What do you do when your worst fears come true?? please help

[BabyRachel]

I am emeitophobic and have a phobia of diohhrea. Excuse my spelling.
I have panic disorder.
Laying in bed and I got the worst stomach cramps. Was doing everything I could to keep from crying out loud in pain. Very gassy. Then, the diorhhea. I took one or two of every pill I have, diorhhea ones, panadol, maxalon. Now im sitting here and I don't know what Im going to do. This is past panic. Im not even having a panic attack (probably thanks to lexapro) I just DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO!?
Was it just something I ate? Was it my fears eating me alive?

I have tried bloody everything. I go to my doctor once a week. Theyre out of advice. I see a psychologist, shes out of advice. My life is crumbling. My fears have just come true.

Can somebody help me? My fears just came true and im too scared to even panic. I feel so sick and im so tired of anxiety and ibs. i need help but everyone is out of help...

[PanicOver!!]

Hi

So sorry you are feeling low at the moment what is your biggest fear the panic or the diohreah...
or does one cause the other?

[lauren6]

Rachel, I have IBS- D also. The answer is not to take anti-diarrhea medicines. It's just not good for us in the long run, not the solution. I have an immediate brain to gut reaction, any type of anxiety and I get gas and the runs immediately which makes it difficult to travel at times and like you said, the cramps hurt. I have never heard of a phobia of diarrhea but that is something you can work with with a therapist. Diarrhea is not something to be afraid of but it can cause dehydration as you know.

I am sure you are aware of things you can do diet-wise, fiber, probiotics, easy on the fruit and gassy vegetables. Have you looked at the IBS message board? It has helped me. Have you tried chamomile tea? That calms me down and settles my stomach.

When you say everyone is out of help, no. You are not out of help, YOU have to take car of yourself now and do some soul searching. I also have not gotten the help I need from therapists so I turned to the books on health anxiety and IBS. Please get the books..I think some are available through this site so check that first, so we can support this site. Then check Amazon for as many as you can get and just read, read, read. The books helped me more than any therapist. I had a very stressful day yesterday, had to take a 2 hour trip with no bathroom on the train. I was lucky but when I got home, had the runs all night. I know how distressing this is, the cramps were awful but they always go away. I am so sorry you are at this point Rachel but it can get better. Please know that there is always hope.

[sue.b]

Awww Rachel sorry you are having a bad time at the moment. I can't really be of much help as I don't really know anything about IBS other than what it stands for.

So here is a big hug from me to you and an even bigger wish that you will soon be feeling better. :bighug1:

Take care

Sue xxx:bighug1:

[BabyRachel]

PanicOver - my biggest fear at the moment is to get diorrhea for no visible cause. And the panic. And being sick. Those three combined. Sounds silly, I know.

Lauren, what you said about your 2 hour train trip? I have to do that every day to get to college. Two hours in, two hours back. In a car, with a girl who knows nothing about my anxiety. It is probably my biggest fear of getting diorhea in the car. Its such a huge fear that some days I can't even go. Like today. This is causing me to get behind in my work, distress in my family.. Not to mention what its doing to me.
I've just started on a new diet to help with the ibs, but im a bit unsure about what I should and shouldnt be eating?
I don't take probiotics but will look into it. As far as books go I will look into that too.
The whole thing has gotten me so down. I feel so low.. And so lost. Im trying everything I know to make this better and it STILL feels bigger than me. I just want my life back..

[PanicOver!!]

Hi

Sounds like you are stuck in a vicious circle... Anxiety causing diorrhea causing panic
i have ibs and often suffer diorrhea with it but it is harmless as is diorrhea caused by anxiety... the main thing is to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and if you start to lose weight try supliment drinks

good luck x

[BabyRachel]

How do you manage to go to work and travel and everything? This is the hardest part. I misuse diorhhea medication because I get so worried about it.

[PanicOver!!]

If im out and about i make sure i eat only fiberous foods the day before ...banannas ,, cereals.. white bread etc
mine comes and goes is yours every day

[BabyRachel]

Mine comes and goes but I get worried about it every day as I have to go to college most days. Some days I just get too anxious to go..

[PanicOver!!]

Its probably anxiety led then

Whats the worst that could happen really? you may have to dash to the loo...is that so bad

[BabyRachel]

The worst that can happen is im in the car with someone who doesnt know I have anxiety/ibs and I have to go to the loo... I take a two hour car trip to college every day... On motorways... No bathrooms... Bad traffic... Very bad anxiety..

[PanicOver!!]

Cant you tell them your situation...find out where the loos are along your route
try and take the anxiety out of the journey x

[BabyRachel]

Im too embarassed to tell her.. We're not very close... I don't think she would be very sympathetic or understanding..

[PanicOver!!]

How do you know

As a guy i was extremely embarassed to tell Anyone including family i had anxiety but this only added to the problem... once i was ablet to share the problem the attacks reduced... could you not explain ypu have IBS thats seen as a genuine medical condition im sure they will be fine x

[BabyRachel]

Maybe I can work on explaining the IBS side... She knows I've been 'sick' for a while... As you said its seen as a genuine medical condition which people seem to have more understanding and sympathy for as opposed to depression and anxiety...

[PanicOver!!]

Thats it
that may then reduce the anxiety and so reduce the need for the loo

Good luck xx

[BabyRachel]

Thankyou very much for your help and listening. I really appreciate it..xx

[PanicOver!!]

Hey Anytime

Let me know how you get on x