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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    836

    For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    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 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.
    __________________
    General Anxiety, Health Anxiety and Panic Disorder for over 25 years. South Africa

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    105

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    So you've had diarrhea that has lasted for a long time? I got a tummy bug over labor day weekend and it slowed down to just happening once a day. Every morning when I get up it's loose. Some days are better than others. Like last week it was pretty good. Then BAM! I've been yucky since Monday. I have had blood work done and it's all clear. I'm giving my doctor a stool sample to be sure I don't have anything that needs antibiotics. I just have a hunch that it's my anxiety. I'm not having any pain. My tummy just grumbles sometimes. I would think if it were crohns, UC, the C word, I wouldn't be going back and forth and that I would have more than just a loose stool a day. I have lost 3 lbs in the last 3.5 weeks, but I'm eating less because I'm a wreck, and I'm trying to figure out what's bothering me so I've cut down on all kinds of foods that I used to eat (like cheese, milk, pizza, etc.) But nothing is helping me. I thought the probiotics were helping last week but I'm back to the D again. It sucks. And it panics me. Every morning when I go potty my heart pounds and I get shaky, because I'm so upset that it's not normal.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    836

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    I've had anxiety and IBS for many years. If there's one thing I've learnt it's that the two are definitely connected.
    You're obviously very anxious about your condition as I can see you've made a number of posts about it.
    I'm not a doctor but, based on my own experiences , I would say your problem is definitely anxiety related.

    Is it just in the morning that you have diarrhea?
    I went through a time of extreme anxiety where I had the same thing. Every morning as soon as I woke up I would need to run to the toilet. No pain either. And nothing for the rest of the day. This went on for months.

    It seems pretty similar to panic attacks that can happen at the exact same place and time each day. It's a habit that's formed in your mind.
    The only thing that'll work and break the habit is to accept that it's anxiety.

    I don't know if you have anxiety caused by any other issues but it seems that your stomach problems are causing you a lot of worry.
    If your mind can accept that there's nothing physically wrong and that the anxiety is causing the diarrhea you'll find that your stomach will soon recover.

    Try to reason with yourself: you've seen the Doctor, had tests done, if it was anything more serious you wouldn't just have loose stools once a day and your symptoms would increase and you'd likely have pain.

    The bug you initially caught is most likely completely gone by now, but it triggered the IBS which in turn triggered the anxiety. You're now in a loop that you need to break.
    Meantime try following the FODMAP diet and drinking plenty of water.
    __________________
    General Anxiety, Health Anxiety and Panic Disorder for over 25 years. South Africa

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    951

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    When they upped my antidepressant it really helped alot. I guess that is common for people with IBS. Alot of our serotonin level is reflected in our stomachs. Thanks for posting that by the way!!!!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    4,375

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    Great post and I'm in a very similar position:

    Anxiety since year dot with stomach trouble since I was a child which, eventually in my 20s, was diagnosed as IBS (I'm mid-40s now). I suffer most from bloating and pain, and whilst some foods make it worse (I miss you onions), it's mainly brought on when I'm particularly anxious.

    My main symptoms are lower stomach pain (it moves around depending on its mood) and lower back ache - bending down sometimes is agony. It comes on, lasts for anything from a day to 6 months and even when it's having a break, I can always sense it lurking in the background.

    The problem we face is that when it lasts a long time, we start to question whether it's IBS as usual or something else. This, of course, makes us anxious which makes the IBS worse. Great, isn't it? The only way to stop it is to ignore it and pretend it's not there. Easier said than done when I'm hobbling around like an arthritic old man who also miraculously seems to be pregnant. With triplets.

    We're all in it together chaps. Gritted teeth and on we go...

    Pip xxx
    __________________
    Not drowning, but waving



    Please help keep NMP running and donate to the running costs: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/donate

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    951

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    Quote Originally Posted by Pipkin View Post
    Great post and I'm in a very similar position:

    Anxiety since year dot with stomach trouble since I was a child which, eventually in my 20s, was diagnosed as IBS (I'm mid-40s now). I suffer most from bloating and pain, and whilst some foods make it worse (I miss you onions), it's mainly brought on when I'm particularly anxious.

    My main symptoms are lower stomach pain (it moves around depending on its mood) and lower back ache - bending down sometimes is agony. It comes on, lasts for anything from a day to 6 months and even when it's having a break, I can always sense it lurking in the background.

