[marj]

I recently got involved with someone who has social anxiety, which I'm fine with, I have my own mental disorder. But anyway, his anxiety has apparently always been manifested in horrible stomach aches, diareah and vomiting. He's gone to doctors, who send him to psychiatrists, who send him back to doctors. He changed his diet from vegetarian, and other healthy options, which have done no good. His stomach starts to hurt in the morning before school, and lasts through out the school day, also comes out when he goes out...etc.. My question is, has anyone had a problem like this or know someone who has? Any suggestions. He's also tried breathing exercizes and meditation which haven't helped either. He does eat a lot, but he's very skinny. High metabolism seems to run in his family.

Thanks in advance to anyway who can help me with any information or experience.

 

[Caedmon]

:wel to the board.

Yes, this is a fairly common symptom in SA. I get a little bit of this myself although I've never vomited from anxiety. (I've come close.)

He needs to get more aggressive anxiety treatment IMHO, probably with medication. New diets, meditating, and all that is good to try but it's not going to take care of his problems. If it's bad enough for him to end up vomiting then it's really bad, so he probably needs tranquilizers (benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Valium) and medications for the indigestion. Therapy is usually pretty helpful too.

 

[marj]

Thanks for the info, I'll let him know and refer him to this board.

 

[Caedmon]

No prob.

I just wanted to add that, in the meanwhile or just whenever, there are lots of OTC drugs that are very effective for indigestion that he might want to have on hand if he doesn't already. They won't treat the underlying cause but they might help out with symptom relief. You can get bottles of generic Benadryl (diphenhydramine) for nausea and vomiting, and bottles of generic Immodium (loperamide) for diarrhea.

Before you get confused, know that Benadryl is probably the best antihistamine for motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting. People usually think of Dramamine, but Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) is just a metabolite of Benadryl, and is vastly overpriced and not quite as effective. If Benadryl fails to help him, there are prescriptions that would work well such as Compazine.

And loperamide is just one of my favorite medications in the world because of how it works. It is actually an opiate which selectively binds to opioid receptors in the intestinal tract. What that means is that you cannot take too much, and that it does not really have any side effects, even at high doses. (Well, you can take to much and end up with a side effect, and the result would be constipation, but that's what you're after in the first place.) Forget what the box/bottle says, take 1-2 tablets (that's 2-4 mg) for every single loose bowel movement. Trust me, it will eventually work, just keep taking those pills.

I should know, I've had chronic diarrhea. (Sorry for bringing it up, I know that's a yucky topic.) When I am anxious over long periods of time that's the first thing to go haywire for me.

 

[down123]

yes i tend to get morning sickness as well. at least thats what i call it.

this morning i woke up feeling very nervous/anxious/stressed...i had heart palpitations and an upset stomach....i was restless and irritable and was just rolling around in my bed. i wanted to go back to sleep but i couldnt....i was forced out of bed because all of these feelings, especially the heart palpitations were too much for me to handle. i was starting to breathe differently and was then forced to get out of bed.

i get this quite often, almost everyday and especially in the mornings. i guess its due to being nervous about starting a new day again that is full of challenges in my life. whats also making me nervous now is that my school is starting soon (in 2 days).

ive also had these upseting mornings throughout my highschool years. i would wake up feeling nautious, sick and with extreme heart palpitations even at the tender age of 16. i was nervous everyday!!!! and i didnt know why?!?!?!....i didnt even know if this was normal or not!!!.....now that i look back...i realize how intense they were. now that scares me. i still get them quite often to date. it makes me sad...........

 

[Melusine]

I get all kinds of aches and pains, indigestions and heart burn..sickness too where i feel like throwing up, i also would get hot, sweaty and dizzy like. Those still happen from time to time now, but i think cleaning up my eating habits and taking vitamins everyday has helped.

 

[bobc2005]

I have the same symptons & have been told i have GERD (Gastrointenstinal Espophageal Reflux Disease) & IBS in addition to SA/Panic Disorder.

 

[missnat84]

i get alot of stomach pain when im anxious,i also feel nausea.

 

[millenniumman75]

The stomach pain (including what I thought was lactose intolerance!), diarrhea, and most recently nausea, accompanied my SA. I went through days where I barely ate half a meal (scary considering I am 6'3")