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What Causes Abdominal Discomfort And Rapid Heart Beats?
Question: A few weeks ago I had a stomach bug and I have had some anxiety lately. Most of the time I feel okay when eating. Today after eating, I felt really hot and uncomfortable and felt like I needed to go to the restroom. After I went to the restroom, I felt somewhat better...but anxious about what could be going on in my abdomen. I didn't have any really bad abdominal pain though. Also, lately I have been waking up at 4 or so in the morning with rapid heartbeat...and after I go to the restroom, I usually feel better. I normally go to the restroom once a day...but lately it's been sometimes 3 times a day. Could I possibly have IBS?
Brief Answer:
It is not IBS
Detailed Answer:
HI
Thanks for using healthcare magic. I, Dr Abhishek Kapoor, would help you in this query.
This is not irritable bowel syndrome. In IBS, patients have chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits, which is not present in your case. You have anxiety symptoms or stress, which lead to abdominal discomfort.
Let me explain it. Stress can affect every part of the digestive system. Digestion is controlled by the enteric nervous system, a system composed of hundreds of millions of nerves that communicate with the central nervous system. When stress activates the "flight or fight" response in your central nervous system, digestion can shut down because your central nervous system shuts down blood flow, affects the contractions of your digestive muscles and decreases secretions needed for digestion. Stress can cause your esophagus to go into spasms. It can increase the acid in your stomach causing indigestion. Under stress, the meal in your stomach can shut down and make you feel nauseous. Stress can cause your colon to react in a way that gives you diarrhea or constipation. Although stress may not cause stomach ulcers, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disease, it can make these and other diseases of digestion worse.
Same problem is in your case. You are thinking that your anxiety and physical symptoms are different, but there are interconnected with each other, basically in your case, physical symptoms are due to stress. You may have stress due to your professional or personal life and this stress is now effecting your body.
Better to take antidepressant regularly and you can increase the dose of sertraline after psychiatrist consultation. You can also try relaxation exercise, that would keep you calm.
In case, you have more query, you can ask.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
Psychiatrist
It is not IBS
Detailed Answer:
HI
Thanks for using healthcare magic. I, Dr Abhishek Kapoor, would help you in this query.
This is not irritable bowel syndrome. In IBS, patients have chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and alteration of bowel habits, which is not present in your case. You have anxiety symptoms or stress, which lead to abdominal discomfort.
Let me explain it. Stress can affect every part of the digestive system. Digestion is controlled by the enteric nervous system, a system composed of hundreds of millions of nerves that communicate with the central nervous system. When stress activates the "flight or fight" response in your central nervous system, digestion can shut down because your central nervous system shuts down blood flow, affects the contractions of your digestive muscles and decreases secretions needed for digestion. Stress can cause your esophagus to go into spasms. It can increase the acid in your stomach causing indigestion. Under stress, the meal in your stomach can shut down and make you feel nauseous. Stress can cause your colon to react in a way that gives you diarrhea or constipation. Although stress may not cause stomach ulcers, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disease, it can make these and other diseases of digestion worse.
Same problem is in your case. You are thinking that your anxiety and physical symptoms are different, but there are interconnected with each other, basically in your case, physical symptoms are due to stress. You may have stress due to your professional or personal life and this stress is now effecting your body.
Better to take antidepressant regularly and you can increase the dose of sertraline after psychiatrist consultation. You can also try relaxation exercise, that would keep you calm.
In case, you have more query, you can ask.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for the reply, Dr. XXXXXXX I don't have diarrhea or constipation, I just go more often than I used to. There were long stretches of time where I felt fine and was enjoying life. When I did go through times of anxiety & panic attacks, they would go away within at least a few weeks or days. This just seems to be holding on longer this time. I just wonder when I'll be back to normal.
