Nasuea and Anxiety

[Suzzie205]

I have had off and on nasuea and feeling too full after I eat for over a year now. I also suffer from anxiety. I'm not sure what came first at this point, the nasuea or the anxiety over the nasuea. I am scared there is something wrong with my stomach and that the Dr. just hasn't found it yet. I've had an upper GI negative and now a gallbladder ultrasound negative. I am always nervous about the nasuea, it will be gone for a few days so I think I'm over it then out of no where it's back again. It does not have anything to do with rather I've eaten or not. I really need an answer this is driving me nuts. Could anxiety cause this or is it the other way around, that the stomach issues are causing the anxiety? I do believe that if the Dr.s got to the bottom of the stomach thing my anxiety would go down a little. Thanks for any input!

[Suzzie205]

Thanks for your ideas. When I was talking about my heart racing, it happened when I took Lexapro and Cymbalta.I am 54 years old and as you read this all started with a visit to a chiropracters office. And yes, I have had blood work done many times in the past year, so far all has come back fine. Also in ER I had some heart test ran where this thing spins and your get a weird sensation. That too came back normal. I feel like my anxiety would improve greatly if I could eat normally without the nasuea and the feeling full sensation. Last night I got it again for no reason. I has no bearing on what I eat, I can eat the same thing 10 times and on the 11th had a problem. It's been over a year since this problem started and yes I know that my pain and anxiety started this at least I think so. What is causing me anxiety now is that my stomach is not getting better. I'll go for 4 or 5 days with no problem then boom it's back again. On the days I can eat somewhat normal and no get an upset stomach or that too full feeling my day so rather smoothly. I think that book "eat, pray love" is suppose to be on Oprah Monday. I have an appiontment on Mon. to see my family Dr. about this stomach thing again.I don't know what the next step is going to be. Your idea about being assertive is good but sometimes when you are they treat you like your just a ***** or a pain in the ***. I've tried that and also seem to get nowhere.I see a mental health treaphist and I really like her, it's just the phsyatrist makes me feel like a don't have a brain in my head and that he could care less about me.All my Drs. have blamed my problems on my son serving in IRAQ, and I'm sure that wasn't helping my situation, but my is stateside now and has been since Halloween. Well get what, I'm not better. So my guess is that he was part of the problem but not the whole problem. Thanks for listening!!!!!!!!! Any other ideas about my anxiety or stomach issues would be helpful.

[cleo1966]

Hi I'm Cleo - 41 yr. old & suffer from severe panic disorder/anxiety.  I read your story & felt compelled to share some insite that have learned over time.  I don't know how old you are, but asuming probably older than 35 years old since you mentioned you have a son that severed in IRAC.  Right? I have a 23 year old son myself.  I'm being a parent is hard, and then to have to had your son take off during a terrible war is even more difficult.  I'm  no doctor, but don't be upset with the medication your doc puts you on.  Sounds like they put  you neurontin (Gabapentine) because of your pain.  I'm R.N., and I've just been started on neurontin (Gabapentine) myself, but for different reasons.  Listen, if your not sure why your heart increases, go to a Cardiologist (rule out arrythmias, ect) & an Endocrinologist (rule out Thyroid, parathyroid, adrenall disorders).  Sometimes we just need peace of mind to ruling things out.  So if you have descent insurance go see these specialist.  If your HMO, tell your doc you need a referral for these two specialist (be assertive);  or if you have PPO insurance like me, you DON'T need a referral, just call the insurance company to give you a referral for these two doctor types.  Also, I would recommend an outpatient behavioral health program.  You can't imagine the help you get from them, they have group theraphy sessions, and one on one sessions.  Theres a lot of great things you can get from this.  If you are not happy with your Doctor - then YES - go get a new one.  You need to have a good relationship with your doctor.  Unfortunately, most Psyc. Docs are not cuddly & warm, there chemist.  They know there chemistry well, not "Gods" but they know chemistry well.  Remember doctors only do their best, they are not magical healers.  They're human just like me & you - They can make mistakes just like us!  But if you think your doctor is not treating your right, or helping your progress, yes- go get a new one.  Another oppinion can only but set your mind at rest, ya know?  Ya see, I don't like medicines or having to be poke & probed at or even test with different medications like a lab rat, but I know I have to do something about the way I feel, or I'll go nuts & not beable to reclaim the old me back.  I'm just being seen with a cardiologist, so this will help me rule out if I have a possible arrythmia.  My next call this Monday is to make an appointment with an Endocrinologist to help me rule out if its my Menopausal/Premenopausal, thyroid, parathyroid, Adrenal disorders.  Yeah, a bit aggressive, but sometimes these other diseases or disorders are the underlying cause of our symptoms.  We create more anxiety without educating ourself on our bodies.  I know I'm aging & getting older so I just have to do the best I can do with trying to help myself & putting my mind to rest.  Cause I know I can really work myself into a frinzy if I allow myself too.  To often we are the major cause of our work-up!  We create a spiraling flow of negative thoughts into our minds & next find ourself in another world, not ourselves, hard to cope, or just giving up!  We can beat this, but like your son who is a brave solider, stand up & fight this war your in with yourself & be a solider, "A BRAVE SOLIDER."  You deserve that to yourself & the people around you who love you.          
Please feel free to write & chat back.  Oh before I go heres a book I recommend everyone to read, if you haven't yet:  "The Four Agreements" by, Don Miguel Ruiz  Good reading material, and another book is "eat, pray, love" by, Elizabeth Gilbert.

