# Increased Anxiety/Depression?



## Guest (Jun 13, 2007)

Hello all. I am new to ibsgroup.org, but have found everyone's comments, stories, and suggestions very helpful. So I just wanted to thank everyone first of all because it has somewhat relieved my mindset of thinking I was the only person that has these symptoms, feelings, etc. I have had IBS for about two years now. I have had many tests done before coming to the conclusion that my illness is in fact IBS. I have taken three medications trying to control it. Currently I am taking Lotronex. Before IBS, I was very outgoing and loved being social. Now I have daily fears of interacting with people. Even with close family members I can get anxious. Now when I say anxious I don't mean just a little jittery and butterflies in the stomach. I mean my chest, neck, and cheeks turn bright red, my heart rate increases, and I tend to get sweaty. I believe these symptoms are a result of IBS. I have recently started to take Paxil to deal with the depression and the anxiety attacks.I was just curious if any one had any suggestions or comments regarding increased anxiety and/or depression. I hate to just depend on the meds to "make me better."


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## sucky (May 18, 2007)

grumpy said:


> Hello all. I am new to ibsgroup.org, but have found everyone's comments, stories, and suggestions very helpful. So I just wanted to thank everyone first of all because it has somewhat relieved my mindset of thinking I was the only person that has these symptoms, feelings, etc. I have had IBS for about two years now. I have had many tests done before coming to the conclusion that my illness is in fact IBS. I have taken three medications trying to control it. Currently I am taking Lotronex. Before IBS, I was very outgoing and loved being social. Now I have daily fears of interacting with people. Even with close family members I can get anxious. Now when I say anxious I don't mean just a little jittery and butterflies in the stomach. I mean my chest, neck, and cheeks turn bright red, my heart rate increases, and I tend to get sweaty. I believe these symptoms are a result of IBS. I have recently started to take Paxil to deal with the depression and the anxiety attacks.I was just curious if any one had any suggestions or comments regarding increased anxiety and/or depression. I hate to just depend on the meds to "make me better."


Wow, that is EXACTLY my situation....wierd!! The only difference is that i am only now seeking treatment. As for anxiety, i have been taking Ativan (lorazepam) for the last week or so. Up side is that it completely kills that anxiety and actually lets you feel normal (quite a change over the constant panic i feel most of the time), but down sides are: You can't use it long term, i have had one day of really bad nausea and even a little bit of the sudden onset of deep depression/hopelessness/suicidal feelings that can come with taking this medication. That being said, it has allowed me to be out and about, as well as be around friends and family without feeling panicked or sick, for the time being atleast! I need to get on a medication that i can use regularly. I'd love to hear how the paxil is working out for you in terms of effectiveness and side effects


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## jhambs (Jun 12, 2007)

grumpy said:


> Hello all. I am new to ibsgroup.org, but have found everyone's comments, stories, and suggestions very helpful. So I just wanted to thank everyone first of all because it has somewhat relieved my mindset of thinking I was the only person that has these symptoms, feelings, etc. I have had IBS for about two years now. I have had many tests done before coming to the conclusion that my illness is in fact IBS. I have taken three medications trying to control it. Currently I am taking Lotronex. Before IBS, I was very outgoing and loved being social. Now I have daily fears of interacting with people. Even with close family members I can get anxious. Now when I say anxious I don't mean just a little jittery and butterflies in the stomach. I mean my chest, neck, and cheeks turn bright red, my heart rate increases, and I tend to get sweaty. I believe these symptoms are a result of IBS. I have recently started to take Paxil to deal with the depression and the anxiety attacks.I was just curious if any one had any suggestions or comments regarding increased anxiety and/or depression. I hate to just depend on the meds to "make me better."


Its better you should start doing some workout or start playing any sport they are great stress buster and they will make you feel relaxed atleat during that time.


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## Jana21 (Jun 13, 2007)

Having IBS is really crappy (pun intended) but don't let it control your life!!!I've had IBS since I was 13 years old (I'm 27 now) and I've had to deal with both depression and in the last year, anxiety issues. I had a particularly bad bought of depression when I was 17. I took medication for a little while but I found the techniques I learned to help deal with the depression continue to help me even today. First off, don't let IBS prevent you from doing the things you love; sometimes you might have to reschedule - that's okay. The power of thought is also a wonderful thing - give yourself a pep talk. Whenever I was feeling particular bad and was figuratively beating myself I would step back and say, why are you being so hard on yourself, you're a good person. Remember that! Honestly, I found the best way to help deal with anxiety is meditation. (And it's not as easy as you would think.) The way a panic/anxiety attack was explained to me was when you are in a really stressful situation your adrenalin causes a fight or flight response; with people who have anxiety/panic attacks every stressor causes this response. It is through meditation that you can learn to relax your body so that it doesn't automatically go into f/f mode. The simpliest method I know for meditation is to sit in a comfortable chair (I don't lay down because then I fall asleep) with your palms facing up on your thighs; starting from the bottom visualize the blood flowing through your toes, then the bottom of your feet, tops of your feet, ankles all the way up to your head. Spend more time on the parts you carry the most tension in. It sounds simple but it is not a very easy process; it took me doing it twice a day for over a month to get good at it. Once you've perfected it, you can use that process/feeling to relax any body part on demand. I find this technique very helpful when I'm feeling anxious. I haven't completely gotten a handle on the anxiety thing yet but I'm working on it. Slowly but surely.I also agree with jhambs - exercise is a great stress reliever especially something that allows you to not think about life at the same time. You are never going to get rid of stress so you need to find an outlet to deal with it be it exercise, dance, drawing, etc.Sorry for the lengthly response - I hope this helps a little.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2007)