Brief Answer:
I will be come to normal in few days
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Whatever symptoms, you have mentioned, are more towards anxiety disorder. In that case, just stay relax. More you would become anxious, more these symptoms would increase. Just stay calm and you would be able to back to normal in few days. Better to try some relaxation exercise, that would definitely help you.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
Psychiatrist
I will be come to normal in few days
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Whatever symptoms, you have mentioned, are more towards anxiety disorder. In that case, just stay relax. More you would become anxious, more these symptoms would increase. Just stay calm and you would be able to back to normal in few days. Better to try some relaxation exercise, that would definitely help you.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks, Dr. XXXXXXX Yesterday morning, I woke up early to go to the restroom and I saw just a little bit of white mucus on the one outside end of my stool. I've been feeling more relaxed...and haven't had to take any Xanax lately. I also feel a bit of uncomfortableness on my right side under the rib cage - almost like my large intestine needs to be cleaned out. Last night, I took one Dulcolax and went to the restroom early this morning. Not too much was expelled. It almost seems like I'm not emptying out my bowels enough lately. I wonder if I need to go for another colonoscopy? I had one about 13 years ago AND one 3 or 4 years ago where they found 2 polyps each time.
Brief Answer:
You can go for colonoscopy
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Mucus is a clear, white, or yellow substance with the consistency of jelly that is produced by the mucus membrane of the large intestine. Mucus is a typical component of a healthy stool, but it is normally only present in very small amounts which would not be seen with the naked eye. Visible mucus in the stool could be also be due to a bacterial infection or fissure, crohn's disease etc.
In your case, it may be due to polyp. You can get stool investigation done and also go for colonoscopy. There is nothing harm in it. It would give you the exact size of polyp and help to rule out any abnormal growth in bowel. Sometime, patients feel heaviness in bowel due to polyp and same may be the reason of dys-comfort in abdomen in your case. You can consult your doctor about it.
In case, you have more query, you can ask.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
You can go for colonoscopy
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Mucus is a clear, white, or yellow substance with the consistency of jelly that is produced by the mucus membrane of the large intestine. Mucus is a typical component of a healthy stool, but it is normally only present in very small amounts which would not be seen with the naked eye. Visible mucus in the stool could be also be due to a bacterial infection or fissure, crohn's disease etc.
In your case, it may be due to polyp. You can get stool investigation done and also go for colonoscopy. There is nothing harm in it. It would give you the exact size of polyp and help to rule out any abnormal growth in bowel. Sometime, patients feel heaviness in bowel due to polyp and same may be the reason of dys-comfort in abdomen in your case. You can consult your doctor about it.
In case, you have more query, you can ask.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr. XXXXXXX
I haven't seen any more white mucus lately, but from time-to-time I do feel a little uncomfortableness on my right side just under the rib cage. I felt it yesterday morning at work until I went to the restroom, then it felt a little better. I'm assuming that the uncomfortable feeling may be from the pressure in my large intestine? I think I just may schedule a colonoscopy, though.
I haven't seen any more white mucus lately, but from time-to-time I do feel a little uncomfortableness on my right side just under the rib cage. I felt it yesterday morning at work until I went to the restroom, then it felt a little better. I'm assuming that the uncomfortable feeling may be from the pressure in my large intestine? I think I just may schedule a colonoscopy, though.
Brief Answer:
Better to go for ultrasound abdomen
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Pressure from large intestine would effect whole abdomen, not a specific area. If you feel discomfort at specific area of abdomen, then i could be related to underline pathology of underneath organ.
Organ below right rib is not large intestine, it is lung and liver. Normally, we can not feel our internal organ. In your case, discomfort below right rib cage may be due to multiple reasons like: any pathology in liver or lung, gall stone, gastric upset etc. In that case, first go for ultrasound abdomen and x-ray chest. In case, it comes normal, then you can go for further investigations like colonoscopy, endoscopy etc. You can also go for routine investigations after physician consultation.
In case, you have more query, you can ask.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
Better to go for ultrasound abdomen
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Pressure from large intestine would effect whole abdomen, not a specific area. If you feel discomfort at specific area of abdomen, then i could be related to underline pathology of underneath organ.
Organ below right rib is not large intestine, it is lung and liver. Normally, we can not feel our internal organ. In your case, discomfort below right rib cage may be due to multiple reasons like: any pathology in liver or lung, gall stone, gastric upset etc. In that case, first go for ultrasound abdomen and x-ray chest. In case, it comes normal, then you can go for further investigations like colonoscopy, endoscopy etc. You can also go for routine investigations after physician consultation.
In case, you have more query, you can ask.
Regards
Dr. Abhishek Kapoor
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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