STOMACH NOISES CAUSING ANXIETY

Hi everyone, a fellow sufferer here :)

I am 27 and have had this for almost two years. Thankfully it started after college, I have no idea how back then I could just sit in a quiet room without any issue! For me, the problem has been getting better, because of these things:

- I realized I had no problems when I was not eating. So whenever I could not avoid a quiet meeting, I would eat just enough to stop the hunger growls (which is another kind and is easier to control than digestive noises). This would mean just eating half a slice of white bread, until I got hungry again, than eat the other half, VERY slowly and chewing a lot. (and banana's! They are my safe food) This helped so much that I have been able to stay grumble-free during meetings for the past two years. In the evenings and on most days I do not need to be in a phobic setting, so then I just eat normally (and do get the growling).

- This eating schedule has given me a lot of confidence. Although it sucks not being able to eat normally on days with quiet settings, I have a way to control my noises that works. This makes me less anxious about going to meetings, which probably helps my stomach as well. And I dare to eat more and more these days, as long as I keep chewing and eating very slowly, I've not had any problems yet.

- I made a pact with myself that I will not worry about the noises UNTIL it happens. I refuse to be nervous about meetings days in advance (it's difficult to stop yourself) but I do all I can to prevent noises and have an exit strategy ready in case it does start grumbling. That is, I try to sit near exits, plan to start coughing when it happens, have some excuses ready about why I had to leave the room. This helps to calm me down enough that I have never needed my exit strategies. When I get overwhelmed, I do breathing exercises to distract myself (breathe in four seconds, hold four seconds, breathe out four seconds).

-Hearing other people's stomachs grumble helps too :) And seeing how it is not the end of the world. Altough mine can be so long and loud!!

- Someone made a comment about being old and looking back on your life. Would I like to realize how I let this phobia hold me back in life?

So for me the problem is at least not getting worse, through a combination of being able to control the noises, confidence building and trying not to care so much.

I dropped out of college a few years ago because of this problem. I am still sad that all of my friends have graduated and I am stuck in a crappy food service job. It started about my second year into college, the noises were loud and I would leave the class and take a few breaths and go back in and the noises would start again. BUT I do have good news, through several trial and error remedies I have found that changing my diet helped A LOT. Here is is: I cut out alcohol, soda, and milk. and I take a daily probiotic. Also, if i'm about to enter a quiet setting such as taking a test, i strap a pulsing excercise belt around my stomach and wear a sweatshirt over it. It helps.

But anybody who hasn't experienced this problem doesn't understand how debilitating it is.

true i'm in middle school and it's so embrassing i have an fear of quiet classes now even though i want the classroom to be quiet my stomach just have to make this terrible nosie i wish i had home studies

I have been suffering with this problem for a year, and was scared out of my mind for ap tests. I was more nervous for the fear of my stomach than the actual test!  I tried talking to the college board etc for a seperate room but i wasnt allowed. I havnt talked to a doctor yet but I realized my problem is mostly mental. Not only does my stomach growl but my large intestine growls sounding like an enternal fart. I would go to bed ever night scared of the next day. The morning of my first ap test, i ate a pancake and an egg(my safe foods) and sat on a toliet for a hour trying to have a bowel movement. I wore super comfy cloths and sat on a jacket that i made the shape of a O. I found this worked amazingly. Somehow in the support it quiets my lower intestines. Anywho my stomach did growl during the test, but then i realized, alot of people's were, no one cares! Once i realized this and got over my self i started feeling better. Even if your stomach does growl, there is nothing you can do about it. After making it through 3 ap tests i started feeling better, then during a health exam it was HORRIBLE and i was back to feeling nervous over my stomach.I hated it so much. Then i discovered peptmo bismo and gas x pills work wonderfully. Before my act i was so nervous, i took a bunch of gas-x pills, during the test when it would start up, i would slip one, it worked wonders! with college starting up in a month im so scared! Im in small classrooms and since im only 16 ad already feel judged, the last thing i want is my stomach and butt to make disgusting noises. I feel for all of you and i wish we could all have class together, im going to see a doctor soon and see if maybe i have an ulcer or  h pylori bacteria infection. either way I strongly suggest you dont let this rule your life! Truly no one cares, and once you get over yourself, the problem will go away.

