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

[Lana]

utrocket09 - You REALLY, REALLY should stop explaining in detail what kind of symptoms somebody who actually had cancer, had. That is very unwelcome here, among people who are sick with health anxiety. Plus, if a person gets serious intestinal infection, the symptoms are the same as you mention. So , there...
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My friends mom has colon cancer. She knew she was sick when she suddenly could not control her bowels and had to be close to a bathroom for weeks. Then in August she was literally ******* her brains out to the point where she passed out. Believe me, if there was something wrong with you, you would have been sent for further testing.

[MyNameIsTerry]

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 when it's raised here as this is the right place. Otherwise wouldn't that just be mental health stigma that you can't ever voice it

One of the big hurdles to get over is negative thinking. If you are busy labelling yourself as some evil person for having these thoughts you only pull yourself further into a spiral. Acknowledge mistakes but then accept them as part of the illness and move on.

Mental health professionals know that x illness brings y symptoms, it's no more than that. At the more severe ends you just can't see things objectively.

People with pain from physical conditions get snappy too. Why can't people with mental health conditions? It's more likely the physical one will be accepted and the mental one viewed with suspicion, sadly...(this is not a comment about the OP, it's a general one to demonstrate the lack of parity)

[MyNameIsTerry]

I know what you all are saying. It's "that guy" again. Be patient with me. I am really suffering here and this time it is a genuine physical ailment that, combined with my health anxiety, is making me non functional. I have to be honest that I can no longer help my actor clients anymore and I need to take time away to deal with my issues.

I hope this is all not too much information. I have been having persistent gut issues for almost two months. My BM's have been a mess if you know what I mean. There is this constant feeling of needing to have one every time right after I eat. My gut has been making all kinds of noises constantly and I have that constant dull ache and pressure in my abdomen.

This is scarring me to high heaven. I have been to my GP and he did a physical examination and said he did not think I needed a test at this time. But the symptoms don't stop and now I have stopped eating because I am afraid of what happens right after I eat. I am just an utter mess. I have spent too much time researching this. And all I hear is "change in bowel habits" is a big precursor to colon cancer. I am under 50 but not by a lot, so I am in the age range. Can I ask, could the mere fact that I am focused on my gut 24/7 be causing some of these real physical issues? Is that possible? Anyone know more about this kind of cancer and if my situation and symptoms fit into the "concerned" area?

The input from everyone here can be so meaningful when one feels like their life is shutting down. Thank you.

Are you thinking two months must mean something is very wrong? There's a guy on another board who has been having bowel issues for over 12 months and tests show nothing is of concern. There have been many the same with longer periods. Some of my anxiety symptoms just stick and have carried on affecting me for years.

Another guy on here was concerned he had been dizzy daily for a couple of months and like you had researched himself into a diagnosis. He was saying it must be something as surely anxiety symptoms don't go on so long. I can think of another guy on here who has daily dizziness for years and it's just anxiety.

Another guy having daily headaches for weeks researched himself into various cancers. Many of us have had constant headaches lasting months from mental health conditions.

One of the most common effects of anxiety is on the GI. The more severe the anxiety, the more likely you are going to be rushing to the toilets all day for both types of visit. Some may even be vomiting from nausea.

Throughout this thread you have shown that you can see into the anxiety underneath and unlike many repetitive styled posters on here you aren't just going around in a circle of denial. But you do need to put some work into anxiety because your thinking styles are geared towards the negative and your objectivity is being skewed by it. This is all expected in mental health conditions, look up Cognitive Distortions and you will identify areas you are going wrong here that we can see form what you write.

Yes, many forms of cancer sometimes hit some unlucky person. Yes, doctors do miss things. But ask yourself this, as an experienced anxiety sufferer how many times have you seen people saying much the same as you are here yet it was never what they feared?

[dustybaer]

Are you thinking two months must mean something is very wrong? There's a guy on another board who has been having bowel issues for over 12 months and tests show nothing is of concern. There have been many the same with longer periods. Some of my anxiety symptoms just stick and have carried on affecting me for years.

