Severe Anxiety Gas/Burps/Heartburn

[thewes]

I am having extremely debilitating anxiety right now. Mild chest discomfort but I focus in on it so much that it becomes unbearable. I am always aware of my heartbeat and like above I focus in to it where it just drives me insane. I am expereincing undescribable levels of discomfort and I just dont understand whats wrong with me. My heart rate throughout the day is 90-100 bpm resting, and it shoots up even when I do simple tasks such as walking. Ive been to a cardiologist and they did several tests and said everything was there and in working order but my pictures were "blurry" so that definately just increased my anxiety 10 fold. A long with this, I was told to wear a hear monitor for a month which did nothing except increase it even more, and I did not even wear the monitor in the end. The strangest symptons though are just constant vibrations or movements in my intestinal area, bad heart burn, bad gas, and a feeling like I have to burp but just cant. Im hoping that my heart is fine and the feelings are just from my focusing on it too much, but I just dont know. Can anyone relate to this? Its been 3 months and I cant even sleep anymore.

[suzi-q]

Yes, many of us can relate to your symptoms.  You did the right thing by first getting to an MD to check out any physical problems.  You never said what the outcome from cardiologist was.  Most likely normal.

If it is anxiety, the more you focus on it, the worse it gets.  You need to get a distraction and try not to think about it.  Much easier said than done, especially when symptoms are so severe.  Have you thought about therapy?  When I was in the throws of my panic, I went on medication and saw a therapist.  I feel that professional help is necessary to feel better.  Of course, there are ways to do it on your own, but it was too difficult for me.  I hope this helps.  Best to you!

[texmom]

Been there, and it is frustrating. I found that it seemed related to spring allergies. This spring and last (at the same exact time, when oak pollen was strong) I got the constant burping and anxiety. For me, taking some Tussin product helped somewhat.

Anxiety and allergies seem to go hand-in-hand for me and can produce some weird symptoms. Sometimes it helps just to know that's all it is. Hang in there!

[baskin546]

Any progress on your situation.  I am having similar symptoms and similar thoughts and feelings.  

[Spoookygirl]

I have the same issues. And have had my heart checked. Echo, stress test, EKG... nothing.
The anxiety and panic worsens when my stomach is full and I have reflux. It's as if the pressure is being placed on something triggering adrenaline. My heart races, I feel afraid. I'm wondering, does anxiety and panic CAUSE the reflux, or does the reflux cause the anxiety?
I am now on Paxil, reflux medication and Ativan.
This is debilitating. Only a few moments ago I was on the couch with a wet towel on my head, on the phone with a friend telling her I felt like I was going to die. I felt it in my stomach, that extreme knotting, feeling as if I wanted to burp but couldn't. My heart racing. After I sat up and forced myself to burp, maybe 20 times, the pressure was gone, then the anxiety left.
Now I feel fine. Well, I also took an Ativan.
This wakes me at night. I'll have a nightmare, and then wake up. My heart will slow down, then I'll be unable to sleep, start burping up stomach acid, and have a full blown panic attack.
My husband is ready to leave me, he doesn't understand.
I hope it gets better for everyone, seems as though doctors don't want to investigate and take these related symptoms seriously.

[tanns]

I have severe, painful heartburn.  I don't seem to be able to associate it with food and tums don't help.  It scares me to no end because of the chest discomfort I have been having.  It happens sporadically and every time I think I'll let it go because it's happened before -- but I can't.

I have worn a 30 day monitor too.  I had this nasty heartburn at the time and it recorded nothing, well except NORMAL cardiac activity.  I still have a hard time with that one.  It is so weird and misplaced I was sure it was my heart.  I still have it though and it still scares me.  I also have chest discomfort that I try to ignore, sometimes I can but mostly I can't.  I have seen too many docs to have all of them miss something.  I don't understand the reason and timing behind the pain.  I guess you don't have to always have a reason.  It sure would help me though.

I also get a weird vibration.  It's happened mostly in my left chest area but sometimes my right fingers would twitch.  And on two occasions I could feel it in my head, that's when I really started to freak out.

Anyway, I'm sorry that you have these symptoms but it helps to know that someone else has them too.  It makes me believe that maybe, just MAYBE it is "just" anxiety.  ("JUST" --what a joke that is!!)


SPOOOKYGIRL:  I think it is really hard for our loved ones to understand the total fear about what is happening in our bodies if they are not or have not experienced it themselves.  I very rarely tell my husband anything anymore, unless I am really, really scared.  I come here or call my parents or a good friend.  He can't get it.  He's been supportive but as the tests continually come back normal, his patience wears thin with the doc visits.

