Need help to stop worrying about toilet issues

[phil06]

For well over a year I've become obsessed with my bowel and urinary system. It started out after a driving test I failed and shortly before job interviews I'd get the urge to go. I've had loose stools, going 5 times a day, feeling the urge to urinate, even lately constipation.

I keep thinking about these symptoms and when I do immediately they worsen. I keep worrying about "maybe it's an undetected illness". I just can't get the idea out my head when I leave the house what if I need, what if I wet myself health worries have been about everything related to the toilet.

So maybe it's alot of anxiety. I just need to be free of that toilet being my comfort zone. Anybody else had this in the past and what's a therapist's view on it? How do you get your life back? I'm getting these issues in the same way a panic attack would form. Instead I get less panic but more of these issues at the moment.

I'm quite unmotivated when it comes to proper sleep and relaxation so do I need to try harder? How can I get over this and get my normal life back? At the moment a normal toilet trip causes anxiety, like most of them do. :blush:

[Pipkin]

Phil,

I'm very similar and am also interested in what other people think of this. I find it really stressful and it's infuriating to me as I know most people don't give it a second thought.

How can something so mundane cause us do much grief?

Full sympathy from me.

Take care

Pip x

[Shellbell80]

Hi, I have a friend who suffered the same thing have you tried CBT??? it is really good at changing your thought patterns and recognizing them, which has helped my friend allot and so is now able to leave the house without worrying and the symptoms have reduced too ??? worth a try ???

[Pipkin]

Yep Shell, it's definitely a brain training thing. I think you've got a point.

Pip x

[Shellbell80]

Defo cbt for dummies is a good start because
Some people can wait ages for an appointment
But I have read it and highly recommend it that way
You can take things at your own pace x

[Pipkin]

Thanks Shell - good tip and I'm going to have a look at that book. I didn't know it existed.

Pip :yesyes:

[Shellbell80]

Its really good check it out x:D

[phil06]

Defo cbt for dummies is a good start because
Some people can wait ages for an appointment
But I have read it and highly recommend it that way
You can take things at your own pace x

I have that book not found much to help with my symptom though.

Problem is I get days like last night and today where I feel incomplete, get a few bowel trips and sit all night feeling uncomfortable..and the anxiety keeps going round and round. :ohmy:

[Pipkin]

Me too Phil - exactly the same, when my anxiety's at its worst. Not too bad at the moment as my meds are working well.

Pip x

[dan1234]

I had this years ago. Exposure is what is required. There is a drug called oxybutynin which helped. A 2 week course completley stopped the urge to urinate.

[ollie88]

Hi Phil,
I think i have the same i get sweaty palms and get stomach cramps come on and i need to rush to the loo just brought on by anxiety and being in a new place.. I feel thesame.. maybe breathing techniques??

[Connor_cbt]

About ten(ish) years ago I was diagnosed with IBS because of similar issues, anxiety would do terrible things to my stomach but because I didn't stress that part to the doctors, they treated it as a physiological problem (I really wish I had now, because maybe I wouldn't have had to have the endoscopy... Lol) anyhow it turns out that ALL of my stomach problems have been almost eliminated by three things! Drinking more water, doing more exercise and PROPRANOLOL!
Anxiety causes your body to release adrenalin into your body and this is a terrible substance for your poor stomach. This is going to turn into a gross subject but I noticed it a long time ago. I like watching documentaries and I noticed it when I watched a documentary about bull fighting, when the bulls where about to charge and sometimes right in the middle of it they would often go to the loo! I later noticed it on autumn watch, when the deer were having their annual rut and the males were fighting to protect their harem, once again right in the middle of the fight, they would start going to the loo and its all because of adrenalin!

Digesting food requires a lot of energy, also carrying food increases our weight and can make you more sluggish so our body tries to eliminate it! the same goes for water, our breathing and our stomach muscles also help food be passed through our intestines so increased tension in our muscles and faster breathing associated with anxiety also can effect it. Propranolol belongs to a group of drugs called beta blockers and stops adrenalin being released into your body. This has had a tremendous effect on me, in part because it has worked and my symptoms are almost eliminated it has given me more confidence so my symptoms would be reduced anyway.

My doc put me on 40mg as and when required the trick is taking them early enough! Adrenalin once released into your system can remain in your blood for two hours, and propranolol takes around 20-30 minutes to begin to work so if I know that I have a particularly stressful day/event coming up I will take the maximum dose all day and maybe even the day before, if it's just an everyday thing that might elevate my anxiety like doing the weekly shop at the supermarket I'll just take one an hour or so before I go or before I need to get ready to go out. They really have been a massive help and I. Can't recommend them enough!

Having said that, propranolol isn't a magical cure. The anxiety and unpleasant thought patterns that initiate the problem remain and need to be treated in a different way but it does remove a massive part of the burden! Also initially your body can take time to adjust to propranolol so for the first couple of days I took half a tablet at a time instead of the whole 40mg and felt much better.

get to your docs and give them a go they really have made a huge difference for me and knowing how miserable the situation you are in is I Can't recommend it enough!