# Worrying about stomach growling in class and during tests



## Crystsal

Well the title says it all. I dont know why now I"m constantly worried about my stomach growling in class. In elementary I didn't really care. It started in high school. Now that I"m in college...I always eat before I go to my classes..before and after each class I eat something. I have two classes a day..and a break between them just enough to eat lunch. But when I'm sitting there..my mind goes basurk..I"m constantly thinking about my stomach growling. Yes..this may sound childish and like "seriously ur worried about that" type of thing. 

It bothers me especially when we have to take tests or quizzes..and of course the whole classroom is quiet. And its hard to concentrate on the questions when you're worried about ur stomach making noises. -_-. Well my stomach hasn't really growled yet..but that worry is always lingering. My stomach gets really tight..and even though im full..i eat a granola bar in class...cause I feel that will prevent it from making sounds. As i said before my stomach feels tight..like a bulge just there..and then i feel like a growl is going to come any minute. My bro says to not worry about it..that its a natural thing. But in my head...well it sure is embarrasing. 
I also try to sit the farthest away from people, mostly towards the back of the classroom or far corner..but some classrooms u are stuck together sharing a table (3 to 4 students at a long table) and having a "buddy" like in elementary. 
Am I the only one who worries about this? Could it just be my anxiety or nervousness sitting in the classroom? And got any tips on preventing the stomach from making any noise at all? Thanx.


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## Xande

As long as you have something in your stomach, I think it would prevent the growling.

Haha I used to have this growling in high school and first year of college. Started eating snacks during class when time for an exam for the first year. problem went away afterwards.

It's just awkward when it's dead silence then your stomach just has to growl lol. But hey, it happens to everyone, even the popular people.


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## meganmila

Omg, I hate that. Then I would want to move and try to make some noise to not hear my stomach or I would want someone else to make noise.


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## poepoe

this happens to me all the time... I have noticed it even more and more in my science lab, where I have somehow become a part of a little lab group and I always feel so embarrassed when my stomach is making all these weird gurgling noises  it doesn't even matter how much I eat beforehand, it always happens.


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## CountingClockwise

It isn't that embarrassing.Just have your desk as close to your chair as possible, without hurting yourself obviously, and clench your stomach muscles if you feel a growl coming on.I skip lunch in college a lot, so it's sort of an inevitability for me.


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## anonymous soul

wow this is weird. I thought I was the only one who did that. I didn't ever stress alot over it but I hated when it would happen.

I am bad about not eating breakfast in the morning so it would happen more. 

then sometimes I could feel it coming and try to cough or something ahahahaha


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## Just Lurking

You're only hearing it so loud and clear because you're focused on it.

Other people in the class are so focused on themselves and their test, they probably wouldn't even notice it (IF it's even audible to them to begin with).


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## nycdude

wow, I thought I was the only one. Yeah it has happened to me before. Hate it.


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## Wynnie James

LOL! This is so funny. Because the time the tummy decides to churn loudly is when everything is DEAD quiet. It wouldn't bother me that much, but I worry that people around me will mistake it for a fart.


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## insanityartist

I worry about farting during tests...


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## CynicalOptimist

I would suggest drinking some warm tea to help settle your stomach, in addition to eating something. Maybe you aren't eating enough why your stomach keeps growling shortly after you eat, so you might want to increase your food intake. Plus, you might want to stay away from as much processed foods as possible, because the chemicals from the food might be counteracting with your stomach acids why you are having that problem.

I have the same problem sometimes myself, and it can be embarrassing because I am scared that the sound of my stomach growling might sound like I'm farting to people around me. LOL. Hope things work out for you.


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## PositiveThinking

This is completely my biggest anxiety it is ruining my life! :-(


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## Cloze

That happened to me a couple of times before. Its embarrassing but I don't think most people care. I always try to take a snack with me whenever I go to class.


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## alwaysmistaken

This happened to me recently when I was sitting my biology exam in my lecture room. I had breakfast before it and didnt feel hungry so it was never really a worry. As soon as my lecturer said 'Okay,start..' my stomach decided it wanted to make all sorts of noises... All my studying for the exam went out the window and I spent most of the time allocated concentrating on when my stomach was going to make a noise so that I could make noises with my test paper to cover it up lol. Once it was over my stomach never made another noise?! I asked a couple of my friends who were sitting close to me if they had heard it and they all said no. Sometimes im convinced that my own body has it out for me lol.