sucky: Since Ativan is a short-term medication, what will you do when you can't take it anymore? Does the doctor have you slowly decrease dosage until you are no longer taking it? Also, I will post again and let you (and everyone else who is interested) know how Paxil is working for me. Day two and so for no side effects.jhambs: I agree 100% with your suggestion. I play softball and basketball regularly. Plus, I go for long walks to think/reflect/etc. Jana21: I try to not let me IBS effect me from doing what I want in my life, but when the fear of having to go to bathroom on the way home from a restaurant is in my head...well let's just say the fear wins. I either don't eat or don't go. Not going is the easy way out, because if I were to go then I'd have to deal with a million questions. Honestly, I'm sick and tired of my problem and I take the easy way out. I know that someone who has overcome that fear can easily say, with confidence, that "you'll be fine" and "you can do it." My sister, who has IBS, is a prime example. She tells me that she just got so sick of not doing what she wanted and she just went. I on the other hand cannot do that. When I really think about it, I honestly don't think I'll be fine. This is when the anxiety really sets in, on top of the depression...ugh. I will try the meditation. It sounds very interesting and worth a shot.I'm sorry for venting towards your comment. Your length response was well worth it.


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## Jana21 (Jun 13, 2007)

Grumpy - Vent away; I know the feeling and totally understand. But, for the record, YOU CAN DO IT! Keep telling yourself that until you believe it.I can give you a few tricks for when you eat out if you haven't already tried them. Do you know all of your triggers? Try to avoid them when you are out. -Make sure you don't eat a big meal because that's pretty much a guarantee that you'll have an IBS attack. Eat half of your meal and take the other half home. -Try to make sure you have a meal that balances all the food groups - I find too much of anything can be a bother. -If you start to feel a little anxious, try to roll with it; breathe and see if it diminshes. Try to distract yourself. (I know, easier said than done.)Take baby steps; don't expect to get better overnight. At first, try eating at a fast food restaurant (a healthy one) that's just around the corner from your house - if you run into problems you can take your food and go. Then try and move up from there. Just take it one day at a time. Worst case scenario - you have to run to the bathroom. Why is that such a bad thing? Is it because it's a public bathroom? If you're embarrassed think about what are the chances the people around you are going to even remember you at a later date. (This was a big, important lesson for me to learn - I didn't even realize what I was doing until it was pointed out to me.)Have you ever heard of a book called "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hays? It's pretty amazing.


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## Jana21 (Jun 13, 2007)

Grumpy: I forgot to mention; I took Paxil a while ago for a completely unrelated reason and the worst side effect I had was dry mouth.[quote name='grumpy' date='Jun 13 2007, 03:30 PM' post='674774']sucky: Since Ativan is a short-term medication, what will you do when you can't take it anymore? Does the doctor have you slowly decrease dosage until you are no longer taking it? Also, I will post again and let you (and everyone else who is interested) know how Paxil is working for me. Day two and so for no side effects.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2007)

Jana21Even though I have had IBS for two years. I don't know what my trigger foods are. VERY VERY FRUSTRATING! For me, I think it depends more on my mental stability. Where I am, who I am with, and what I have to do in the next hour plays out how my body reacts. Also, I have never had a phobia of using public restrooms. I don't give a #### (ha) if anyone hears me. So that aspect isn't the problem. I agree with the baby steps. Just a week ago I went out to eat with my boyfriend right across the street and we took our time and didn't rush it. I felt fine and was symptom free all night. Later that week I even ate out with my friends. Short distance is fine for me. It's the long distance in the car that I can't overcome.Thanks for the book suggestion, I will look into it.


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## fkm (Jun 13, 2007)

Hey guys! Just found this forum and it's great! Jhambs got it spot on, for the anxiety/depression associated with IBS, ask yourself do you exercise 3-4 times per week?Docs are very eager to prescribe medication and to be fair, they can be very beneficial BUT they should be a last resort. I've learnt this in medical school.Many studies have shown the benefit of exercise for depression and anxiety. In many double-blind controlled studies, the benefit from exercsie equalled or was greater than that of anti-depressants or tranquilisers. Pharmaceutical companies would rather you not know these things!! So get that tracksuit out, brush the dust off and do something that gets your heart rate up for around 30 mins! You might be suprised at how you feel! Best of luck!


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## dreday (May 4, 2007)

grumpy, i forgot tomention this to you in our PM's, but a side effect with paxil sometimes is diarrhea. i had to take doxepin with it to try and balance it out. i had diarrhea attacks maybe once or twice a month. it was heaven when iw as on it, but after 4-5 years it quit.


