Is there any way to avoid stomach pain when having an anxiety attack?

[amandath3panda]

Whenever I'm about to leave the house (which isn't very often considering my agoraphobia) my stomach hurts horribly? Is there any way to not have stomach pain? I'm on Prozac but it doesn't help. I was wondering if there are any home remedies I guess you could say.

[Paxiled]

Is the Prozac helping with your anxiety?  If it isn't, you need a different approach.  The stomach problem is a common one with anxiety sufferers and especially those with phobias.  But it's also possible it's a side effect of taking the Prozac if this problem didn't exist before starting that med and it started after you started taking it.  Antidepressants commonly cause stomach problems.  But so does anxiety.  There are a lot of natural remedies for digestive problems, but usually when this happens you're also having diarrhea or constipation, which are problems with both anxiety and the meds taken to treat it.  The solution is to fix the problem, hopefully by changing how you think in therapy but if it's taking meds, taking one that works.  It's not that easy, though, to find one that works completely.  But again, if there's been little to no improvement about being agoraphobic, the med isn't working well.  Where is the pain?  Is it right after eating?  Some details can help determine if a natural remedy might help.  One thing that's easy to try is chamomile.  It is a mild relaxant but also relaxes the digestive system.  But there are a lot of natural remedies out there that can help certain things, but which ones depend on what is going on.  If it's just anxiety giving you butterflies, you have to calm down the anxiety; if it's anxiety or meds causing a digestive problem, there are gentle remedies that might help with that.  Are you also on a benzo or other relaxant or just the Prozac?  

[amandath3panda]

I've had the stomach pain before the medicine I've been on Prozac for over 3 months now and nothing. It's so hard to describe the pain the best way I can put it is its everywhere and it's very tight and painful. I try to play games on my phone or mess with a Rubik's cube but nothing helps so far. I have been thinking about maybe trying medical marijuana where they take the thc out since I've heard a lot of success rate from that but I'm not sure. I've been like this for all my life but it's gotten worse and worse since about 5 years ago. It gets worse every day and I don't know how to stop it.

[specialmom]

I'm sorry to hear this.  So, this only happens when you leave the house?  The thing with antidepressants is that they can be very effective, however, sometimes it is trial and error to find he right one. Prozac may or may not be it.  Perhaps a dosage change is necessary (increasing it) or another one may do better.  Talk to your doctor about this.  How is the anxiety overall?  You ARE willing to leave the house now and are at a lower level of anxiety?  That would be great and is an improvement I assume.  Do you also do therapy with it?  There is CBT therapy which is known to be very helpful. May help with coping skills and ideas on how to leave without the stomach issue.  I'd look into that.

You are talking about CBD oil, I believe.  I too have read good things about it with the studies they have (which isn't a huge number at this point.)  I'm interested in learning more about it for my son who has pretty bad anxiety.  We haven't yet tried it.  Is medical marijuana legal in your state?  I have read very clearly that one should consult their doctor, inform them and allow their input when starting CBD oil.  Dosing can be a bit of a question mark and you want a doctor to just know all you are doing even if it is self medication.  

But I'll read more about that and see if I can find any good info to link for you.  Hang in there.

[amandath3panda]

I get anxiety when I'm home too I used to go to therapy but I stopped going. My mom and dad want me to go to a  sexual assault Counselor for some stuff that happened in my past. I want to go outside but every time I do its just constant pain. Sometimes I'm forced to leave the house for doctor appointments but other than that I don't really leave the house. My anxiety is only getting worse. I have been thinking about talking to my doctor about the medical marijuana I'm just nervous because its taboo when my family hears the word marijuana. I'm from and currently live in New Jersey there is medical marijuana here, they are also trying to pass a law for recreational marijuana but I'm not really worried about that since that wouldn't help me any. I'm just not sure what to do really. I'm also 18 and I have a history of over 3 years with this problem so getting the medical marijuana shouldn't be too much of an issue I check all the boxes for it.

Also, I'm sorry about your son I hope he feels better soon, sending love your way.

[specialmom]

Well, don't call it marijuana.  You don't want to smoke marijuana --  you are considering CBD oil.  Call it CBD oil.  But you absolutely need to begin counseling again and if you were sexually assaulted, yes.  Someone that can work with you on that is helpful.  Do you know that if we have a trauma like that, besides having possible PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) that we also can stop developing in emotional maturity. Meaning, say something happened at 14 that was traumatic like a sexual assault. Then we process emotions as a 14 year old from then on unless we work on it.  This doesn't happen to everyone but it can happen.  So, speaking to someone about the assault, learning to deal with it and to process anxiety and bad feelings in general in a healthy way helps heal us emotionally so we can handle everything better.  

So, you should consider getting back into therapy, working on the repercussions of the assault, the anxiety with a psychiatrist and yes, can consider CBD oil.  But that won't be a cure most likely unless you work on the whole package sweetie.