[HalfArabian]

I am not talking Bulimia(sp). I often get so keyed up over things that I can get a Migraine/nauseaus. I kind of blame my parents because they sheltered me alot growing up. I have mentioned to doctors but they reccomend anxiety meds, but it is not all the time.

An example is if; something really tragic is going on with a family member. When my Dad was dying I had a lot of Migraines and Hives. Also, if I have a work situation that is more than stressful. Got laid off and asked why to Plant Manager and he said; "People who missed days were chosen". I had not missed one day of work in 5 years! I hate being lied to to my face.

Thanks for kind of a vent. Also if someone has an answer please share!

[Come Shine]

That's not uncommon at all.

When worry or anxiety turns into physical illness, it can be called somaticizing. Cognitive behavioural therapy can give you some proven strategies to deal with it. Maybe ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist who can offer that. Good luck!

[pAin't_Misbehavin']

Lord, yes. My poor mother did it all her life.

In fact, when I was a child I was able to do it, too. I was so horrified by being sent to kindergarten that I had a cold for the entire school term. Not faking - I had congestion, cough, all the symptoms. For nine months. Magically disappeared the day school let out.

Once I grew up, I never really had it again - oh, wait, except when my sister died. Actually, I still get a cold every year on the anniversary of her death. And you know, my grandmother got bronchitis every year on the anniversary of my grandfather's death.

"She never got over it" is considered a mark of respect in the South. If you lived down here with the rest of us eccentrics, you'd be normal!

[Lori]

Yes.
I have ulcers now.

[TheJenners]

Is this same as an anxiety attack? Cold "butterflies" in the stomach, clammy, hot and cold flashes, tingly skin, increased heart rate/bp?

[Indy]

My husband is this way. He gets it from his mother, who is going to worry herself into an early grave (fortunately, my DH isn't nearly as bad as his mother is). He worries about big things, but it manifests itself into gastritis, which is fun for all parties.

[Bopper]

Yep, I did it when I was in college, decided stomach issues and the future of getting an ulcer were not fun so I changed my behavior. It was difficult and took a lot of time. I currently have a relative and also a friend with medical issues because of worry. It takes a lot of work to change your response to stress and most of the people that I know would rather just take medication.

[Lady Eboshi]

Anytime I have to spend a lot of money, I start imagining I have just about any ailment currently being promoted on the side of a passing bus. Or TV, radio, homepage. It takes me a few days to realize I'm psychosomaticizing having to write out that big check!

[JumpQH]

Recently, my mother filed for divorce. My brother and I had a lunch meeting with her and I guess I was so nervous that I had a "stomach attack" (read between the lines!) and ended up in the bathroom with quite a mess and very unexpectedly.

My brother's first daughter had a hole in her heart that she got operated on when she was 3. He was so worried that he vomited nearly constantly.

[fargonefarm]

I was worrying myself sick...every. single. night. I had such horrible anxiety that I became unreasonably sick. I suffer from migraines anyway, as well as Irritable Bowel Disease, and the anxiety was making it so much worse. I was worrying about money, clients, my parents health - the whole enchilada. When I finally had the courage to tell my doctor (I like to fancy myself a pretty tough cookie, so admitting "weakness" isn't easy) he looked me in the eye and said "it's OK. It happens to a lot of people, including myself. Sometimes our brains just don't know when to let go."
He started my on a generic form of Zoloft and let me say - life has been A LOT easier since then. It doesn't work overnight, but it does help.

Look - I am NOT a "take a drug" person. It took a lot of courage for me to admit that I needed some help. I'm also going to be damned if I see a therapist - I would find too much entertainment in seeing if I could make them curl into a little ball and whimper . But a little pharmaceutical help to help my brain "cope" is working for me. I know it comes with some stereotypes (unfortunately) but it does help. My husband has taken something for years - I think it's to help him cope with being married to me!

