What could be causing anxiety-like symptoms after eating?

January 18, 2007 6:40 PM

What could be causing anxiety-like symptoms after eating?

This doesnt happen all the time, but it happens often enough: after I eat my heartbeat races and I feel like I am anxious or have lots of unspent energy. After an hour or so this feeling goes away. I have not been able to identify what foods might be causing this as it happens with lots of things. These foods are not sugary junk and I stay away from caffeine.

Sometimes its not anxiety, sometimes its fatigue. I've spoken to my doctor about this but nothing was found in the blood test.

A couple thoughts: My GP is not very good. He is just cheap so he may have missed something. I dont think its psychological because it feels like its random.

I'm thinking I should see a second doctor. I'm 15lbs overweight but I've been 10-20 lbs overweight for most of my life so I dont think its that. Suggestions?

posted by damn dirty ape to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)

Did you doctor test your blood sugar? I am not a doctor, but it sounds like you might have hypoglycemia.
posted by amyms at 6:45 PM on January 18, 2007

Vagal nerve overstimulation.
posted by Good Brain at 6:59 PM on January 18, 2007

Sometimes its not anxiety, sometimes its fatigue.

This one, at least, is something that most people get. Ever heard people talking about "food coma"?

Of course, the anxiety part isn't so common, and I'd still be curious about that if I were you. But don't start thinking of the fatigue as a symptom of something dreadful when it might just be a standard quirk of the human metabolism.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:59 PM on January 18, 2007

I would say see a second doctor. Also, I suggest that you keep a food log for a while and see if you can spot the food(s) that might trigger the events. Record what you ate, and then a little after eating record how you feel. A few weeks of that should be illuminating and helpful to your doctor.
posted by LeisureGuy at 7:00 PM on January 18, 2007

I had similar symptoms to that, when I had my ulcer. For me it was usually in the period of 30mins to 2 hours after eating. I slowly learnt which foods would trigger it, and which foods would not. For example, potatoes, onions and pastry were on the very high list.

Anything to heart beating "loudly", heart in throat feeling, feeling exhausted (never passed out though), hot/cold episodes, during the worst times.
posted by lundman at 7:14 PM on January 18, 2007

Do you get cramps in your stomach or have gas after eating?
posted by flowsuit at 7:23 PM on January 18, 2007

I second the food journal suggestion. It might surprise you.
posted by granted at 7:24 PM on January 18, 2007

This might sound silly, but do you drink enough water while eating or just in general?

I had a Holter because my last doc thought I had something very wrong with me with my very fast standing heart rate...and then my new doc realized I was just dehydrated all the time.

Oh, and navratan korma does this to me for no good reason, no matter what. I just avoid it now.
posted by cobaltnine at 7:28 PM on January 18, 2007

Please consider having your thyroid checked. Your symptoms sound similar to mine when I had hyperthyroidism.
posted by mezzanayne at 8:54 PM on January 18, 2007

MSG has this effect on me, as well as large amounts of refined flour. My body feels hot and stressed out, my heart beats fast, and I'm anxious. Then it passes and I feel exhausted.
posted by macinchik at 9:44 PM on January 18, 2007

Have you been checked for food allergies? An allergist can do a skin test or a blood test.
posted by scubbadubba at 10:44 PM on January 18, 2007

It could be carbs, or a food allergy, or thyroid problems. Also possibly an ulcer or acid reflux. If you have anxiety then you could have IBS/reflux which acts up after eating. I've got acid reflux and anxiety problems, and I've had good luck with getting up and moving around, but not exerting myself, for a good 10-20 minutes after eating.

Panic attacks give me stomach/digestion problems. However, it's sometimes the other way around: digestion problems give me panic attacks. I think my brain's decided any stomach problem means panic attack, and acts accordingly. You might be experiencing something similar.
posted by smashingstars at 10:51 PM on January 18, 2007

You'll often find pretty direct correlations between blood sugar levels and the activity of the adrenal gland. However, it's usually a drop in blood sugar that causes the adrenal gland to increase its output, not a rise. But then, the adrenal gland (which is often described as as two glands, each performing a different set of functions) and the hormones it puts out often confuse me.
posted by Clay201 at 11:07 PM on January 18, 2007

Ok, I'm amending my comment: Definitely go see another doctor.
posted by Good Brain at 11:38 PM on January 18, 2007