Another guy on here was concerned he had been dizzy daily for a couple of months and like you had researched himself into a diagnosis. He was saying it must be something as surely anxiety symptoms don't go on so long. I can think of another guy on here who has daily dizziness for years and it's just anxiety.

Another guy having daily headaches for weeks researched himself into various cancers. Many of us have had constant headaches lasting months from mental health conditions.

One of the most common effects of anxiety is on the GI. The more severe the anxiety, the more likely you are going to be rushing to the toilets all day for both types of visit. Some may even be vomiting from nausea.

Throughout this thread you have shown that you can see into the anxiety underneath and unlike many repetitive styled posters on here you aren't just going around in a circle of denial. But you do need to put some work into anxiety because your thinking styles are geared towards the negative and your objectivity is being skewed by it. This is all expected in mental health conditions, look up Cognitive Distortions and you will identify areas you are going wrong here that we can see form what you write.

Yes, many forms of cancer sometimes hit some unlucky person. Yes, doctors do miss things. But ask yourself this, as an experienced anxiety sufferer how many times have you seen people saying much the same as you are here yet it was never what they feared?

Such great thoughts. Thank you. I know we health anxiety suffers sometimes get beat up on here when it looks like we are asking for reassurance. But in my view, when you reach that absolute low point with HA, it can be massively important to get support from others. Especially others who know exactly what this disease can do. And if that support involves some reassurance, there is certainly nothing wrong with that.

In my case, I am just a wreck because every time I think I have licked this, I'll have another day of bad bowel issues, like today.

Is there anyone out there who can give me some perspective: In general, are symptoms that come and go less likely to be sinister? In the case of colon cancer, would it be less likely to be occuring in a person who has normal bowels for three days and then loose ones for a day? Am I reaching here? I'm hurting guys.

[dustybaer]

Hi, everyone. Just wanted to check in as I am still struggling with this. My issues are at the point where within 30 minutes of whenever I eat, I have tummy trouble. Is there anyone out there experiencing similar gut issues? Just would be nice to hear from someone who can relate to having ongoing tummy trouble and the chances it is related to something much more serious.

[LF87]

Yes, I regularly have a dodgy tummy after I eat. I think people with anxiety often have a bit of bother, especially if you're anticipating having a bad stomach, you may well bring it on with worrying. I think you're fine, try not to focus on it so much x

[dustybaer]

Yes, I regularly have a dodgy tummy after I eat. I think people with anxiety often have a bit of bother, especially if you're anticipating having a bad stomach, you may well bring it on with worrying. I think you're fine, try not to focus on it so much x

I often wonder about this. Can you mind really do that to your stomach? Can a person going through a bad anxiety period actually cause adverse physical tummy symptoms? Has anyone actually had this happen, where over thinking that you might be about to have loose tummy trouble actually causes it to happen?

[Lady123]

It’s happened to me dusty. I ended up having a colonoscopy and the build up to that was awful, my bowel movements were all over the place. I was getting cramps. I honestly think my nerves were making it worse.

[LF87]

Definitely does! I mean not to be crude but the saying 'I absolutely sh*t myself' in relation to panic or a scare etc is very real! If I have a nervy day my bowels are all over. Or sometimes if I've had a bad day with anxiety the day previous it can hit me the next day. Read up on irritable bowels and anxiety. Completely is linked X

[dustybaer]

Definitely does! I mean not to be crude but the saying 'I absolutely sh*t myself' in relation to panic or a scare etc is very real! If I have a nervy day my bowels are all over. Or sometimes if I've had a bad day with anxiety the day previous it can hit me the next day. Read up on irritable bowels and anxiety. Completely is linked X

It certainly would explain some things. I have had a tough year with health anxiety. But these last two months have been brutal with the constant worry about gut issues. I have had my Doctor tell me that he does not feel it is something sinister. Yet my very real symptoms continue on a daily basis (mostly triggered every time I eat). It has caused me to close myself off from the world. I even missed Thanksgiving today for the first time due to feeling so low.

I can't get over this notion that something very bad is going on inside me. And every time I pull up yet another website that has colon cancer symptoms, my heart just sinks when it says yet again that "change in bowel habits" is an important one. I don't know what's real and what's not anymore. I am lost and hurting.