Constant nausea and vomiting - can this come from anxiety?

[Vitruvian]

Hi guys,

For the last 7 months I have suffered from unexplained nausea and vomiting, which has been an absolute nightmare. Every day without fail, I will vomit/dry retch at least once or twice and generally feel nauseous all the time.

I have had many blood tests, CT scans, ultra sounds.. have had cameras down my throat into my stomach... I have had everything checked out and nothing has shown up.

My doctor always suspected it was anxiety/stress, but I found that hard to take as the symptoms were so real and so physical, and still are.

Has anyone here suffered from constant nausea/vomiting from an anxiety or stress related disorder?

Not talking about the occassional panic attack, I mean just feeling sick every day and actually physically vomiting or dry retching violently.

It is driving me insane, and its not good.

Thanks for reading.

[marenubium87]

Yes, often in the past. The last time was a couple months back when I had a really stressful week at school and I wasn't eating right. No actual vomiting, but the nausea is the worst.

Some people say ginger is a pretty good natural cure. It doesn't work for me, but you may give it a shot?...

[Selection10]

I've never experienced that.

Is the nausea/vomiting the only physical symptom? Do you ever feel physical exhausted? When does the nauea happen most often? Is it usually in the morning, after eating, ....?

Celiacs disease could cause that if you haven't looked into that.

[millenniumman75]

When I am anxious, I can't eat. I get nauseous. I can only eat half a Value Meal and am lucky to stay hydrated. There is something about how anxiety can make the stomach produce more acid or something that makes us feel nauseated. It can be caused by anxiety.

[odd_one_out]

Can you trace its onset back to any events (e.g., significant life events or viral illness)? Also, have you determined whether there are any patterns to the vomiting/retching (e.g., same time each day, or similar triggers)? Are you generally prone to psychosomatic symptoms? My brother, who is very prone to anxiety, used to vomit every day on his way to work, but would feel better afterwards. It was such a habit for his body, that he carried a bag around.

[Vitruvian]

There is no rhyme or reason to when I vomit or dry retch.

It really is a mystery.

There is nothing that seems to have triggered it either.

I can eat anything I like, there is no particular food that makes me sick. I have never had stomach pains, or heartburn. It doesnt feel like the problem is with the stomach. Feels like the nausea is just something thats there. Its very hard to explain.

Ive been CAT scanned, ultra sounded, had many blood tests etc etc..

I think it is a unique case to be honest. How many people vomit every day and have constant nausea for 7 months and counting? It is horrible.

Anyway we will see if this medication can help. I pray that it does.

[markx]

Perhaps it's "emetophobia"?

[odd_one_out]

If the medication does not help, there will be other ones to try. This is one of those things that is very difficult to diagnose, involving many possible systems, so keep them investigating. You mention CT scans; have they checked your central nervous system? Have they also considered the vestibular system? I hope you get some relief from this soon. There might be support groups you can access for people with similar issues.

[softspoken]

Yes, that was my biggest symptom. My anxiety really flared up before work each day (I have a job where I have to talk to people on the phone all day - horrible). So before I was diagnosed, I used to throw up every single morning before work and not on weekend mornings. I also used to feel nauseous if I had to go somewhere like a party or something. This went on for MONTHS - maybe even a year. I had all the tests - ultrasound on my stomach, blood tests, everything and there was nothing wrong with me. If I had a dime for every time they gave me a pregnancy test. They would do it even though I told them there was no possible way I could be pregnant. It cost like $30 for each pregnancy test! That made me sooo mad. I went to like 4 different doctors, and paid about $500 before my current doctor figured out it was anxiety. I haven't thrown up at all since I started taking meds, but I get nauseous occasionally - nowhere near the level as before.

[Bekah]

I've had this problem, I was being physically sick every morning without fail when I started high school. It lasted til about christmas once i'd settled down which was a few months. Couldn't eat because i would heave if i took a bite out of anything but then would be okay for the rest of the day. My mum was asking me if i was pregnant at 12 years of age

I sort of got into the habbit of throwing up every morning and ended up anxious if I didn't in case i was sick in school and because i then got anxious about being sick i was sick anyway :S lol do you think maybe something has bothered you and now that you dont remember what it was, you feel sick because you think your supposed to?

This is what happened to me anyway lol i tend to throw up whenever i feel anxious lol it also happened when i got my first boyfriend and was throwing up in the morning coz i was too anxious about seeing him in school, could it also be that your trying to avoid something or a situation?

[milo001]

i have this kinds of symptoms.i always feel nauseas and stomach ache.it's because of the anxiety i felt in the new surrounding and the peoples there cause me to have it.but it's not that long.i think only two weeks the most.when my anxiety subside it's normal again.

[wsxdrfvgy]

When my SA was at its worst when I was a teenager, I would vomit every single morning before going to school because I was so nervous. As time went on, sometimes I would vomit several times. This lasted until I was about 18. I usually felt nauseated, and sometimes I'd even get the poops because of my nervousness. Now, I don't vomit anymore, but I do start dry heaving when I'm feeling particularly anxious.
But when I would vomit every day, I had to go to the doctor several times, he refused to accept anything was wrong with me until he realized it was anxiety - he actually was trying to go with the theory that I was pregnant before that realization (even though I had never touched a boy).. he eventually gave me this disgusting stomach relaxant. It helped.

[markko]

Hi Vitruvian,

Yeah, I used to get this ALOT. It was totally down to nerves for me.

One tip. Have some fresh mints on you. The taste of mint seems to remove that tatste you get in your mouth when you start to feel sick. Don't know why, but works a treat when I think I'm going to be sick.

