Stomach issues triggered by anxiety

Hello everyone.

I’m reaching out here in hopes of getting some constructive advice, because frankly, I feel like I’m losing my mind more than I am with my doctors.

Lately, constant stress and anxiety have caused my stomach to react violently every single time something goes wrong. It’s becoming more frequent, even with minor stressors. I deal with unbearable pain around my navel and just below it, followed by frequent bouts of diarrhea or vomiting almost immediately after eating or drinking anything. These episodes last for several days before things settle down, only for the whole cycle to restart the moment life gets stressful again. My doctors seem to dismiss it as a simple virus, likely because I run a low fever around 99.5°F alongside these digestive issues. I was prescribed some anti-anxiety medication, but they just make me drowsy, and honestly, I’m not a fan of how they make me feel.

Stress has always manifested in my stomach, dating all the way back to my college years, but it has progressively worsened over time.

I know it isn't healthy to bottle things up, but since I’m not the type of person to engage in confrontation, this is simply how it comes out.

I wanted to ask if there is any specific medication that could strengthen my stomach lining or address this kind of physiological reaction? I’ve tried meditation, staying active with exercise, and talking things through with friends. On paper, everything I’m doing should be working, but it clearly isn't.

Any help would be greatly appreciated; I can't keep living like this. Between the frequent sick days, I'm actually worried about my job security, not to mention how much my concentration suffers.

Thank you so much in advance.

Stress really can work wonders on the body, can't it? 😢 I dealt with some very similar issues myself, and my doctor ended up prescribing Nexium for my stomach, which I had to take about 20 minutes before eating. To be honest, it didn't do much for me because my main struggles were actually with my digestive tract rather than my stomach. For the diarrhea, they put me on Imodium. Since those are all prescription medications, you'll definitely need to consult with a physician regardless.

I don't think exercise has much to do with it. Honestly, the best thing you could do is find a way to avoid or at least soften the impact of whatever stress is surrounding you. I eventually went in for a colonoscopy because of all those symptoms, and—thank God—it turned out everything was fine physically; it was all just rooted in my mental health. Ever since then, I've been trying to stay calm and focus more intently on my overall well-being.
I truly believe that your health is the most important thing you have, and everything else can always be figured out...