Good luck to all!

[kangaroojes]

Your comments have put my mind to ease, just a litlle. I think knowing that there is other people that have been having the same problems makes me feel better, like i am not the only "nut ball"
I have all these symtoms: burpy feeling, stomach pain, heart racing, chest pain, gas, cramps in my sides, headaches, and they are ussaully moer than just discomfort, they are unbearable, i ussually can not take my mind off of them so that makes it worse.
SPOOOKYGIRL: please dont let this rule your life....it has ruled mine for over 2 yrs and I am only 20yrs old, I am missing out, loosing jobs, it holding me back from college, loosing friends, irritating my bf, people just give up (like you said, after the negitive tests) so please dont let this rule your life,,,I am getting counseling...its okay. doesnt help me , but it might help you. But over all, i just think you should bring positive in your life if you can. Excercise, eat right, laugh, this is all medicine for your symtoms.

I hate what anxiety and stress can do to a person. what the funny thing in my life is, is that I go to the emergency room a lot when i get these same symtoms you all are talking about, and I get all these tests done, and it a different doctor, different hospital everytime, and they all have the same answer..that these symtoms are caused by stress and anxiety. One doctor sat and talked with me for a while and explained a little more...he said that anxiety and stress can really take a toll on our bodies and our minds. ( I also experiece temp blurry vison) He named so many things that it can cause and it made me feel better..you know that i am not dying. I thought i would tell you guys about it.  
I still freak out, not as much, I try to tell myself "dont stress about stuff you are not in control of, you did everything you could" this helps, i point my attention other ways and that helps too. I think just trying to get over all healthy would be the best idea. If you are to the point where you just cant take it anymore, i think the best thing to do is to just eliminate the problems, if feeling sick triggers anxiety for you as it does for me, then you should work really hard to be healthy. This could be as easy as eating healthier or it could mean exercise too. Are any of you over wieght? Think about it, IS THIS REALLY BOTHERING YOU? IS THIS ANXIETY AND THESE SYMTOMS TAKING A TOLL ON YOUR LIVES? I think that if this is true for you, you should really take it all seriously and get out there and exercise. For an example, The heart racing ...if you work your cardio more you will have a reason for your heart to be pounding fast, and you wont be scared. the heartburn...eat less acidy foods, eat right and you will feel better more of the time, i know that this may not eliminate all but it will make a difference.

[AlexParada]

i too am constantly aware of my heartbeat.
i am taking clonazepam and if i take a bit more than prescribed it goes away.
i only really feel the heart when i am extremely idle...sometimes if im going up a flight of stairs i will feel it in my throat.  i hate that.  or specially when im trying to sleep.

but really, you just have to realize, you are not going to die.  your heart is not going to stop beating.  being aware of your heart in a way is almost a blessing.  im getting used to it as it has been almost a year since i started feeling it.  it bothers me sometimes, but it could be worse right?

i have a panic attack at least 4 times a month.  
i use alcohol about twice a week sometimes nothing, and sometimes drugs....ive quit smoking though.  thats the good part of this whole entire anxiety thing!  

just now as i wrote this i felt like i was falling a bit and wave of fear went through my body...its weird.  i also have acid reflux disease and esophageal spasms...i hate em!!!

[KatiRN]

Hello. I have had anxiety that seemed associated with heartburn too. I treated the heartburn with 1/2 tsp of baking soda in 1/2 glass warm water,(it will cause you to burp because it is neutralizing the acid) and the anxiety seemed to lessen. The heart is right behind the esophagus, (in fact there is a heart test that is done by slipping a scope into the esophagus to look at the heart, called a "transesophageal echocardiogram"), and I think acid reflux can somehow cause your heart to race which feels like anxiety and a panic attack. Daily Prozac has helped me immensely with these issues. I also find that sipping some club soda also helps (it contains sodium bicarbonate). Wish you the best!

[mdot5384]

I am experiencing all of the same symptoms. As soon as the "knot" feeling under my left rib cage starts I have a full blown anxiety attack. I also can feel something moving under there (most likely the gas). I am also experiencing the diffuculty burping and back pain. I agree with one of the other postings that when our bodies become imploded from the gas, it must trigger adreneline. At this point I am at a loss. I can't sleep, don't want to go out and most of all frustrating the people around me because they can't understand how I feel. Any other tips would be helpful.

