Anxiety and GI problems

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum but frequent the bipolar forum. I had some questions about anxiety and physical, illness-type symptoms. Because of anxiety and stress, I've developed severe acid reflux and constipation. I was just wondering if anyone else has GI problems with their anxiety. And also if you have any tips for keeping those symptoms toned down?

Thank you for your input, I appreciate the support and replies.

You're definitely not alone on this one. I had a horrible period of anxiety about 4-5 months ago and I've had stomach problems every since. Nausea, burping, heart burn, general pain, and cough/clearing my throat constantly. I'm actually going to get an upper endoscopy in a couple weeks to check for things like GERD or ulcers.

How's your diet? I know how I eat has a big effect on how my stomach is feeling. I've recently had to cut out things like alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks. Spicy, acidic, and fatty foods can also be triggers of acid reflux.

Some other things that can cause reflux are: smoking, being overweight, eating big meals, eating close to the time you go to bed.

Also, if you're taking things like pepto bismol to help with the heartburn, sometimes those medicines can cause constipation.

Thanks for your reply. I had similar symptoms to what you described and I got a Prilosec prescription last week and it's already helping a lot.

I know my diet isn't helping...my meds cause appetite loss so I skip a lot of meals, and when I do eat it's usually something pretty spicy. I also smoke like a stack. I need to cut back on that for a lot of reasons...but smoking and worry go hand in hand for me. It's a nasty circle.