Back in my dark hole with constant gut issues, please just hear me out

[Sparky16]

Anxiety will definitely cause gut issues like this - good ol' IBS.

I even missed loads of my uni lectures because my stomach was making actual whale mating sounds and I was so mortified.

LF87, I have been there! Nothing like having your stomach be so loud that people are looking around to see where the noise came from! The best thing to do is to look around with them, and act puzzled like you don't know where the noise came from either. It doesn't help that when I'm hungry my stomach growls SUPER loud. One of my high school friends complained that my growling stomach distracted her during an important standardized test we took right before lunch. We were trying to get good scores to get into college, and my stomach just wanted a pizza.

[LF87]

Hahaha Sparky16, isn't it the worst! I'd be sat there like am I hungry, do I need the toilet, what is going on here 😂 As soon as its quiet my tummy likes to embarrass me. And yes my stomach always wants pizza too 😂

[dustybaer]

Again, I hope this is not too much information but I am going to put it out there what is sending me down the dark tunnel. Basically on a daily basis, instead of the one normal large BM most people have, I have like 3 smaller ones throughout the day. They are like a 5 on the Bristol chart. Kind of loose. It's just strange. This is not a pattern I am used to at all and it has been going on for a few weeks. Can anyone give me a thought on this? Does this daily routine sound at all normal? Thank you for hearing me out. I start shaking every time I read on all these damn websites that "change in bowel habits" is a red flag for colon cancer.

[Midnight-mouse]

Again, I hope this is not too much information but I am going to put it out there what is sending me down the dark tunnel. Basically on a daily basis, instead of the one normal large BM most people have, I have like 3 smaller ones throughout the day. They are like a 5 on the Bristol chart. Kind of loose. It's just strange. This is not a pattern I am used to at all and it has been going on for a few weeks. Can anyone give me a thought on this? Does this daily routine sound at all normal? Thank you for hearing me out. I start shaking every time I read on all these damn websites that "change in bowel habits" is a red flag for colon cancer.

Hey dusty,

What does your diet look like? Are you under any particular stress other than the anxiety at the moment?

I have different cycles with my bowels, sometimes for months at a time I’ll have movements like you’ve described sometimes far more frequently than you’re experiencing, others I’ll not go for days on end. Changes in the bowel are not always a red flag, in fact my mum has had all of the ‘red flags’ consistently for nearly a year now and has been completely cleared of anything serious and she’s in her 60s!

Positive vibes,

Mouse.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dustybaer]

Thank you for your thoughts. I can't deny that this is a scary and stressful time. But my bowel behavior is so strange. It's not like it is consistently one or the other. What is happening is that it will be totally normal in the morning and then in the afternoon another will be loose. Do any of you have this kind of pattern where your bowels can go from one extreme to the other in the same day? I don't understand what it means.

[LF87]

Yes, all the time. It doesn't mean anything in my opinion. It can vary depending on what you've eaten, sleep, anxiety, what you've drank or haven't drank, medication, millions of factors before it being anything serious. I don't think what you're describing is a problem really, myself and most of my friends often discuss these things. We'll even select certain places to eat before a night out incase it gives us dodgy bowels 😂 don't want our night ruined. I think you said your doc had said it was nothing of concern too if I remember right? Don't worry, just forget about it.

[sial72]

I don't understand how being afraid of having colon cancer is disrespectful to those who have it. Not fair on the person who is expressing his fears

[Fishmanpa]

I don't understand how being afraid of having colon cancer is disrespectful to those who have it. Not fair on the person who is expressing his fears

It's not the fear itself that's disrespectful, it's the subsequent actions and reactions associated with it. Visiting/posting on cancer forums and other disease forums. Unnecessary emergency room/doctor visits, unnecessary testing, ignoring advice and facts, neglecting themselves and their friends and family by being so self-absorbed in their fear.

Positive thoughts

[BlueIris]

Anxiety can definitely turn you into a raging jerk - it did me.

[LF87]

I don't think the OP said he had been on cancer forums and things like that? I think he's just here venting a worry which we're all kind of doing. Mental health issues like HA can come across selfish and needy, I know my partner / family struggle with hearing about it, as well as ocd problems. I personally have never and would never go on any cancer forums posting etc. But, it's unrealistic to expect people with HA not to do this, it is part of the illness. Thankfully this can be kerbed with CBT and reduced over time. Are you seeing anyone for your health anxiety dusty? Nothing worse than being deep in the rabbit hole. It is life consuming