Fighting anxiety & Stomach problems

[MarkJames3]

Hi Guys,

After a bout of anxiety in June/July I thought I was over it then I started focusing on my stomach and how everytime I eat afterwards my belly feels weird and have aches and pains in it like its struggling to digest my food.

Also sometimes it feels like my stomach is in knots and bloated etc.

My stools have been up and down, some perfectly normal some a little broken up (no blood or going lots more) I tend to go more when I am anxious anyway.

However the big thing I'm struggling with is that if its my mind making these symptoms because I am thinking about my stomach all the time or if its something I need to get checked out. Im only 29 so I am guessing its unlikely to be Bowel C? right?

How do I get out of that vicious cycle of thinking about it then feeling the symptoms... my only indicator that it may be my mind or anxiety causing the sensations is that I don't wake up during the night with the aches and pains and first thing when I wake up i feel ok.

Has anyone had similar?

[HoneyLove]

Hi Mark, a good indication can be if you notice the pains and then start worrying, or do you start worrying and then the symptoms come on?

It's good to remember that anxiety and digestion problems can go hand in hand because of how the stress affects our digestive system.

Have you been to see your doctor?

[*Fallen Angel*]

I never realised until recently but the stomach is like a 2nd brain and is extremely affected by any kind of perceived threat. Therefore anxiety or stress definitely affects it. The trouble is once you start noticing feelings your brain becomes hyper aware and then you constantly look for them whereas you wouldn't have noticed them before.

[MarkJames3]

Hi Guys,

Yes I completely agree Fallen Angel, as I say my mind was preoccupied with other health issues recently and when I found closure with that I feel my mind has been looking for something to worry about and its settled on my stomach and has possibly started a viscious cycle.

HoneyLove, I would say I think about my stomach and then it hurts, like I say during the night it feels fine and first thing in the morning, however I am fixated on my stomach mind wise at the moment so the sensations and uncomfortable feeling seems to always be there, It feels like my stomach is very tense etc I would say when I am distracted I don't notice it as much but then I start thinking about it and bam its there.

Im just in this vicious cycle of thinking and obsessing over it so the feelings are always there and I don't know how to break that cycle.

Its been a very stressful time in my life recently, so that could be playing into it.

I know I could go to the doctors and see someone but they will probably say theres nothing wrong and send me away, I am fed up of going to the doctors every time I get anxious about something, I really want to break that habit but then I have this niggling thing in my mind saying its something serious you need to get it check out.

Lastly I was at the doctors a while ago and I think I remember seeing a poster about feeling bloated etc and could be a sign of cancer, at the time of seeing that poster I thought nothing of it but I wonder if it lodged in my subconscious and has now come to the fore?

I hope all that makes sense?

[HoneyLove]

Mark if you only experience the symptoms when you think about it then that might be a good indication that it's simply health anxiety.

I have stomach problems that make me anxious, but the symptoms are already there and it's the fact that they don't go away that worries me. But I know it's just IBS and I have to wait for it to pass.

In your case the symptoms don't come on until you begin to worry about it, which suggests to me that you need to work on stress/anxiety reduction. Are you doing anything to help with you anxiety or using any daily stress reduction techniques?

[KeeKee]

My partner has had this for at least 18 months. Went to the Docs recently, had stool samples and has suspected IBS. They said suspected because they haven't actually did tests to prove it's IBS but doc sais that's what it is.