    The problem we face is that when it lasts a long time, we start to question whether it's IBS as usual or something else. This, of course, makes us anxious which makes the IBS worse. Great, isn't it? The only way to stop it is to ignore it and pretend it's not there. Easier said than done when I'm hobbling around like an arthritic old man who also miraculously seems to be pregnant. With triplets.

    We're all in it together chaps. Gritted teeth and on we go...

    Pip xxx
    The worrying makes the IBS worse and IBS makes the worrying worse.

    ---------- Post added at 20:13 ---------- Previous post was at 19:53 ----------

    Thanks for posting Beckybecks.

  7. #7

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    Great post, Beckybecks! I have most of the symptoms on your list, and the worse is probably the total loss of appetite due to stress. As soon as I wake up I need the loo - which causes anxiety and then I can't eat breakfast. Usually I need to go two or three times - and this then destroys my mood for the rest of the day... and I don't eat. I have had various types of health anxiety over the years (asked my doctor for a cardiograph at age 14, pushed the pharmacist to give me more vaccinations), but IBS is probably the worst... a vicious circle I can't break... But it's good to share with you guys here!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    720

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    I've had IBS since childhood. Anxiety makes it flare up. Mine manifests as sudden, sharp (extremely painful) stomach cramps, followed by diarrhea.
    This happened more in my teens and young adult years... so much so that I worried it would prevent me from keeping employment. It's awful when it happens at work, especially when you work at a job where you can't freely leave your station and go to the restroom whenever you want.
    It happens less now that I'm older, but I'll get a flare-up a few times a year.... thankfully, usually at home.

  9. #9

    Wink Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    This is a really helpful thread. Not sure if people still look at it but I saved it to my home screen on my phone. I like to read it for reassurance when I am having symptoms of my own.

    It’s very frustrating this IBS/Anxiety vicious cycle that we are in. I have had these symptoms for at least 8-10 years now but every time it comes back I get just as nervous and think something is wrong. Right now I am in the midst of a 6 week bout. First it started as just Constipation. Some pains in stomach. Post nasal dripish/lump in throat feeling; almost like it’s allergies or GERD. (Could the 2 be related..?). Very gassy and bloated at night. I haven’t had a regular bowel movement in at least a month I think and I’m begging for one!! Neither soft coming out. Or none at all and people like. Orrrr diarrhea but not explosive. Just a bit. Today the cramps and stomach pains were bad, especially this morning and every time I went to the bathroom it was loose and SMELLY!! I guess I’m also here looking for Some reassurance.

    Do these things happen to anyone else?

    When this goes on for so long how do we not all go and get Colonoscopies?! I

    went and saw a great GI dr and he told me he could feel the anxiety ooooosing off me. But I can’t help but wonder to myself. What would I feel like if I had colon cancer or something terribly wrong? Would it be worse? Wouldn’t it have gotten worse over the years? Wouldn’t I have lost weight? Could these horrible symptoms just be IBS and anxiety over my health.

    As you can see. I’m almost rational enough to realize what’s wrong but my health anxiety always made me second guess myself. I
    Plan on making an appt with a therapist actually to talk about it. But until then I left to wonder what the hell ia going on.

    If anyone still reads this post and can help me with some answers or thoughts I truly would appreciate it!!

  10. #10

    Re: For everyone worrying about their IBS symptoms

    Thank you for your response! Makes me happy to know I can come on here and talk to other people about my symptoms.

    I do have a question for you. So the other day I was constipated but also when I went had SMELLY Diarreah also. So it’s like I was constipated and had diarreah at the same time. It’s hard to explain. Then I started taking some Metamucil and for the last few days I was Constiapted again and finally went some earlier today, they seemed fairly normal. I didn’t look tho (another issue I have, I never want to look cause I’m afraid of what I’ll see..). . First time Ive gone in a few days.. Now tonight I am incrediblyyyyy gassy. And the gas at times, I can feel it move it’s way down my stomach to where I know it’s there but it’s like I have to force it out. Almost like it gets stuck. And also. Very smelly! This seems to happen to me ALOT. With that comes bloating at times and some abdominal pain.

    Does this sound familiar to you? I’ve heard the constant back and forth between constipation and diarrhea is common. But the whole forcing wind out because it doesn’t seem to come out naturally is something I really haven’t heard of.

    Going to see a therapist tomorrow about my HA’s.

    Figured this could be the best place to ask about these symptoms tho.

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