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## sucky (May 18, 2007)

grumpy said:


> Jana21Even though I have had IBS for two years. I don't know what my trigger foods are. VERY VERY FRUSTRATING! For me, I think it depends more on my mental stability. Where I am, who I am with, and what I have to do in the next hour plays out how my body reacts. Also, I have never had a phobia of using public restrooms. I don't give a #### (ha) if anyone hears me. So that aspect isn't the problem. I agree with the baby steps. Just a week ago I went out to eat with my boyfriend right across the street and we took our time and didn't rush it. I felt fine and was symptom free all night. Later that week I even ate out with my friends. Short distance is fine for me. It's the long distance in the car that I can't overcome.Thanks for the book suggestion, I will look into it.


The thing i love about this site is that i keep finding people who are feeling like i feel, which helps a lot! I've yet to find someone who is so exactly going through what I am the way you are, grumpy...its amazing how similar our situations are, even our nicknames have a similar style/tone to them...its kinda creepy actually! i totally agree about the public restrooms! It has never ever bothered me, i'm actually most comfortable in a public restroom (if it has enough stalls!) becasue when you're anywhere other than home, any washroom that draws attention to you can be a big stresser! My BIGGEST problem by far is being in the car. It started only being a problem in packed cars fro long periods of time. The thought of having to stop, or worse not enough time or place to stop would push me over the edge. It has unfortunatly gotten to the point that i even have issues when i'm all alone in the car (never was a problme before becasue i was in total control)....either way, cars = no fun! Like i said before, the ativan is helpingIn response to your question about the ativan, i'm not sure what i will be taking. Ativan was given to me in a low dose just to get me out the door and functioning somewhat normally while i await a battery of tests. Once those come back i'll be put on something more regular. I will probably still use ativan when i have to though....it really works! I want to try to move away from medication soon, and since i'm not in school (had to drop out for the time being, good for nothing anxiety atacks!) i want to try some of the methods suggested. i;ve heard exercise over and over so that will definately be something i will do. As far as meditation, i've tried this to a very limited degree when i get in the car, and it actually makes things worse when i try to redirect the nervous energy. I'm going to work on doing it the way that was suggested though. One day at a time folks, thats all we can really do. I know for me, the will to deal with this #### (ha!) comes and goes. As long as i can somehow give myself a kick in the butt to keep going it'll be okay.ps: i just figured out my trigger foods: all of 'em! In other words, i have no clue whatsoever. The power of suggestion is amazing though, whenever i read about someone's triggers, those become my own untill i read something else and all of a sudden my body reacts to a whole new type of diet! These boards can be both a blessing and a curse depending on just how loony you're feeling that day!


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## Dandaman (Jun 1, 2007)

yeah i have anxiety too it just makes the IBS worse because it makes you constantly think about it and it makes it more constant i think.. i have anxiety depression and IBS and its turned me into a completely different person than i was like 5-6 years ago and i cant stand that.


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## Jana21 (Jun 13, 2007)

Wow - you guys definitely are one step up on me with regards to public washrooms! But I totally know what you mean about car rides; I could never figure out why long car rides bothered me so much especially when I used to like them.


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2007)

Dandaman said:


> yeah i have anxiety too it just makes the IBS worse because it makes you constantly think about it and it makes it more constant i think.. i have anxiety depression and IBS and its turned me into a completely different person than i was like 5-6 years ago and i cant stand that.


I agree 100%. I have had these problems for about 2 years, I cringe when I think about the future...I don't like who I am either. Granted I know I am a good person, blah blah blah, but IBS, depression, anxiety has changed me. sucky: I know what you mean about the trigger foods. I try to be positive and research...and all I seem to do is add to my list of worries. Don't eat this, don't eat that...ugh, it's a never ending battle. Also, for me I hardly ever have one food that causes me to get D every time I eat it, so...Oh and the car situation, lately I have noticed if I eat something and then drive a long distance by myself I get freaked out that I'm going to have to go to the bathroom, so I completely know what you're talking about. Usually it is me driving from one place to my home, so I know I feel very comfortable there, so I know it's not an awkward place that is triggering my mind...sucky and grumpy...lol we're quite a pair


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## dreday (May 4, 2007)

grumpy said:


> I agree 100%. I have had these problems for about 2 years, I cringe when I think about the future...I don't like who I am either. Granted I know I am a good person, blah blah blah, but IBS, depression, anxiety has changed me. sucky: I know what you mean about the trigger foods. I try to be positive and research...and all I seem to do is add to my list of worries. Don't eat this, don't eat that...ugh, it's a never ending battle. Also, for me I hardly ever have one food that causes me to get D every time I eat it, so...Oh and the car situation, lately I have noticed if I eat something and then drive a long distance by myself I get freaked out that I'm going to have to go to the bathroom, so I completely know what you're talking about. Usually it is me driving from one place to my home, so I know I feel very comfortable there, so I know it's not an awkward place that is triggering my mind...sucky and grumpy...lol we're quite a pair


O.k. so maybe if we can get rid of the anxiety all together, we would barely have any attacks. which is what my case was with paxil. it did that for me a bit, then stopped. does hypnosis work? or just very strong meds?


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