Take care, Cleo

[melmarv]

You need a new  psychiatrist, he is not right for you.  He really sounds like he is a miserable person himself.  Leaving your therapist office you should feel great, not more upset then you were. That is absolutely not right.  You have a lot going on right now, you have a lot of reasons to be anxious.  Please try to find someone else.  You need someone who is more simpathetic to what you are going through.  It also sounds like to me you use food to control your feelings a little bit.  I do the same thing, it is not an eating disorder but can lead to one.  Anxiety is what you are suffering from.  Klonapin will help you.  It always feels better to vent, so no worries at all.  You need to talk about it.  It will help recovery and also help you figure out how to handle the situation.  I suggest finding someone new...  You want to get better and notice improvements and you are not seeing or feeling that and it has been some time now.

[Suzzie205]

Thanks for getting back to me. I guess I should try to explain my whole story. A year ago Sept. I got injured at a Chiropracter. The pain was almost unbearable. I thought at the time it would only be short term pain. That did not happen. I became anxious and stopped eating because of fear of what had happened to me. At the same time my son was serving in Iraq. Everything I guess piled on me and I put myself in a behavioral health hospital. There is where my psychiatrist took me off Elival and put me on the Gabepetin. I hate my psychiatrist, he always takes down to me and makes me feel bad about myself, I going to talk to my threapist on Mon. about changing psychiatrist.I think he's really mean and I know it's not me cuz I love my threapist. Having him make me feel worse about myself sure isn't helping the situation. When I was in to see him last week I asked him about an episode I had while driving my car. I wasn't sure if I had a anxiety attack while driving or what. So when I tried to describe to him what had happened to see if he could help me all he said was "how would I know what happened I wasn't in the car with you". I was so upset by that answer. I went into threapy because I didn't have a good handle on my life and I don't know if this guy is good for me or not. Sometimes I feel like he's just making things worse,cuz I'm always in tears when I leave his office. I know he's right that I do need to work on things for myself, but on days or moments that you're filled with anxiety it's really hard to do. Also, he keeps telling me I'm depressed I AM NOT!! I f I didn't have this darn anxiety problem I know I would feel alot better. Sorry this is soooooooooo long but I needed to vent. I sure wish I could try the Klonipin it sounds like that could be the answer for me.

[melmarv]

I unfortunately do not know anything about Gabapentin. I personally think though that if you have been on it since February, it is not working.  I also think the Psychiatrist is right to a certain extent but she is not doing her job.   The absolutely only way you are going to be able to work on it is if it is under control and right now it sounds like to get the anxiety under control you are going to have to be on a medication that works.  Not forever but for right now. Your doctor should know that.  My doctors just had a field day with me and tried to put me on remeron and lexapro and both of them did not work for me.  The side effects were horrible, made me more nauseous.  Everyone’s body chemistry is way different so what works for a friend or another family member might not work for you.  Gabapentin does not sound like it is working.  There are not a lot of side effects with Klonapin; I guess the biggest one is the drowsiness, which after a while your body gets used to it.  Now me personally, I do not recommend you using this for a long time, but if you ever feel like you can not get a hold of your horrible feeling in your stomach and all your doing is thinking about it and panicking take a little bit of one and it will at least calm you down.  You also probably should work with the therapist either the one you are working with or another one to find another anti-deppresant/anti anxiety medication, there are so many out there.  I can tell you I am on a medication called Doxepin; I was on it, then got off of it but now back on it and it helps me.  I have IBS as well, so my stomach is a mess, do you have any other stomach problems?   SSRI sometimes are tricky because the side effects can be bad and with a sensitive stomach you want to make sure that you are taking something that is not going to worsen that.  I am telling you all of this from my own experience, I am not a doctor.  What I suggest though is to go back to the psychiatrist and explain to her that you want to work on this but it is still so out of your control that you need to bring it back into your control so you can get to the root of the issue.  I hope that makes some sense.  Klonapin would help temporary and I would get some for right now.  You are going to get through this and you are not alone.  I believe the right medication will help you and then you will be able to really focus on the root of the issues. Please feel free to ask me anything. Be strong.

[Suzzie205]

I am presently taking 1800mg of Gabapentin per day. I've been on this since February of this  year  and am not sure if it's working for me. My Psyciatrist knows that I'm still have anxiety, but just tells me I need to work on it myself and to keep busy. It seems like alot of people on the site are having good luck with the Klonapin. Is there are side effects to this medication.? I have tried Lexapro and Cymbalta and both medications rated my heart and through me into a panic attack. I don't have depression, just anxiety. Any suggestions would be helpful.

[melmarv]

I believe that it is the complete opposite.  Your anxiety is causing the nausea.  I am not a doctor but I can tell you that if all your test are coming back negative you are worrying yourself sick.  do you take any anti anxiety medication now?
I do the same thing.  You think about it constantly which causes the anxiety part of it and it makes it worse for your nausea. I would suggest some how getting a hold of the anxiety part first, maybe with medication and see if that helps. Now if it doesn't which I don't think will happen, then you know that there is a problem.  You will probably notice a huge difference with some therapy and then maybe the right medication. I sometimes take a quarter of a .5mg of Klonapin to calm me down, and it really helps.  It makes me not think as much about my stomach and also not constantly obsess over food and how nauseas it is making me feel.   Remember that a lot of anxiety can be held in your stomach.  I am not a big fan of medicating everything away but try to get a hold of the nausea by maybe an anti anxiety medication and just see if that helps.