Stomach probs

[hollie1586]

Hi. I have had a period of anxiety for about 3 weeks now thinking that I have got heart problems, bowel problems, breathing problems etc. This last week has been the worst. Last Saturday I was having stomach cramps that lasted until Monday and on Tuesday I had very watery diarrhoea then each day after that my poo has got stiffer but now there is a bit of jelliness with it. Has anybody else had this? Very confused at the minute and just want to feel normal.

[Nathan92]

I can blabber on for hours and hours about what it might be and what it might not be.

I am pretty sure even from the 40 or so words you've typed that its IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) You can have IBS D, IBS C, IBS A.

Pretty straight forward on the C (Constipation) D (Diarrhea) A (Alternating between them both).

Sounds like you have a touch of D, but being so early.. it might be A.

(I didn't check where you were from I think the UK?)

go to Asda / a reputable pharmacy and buy "Buscopan" follow the instructions on the label inside and I promise you'll see a difference within 2-5 days.

(check out this thread: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=159291&page=1 a fellow NMPer' same / similar issues as you and almost identical to me. read through his and my conversation, you'll see his progression from constant diarrhea to nice normal stools :) - via the use of Buscopan)

Also the cramping is classic of IBS - the way the doctor explained it to be was, when you have something to eat, your bowels do NOM NOM NOM, but with IBS they go NAM NAM NAM, (nam being faster than NOM) so because it's going faster, it cramps / spasms, which causes the pain. The buscopan causes it to slow down. (Helpful on the IBS D), with you being constipated it might be worth trying dulcolax or a mild stool softner because all you need is diarrhea and cramping (its horrible trust me). The jelly like stool, no idea specifically, I had some similar but it was like snot (yano the mucus, sticky stuff) can be clear / yellow, for eg if you wipe and its clear or you wipe and its yellow but slimy, then its mucus (means your bowel is trying to process the stool too fast and its the bile from your liver. this means also when you have a poop it can be yellow / green, (again, its going fast through your stomach and the bile hasn't had time to change from yellow/green to brown :)

[hollie1586]

Thanks for your reply. It's good to talk to someone who has had similar problems. I think I've had the jelly stuff before with other attacks of anxiety. It is clear too. I forgot to say also that I started a healthy diet just over a week ago so maybe that has some bearing too. My stomach has been making noises and rolling with wind ever since. I've never thought that I could have IBS. The only time I have bowel trouble seems to be when my head is screwed up. Does anxiety cause IBS?

[Nathan92]

from what I've been told Anxiety can cause IBS, they say its because of the signals from the brain are direct with the stomach so it causes the signals to go haywire. Typical IBS symptoms, gargling noises from the stomach (mine are horrid, literally sound like I have a microphone and a speaker next to my stomach, (sounds like a hunger noise) and diet can be a factor to the wind, but wind is also another factor :)

try and keep calm and if you need to try the buscopan for the pain, might bung you up (constipation, but if it does drink prune juice :p, horrid but thats probably the most natural way to go if you want to avoid the meds, so prune juice helps you poop, careful though drink too much and you'll not get off the toilet haha :)

best of luck :)