Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Morning,
I have all the symptoms you have mentioned on your post. i am suffering with acid reflux and stomach problems at the moment and the GP prescribed Omerazole for the acid. Can I just ask, I feel this making me worse. I have back discomfort almost tingling like and feel very nauseous. Is this normal? Has anyone experienced this before? My anxiety is through the roof.
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Trizzy, I get this with anxiety and sometimes with my IBS
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Beckybecks
Anxiety almost always triggers IBS for me. And although the doctor tells me it's not food related I find that once I'm having a flare-up there are definitely foods that affect me.
Sounds like you have the same problem. It's a loop that we get into with anxiety causing IBS symptoms and those symptoms causing anxiety and on and on it goes.
So, obviously, but easier said than done, especially in our current circumstances, the anxiety has to be tackled. Do whatever you can that you find works for you. Deep breathing, walking, CBT, medication (I take Lorazepam sometimes) and I've recently discovered Guided Imagery a type of meditation for anxiety and there's plenty to choose on YouTube.
I've not had much success with Buscopan but it can help to relax the colon sometimes. I believe there's one specifically for IBS now so that might be worth a try. A heat pad or hot water bottle is my best friend too.
Avoid any gas forming food like onions, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli and fatty or processed food. Its trial and error here but I found gluten didn't agree with me either. Not that you cant ever have them again, but just for now to give your tummy a rest.
Try some soothing herbal teas. I like chamomile.
Above all your mind needs to understand that anxiety is the cause of this and nothing else. Once that clicks things will get easier.
Yes I always lose my appetite when I have a flare-up of IBS. It's the anxiety that does it and causes nausea and diarrhea too. The fact that you sleep ok and the symptoms appear when you wake up is a confirmation that you have IBS and not something else, according to my doctor.
Try to eat regularly and eat bland food like rice and grilled chicken without spices or oil. Drink plenty of water and tea.
Be kind to yourself and try to accept that while the world is going through this crisis anxiety will definitely rear its head and cause various symptoms. But they'll go in time. Maybe your doctor could give you something for anxiety too?
Hope this helps and that you feel better soon.
Thanks for starting this thread, as well as the contributions from others.
I have had digestive issues for a very long time and you would think that by now I would accept that they are not caused by anything sinister, but that isn't how my mind works.
Even having a colonoscopy a couple of years ago, gastroscopy and then a CT scan with dyes etc on my abdominal area, and all came back as normal, doesn't seem to have a lasting effect, in terms of peace of mind.
Even tho there are some triggers that I do recognise that can give me very large amounts of gas, mainly fruit, it is mainly due to anxiety that I am very symptomatic with my IBS.
I have been going through a period again of the last few weeks being loose on the toilet each day, with lots of stomach / bowel type noises and bubbles etc. As usual, probably not helped with the stress of this virus thing as well, my mind goes into overdrive and the symptoms are probably made that much worse.
Even tho in aware that the mind can be a factor with IBS yours is the first post that I have read where you feel that it is the primary cause, rather than a contributory one. I have worried for a very long time about me having similar thoughts about that and trying to dismiss them as I hadn't read of others feeling the same.
Guess that for some the relationship between their mind and digestive system is very strong indeed.
I do have a video consultation with my Gastroenterologist tomorrow, in these days of the virus getting medical support is difficult. But I do not feel that my way to resolve or manage this lies with him.
I do know what you mean, when you mention Lorazepam, I sometimes take a diazepam. When I sleep I'm usually at my best, not good really but there you go.
Best wishes to all and thanks for posting
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Thank you for your reply. I’m coping with my symptoms and only having the occasional bad day which I’m trying to breath through.
Stay safe 🌈
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Reviving an old thread
Lower right hand side pain (I always think this is appendicitis) - this one has been haunting me the past few weeks . On and off can go 12 + hours in between this pain no specific time , its radiates down into the groin pelvis area .At times almost around the lower back . Only loww right side - radiates up slightly at times but hard to pinpoint . Doesn't last can come and go for 20-30 mins and not return until the next day . Very random
I think im having an ibs flare up , gerd has increased, burping - gas etc. I also noticed during the lower right side pain sometimes by pressing around air can be heard/moved around sensation . Anyone else have this going on .
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Hi everyone,
Hope I’m posting in the right place! I have been a health anxiety sufferer for as long as I can remember and have suffered on off for as long as I can remember with what numerous GP’s have diagnosed as IBS. I get all the symptoms most of you have mentioned except I don’t get pain as such it’s more of a cramp/urge to go feeling than stomach pain if that makes sense?
