Hi there. I noticed that too, that our symptoms seem alike. What you have is the closest description I have read yet to my own symptoms. It is amazing how alike actually. Well, the first symptoms I ever had from my stomach came about 3 years ago. It started as just a minor problem: I couldn't go to bed after eating or else I would wake up nauseous. As long as I waited at least three hours I was safe. THEN last September (2003) was when my inner ear problem started. It wasn't long after the dizziness started that my stomach problems got worse and it got to the point that I couldn't go to bed FIVE hours after eating or I would feel sick. This April was when the constant stomach problems came...I began w/ all of the symptoms I have described on this board: constant nausea, pain and a lump under my ribs, a hollow feeling in the stomach YET very bloated even after a small meal, a gurgling feeling and noises in my stomach and abdomen all of the time, and this horrible feeling in my throat like I could gag or throw up at any second, along with the lump in my throat once in a while.
To answer your question about the anxiety, yes, I think it COULD be anxiety related. Anxiety can really mess up a body, especially the digestive tract. You might want to check out the Inner Ear disorders board because there is a lot of information about the relation of an inner ear problem to an inrease in anxiety. A poster at that board posted an article that showed evidence that an inner ear problem can lead to many other health problems including digestive problems, severe anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc. SO that confuses me a bit because I don't know whether to think that my anxiety is causing my digestive issues, or if my inner ear is causing my digestive issues, OR of course, a combination of both. But I do believe in my heart that the root of all of my anxiety and digestive problems have stemed from my inner ear. I think that because I mainly only feel anxious WHEN I feel sick. It is not the other way around. So, it is a bit confusing and none of my doctors have been able to give me a straight answer.
I guess the best thing we can do is to get all of the necessary tests done regarding the GI problems ANYWAY and see what comes of it. If nothing is wrong there then we know it is just the anxiety and that can be taken care of in other ways. Since I am weary of daily anxiety meds, I am going to wait until all of my tests are completed with the GI doc before I decide to take them. If there really IS an actual physical problem in my GI tract then I will have that taken care of before I start the anxiety meds and THEN decide whether I actually need them. PLEASE NOTE that I am not looking down on anxiety meds. Inner ear issues can be quite problematic and debilitating, especially to a persons mental health SO they are helpful when needed. I just want to be sure that I actually need them by getting all of the necessary tests to rule out physical problems first. I am really rambling here but my point is that I wish I knew exactly how to answer your question. My symptoms all come in cycles and unfortunately I don't know which is the leader, but I have a feeling it is my inner ear--leading to anxiety--leading to GI problems. But we will see what the tests dig up!!
It will be another month before I have my endo so I still have a bit of waiting to do. BUT GOOD LUCK TO YOU on your ultrasound!! I have a feeling I will need one of those too. I hope that the docs can help clear things up for you.
And it's good to see another person w/ my fear--I always feel so silly telling people that I'm afraid of throwing up. But it is the fifth most common phobia!! So it's very common!
Anyway--We should keep each other posted because I think we really have a lot in common and could help each other a lot. I don't think they allow posting email addresses on the board so keep me posted here on how you're doing. And I'll do the same. Hopefully we'll help each other out. Good luck to you and thanks for the post!!!
*hugs*
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