New Member - Long time observer

[Adam1987]

Hi guys,

Just to introduce myself I am a long term observer of this site (come across it quite a lot when I'm googling my ailments :)) but new member.

I've become a member as I've had some health problems recently that I think might be down to stress and anxiety, I'm not sure but I am becoming increasingly worried about them.

About 2 and a half weeks I started feeling a slight twinge, not painful but enough to notice, in my left flank area (above waist between side and back) that would just randomly come and go. At the time I'd been doing a lot of exercises (Insanity DVD if you've heard of it) and thought it might be related to this as I've also got a pain at the very bottom of the left hand side of my back which is related to long term hip and knee problems. Anyway I went to the doctors last week and he said it probably isn't anything to worry about but took a urine sample anyway which I am awaiting the results of. As I was becoming very worried about this pain my anxiety levels went through the roof. Since then I have stopped all exercises and I have mostly been in bed sulking when not in work yet I am still getting abdominal muscle strain type feelings in my abs. As I have been so worried about my condition in turn this has affected my eating habits I've been trying to eat probably too healthy mainly just eating salads and vegetables (I eat quite healthy anyway) and this has affected bowel movements and feelings in my stomach which has elevated my anxiety even more. It's a bit of a snowball effect but basically I'm wondering if these abdominal pains can be caused by stress and also staying in bed so much (bed sores etc.)? The original pain in my side funnily enough has all but gone now too but now I keep thinking I am getting pains in my intestines but I'm not sure if this is related to the stress and staying in bed so much or if I do actually have pain in this area. I've had proper meals this weekend for the first time in a week and felt constipated this morning which hurt my lower abdomen and now I'm not sure if this is something I should be worried about or if I am over thinking things, there's been a couple of areas where the muscle strain type injuries are sore to touch but this feels as though it radiates internally too :weep:

Sorry this is quite long winded. Just to note in terms of medical history I had a colonoscopy a couple of years ago after having stomach / bowel problems and just had a swollen hemmorhoid which was caused by poor diet and IBS type symptoms. Since then I have sorted my diet out a lot I eat a lot of fruit and veg etc. but I also have acid reflux mainly from wheat etc. so I have omerapozole tablets when I need them but I tend to avoid the foods that trigger it off. I am 26 and have also found now blood in urine or stools so far, even though I used to pass blood quite often when I had my IBS problems etc.

The doctor said book a new appointment for the new year for my urine sample results and also nail fungul results which I was also in for but I'm not sure if I should be going back sooner or if I'm just creating my own problems :wacko:

Please help!!

[Booties]

Hey, welcome to the forums (though I might not be the person to say so, being new myself) :)

Please don't feel sorry or ashamed for sharing your big long paragraph with us- after all, if we can't speak to our co-sufferers, who can we speak to?

Although it's hard to accept, the large majority of times, if your doctor tests you and finds nothing seriously wrong, there's probably nothing seriously wrong. I find that people with our illness, including myself, often become very self-absorbed and controlling, but really the best thing we can do is let go, and pass our care (at least in part) to somebody else. It's not your job to find out what's wrong with you, that's what your doctor is paid for, and you shouldn't have to constantly worry about it.

Right now, I'm in a very similar state to you. I was on a special IBS & GERD diet, keeping a food diary, trying to get healthy, and now I'm back to shaking in bed, barely eating and not wanting to face reality. They say that IBS isn't fully curable, just controllable. I would hazard a guess that your tummy troubles are because of all the sudden changes in diet and exercise. My mother always tells me that moving around helps "massage your insides", it keeps the digestion flow natural. If you have a sensitive tum, it's not hard to imagine that starting an intense workout, then dropping it to stay in bed, switching from a strict healthy diet to normal meals, eating lots, then eating little, would upset the balance. Try your best not to worry about that (easier said than done, I know). Stress is the biggest *&%#?$*! when it comes to troubling the bowels!

As for the pains in your side, if the doctor can't find anything, it was probably caused either by your exercising, or by stress. People underestimate the physical effects stress can have on the body. If you ever have panic attacks, or tense, shaky episodes, this can cause those sorts of pains. I often get pains in my chest (which terrify me of course) simply from being so tense or from shaking so much during a particularly stressful day/night.

The absolute best thing you could do for your health at the moment (in my non-professional opinion) is relax as much as possible. Take some hot baths, drink as much water as possible, eat little and often- building up slowly if you're finding eating difficult at the moment. Try to enjoy the rest of the year (and the holidays if you're celebrating) and take your mind off it any way you can.

Mainly, I just want you to know that you're not alone. I have the same feelings and concerns as you, as I'm sure many other people on the forums, and thousands in the world do. Feel free to pop me a message if you need to talk!

I hope you feel better soon :) x

[Pipkin]

Hi Adam and :welcome:!

Is there anything underlying your anxiety and have you discussed this with your GP rather than just the physical problems?

I find that the more I dwell on aches and pains, the worse they get. Perhaps you need to distract yourself more? You mentioned staying in bed a lot which gives you a lot of time to ruminate about things.

Take care

Pip

[Adam1987]

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for the replies it's much appreciated.

My main worry at the minute is the muscle pains I get in my abdomen, they just feel tight like I have been exercising but I haven't for over a week now. They are sore to touch in very specific places as if someone shoved a pen in to that area a couple of days ago and I can feel the bruising, but they've been like that for a week now so I'm not sure if it's just stress or there is an underlying problem.