Talk to your doctor about. Believe it or not, they'll understand and want to help. Even if you're the kind of patient like me...you know, the kind that threatens to beat them into a bloody pulp if they tell you not to ride for a few days due to one injury or the other!

[Twigster]

Do talk to your Doctor! They really can help, a lot!

My life has been, complicated? Yeah, we'll leave it at complicated, for the last year-ish. I have worried myself into an ulcer, 35 pounds of weight loss (15 of those I really couldn't afford to lose), and nearly daily migraines. The only thing that stopped the downhill slide was talking to my doctor and getting help dealing with the anxiety so that I am in any kind of shape to deal with the rest of the complicated mess.

Seriously, my doctor = lifesaver.

[gabby.gator]

I agree, go talk to your dr. you'll be amazed at how easy it really is once you get the words out. they've seen it all, and are there to help you. if you need to take something, even long term, it's much better than that endless stream of thoughts that run around in your brain!

[LauraKY]

Or get yourself to a really good psychologist...even if you need pharma help, a good psychologist can help you make the change permanent.

[Superminion]

*raises hand* Here! Mostly before big social functions, and when I was younger, at school. I'd feel awful, then as soon as I was on my way home, I was fine. I got bullied insessently, and I think it all stems from that.

I've found that carrying a water bottle helped me, or fiddling with my jelwery. I needed an outlet for the nervous energy. My husband was a great supporter as well, once he came with me to a dr's appointment and realized I wasn't just trying to get out of visiting with my in-laws. I never got so bad that I needed perscription help, but I will sing the praises of my doctor!

I'm totally fine at huge horse shows though....

[Casey09]

I am not talking Bulimia(sp). I often get so keyed up over things that I can get a Migraine/nauseaus. I kind of blame my parents because they sheltered me alot growing up. I have mentioned to doctors but they reccomend anxiety meds, but it is not all the time.

Yes, all of the time. I have had issues with anxiety for many years, and if I get myself too worked up I have issues with nausea. I tend to have difficulty with stressful health situations (my own, my pets, someone I'm close to), changes in general, and certain types of social anxiety. I have had treatment for it, and I have a thinking process that I go through with myself when it starts coming on. It has helped more with the social anxiety than it has with the health stuff, but it does help. Have you seen a psychologist?

[ReSomething]

Used to. Every Friday night like clockwork I would have a brutal migraine. Made a lifestyle change, moved to a less expensive place and eventually quit that job and the migraines were a thing of the past. Same sorts of tensions came into my life after having a child and it manifested as IBS, at least that was the diagnosis. Instead of a head ache I'd get a stomach ache, abdomen hard as a rock, finally would vomit and be "better" but it usually knocked me out for a day.
All of these were totally connected to my stress over financial issues. Therapy was helpful but a better paying job was the cure, LOL. Nowadays I'm in much better shape but college looms for the DD and it's quite possible I'll be expressing my stress over paying for that by being physically ill.

[outside__line]

Oh yeah! I have worried myself into ulcers, headaches, nausea/vomiting, and sleeplessness. Out of all of them the sleeplessness is the worst. I can handle the anxiety better when well-rested, so losing sleep night after night just makes everything seem like a crisis. All. the. time.

It was at its worst during high school (couldn't sleep, couldn't eat without being sick almost immediately) and at one of my first jobs, in a high stress position with a monster for a supervisor. I started figuring out how to deal with it better in college, and my husband is a great help at figuring out and managing whatever is making me anxious (and seriously, it can be anything and everything. No real rhyme or reason to it, and sometimes it sneaks up on me!)

I have in the past taken medicine to help with the frantic, panicky racing thoughts that were keeping me from sleeping. I'm doing okay without medication now but we're about to move and I'll be starting a new job, so I'm ready to go back to the doctor if needed. I like to think that I am tough, too, but the military lifestyle and times of overwhelming change and uncertainty can be seriously overwhelming. No shame in better living through chemistry.