# Who's got a major anxiety trigger?



## StressBall001 (Aug 17, 2007)

How many people can relate to my situation?I have had IBS C/D for years now. Most of the time I'm symptom free, usually leaning towards C, but over the past 4 months I've been dealing with D. It started this summer when I had too much time to think (I'm a teacher, I had the summer off). My IBS works out like this: in the morning, as soon as I get up, my brain gets my intestines to start complaining. My brain feeds off of that (what a vicious circle...) and then my intestines feed off the stress in my brain. It's so clear that my brain is what causes my IBS. I get to work, start teaching, and then my stomach immediately is fine. As long as I'm not thinking about it, I'm fine. (BUT try to 'not think' about something...)For most of the day I'm fine, it's only the morning (until about 10am) that I might have to run to the bathroom 2-3 times. I know this is not too bad but the anxiety is definitely a big shadow in my life. I'm working through it with a therapist who specializes in IBS related anxiety, but I was interested to know how many people are in the same boat as me. And if you have any advice on how to break the circle I'd be eternally grateful!Thanks,StressBall001


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## 23470 (Apr 18, 2005)

I can definitely associate with what you're going through. It's gotten hard for me to deal with as of late. I've had C most of my youth, which slowly turned into D as an adult. In high school, my stomach would only act up during tests when all was quiet, it was really embarassing. It came and went over time and I never really added it up that it fed on anxiety. My latest bout began in March of this year when after moving to another state, getting married, and a new job for both of us a year prior coupled up with getting a new house, a dog around Christmas, and a horrid current project at work created a perfect storm for my GI tract. I started having "random" bouts with severe diarrhea that would strike when I was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic or out in public and I knew I didn't know where a bathroom was. I'm almost always fine when I know where the restroom is or my mind is so consumed with something that doesn't stress me out, like my hobbies or a good show. Throughout it all, I did discover that my lactose intolerance kicked into high gear which highly contributed to the D, but not all of it. Good luck dealing with the anxiety, it's a hard road to travel for sure. I'm suffering right there with you.


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## borfis86 (Oct 26, 2007)

I can relate... I was never a stressed or anxious person until I became symptomatic with IBS D. I'm like you- when i'm not thinking about it i'm usually fine. But now whenever I go out to dinner, go out with friends or am in any enviroment where it would be difficult/impossible to go to a bathroom privately I get terrible anxiety.I tried every medicine that my Gastroenterologist had to offer (other than Anti Depressants) to control my condition but nothing worked so i'm seeing a Chinese Herbalist & Acupuncturist at the moment. I had my first session last week and during the acupuncture you can't move... needless to say I got mega anxious even though my stomach felt fine. Thoughts like "what will I do if I get D" started racing through my head and the 20minutes that I was immobile with the needles in me felt like ages. When she took the needles out I felt fine! It's so ridiculous! I hate that I can't control my thought patterns! The herbalist has given me a tea to drink to try and soothe the IBS and tablets to help control the anxiety. I hope they work because I feel as if i'm losing control of my ability to be rational!I used to exercise a bit before I was diagnosed but now I get too anxious to go walking anywhere for fear of an attack... I have to have my car with me wherever I go or else I think and think about how I can get home easily if I feel sick and end up leaving whatever i'm doing because the anxiety takes over.Hope your counselling helps!


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## Benwx (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes definitely. I certainly know anxiety plays a major role in my IBS-D.. say before I catch a plane or do a test I have to go to the toilet about 4 times in a fairly short amount of time, and then the rest of the day I don't go at all. I have a job now which starts at 7pm in the evening, so I have all day to think, and it is not stressful at all, and I have plenty of time to think there too. I am thinking way too much about it recently.. I have nightmares about IBS.. and I wake up in the morning feeling major anxious and have a strong urge to use the bathroom some mornings I wake up. Usually during breakfast I have to rush to the toilet.. then am fine until I am eating dinner.. which for some reason on work days when eating it I suddenly get cramps and within 5-10 mins I go from no urge to major urge where I can barely hold it in, even though I don't feel that anxious. This doesn't seem to happen on weekends (the dinner one anyway, though I do rush possibly later in the evening cos I think my rectal sensations are being affected by another problem). When I got myself out of the house on holidays my 2nd BM urge was completely normal.. and then the following two days I didn't even go after morning. This leads me think to anxiety being involved. An example was a couple of days ago I'd eaten dinner.. felt fine.. checked the time, 10 mins to work.. then suddenly have big urge and need to rush again!!! It is very annoying. I wonder if antianxiety meds would help? This problem has only seemed to happen since I got the job.. but I'm afraid it might extend to other stressful situations where a bathroom is not accessible as easily.. I've had anxiety induced IBS for 5 yrs now and no accidents still thankfully, usually been able to JUST hold on it. But yes you are certainly not alone!!