Originally my anxiety was down to the pain in my side but like I said this pain has now subsided and it's my abdomen I now worry about.

I haven't spoke to my doctor about my health anxiety although I was thinking now maybe is the time too (although she probably has an idea the amount of times I go in :roflmao:).

I have been trying to relax but every now and then I'll get a twinge and it's like BAM, back to panic mode.

I have been in bed a lot the last week, when I get home from work I just go straight to bed and stay there until the morning because I have been really worried, previously though I have been quite active and outgoing recently...but I have a history of being very anxious about my health, I've been to A&E before thinking I was having heart attack when of course it was just anxiety, so Booties I know how that feels too.

[Pipkin]

Adam,

I would definitely talk to your GP about your anxiety and see if you can get treatment for that. What you'll find is that your aches and pains will start to subside because, at the minute, you're fuelling them with panic. It's like a vicious circle: you have pains, you worry about them and become anxious and tense, your pains get worse and you worry more, and so on.

Although you may think that the physical symptoms are the cause of your anxiety, it's likely to be something else that then made you notice and worry more about the symptoms. I'm no therapist but it's sometimes worth having a good think about when it started and what was going on in your life at that time. Were you starting Uni, doing exams, having relationship problems etc? Sometimes a culmination of many things just triggers an overload in the brain where there's too much to deal with at once.

To be honest though, if I were asked, I'd say I'd always been an anxious person and that could also be the case. Worth a thought?

Take care

Pip

[Adam1987]

Pip,

Thanks again.

If you're asking what triggered the anxiety I think I have always been an anxious person however my Dad died suddenly 3 and a half years ago which possibly could have triggered health anxiety (I was only 22 at the time and my Dad was 53).

My first anxious moments started a couple of years ago when I had to have a colonoscopy because of IBS etc and things have escalated since then so that could well have been the trigger.

I know what you mean though, because of the way I am if I sense a pain I fear the worse and then that makes the pain worse etc etc and it's a vicious cycle, I will have a good think about mentioning this to my doctor next time I go.

[annie54]

Hi,
Just read your thread Adam, not long joined myself , been in a state of
panic also this week, female issues. but I am the same as you , a long
time I have had high anxiety , phobia of doctors. done the same as you
also went to bed and stayed there. facing hospital today. so as soon as
I get out it will be back to bed to brood over it. only place I feel safe.
IBS is a nasty illnesses , I have been a carer for years to mum and have
seen a lot of ailments.
Like you I have stopped eating. when I get too panicky I stop everything
including eating.
You are very young, the exercising, may have strained you.
But stress. worry
especially always makes physical things worse.
My dad also died very young age 46 so I know exactly what you mean.
Will be back online later.
Take care
Annie

[Pipkin]

Adam,

I think you've probably got it there. You've always been a bit on the anxious side and losing your dad so suddenly is bound to make you very aware of your own physical state and notice every symptom that most people would just ignore. IBS can be very closely linked to anxiety and depression and it can be hard to know which came first. Either way, you've had a tough time and you're doing really well to have coped with it. Don't underestimate how strong you've been.

Whilst you're waiting to see your GP, the best advice I can give is to stay as active as you can. Try and keep some structure in your day and don't spend too much time in bed. I know it can be really hard to motivate yourself when all you want to do is curl up and forget about everything but just force yourself. Have a shower and go out for a walk, meet some friends, go shopping; anything that distracts you. I absolutely guarantee that you'll start to feel better. It may sound simplistic but it works.

Have a read of this too which was written by one of our members. I find it really useful and it's written in a great, lighthearted style.

http://nothingworks.weebly.com

Good luck

Pip

[Adam1987]

Thanks again for the responses guys I'm feeling calmer already, seriously.

Just for the record IBS isn't so much of an issue for me anymore, I had the kind of IBS that gives you stomach pains in the morning and causes constipation but with diet and exercise I kind of got through it and it hasn't been an issue for me for quite a while now.... what I'm dealing with at the minute I'm not sure is related to IBS at all that's why there's an air of worry but knowing that I was so stressed over the pain in my side I'm thinking the abdominal muscle strains are stress related.

I am going to try and stay active over the holidays but as soon as I get another twinge it's like everything stops again, I'm working until Xmas Eve anyway (oh joy) so I will be busy until then at least :doh:

[Pipkin]

Great that you're feeling a bit better. I find talking to people who understand helps me a lot.

I forgot to add that this may be useful. A member posted the link yesterday and she was directed to it by her GP. I haven't looked at it but it could help.

https://ecouch.anu.edu.au/new_users/welcome03

Pip

[hanshan]

Hi Adam,

Pains in your abdomen could have a hundred different causes, so posters here can't tell you definitely what's wrong - you have to see your doctor.

That said, probably 99 per cent are short-term and not dangerous in any long-term way. You still may need a check-up, but mostly as reassurance that there is no long-term problem.

[Booties]

Glad you're feeling a bit better, Adam :)

It's really a Godsend to be able to get things off your chest to like-minded people, eh? Very sorry to hear about your dad- it's perfectly understandable that this would cause you health anxiety, or at least exasperate the problem.

Do try to keep active through the holidays! You don't have to push yourself doing push-ups and lunges, but potter around the house, go for walks, find things to do (perhaps some organising you've been putting off for a while or something?). Remember we're here if you start feeling bad!