Re: Are most people with IBS anxious people?
Hmmm I think there is a link, certainly with the continuation of symptoms and with flare ups due to anxiety. But I developed IBS when I was 18 and got sick with a routine stomach bug. It wasn't as bad as something like norovirus but after that I got bloating after eating. I mean I would blow up like a balloon within 20 minutes and it'd last 30 minutes to an hour. I saw a GP who told me that something like 2% of stomach bugs go on to cause IBS symptoms afterwards but that it should go away in 6-8 weeks. It didn't.ISo pretty much over night I lost the ability to digest a lot of different foods and I've seen my symptoms get better or worse depending on factors such as stress, tiredness and hormone changes, but it's very much still there. So although I was prone to anxiety before, I think a physical trigger tipped me over into suffering IBS.
I used to suffer from bloating and pain every evening but since I've been taking Sertraline I rarely get the bloating and pain any more. I don't know if that's due to increased serotonin or the mild laxative effect of the drug making me not retain gas so much. But either way, it's a useful side effect which means that my IBS is a lot more manageable than it was before, providing I am careful with my diet.
__________________
"Every day, every hour, I wish that I was bullet proof"