel like it controls my life. But like the person above me said, sedatives is what you need to calm down, not antidepressants. I take the mildest dose of Klonopin and I love it. It really helps me relax and get through the day. Talk to a doctor about it. I hope that helps! :)

[FitOverForty]

Glad I found your post.  My personal experience is one that took probably 2 mos. to diagnose before they would give me Ativan.  The anxiety (I knew that's what it was but the doctors wanted to run a million test or just simply make as much money before giving me what I needed).  I went for testing for GERD and they said I definitely had that so my doctor prescribed Prilosec..(I'm a fitness consultant which implies no junk food anything that would irritate my stomach).  However, I was suppose to do what the doctor ordered..well, as I had suspected, it didn't work.  I got to the point where I had an anxiety attack and went to ER..they too wanted to write it off as GERD..I said I have anxiety, I need a sedative to calm my stomach down.  Finally, in tears the next morning I called my doctor telling her I can't even swallow my milk and she finally sent me to a gastro doc. to stick a cam down my throat.  The doc. said your esophagus is remarkable...it's the anxiety causing it.  I mean I could barely swallow milk when I called my doc. to prove that SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND GERD WAS JUST A SYMPTOM..anxiety was what I had.  

They also tried anti-depressants and those didn't work because I wasn't depressed and I have enough serotonin going to my brain.  What your doctor gave you was antidepressants and NOT SEDATIVES!  You need a sedative...I take Ativan (mildest prescribed sedative out there).  Go to your doctor and ask them to put you on a benzo. that isn't too harsh...do Ativan.

[jess990]

I have the exact same symptoms. I have had everything checked and it is fine. I suffer from constant head pressure/dizziness, I gag a lot, really loud!! Along with that is the anxiety. I am not sure how this all works together, but it is anxiety!!!