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Severe health anxiety

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Apr 27 8:14am | Replies (71)

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@anahitap
I have had anxiety since childhood and stress plus hormones can really make it worse. I have also suffered with panic attacks.

It would be good to talk with a psychiatrist and psychologist about medication and therapy to help you cope and manage better. Zoloft helped me when I was having panic attacks during pregnancy and while under significant stress. Wellbutrin also helps me (currently on 300 mg daily).

Anxiety can cause many symptoms in your body, especially gastrointestinal system since there is a brain/stomach connection. My teen son has a heart defect and POTS and he gets really anxious when his heart rate increases and he feels his heart pounding in his chest. I would consider him someone with health anxiety and counseling helps him with deep breathing and changing his thinking when he gets worried something is going to happen to him.

Have you tried Calm magnesium supplement? It sounds like your nervous system goes into overdrive when you get anxious thoughts and this can affect your stomach. I have gastritis/esophagitis caused by taking too many NSAIDs for pain which has caused erosions. I stopped taking them and my stomach has improved.

You may benefit from working with a nutritionist/dietitian to review diet and supplements to recommended changes that support nervous and digestive systems. Exercise can also help manage stress and nerves plus help with sleep.

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Replies to "@anahitap I have had anxiety since childhood and stress plus hormones can really make it worse...."

Hi,
Thank you so much for your kind message!

First of all, I just have to say—your profile picture caught my eye! I’m a total cat person too! 😻 I used to have a cat, but unfortunately, I can’t have one right now due to my living situation. When I had my cat, my stress levels were much lower. They truly are little healers for the soul.

Thank you also for the medication suggestions. I’ll definitely mention them to my psychiatrist during my next appointment.

I’m so sorry to hear about your son. I actually started having these issues around the same age, so I can really relate. My anxiety attacks different parts of my body depending on the time—sometimes it’s my stomach, and other times it feels like it attacks my heart with all sorts of scary symptoms. I truly hope he gets better soon and learns how to manage his stress early—so he doesn’t grow up dealing with it the way many of us have.

You’re absolutely right about nutrition. Honestly, I never paid much attention to my diet before, but now I realize how important it is—especially with anxiety.

Thanks again for replying to me. It really means a lot.💜