definitely tmi, sorry, but public toilets!

[strawberrie]

ok, i am sooo embarassed posting this, but i feel like my problem is getting out of hand and i'm hoping some lovely nmp'ers might be able to sympathise a little!

i have got kind of obsessed that i might need an... ahem... number 2 when i am out somewhere, which means that i dont really want to be out of the house any length of time. i am ok if i know there is a relatively private and clean public toilet where i am going, but if not it is a real problem.

Although i do have a major 'thing' about hygiene, it is definitely more of an embarassment problem than anything else, cos going round to other peoples houses is the biggest worry of all, honestly i seem to have this irrational fear that i am the only person in the world that ever needs to have a poo!

if someone invites me out or round to their house it is the first thing that comes into my head, and then because i get myself all worked up about it, i end up trying to go hundreds of times before i leave the house, and my stomach ends up in a tight knot and i end up getting a stress-related dodgy tummy anyway, so its a bit of a vicious circle!

ok, so anyway, i'm very embarassed now so i'm going to press the button before i decide to delete all this!

[Piglet]

Well that brightened my morning hun cos I am pretty similiar actually.

I much prefer to have gone to the loo for a no.2 before I go out as I feel much much happier (and a lot lighter)!!!

I loathe public loos but really do have to use them especially when I'm nervous, cos then I am just gonna poo for Britain and I cannot be stopped.

So if you ever see a woman gagging over the smell of public loos (can tolerate my own thank you but not others) trying to poo without sitting down, then having achieved this wonderous act get out of the cubicle without touching the handle of anything, or wrapping loo roll round hand to open the door, all the while shouting to her daughters to check they haven't gone anywhere - then hey that's me!!

Love Piglet

[anxious]

Hiya,

i have a huge fear of public toilets fullstop. I hover or cover seat in paper and have been know to open/close doors with feet and elbows
My fear of 'going' in other places has led to terrible problems with constipation etc.
You are not alone. Cor blimey dont we admit to somethings on here.

love anx xx

[SAMKIRMAN]

well that deffo brightened my day i not has bad has that but i only go to my own toilet for both unless desperate for a wee i have had to try overcome this due to my work being in numerous of places.but under no circumstances do i go anywhere than my own toilet( and when on my own ) for the other

[Karen]

I can definitely empathise with this one although I have a physical problem too and for me it is a problem with going for a wee and is exacerbated when I am out and using the toilet out or at other people's houses.

There are some good toilet wipes and other things you can get these days that might lessen anxiety if hygiene is the problem. I find that helps. Also if public loos are more of a problem perhaps do some research to check where they are before you go out to start with and perhaps that will lessen anxiety.

As you start to go out more, even to friend is can become less of a problem. Perhaps start by going out for a short time and see how you cope.

Hope this helps a bit.

Distraction helps and if your mind is not on what might or might not happen the worry gradually gets less.

Karen

[happyone]

I am a bit similar, but not quite

I am a very 'regular' person and can almost time things However, this 'time' coincides with the time I go to my therapy group! There is no way on this earth that I would ask to use the loo there, particularly as it is adjoined to the room that we use! However....when someone is needing to 'go' there are sometimes little tell tale signs....little bits of flatulance! Soooooooo, what I do is get the kids up and ready for school, if hubby can take them it is fine but if not...I rush back to the house for no2, then rush to get to my appt all so that I don't have rude little pops of wind!
In my case, in order to 'encourage' it, I drink a couple of glasses of warm water or cups of tea (but the tea makes me need to wee so makes appt uncomfortable!) Whilst cold would work, it would take longer. It has to be warm as if it is cold, the blood moves way from your digestion system to process the cold liquid, thus taking the blood and action away from the bowel. If it is warm, it gets into your sytem quicker.

I love this place! Where else would we share these stories!

happyone
xxx

[darkangel]

Just thought I would add to this thread too. I dont really have any worries about this - we are all human afterall and a body function is a body function, I have IBS so cant really control too much when I have to go.

Anyway my bit of advise is first thing in the morning maybe try getting into a routine with a warm glass of water with a squeeze of lime. Normally gets things moving .

As we say, where else can we discuss stuff like this lol.

Take care everyone

Luv Darkangel x

[strawberrie]

thanks guys, you don't know how relieved i am to have some replies - i was a bit worried that no-one would answer, and that would convince me even more that nobody else poos

thanks for the suggestions, i havent heard about warm water before, i do usually have tea in the morning, but i think the caffeine probably makes me feel more anxious and makes the problem worse so i'm gonna stop that. you're right about research karen, just knowing there is an acceptable loo around helps so much - thank god for John Lewis is all i can say!

darkangel, i think you definitely have the right idea about a body function being a body function, honestly i wish i didnt get so worried about normal stuff like this. rather bizarrely, i used to work with someone who not only was quite comfortable with going no 2's in the work toilets, she was also quite happy to carry on a conversation through the cubicle wall with anyone who happened to be there at the same time! i've got to admit that was maybe taking things a little too far, but i did kind of envy her comfortableness with her bodily functions!

some of the replies really made me laugh and did make me feel better. i didnt know there were so many 'hoverers' and 'elbow openers' around!

[Jaco45er]

I have a theory that public toilets must be the cleanest, cause no one ever goes on them

[Seuria]

ya know its nice to know i am not the only one who worries about things like this. if i have to go out i always plan ahead thinking where the loo's will be so i know where i can run to if needed. atm i am afraid i go so far as not eating the day before i go out so there is no risk of me needing the loo