Stomach pains, anxiety or something else?

[Cat80]

For months now I have been in daily almost constant pain all across my lower abdomen. I'm thinking it's a mixture of IBS (even though pains aren't spasms just really painful ache) and anxiety. Can stress cause you to get lower constant pain?

I'm anxious 24/7 at the moment and I don't know why, I'm anxious about being anxious and that's making me feel so sick and get these awful lower abdominal pains and bad lower back ache. My bowels are also dodgy as well which again is making me think it's IBS.

Dr has given me full blood tests which were all normal apart from something to do with my ESR levels which are to do with inflammation. She sent me for a full chest xray which was normal and has also felt my stomach which was tender when pressed but she couldn't feel anything that shouldn't have been there.

Just convinced myself I have something serious wrong even though at the back of my mind I know it's probably just IBS and anxiety.

[PanicOver!!]

Hi cat

You are probably right and it is just anxiety but dont be afraid to ask for a second oppinion if it will make you feel better

[Gaza]

Stress Affects
Stress can cause a whole host of problems and yes it indeed can aggravate any bowel or stomache problem, it can co-exist with it, or can be traced to be the route of the condition. You need to confirm all blood test are A ok (which they usually are) and check that your dietary needs are being met. Also any allergy to gluten or wheat needs to be considered with stomach or bowel flare-ups like this.
Anxiety has direct links with the stomache and bowel as they are shut down, temporarily during times of stess. Take some well deserved time out and warm baths and deeply relax, keep stress at a minimum level. (Calming music and headphones signifcantly reduce your stress levels)
Over-Stressed (Ask Yourself - WHY?)
Ask yourself some simple questions about how you feel: are you over-anxious and if so what for, what's driving the anxiety along....work, relationship, college, money worries..etc and look realistically at what you need to do to help you lower those concerns and worries and rid yourself of the unnecessary anxiety.
When High ESR levels are dedected.....
Tests and procedures
When blood is allowed to stand in a tube the red cells (erythrocytes) fall to the bottom. This simple test is called the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). It is often a good indicator as to whether any inflammation is present in the body (the higher the level the more likely it is that inflammation is present) but it is not infallible.

It tends to rise with age anyway and the best thing to do with a slightly elevated ESR is nothing and then repeat it after a month. (This advice is different to those patients with a significantly elevated ESR i.e. over 100 where such a level is almost always a sign of underlying significant disease).

I would therefore not be worrying too much at all here especially as you are feeling reasonable well and have had some chest x-ray work done.

Other tests you may want your doctor to consider in this situation include a full blood count, chest X-ray (done), kidney function tests, platelet tests and plasma electrophoresis. The reason why there is such a range of tests here is that should all these be clear, it is extremely unlikely that any problem exists and you can happily live with your slightly raised ESR!

Hope some of this helps you. Gary