have exact same problems as you, did the xanax work? or what did

Hey I have read what you wrote about your problem and I was wondering if you still have this issue or not ? I actually am going through exactly what you are going through or went through It's as if i was to speak about it , will write and describe it precisely the way you did I hope you have gotten better I am wondering if your are interested to talk about it and give me advice if you are already cured and better Thanks a lot

I have had this problem for many many years. I don't recall it being a problem until college years when I became more anxious and I believe my anxiety makes the stomach noises worse. And it doesn't matter if I ate or not or didn't have coffee. I just cancelled going back to college because of this issue which is very sad. Nothing like my dreams being tarnished because of a social anxiety such as this. This issue needs to be made public to create awareness. I have thought of asking for private tutoring just because I'd rather have one person hear my stomach than a whole classroom. My stomach has even growled several times during the typing of this message, and I'm not even around anyone. :(

I SO can relate with everything you just said. Job interviews that went so awful because all I could do was focus on my stomach growling with 2 people interviewing me from across the table. It has happening during training for a new job, waiting on customers, classrooms, a meeting during my internship where everyone looked at me and countless times in my life. One time I had to take a test using earphones but the other people in the room were doing other things, so I couldn't even hear if my stomach was making noises yet it felt like it probably was. I completed college after going back years later and I think the only reason I muscled through it was because they were evening classes after dinner and the students made a lot of noise with bringing snacks to class, coughing, shuffling their feet, and it muffled the noise out. Anything to do with people sitting around with the possibility of quiet moments were so frightening for me, and still are. I recently dropped out of cosmetology school for the second time in 2 months because of this issue. I made an appointment to see a therapist tomorrow. I don't feel the need to be put on medication since this problem only exists in these particular situations, but like you said, the problem is worsened because of anxiety. They say not to care what other people think and say. Well, if I were drinking at a bar, that would be easy. But the bar would be loud and cancel any stomach noises anyway. This issue has prevented me from being the successful person I feel I could be. I just don't know what to do. My stomach makes noises full or empty. I have avoided caffeine and processed foods as well, but it doesn't matter. It just goes to show how much we focus on what people think of us. If we were dogs or cats or animals in the wild, this wouldn't even be a topic. It's a shame we feel we can't escape this. I've even wanted to ask my teachers if I could bring a fan to the classroom to create white noise, that's pretty extreme, or even try to sit away from students in the back of the room or somewhere secluded, but even that draws attention. It's just tremendously sad. I wish there was more help from actual doctors online. It ultimately is anxiety that is making the issue worse especially when you're sitting in that scenario just thinking and thinking about the possibility of embarrassment. I will see what the doc says and they're going to let me know if I have to see a psychiatrist as well. I have some OCD and phobias about other things as well. I'll try to keep you posted.

Hi everyone,

Although some gains could be made through nutrition, all of these symptoms described here are from anxiety. That's why the problem continues in a certain situation, otherwise, you would always have a grumbly stomach or whatever the symptom is.

My suggestion is to see a general practitioner doctor and ask for anti-anxiety meds. You could also see a therapist and be referred to a psychiatrist, or go directly to a psychiatrist.

There are medications that you can take as needed (ie., take it in the anxiety provoking situation only). It works by helping your mind relax enough to deal with the anxious thoughts about having the noises happen. 

However, you should also seek Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which will have you examine your thoughts and replace your anxious thoughts with adaptive ones. Because it is anxiety, you have to learn how to cope with it. Eventually, your coping skills will be so good, you won't need medication anymore. 

I am a therapist-in-training, about to finish graduate school and started having this problem in the beginning of graduate school, although it happened rarely only when I was very nervous. Recently, I was so triggered by stress that the anxiety became so full blown I was skipping classes, etc. I knew I needed help. The medication has helped me so, so much. But mostly it has made me realize HOW much my thoughts contribute to the anxiety, as sometimes I still have symptoms with the medication, I really have to challenge my thoughts and learn to relax myself with my thoughts.