What I’m worrying about is, if it was anything sinister (I also have anxiety over chrons as well as the worst outcome we all dread) would I be really ill by now? I havnt lost weight and my appetite is fine, my flare ups seem to stem from when I have a bad meal like a greasy takeaway etc or when I’m stressed with work. I have suffered with ibs symptoms since I was about 12 and I’m 28 now.
Apologies for the long post but I’m sick of worrying myself something terrible and going on doctor google for hours on end!
Thanks for reading 😊
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Beckybecks
I'm writing this as much for myself as for everyone else that needs some reassurance. Hopefully the next time I have a flare-up of IBS I'll remember to look back at my posts and save myself a lot of anxiety.
I've suffered from IBS since I was a child, usually brought on by anxiety but often triggered by bad eating habits and encouraged by anxiety due to the symptoms.
Like most Health Anxiety sufferers I always think the worst, Google my symptoms and find something terminally wrong with me :huh: sound familiar?
And each time I get a new bout of IBS I do it ALL over again!!!
The symptoms aren't always the same and new symptoms cause new worries. The worry prolongs and magnifies the symptom.
I'm going to try and list all the symptoms I can remember and I'm sure you'll find yours on the list.
Lower right hand side pain (I always think this is appendicitis)
Pain around navel area
Pain below ribs
Upper left hand side pain
Chest pain (I always think this one is my heart)
Back pain
Pain moving from chest all the way down to groin area.
Bloating
Alot of wind with constant belching
Stomach gurgling and grumbling
Diarrhea
Followed by constipation (without taking any medication)
Acid reflux
Burning in throat on swallowing food (due to acid)
Complete loss of appetite
Weight loss
Dry mouth
Bad taste in mouth
All of the above will disappear if I can get to sleep (even just for a nap). But symptoms return as soon as I'm fully awake and start focusing on my stomach.
Because I get really anxious when I have these symptoms they can continue for months. I've had flare-ups that have lasted for six months where I've tried eliminating every food I can think of that might cause symptoms and I've been down to only rice and water and STILL in pain and the weight has just dropped off me which of course feeds the imagination....(I've even had to hide the bathroom scale away). As soon as I accept that it's the anxiety that's causing the symptoms, something seems to click in my brain and the symptoms leave like magic.
What else helps?
Hot water bottle for pain.
Walking regularly
Drinking plenty of water
The FODMAP diet. Even though my IBS is triggered by anxiety it seems that my gut becomes tender and eating the right foods definitely does help. Or maybe just the fact that I'm trying to do something about it helps....
The thing is, the symptoms do go. And I can be fine for months and months and eat normally again.
I've given up going to the doctor, the diagnosis is always the same. They give us pills and send us for tests but what else can they really do? we're looking for reassurance to relieve our anxieties. Another test is one way of providing this.
At the end of the day it's the anxiety that controls my IBS. I'm sure a lot of you will agree with me.
thanks for this! V helpful :) I assume you’ve had all the tests eg colonoscopy to rule out other things? After I stopped worrying after my flexi sig, the pain I had when eating went away and hasn’t come back
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rebel8899
Lower right hand side pain (I always think this is appendicitis) - this one has been haunting me the past few weeks . On and off can go 12 + hours in between this pain no specific time , its radiates down into the groin pelvis area .At times almost around the lower back . Only loww right side - radiates up slightly at times but hard to pinpoint . Doesn't last can come and go for 20-30 mins and not return until the next day . Very random
This is sort of what I'm going through now for the past 2 weeks. Sometimes some twinges of pain in front that feels like someone is poking me, sometimes a dull ache around the right side like someone is grabbing and squeezing me and also radiates around back. This all started the day AFTER I went to a gastro for a colonoscopy consult for a positive FIT at my checkup.
It's the first thing I think of when I wake and probably the last thing before I fall asleep, laying still to see if I feel anything in that area. I still have another month before I get scoped so I hope I don't spend that time thinking the worst. What a waste of energy that would be.
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dibbler
I do have a video consultation with my Gastroenterologist tomorrow, in these days of the virus getting medical support is difficult. But I do not feel that my way to resolve or manage this lies with him.
Tell me about it. I've had unexplained abdo pain for 3 months and I am only being physically examined on Wednesday because I told my GP my mental health is falling apart because I'm in a level of pain all the time with no idea what the problem is and no way of reliving the pain. I have a gastro appointment via phone and I can't help but wonder what use that will be - especially when I struggle on the phone. I can see myself coming off that call even more frustrated than I am now.
Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms
Hang in there Nora, I wish I could do more to help. Hope your phone consult with the GI goes better than you expect :) Sending you positive thoughts x