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## patience2 (Sep 26, 2006)

I teach as well and see the same pattern.When I'm really stressed, I feel my gut moving before my feet hit the floor from bed. I may have a rough morning. But when I'm lecturing, I'm fine. Not to say that I'm a completely different person, but I've never felt the need to leave a lecture due to bowel problems.


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## Benwx (Oct 3, 2007)

Same here patience.. very similar!!! Example I go on a long trip.. may have 2 BM in about 1 hr before it, and none the rest of the trip. I get anxious before work, but never have to have a BM there or after it. It is weird and annoying, surely there has to be some way of fixing it though? Fingers crossed it won't happen in public.. its been just bad this past 6 weeks, and a couple of instances beforehand where I've had to rush like never before.. but never come close in public for the last few years. I suppose its a matter of going beforehand and not eating unless you know where a restroom is! My IBS certainly bothered me little when I had work during normal hours.. wake up a 8, go in the morning.. work till 5 without the urge and then come home and only occasionally go twice, depending on what I eat. I hear there is a medication that deals with anxiety and helps IBS somewhere. Might be an option for those its affecting heaps..


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## augustine (Nov 2, 2007)

with me it when i have to go on a journey, about an hour before i am due to leave the toilet starts calling and that is it, unless i have taken enought pills to stop an elephant going, i will usually ended up cancelling.I am quite lucky as i have mostly got over the embarrassment of having ibs and all my friends understand what i go through, I am unable to drive now as the ibs has caused me to have panic attacks, so i have a close circle of friends that will normally take me places and i get a taxi to college (he also understands) but if i am unable to get any of these people to take me i dont go anywhere as the stress of the thought i may have an attack and cant find a toilet just makes the ibs worse.I am trying to push myself a bit as i made it to my first horse show in 5 years this year, and i was over the moon, so hopefully a little at a time and maybe one day i will be able to get on a bus with everyone else for a day out,


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## Benwx (Oct 3, 2007)

hey augustine!!! i can relate to you there.. just going away from the house used to scare me.. even just going to the shops I had to go to the toilet before we left, or even a walk. this was an area that annoyed me incredibly so I trained myself to think less about what could happen and just get out there and do it. i often find as soon as i start whatever im afraid of, say a drive or whatever, the anxiety goes and the IBS usually doesnt play up. easier said than done I know it took me a good 6 months to master it, but it certainly makes life more enjoyable from a social aspect!


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## 16963 (Dec 5, 2006)

I think my anxiety trigger is getting worse. This morning, I woke up and had a normal BM. I also noticed that I wasn't really bloated today. I felt really good, health-wise and looks-wise. As I was taking a shower, I thought "I feel so great, I should take advantage of that by going out with friends tonight." But then I started thinking about how bad and embarassing it would be if I was in one of my friend's tiny apartments and my IBS decided to act up, even after being "good" all day, and by the end of the shower I had to jump on the toilet again.


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## Benwx (Oct 3, 2007)

I can relate there too lynnie!!! Some days you are feeling so good and you want to take advantage of it. Then sometimes you think 'why am I feeling so good? its not normal' or 'im going to take advantage of this' ie eating lots or going out and you end up making yourself worse!!! I'm thankful today I had my first good day in a while, firstly cos I was barely anxious all day.. barely any gas, 1 good morning BM and thats it. The result? a good day, happy me!


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## twocups (Jul 4, 2007)

I think mine works the opposite. The D is horrible and then the stress of dealing with life having this horrible disease overwhelms me and THAT IS WHAT CAUSE THE STRESS AND ANXIETY


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## 19397 (Nov 8, 2006)

Main trigger is whenever I know I have to do something or go somewhere where there is no opportunity to use the bathroom. For example - I have a dentists appointment tomorrow. 'nough said. It used to be that leaving the house at all would be impossible even for a five minute walk (after a very bad time when I lived in the city). The only thing that helps is to really try not to think about it. Since I find I can completely drift away with music and books - I always have both with me. Sometimes it helps and sometimes the anxiety is even too strong for that. In those times there is really nothing to do but stack your body full of Imodium and hope for the best. I've always been an anxious person and it is probably 90% of the problem in my case.


