# I'm confused.....



## 16979 (Aug 23, 2005)

hello, I don't really know where to begin. I've been suffering with what i assumed was IBS for sime time. Probably since i was 12 (i'm now 27). Although there was a time during university i thought i had it beat.The last couple years have been difficult, but i have long ignored the problem and tried to deal with it myself. but I found i wasn't able to do things i wanted to do. I was always tentative. I don't understand everything on here (i don't have the lingo down) but from what i read i am no longer sure what i have.my sypmtoms are basically cramping an diarrhea. Almost always cause by situations i feel trapped or that i can't get to the bathroom. sometimes it strikes for no reason, sometimes i'm fine.I went to my doctor today because enough was enough. I want to be able to go to concerts, certain work situations and travel. This has prevented me from doing many things like this.The thing is... I feel this is "in my head". Things that set it off are more when i am thinking it. If i am doing fine and suddenly think about it, it starts. If my girlfriend is in the shower and i know the bathroom is full it can start.My doctor gave me info and prescriptions to begin treatment for General Anxiety Disorder. Adavin for big events. Effexor for daily use. He also is sending me for some psychotherapy. He wants to see me every 2 weeks for now as well to monitor things.But my question is... what's wrong with me? IBS? Anxiety? Both? I really feel that this is a mental problem that manifests itself physically. As much as I'd like to think it's some physical only problem, I really feel it's not.


----------



## Screamer (Aug 16, 2005)

Hi CJN and welcome. IBS is a brain/stomach dysfucntion so while a lot of our symptoms are physical and sometimes uncontrollable things like anxiety and stress also play a huge part in making us sicker. I've had IBS my whole life and mine is predominantly caused by stress, anxiety and hormones so it's likely you do have mild IBS which just gets worse when you are anxious or stressed about something. Hope this helps.


----------



## 17563 (Aug 23, 2005)

Hi,Over the 18 years I've had IBS, I have searched for every possible way to relieve it. I too noticed the correlation between the way I think and my attacks. That would often happen if someone was taking a long bath in the only bathroom, for example. I've tried every medication and homeopathic method under the sun. I've tried hypnosis and meditation and the only thing that works for me is to watch what I'm thinking and make myself relax. Quantum physics has proven in numerous scientific experiments that your thoughts effect your body. Just as fearful thoughts cause your body to release adrenalin and go into fight or flight mode. My theory is that those fearful thoughts about pain and not getting to the bathroom etc cause the body to go into flight or fight mode to a lesser degree than in a dangerous situation. But still causing the muscles to tense and contract. While in the digestive system this tensing causes the bowels to contact far faster than normal which causes cramps and D. Just a theory, but what I do know is that if I focus on my stomach and imagine having pain and diarrhea, I can make real pain in mere minutes and diarrhea in less than an hour. Wierd right?


----------



## 14780 (Jul 19, 2005)

I look at is as which came first -- the chicken or the egg? Did my organs start responding to the stress, or did I stress because of my disfunctional organs?


----------



## 22726 (Aug 25, 2005)

Can totally relate!! I've been wondering the same thing actually. This all started for me my sophmore year of college. I had alot of emotional issues going on in my life and the whole experience reaked havoc on my body. I started noticing my body changing dramatically over the next year or two and decided to go to the doc. After a million tests, he diagnosed me with ibs-d. I have the same theory as you almost. I think it first started as a physical problem but eventually it got into my head more and more. Now its like the tiniest anxiety sets me off. This coming from a girl who not more than 2 years ago could go skydiving with no problem! Now i'm scared to do the tiniest things that I would have no problem ever doing. It's like I developed a fear of public restrooms. I get nervous at the mere thought of having D in public. Hopefully i can get my life back together and do the things that I used to be able to do. Has anyone made progress with this anxiety problem?? What about talking to a professional? I know that I tend to internalize alot of emotions, is this my problem?


----------



## 14988 (Aug 10, 2005)

I do it, and find it helps very much. Is expensive, but I find out things about myself I never connected. I know how to argue with my fiance now too, instead of threatening to throw him out







That was a bonus.


----------



## 17563 (Aug 23, 2005)

> quote:Originally posted by babyblues: I think it first started as a physical problem but eventually it got into my head more and more.


Mine started at age 13. I had a terrifying incident (terrifying to me) with humongous pain and D at about 3am, and then the next night it happened again. From then on, each night I remember being scared, hoping and praying it wouldn't happen again. It didn't happen at first, but then it started to happen more frequently, of course re-inforcing my original fear with each episode. I'd lie awake all night terrified and would only sleep when the relief of dawn came. I didn't know what was happening to me and the pain truly terrified me. But eventually it started to spill over into the mornings. So mornings were added to my fear times. From there it eventually would happen in the evenings, so my only "SAFE" times were between 10am and 4pm. That took place when I was at boarding school, so I didn't feel I could confide in anyone. When on holiday I was taken by my mother to see numerous doctors. One diagnosis was "not enough vitamen C", and there followed many useless treatments and diagnosis's. I even saw a witch doctor! That didn't help the IBS. With no-one able to help I turned to religion and alternative methods. I went through a fair few religions and new age things over the years. Always looking for answers to my pain and finding none. However during this I had become intrigued with psychology and mostly the workings of my mind. The resounding message in all I had studied was "Your mind affects your body". Therefore having looked at every angle to find a cure, I decided to look at this angle and started to analyse my thoughts and every episode of IBS I had in relation to my thoughts, feelings and what was going on in my life. And also my past and found that I had built up a thought pattern that was reinforced every time I had an episode and therefore created more episodes. It is these programmed patterns that are addressed in psychotherapy. Most often formed in childhood and still controlling our lives and the way we think and react today. I could add a long, long ramble about how I now control my IBS and what discoveries I've made about myself. But I think I've gone on long enough. Needless to say that in MY case my IBS is definately psychosomatic and through my self study I've been able to control and UNDERSTAND whats happening to me and why. At least to the extent that I no longer live in terrified fear. But I will in NO way say that this is the case for other people or presume to tell everybody that this is what they have and belittle their knowledge and expeiences in any way. This is simply my experience. Sorry to ramble on and thanks so much babyblues, writing this has helped me get my stuff back into perspective. But the real "kicker" is, those first two episodes I had were caused by me stuffing my face with shortbread cookies!


----------



## 14988 (Aug 10, 2005)

Shezrie I'm glad you shared. I've just started therapy, and I've been having many new stresses in my life lately & have been off and on very sick, so I'm glad to hear your psychotherapy sounds like it has helped. Sometimes sitting in a restaurant bathroom in a panic because friends are waiting for me & asking if I'm ok, I get very discouraged. I'm really hoping therapy will help. Fiber helps so much with the food aspect for me, but anxiety blasts right through any help fiber gives me. I bought some Rescue Remedy today. Tried it on the way to the store and was relaxed, don't know if that's why. I'll have to use it during the scary situations. Again really nice to hear therapy can change your thought patterns. That's something I can believe it.


----------