So, good luck to everyone dealing with this, and I am sorry you experience it as well. Get a medication evaluation and some CBT therapy, you don't have to keep suffering, and it's OK. Everyone has problems and many people seek help. Anxiety is extremely common and is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Best wishes,

I want to add these meds are not addictive when taken in low dosages, and many have little to no side effects. I am taking a low dosage of Ativan, commonly prescribed for anxiety, which is a benzodiazepine. It works within an hour and lasts for 12 hours. I was able to get my prescription and use it the next day for class. I also have a beta-blocker, which slows the heart rate down and allows your body to relax a bit more- typically they're used for performance anxiety, so they lessen some of the anxiety symptoms.

You need anti-anxiety medications. You don't need insurance, you can pay for them, or use the low-income insurance in your state (in california we have medi-cal, which is free if you're low income). There are medications you can take as needed, you won't get addicted and with no side effects. Ativan is good, which is a benzodiazepine. And you need Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to calm your anxious thoughts. The anti-anxiety medication will save your life, but combine it with therapy and you will completely overcome this. You are not alone, you do not need to suffer. Go to a therapist for med referral, go to psychiatrist, or go to a general practitioner doctor.

I've never met anyone that has described my problem so well. I've gone to Drs talked about my stomach problems but have never talked about my nerves leading to why I'm so afraid of being in silence. My problem started in middle school in 7th grade we were talking the STAR testing for school and I'm not sure what I ate the night before but I had excessive gas in the morning, I was sitting so uncomfortable trying to cover up the noises but my stomach had gone to the point where it growled so loud the next 2 rows heard everything. I was mortified I felt like I couldn't get out when I really needed to leave, and that's the same feeling I have now when I sit In a classroom. This problem has ruined my life since then, I always thought I must be the only one people must think I'm nuts because of this. I dropped out of high school, missed my graduation, ended relationships, missed things I could never get back because of this... I felt as if I got older maybe I wouldn't care so much but I feel like I can't even control it now. I recently went to take my college entrance exam and I left in the middle of it because I couldn't focus I was too busy thinking That I'm going to feel the same way I did that day that started all of this. I feel hopeless, as if this axiety has held me back so much and it's only Gona hold me back even worse now trying to peruse a career. I've confided in a few people but they didn't really see the importance of it and how much it bothered me. Basically told me who cares everyone's stomach makes noises. I honestly felt like no one could understand me until now..

What herbal tablets are you referring too

hello ,i suffer from the same problem, i totali understand and feel what ur going thru. i am alone in this and i wud like to hav somone to speak with who especiali goes thru the same. wud it be okay if i cud get into contact with you.

We have had a lot of people reply to this with exactly the same kind of symptoms I have, THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM, it's absolutely ridiculous that this problem is not taken seriously.


This stupid problem started for me about 10 months ago and since then it has slowly but surely ruined my life, I work in a quiet office -- I need to go to meetings. How the hell can people take me seriously when there are loud stomach noises and fart like noises going on -- how the f*ck someone is supposed to deal with that ? I have been to the doctors , they treated me for H.pylori infection -- but it did not fix anything so I am thinking this could have been a red herring , I have had a camera down my throat -- still nothing. Now I am at a dead end -- the end of medical science it seems.

This problem is not psychological , even when I am at home where I am not anxious about stomach noises -- guess what -- it still happens!. The noises are REAL, the noises are LOUD, the noises have a variety of sounds -- THERE IS NOTHING NORMAL ABOUT THEM. I hope one day a medical doctor gets this problem himself/herself so that finally someone takes this seriously. Anxiety is the effect, not the cause.

I have been reading posts and forums for over 6 months and nothing works for me.
I have a workaround, I eat a sausage muffin + hash brown + plus a drink, eat it slow. I have no noises for up to 12 hours afterwards. This has been a life saver for me. I am not medically trained so I don't know why exactly this works -- we really need a medical study to be done on people having this problem and compare them to normal people.


According to this Doctor here, Abnormal sounds can be caused by...

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H Pylori infection
Bowel obstruction
Electrolyte imbalance - hypokalemia
Crohn's disease
Ulcers
Strangulation
Ulcerative colitis
Enteritis
Paralytic ileus
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I will have all of this checked out one by one even if It costs me a million dollars and post any updates.