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## Epic Button

Crystsal I am sooo with you in your problem. absoluetley everything you said is what im going through right now. i used to not worry about it but one day my stomach decided to make really loud gurgling noises during a test and from then on my mind just never stopped thinking about when the next time its going to happen. its either worrying about my stomach making noises or sometimes my stomach likes to become bloated with air and make weird noises. its a problem that seems stupid to others but when your going through it its like a living hell. i dont normally enjoy social outings as much as i used to and i have absolutely the best teachers and the best classes but i can never enjoy them cuz im constantly thinking about whether my stomach will decide to embarrass me or not. and like others said i worry about whether it will sound like a fart or like i really need to go to the bathroom.

my advice to you is to kind of meditate and realize that A) everyone's stomach growls and farts at some point in their day, B) a stomach growl even though can be felt as something very loud in actuality is only heard if anything by almost no one. if you are worried about people turning and looking at you chances are they dont know exactly who's stomach just growled. and C) no one really cares about that. people dont dwell on the fact that "oh that guys stomach just made a really loud noise" they usually are too focused on the lecture/test or dont even realize what happened or plainly just didnt hear it. 

as a person who is going through the same thing as you, realize that you are not alone. as evident by the reply posts its something alot of people go through but in the end if you learn to think positively chances are the anxiety will go away.


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## GlitterPapaya

This is my biggest anxiety. I'm afraid with crowds and confrontation and tripping and public speaking, but nothing compares to what I feel at school with stomach sounds. It's not half as bad in public places, but I school all I think every minute of every day is my stomach making sounds. It has happened rarely but I'm so afraid all the time that I think the anxiety causes more gurgling. It drives me insane and I wish I was just normal. I tried telling a councillor but I couldn't explain it to her so she'd understand. It makes me so tired and stressed I dread school all the time, I have I take frequent bathroom breaks or go on any teacher's errands, just to get out of class. I've even left school early a couple of times. I need it to stop because it controlls my life.


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## Plasma

I've had that happen to me before, but only once or twice from what I can remember. Thankfully no one seemed to notice it.

Also, old thread.


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## BAH

Don't skip breakfast


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## Kevin001

Oh this is the story of my life might be the worse anxiety issue I have. Nothing really helped.


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## Mlt18

This is why I'm paranoid about bringing food everywhere I go. I also think anxiety makes me get really hungry for whatever reason.


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## That Random Guy

*!*

You're not the only one to worry.

I had the unfortunate experience of having my stomach growl immensely twice in my lectures at university.

It was embarrassing to go through it but I managed to keep my composure.

After those instances (and being stubborn), I decided to bring water and a cracker or two.

I don't have the luxury of getting stuff from the vending machines, so I always had to bring my own stuff.

Water helps for about 5-10 minutes depending on how hungry you are. Otherwise, you need actual food.

On a related note, I found that I detested going to the bathroom more than having my stomach growl during class.

Ironically, I think the anxiety of worrying over the growling made it worse. The "tightness" feeling is due to hunger, but it gets worse if you don't do anything about it.

My advice is to not let it cloud your thoughts too much. If you get something to eat before class, it should satisfy the noisy guy inside.

Best,

T.R.G.

P.S. - Good luck on your exams!


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## smw

Hi, here 10 years later assuming you don't receive emails about replies but if you do, do you still have this issue and if not, how did you overcome it as it's currently talking over my life and i don't know what to do.


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## Blue Dino

Story of my school years. It's likely just your stomach acid growling, drink water consistently, eat something, or take antacids. Those might help.

Meanwhile, I am sure OP is now sitting in a top level corner office on a skyscraper as a young VP of a global corporation in a wegner office chair still being haunted, anxious and stressed with the ever growling stomach as the board of directors are giving their stinkeyes at the embarrassing rumbling tummy noises and gradually losing confidence at OP as VP. Meanwhile the public stocks of the company a dropping each point per tummy growl as a result.


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