Anxiety, Reflux and Burping

[Olly2021]

A few years ago I had an accumulation of stressful events which caused anxiety and overwhelm and since then I've had a real problem with my stomach every single day. Although the stressful events have been resolved, even the tiniest stressful trigger seems to make my stomach overreact. It feels as if my stomach makes too much gas, feels burny and I burp loads. I've had a number of tests, endoscopy and scans and nothing shows up. I've tried antacids and PPIs, Nortriptyline and Escitalopram but nothing helps. So my question is, has anyone had similar and found a medication that was taken for anxiety also helped their stomach problems, if so what was it? Thanks

No anxiety medication has worked for me however I've found a reduction in symptoms from taking these at night
Bio-Cultures Probiotics - 180 High Strength Capsules - 6 Month Supply - Vegetarian Multi Strain - with Lactobacillus Acidophilus & Bifidobacterium -
£18.90 Amazon.co.uk
Plus peppermint oil, lansoprazole and fasting (for bowel resting rather than weightloss). Also not eating too much sugar as I think that's a trigger for me.
I think everyone is different and it's a case of trial and error, I've tried lots of medicines, eating smaller regular meals etc but for me the probiotics and fasting seem to be what helps the most. I tried stopping the Probiotics last year to see if I was OK without them I was in such a mess, feeling sick, being on the toilet constantly, bloating and too much gas so quickly went back on them.

@Cupofteaandcrackers thank you for taking the time to reply. I've tried probiotics in the past but not those ones so thanks for the recommendation.Though I think my problem is more gastric than bowel related. I've tried so many things now. I was just hoping to find someone who had found a medication that killed two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Olly2021 I know this is an old thread but I’m going through the exact same thing. Did you find anything to help with your symptoms?

I still have symptoms but I have improved a lot (touches wood). I have been on amitriptyline for about 5 months now, this was to help with burning mouth syndrome that I suffered from for years(!) and which was a constant source of stress for me. It took a few months to work and for me was better than nortriptyline. But I also did more basic things such as eating better, eating more fibre, less sugar, less coffee and alcohol, less processed foods, more protein, try to make sure I eat at regular times, also get enough sleep, drink more water, all the boring things! I had acupuncture which I found helped with relaxation. I also realised I was fixating on my symptoms too much which made things worse. I also blame menopause in my case as it affects your ability to deal with stress, hrt didn't help unfortunately and caused me other side effects. I also found it helpful just to write down all my problems and worries and just let rip in a journal, it stopped me ruminating I suppose. Sorry that was a bit long winded, I guess what I'm trying to say is a combination of things helped not just one thing. Have you been suffering for long, is there any reason you are aware that's triggered your symptoms?

Olly2021 so good to hear you are feeling better. Perimenopause is definitely making things much worse for me. I’ve suffered gut issues for 26 years but as soon as I hit 45 (51 now) the turbo button went into overdrive.
I too am trying acupuncture, I’ve only had one session so far so am keeping an open mind. I am very careful with my diet and have tried a myriad of solutions but still have issues.
Tbh though, I am very stressed as I care for my mum who suffers from dementia so that’s not helping much.
And I have to admit that I have become very much fixated and quite obsessional about my gut issues. I’m waiting to have some acceptance therapy which starts in August so hoping that will help.

@Afternoonsnooze You poor thing. Stress, family issues and hormone fluctuations are a horrible combination! If it's any consolation I have heard some women's IBS symptoms improve post menopause! I forgot to say I also used psyllium husk in lots of water for a few weeks, I think it helped get my digestive system into a more regular pattern and when I started eating more variety and better quality foods I didn't seem to need it. It's understandable that we become fixated when it affects us all day every day but it's really the worst thing to do, the gut brain connection is very real which is why we need to focus on things that soothe our nervous systems, things that are enjoyable or relaxing. Caring for a loved one with dementia is incredibly hard, try and make time for you and make use of any support groups or any other family members available to share the load if you can. I hope you find the therapy useful.