How Specifically Does Anxiety Affect Stomach?

[Kenny11]

Hi, I'm struggling through some fairly severe ongoing stomach issues that are initially triggered by a fairly specific, intense anxious event. Initially, I awaken with heart racing and/or a 'flushing' feeling around my heart, then it goes straight to my stomach where it immediately feels like a burning sensation, then severe pain and nausea.

Unfortunately, even after the anxious event/thoughts are removed, the stomach issues continue on for some time. This latest episode has lasted over 2 months. The last episode I had was in 2002 and lasted over 6 months.

When I'm not going through an 'episode', typical anxieties/fears may creep up on me, but none cause any sort of ongoing physical symptoms as these do. I don't suffer from panic attacks or most of the symptoms of general anxiety disorder.

- So to help me diagnose what is happening with my stomach, I'm curious to know exactly what is happening to the stomach during an extreme episode of anxiety?

- Some process is causing my stomach to become severely inflamed. Is there a scientific explanation?

- Anyone have severe, ongoing stomach issues resulting from an initial bout with anxiety?

Thanks. I understand a bit about adrenalin and how it affects the heart in this situation, but topics about stomach always seem more vague.

[Kenny11]

Thanks for the replies.

I'd really like to try to figure out how to stop the physical effects that the anxiety is causing my stomach, rather than just stopping my self from feeling it. Something about the initial anxiety event is causing my stomach to get totally enflamed/irritated, to the point that it takes months to heal and go back to normal.

I really wish I could discover what the anxiety is causing my stomach to do (ie - does it totally ramp up and overflow the acid production, does it cause muscle contractions, does it cause an increase or decrease in blood flow to the stomach, does it cause digestion to stop, etc.). So far it has been a bit elusive to get the complete scientific explanation of what goes on physiologically to the stomach during anxiety.

[remar]

you have asked a very good question. i suffer with stomach problems alot, i'm going through it right now. have you been checked for ulcers yet? i've been treated for them twice. i think most of us with anxiety have stomach problems. i hope we get more posts here explaining what exactly is going on, and why it lasts for days or months at a time. rema

[Kenny11]

I've been checked for ulcers a couple times in the past, but tests always come back negative. I think I've been told last time that my stomach is 'enflamed' or I have Gastritis.

But something is triggering this, I don't struggle with it randomly - only after a very severely anxious situation.

I'll keep digging...

[remar]

from your symptoms i would say yes, you may have one of those problems. but you did say that this happens after a severely anxious situation. that's when it usually hits me too. have you tried nexium, zantac or pepcid ac ? i take pepcid ac and it gives me some relief. i hope you feel better. remar

[Kenny11]

Hmmm, so suggesting taking acid blockers would suggest an over-abundance of acid that is irritating the stomach lining. Does anyone know if this is verifyably true?

The only thing I've read so far, is that blood is diverted away from the stomach, therefore slowing digestion. But how exactly this irritates the stomach, or if there is actually something more going on, is yet to be found by me.

[remar]

is your stomach feeling any better. mine is better right now thank goodness. i too would like to know what is going on. i told you i take pepcid ac and it helps somewhat but not completely. i recommended nexium or prilosec earlier but just read an artile on those 2 meds saying they were not good to take but pepcid ac was because it's different. you can't believe everything you read so you should check it out if you want to take either of these meds. that does make some sense about blood being diverted away from the stomach, that's why we get tingling arms and legs wtih a panic attack right? we need more info on this. remar