[a.padrino]

Funny how most doctors cant explain it 100% to tell people, they can control, not all but most all you can, They dont yet understand it,, doctors can only test you and then say its anxiety,, and put you on meds, which is not a cure, it can help some people but not all.. why? your not mental,, your not a nut,, as most think its a mental thing,, its not! I have anxiety for years, runs in my genes,, My own studies point to what is new, from italy 2007 reported sorry i dont web address, But they are saying, its a nerve which incase of sudden body damage like a car crash (say) the nerve is made in each of us, sends out a message telling our body its in trouble, and puts it into a danger mode so to say, well for us, we are fine, but that nerve for no reason sends out we are in trouble sending our body into a mode which it should not be in, it affects the whole body or can... thats why meds dont cure it, its not mental,, we have say? a damaged nerve that sends out the wrong info,, only thing we can do is to tell our body we are fine, put your mind into something anything,, calm down,, is the key,, walking helps a great deal,, hobbies,, taking away stressful things helps alot,,, on a UK website they tell almost the same story im saying here,, its not a mental case if they say you have anxiety,, its not mental,, your not a nut...   wish you all best of luck,, took me almost 2 years to understand im not mental,, and i need no meds,, just have to learn to beat it off,, which aint easy i must say... i suffer yet, but very little today,, before i couldnt even work or go outside to a store.. i lost my job, my wife... but today its all good... you can do it... it takes time.. sorry to say... read and learn online,, most say its mental... dont trust them... lol

[Carabear]

I'm 21 years old,and just started having anxiety attacks about a month ago.I am so terrified of dying that it worsens the attacks.I've went to the E.R several times in the past few years,with bad chest pains.I thought I was having a heart-attack.It runs in my family on the male side,so everytime my chest hurts I think i'm having a heart-attack even though I am female. lol . This past time I went to the E.R with all my syptoms .. tingling in my pinky fingers,chest pressure,upper back pressure and several other syptoms,Of course he came back in the room after blood work,EKG tests and all the good stuff.. and told me it was anxiety!! He prescribed me Ativan.It worked for about 2 weeks,then I started having mild attacks.So I went to my family dr. and he prescribed me Lexapro.Just started on it tonight so it takes a week to get into my system.My mom even came to stay with me and we live 2 hours apart.( BTW thats part of my problem being away from my family b/c I am so close to them).SO anyways,this early morning I woke my mom up b/c I was having a burning sensation in my face,arms,and neck.Thought that maybe I am having with-drawls from the Ativan.I HATE taking any kind of meds, so I have these thoughts that its the meds messing me up when I take them.Retarded I know.But can't help it.I came to this website and read so many different messages from different people and there is ALOT of people that have these problems.I'm glad to know im not the only one.Sad though because I suffer from it and know how it feels, and hate that other people go through this too.It sucks.

[Totalmess]

I either experience severe multiple burpings and heartburn OR  hard, wide multiple yawnings, when I enter a social situation. It is never mixed but each seems to occur regularly in the same situations i.e.-- burping occurs when I enter one place, yawning occurs when I enter another place.

[Carabear]

I have this constant yawning thing too.I do it so much sometimes it seems like I'm not getting enough air.I cant really explain it.Its weird to me.To just yawn over and over again .Another sign of anxiety? i dont have a clue.

[bright_light7000]

I've been suffering from generalized anxiety since 1998 and now a clonazepam dependent.  Feel better now a days but I am still desperately searching for my real self, I mean, the way I was when anxiety was not yet controlling my mind and body.  Don't you feel it too?  That the REAL YOU is not there anymore, no where to be found?  Don't you always say to yourself, "This is NOT me!"  What do you think, guys, will we ever get back to our own world before?  BTW, scientists have discovered the so called "brain switch".  I read this is the real cure for anxiety and there's no meds involved, but have not really searched the step-by-step procedure on how to do this.  I hope if you'll happen to get across with this, please do share it in this forum.  

[tlj02002]

I'm very glad that I found this forum; I have been experiencing constant burping (my boyfriend thinks it's gross) yawning, and gas feeling; almost as if i have bubbles in my stomache and behind my ribcage. In July I had my first anxiety attack, and since then I have been on an increasing dose of Zoloft and Clonazepam (which they are trying to decrease). I really hate taking medication, my doctor/therapist tells me to try not to think about it. But how can you not think about it when you have a plethora of pills you need to take each day, twice a day? I can't anyways. I know that this is mostly mind over matter, and that I am creating things in my head, getting nervous, and therefore having these feelings of terror. But my biggest fear is that this wont go away. My doctor/therapist says that these are temporary feeling, but after reading about zoloft withdrawals, and clonazepam dependency, how are these 'feelings' ever going to go away!

[tlj02002]

I forgot to ask everyone if you experience vivid dreams? I have wild dreams, not nightmares, but dreams with so much detail I wake up wondering if it happened or not, or if i had that conversation or not. It's really weird, let me know.