Markko

[QuakerOats167]

Exact same thing was happening to me... still is. Finally figured out it was anxiety and a tiny bit of meds helped out a lot. Hopefully it will keep working, but it's definitely a common symptom of anxiety. So is the "nervous poo" hahahaha

[jim_morrison]

Are you or have you been on any medications which can cause nausea or GI problems as a side effect?

[Angnov]

I very much relate to what you are going through! I began getting violent bouts of nausea and vomiting about four years ago. My doctor also told me initially that he thought it was anxiety but ran various tests to know for sure. All of the tests came back negative just as yours did. The real problem is that when I get to the point where I am too anxious, it's like the point of no return. I am voilently sick with severe nausea and vomiting for the rest of the day. It is truly horrible.


I have only tried Atavan for the anxiety. Helps some but not crazy about it. I have filled a prescription for Propranolol but have not used it yet. It is for a big test I will be taking soon that I cannot afford to become ill in. It is suppose to relieve the physical symptoms associated with anxiety. I am sure you have been told to stay away from caffeine. Coffee, or sometimes even chocolate if eaten on an empty stomach, will make me very ill. The other thing I would suggest is some cognitive therapy. The reality is, anxiety can make us very sick. Our thoughts truly do trigger anxiety so if we can learn to control them we are much better off. I now make an effort to be aware of when I am first starting to feel rushed or worried about some consequence (time constraints, what others will think of me, etc.) and I take the time to mentally (and sometimes physically) step back and relax. I tell myself reassuring self-statements and remind myself that I can only do so much and that things are going to be ok no matter what. If you are like me you tend to be somewhat obsessive and perfectionistic. Anyway, good luck. Remain hopeful that with some time and practice you can learn to maintain a more peaceful state of mind and in turn, decrease the anxiety that makes you ill.

[ryobi]

I have had naseu for as long as I can remember...but it's worse today than when I was young...

I used to get sick everymorning before school

today...my naseu is associated with my glallbladder and liver-overeating, chewing tobacco, and scandinavian descent

When I was very young, my step mom at the time was very jelous and would not allow me to eat, until my dad came home, then she was nice and i was allowed to eat but had a hard time around the table...i would hide food and when i had the chance i would eat as much as possible...I kind of never got over it-oh well

she always gave her kids good food, i remember, one time there was a toy I wanted in a cereal box, her daughter found out i wanted it and told her mom, my stepmom emptied out the box into a bowl took the toy out and geve it to her daughter. she was a "christian" BTW...

I still have a hard to working for anything, i ALWAYSthink it's going to be taken away, and i have a striong work drive, or creative drive

I can't really eat around people. I even close the blinds when i eat I guess this was my first phobia...

I don't really trust people I always think the worst of there intentions

I can't handle the petty S. people get upset about. it seems rediculous compared to what i have to deal with

I'm kind of lonely but don't trust people...I'm always on edge,

my SA is transforming more to schizoidness, I attach meaning to things that most likely have none-oh well

I'm pretty sick...I think I probably don't have to long-oh well

[Sunshine009]

I would take anti-parasite colon cleansers at the health store. They must have Black Walnut, Cloves and Wormwood in it. They usually do plus others. And get off all refined sugar, no beef, no fried, no junk food, and go off of dairy for a few weeks when you take it. Grains beans, nuts, salad is good with herbs, and fruit, soy too but you don't have to try too hard. At least get off the junk food and the alcohol and any recreational drugs that would numb the brain, that hooks into the transverse colon. See iridology chart. Dairy is great in general when you are building muscle. It is great calcium. Every once and a while we need a break from it for a few weeks and should do colon cleansing but they must be for parasites..just my opinion. This will definitely help. Medical doctors don't like to deal with the subject, and they deny it all while they give you expensive tests and drugs. If your meds don't help, try the colon cleanser type I said. I can't eat refined sugar at all. It burns my stomach and I get anxiety or anger from it at unexpected times that I usually never express but it wears on me. So I have offically sworn it off. I didn't want to admit it for the longest time or give up refined sugar, it looks so innocent but it is not good for my health. Find a naturopathic doctor that deals with this. There are those that do and those that don't because it scares the heck out of people. They usually are not rich, but not poor either. Clean up your diet, and if you have to get real strict for a while that is fine but if it seems too hard or you get too weak, then just cut out the junk food and overeating and fried food. Just try to improve what you are already eating. There is a balance between cleansing and building, and you can do both. Cleansing is like a vegan diet with herbs, building is with dairy and meat like eggs, chicken, fish, that isn't fried or heavy fried. while you build muscle also. You can alternate between cleansing nad building. Too much building and poeple get congested at times, too much cleansing and it can weaken your mind and emotions. A good doctor can help with this. A naturopath. They always do colon cleansing with everyone. The anti parasite stuff helps all kinds of nervous problems too to some extent. Its just bitter herbs to pop in your mouth. I mean if you are really really really nervous on the physical level, it will help a lot, but if you worry a lot and its not physical and need your thinking changed, than that is really about psychology more than the body at this point.

[Sunshine009]

There's anxiety induced sickness but also there is illness that is there anyway that gets worse under stress and it there all the time. I got into the colon cleansing thing in my late teens. It was starting to be the new "hot" thing in alternative health along with vegetarianism, yoga, etc. But its not something people talk about like yoga or vegetarianism. Its not a nice sounding subject. I mean its gross. It's weird too like talking about whether there is life on other planets or if spirits of the dead are here. It's weird. But it goes along with the vegetarianism, yoga type of living. It's just herbal medicine really.

[ryobi]

yep...sugar is bad news...

it sucks...i love pudding and ice cream