[sarahrinee]

i have the same issue, many times its sucha  debilitating pain that i jsut don't tknow wahts wrogn wtih me.

recetly i was put on lexapro and protonix which is for reflux....i still worry. but "just anxiety" is getting annoying.

[mdot5384]

I can sympathize with all of you. I am 23 and suffering from a gassy tight feeling under the left ribcage, panic/anxiety attacks and also severe left sided back pain. It is very labored for me to burp and when I do alot of times I get bile up with it. I also have a fairly constant gurgling in the spot and sometimes it vibrates or seems to bubble.All initial heart testing has come back fine but I am scheduled for a stress test this week. All bloowork, ultrasounds and a CT scan of the abdomen came back normal as well. I have gone to the hospital once for this and they brushed me off as just having a panic attack. As one of you mentioned, my family, friends and boyfriend are starting to grow tired of my dwelling on this but I just dont feel right. I feel like nothing is going to help at this point. Its comforting to know other people are dealing with the same issues.

[justwantotfeellikemeagain]

     It is such a relief to hear that I am not the only one having the back pain and pressure under my ribs.  My Dr. said that it was part of the anxiety attacks, but it's better to hear it from others who are also experienceing it.  I am so glad that I found this site.

[kyrapooh]

well im having heart burn and i have gas and it feel likes its buring on the insde. the heart bun has been going on for like a week or more now and the gas part just came last night. i took a pill for a headache and after that it felt like the pill was stuck in my chest but it really wasnt it was the gas. i took some peppermint herbal stuff my friend gave me and that was suppose to help me burp, it did but the gas is still there then i drunk a sprite (pop) soda and i was guessing that was going to help me also but it didnt. what kind of medicine and i suppose to take to help this pain i have go away?

[mommy44]

i am a 44yr old mom to two teenage girls and am married...my family thinks i am crazy..i have severe anxiety especially in the morning..i wake up with diarrhea, my heart is pounding and i want to jump out of my skin....i  have had upper left back pain and upper left  stomach pain...i have had ct, xrays, endoscopy, colonoscopy and all that was found was gerd...i take zoloft for depression for the past 6 months and it has completely stopped working...also taking xanax after another er visit the other day..told it was a panic attack..ekg, blood tests, stress test a few months ago all normal...i want my life back...everytime i feel these pains,i think i am dying from something the doctors missed...it has taken over my life and i am scared..am going to psychiatrist on tues...my husband thinks i am nuts..do any of you with gerd get these stranges symptoms? i am so glad i found all of you...

[Mandoss]

Iam a 31 year old male that has similiar problems as you. When I was 27 I had fast heartbeats and then I would vomit. The doctor put a heart monitor but it did not find anything. I also have had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy, I found out I had gastritis. The doctor gave me Nexium but it did not really help me. Now I have alot of pressure when I eat and if I do not burp the pressure out I will vomit. I do not know if my gastritis has turned into something else. I do not go out and eat with my family because Iam scared. My wife does not believe me. This has taken over my life. Today I passed a test to become a Border patrol agent but just by thinking of all of my problems I do not want to go any further with the job. I do not know what to do, can someone help!

[Michaelccc]

i'm going through the exact same thing. constant feelings in my chest upper digestive track. lower digestive track. heart always fast anywhere from 90 to 100 but shoots way up with anxiety. shoots up just by walking a few feet sometimes. pain in the chest . sometimes pain above the armpits. like electric pains is the best i can describe it. headaches. dizzy, flushed in face. seen docs and was told nothing wrong with heart. did a million tests. but i'm still freaked out how can anxiety cause me such physical symptoms and if it is anxiety then can't it hurt me with all this worrying. biggest concern still is my heart. i'm 35 year old male, very slightly very very slightly overweight by 10 pounds at most. heavy smoker, no drinking no drugs. lots of stess. HATE my job. so did you figure out whats causing those symptoms for you?

[mommy44]

it makes me feel better to know i am not alone in this struggle...i have a stress test today and if i pass it, then pretty much every test has been done....i am nervous about the stress test....if i do pass though, my husband made me an appt to go and talk to a psychiatrist tomorrow...maybe i do need new meds..i don't know..but i agree with michaelccc that it is unimaginable that anxiety can cause such real, scary symptoms...and in the long run i wonder how it will hurt our health...i have a theory too that some meds cause terrible symptoms.i have a hard timet taking anything for my stomach..i have protonix but that makes me feel worse...well, we will see what happens today...i am so glad i found you and a place of understanding when my family doesn't understand..