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## trapped (Nov 1, 2007)

Can definitely relate. I am a teacher too and when I am occupied in the classroom I don't usually suffer but the minute I think "oops, what would happen now if I had D attack, I'd have to leave the class........?" I start to get THE rumbling sensation. I have lived with this long enough to know that no matter how rough I feel when I am at work I will instantly feel better when I get into my car to come home sp I know that what goes on in my head makes it worse. At the moment I deal with it by taking 2 immodium after breakfast and not eating until I get home in the evening. This means I am permanently tired but it's better than eating and dealing with the anxiety of worrying about an attack.My major triggers are meetings followed by invigilations, detentions or any other kind of silent work. I worry that when I am in these situations A) My stomach will make a windy grumbling noise,







I'll have a D attack involving an accident or lots of running back and forth to the loo, or C) both of the above.Where did you find your cousellor who specialises in IBS anxiety? I have NEVER found a therapist who understands and I am mostly too embarassed to discuss it with anyone anyway. I am in the UK (London), if anyone else knows how I can find one, all information gratefully recieved


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## guen (Nov 22, 2007)

I wonder if there is a connection with being a teacher and having IBS. Maybe it makes us more prone to having it? I am a teacher with this also. I think it is that I am in charge of 25 students and I can't leave them alone no matter what, and the stress of knowing that makes me feel sick. Knowing that even if I have to run to the bathroom, I really can't. And like a lot of the other people who replied, usually once I get into my lessons with the kids, I am fine, but if there is any kind of downtime, my mind starts working on my gut and my gut starts working on my mind and I am sick again.


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## snow80 (Nov 18, 2007)

I can really relate here too. It seems like I am always obsessing about "What if I couldn't find a bathroom and I had an attack of D". I don't believe there is anything wrong with my belly physically - I believe that it's this constant panic about having an attack that causes me to have them. It's like a self-fulfilling propecy - the more I worry, the more I actually have to go to the bathroom (unless I'm at home and then there's no reason to worry). I've been on anti-deprresants for the past few years to manage my anxiety, yet I still have this constant panic feeling in the back of my mind...I wish I could control it. (By the way, I considered becoming a teacher at one point, but decided to become an accountant instead so I wouldn't have to stand in front of a classroom with no escape )


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## Drewbee (Jul 22, 2002)

I can relate. I'm dealing with a lot of anxiety in my life at the moment. Up until about a year and a half ago my IBS-D was under control. Then I lost my job. On top of that, I ran into some problems with unemployment insurance. That experience sent me over the edge. I could actually feel the "emotional fall". When you're the only bread winner in the family the stress can be huge. And with that the IBS-D was back in full bloom. To add to it all, my wife was diagnosed with a cancer that turned out to be less dangerous than we were led to believe. Still it was another trigger. We had no health insurance, I was keeping us barely on our feet with a start-up business, and worried like hell that we'd wind up in the street. Since then, I've managed to get a new job. But it's 600 miles from home and it'll be another 6 to 7 months before I can move my wife and son so we can be together again. I get to see them for about 3 days a month. And I'm not sure I even like the job. My boss flips from being supportive to extremely toxic. So, does stress affect IBS? Absolutely! Suffice to say, I'm still "going"!


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## janmarwhi (Nov 29, 2007)

Im with you there, the stress in my life is mainly due to IBS-DIts making me nuts. janice


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## dreday (May 4, 2007)

pretty much the story of my life. antidepressants help a lot, but even now my stomach is so messed up, and I know I didn't eat anything crazy to set it off. it's just the way it is i guess. a bit depressing. im going to go scarf down some more bread.


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## js10holloway (Nov 30, 2007)

I had the same problem for about 3 years, then I started taking this Green Drink called Amazing Grass you can find it at major health food stores or online. As soon as I started taking it, it was like someone put a fire out in my bowels. The other thing that you might want to try is an enteric coated probiotic, I use renewlife ultimate flora those seem to work the best. This stuff is not cheap, but compared to missing work and dr. bills it pays off.Hope that helpsalso get the book Gutsolutions By Brenda Watson, did me wonders


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## Tallgirl (Nov 14, 2007)

This all sounds SO familiar! It always amazes me how much our mind affects our bowels!!! I only need to think about going out somewhere and my stomach goes in to overdrive. I don't always get D, but my stomach starts churning, I feel sick and I just feel really ill. It's really horrible and VERY frustrating. I try to tell myself that if I just calmed down and stopped thinking about all the awful things that could happen, I would be OK - easier said than done. Sometimes, I just give up and stay in.


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## Drewbee (Jul 22, 2002)

It's a cruel syndrome. Life throws enough curve balls to cause stress. Then you have to plan your day, eating habits, travel, etc. around the fear of a possible D attack.


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## janmarwhi (Nov 29, 2007)

I am going to look into a Hypnotist, and will keep everyone posted.I want him to program in my mind, when I think about D, then my mind instantly thinks , swimming in a nice blue warm ocean in Hawaii! Janice


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## pro211 (Nov 24, 2007)

Hi all ,I'm new here and so happy to have found you . Anxiety is definitely a big trigger for me . I'm a stay at home mom and have too much time to think on my hands . If I keep myself busy its not quite as bad but I've had such anxiety since the end of summer my poor belly has really suffered .


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## shanesmummy (Dec 5, 2007)

I just had to message you after i read your comment- this is EXACTLY how my IBS works! if im sat at home, im fine!!! The second anyone mentions going out, its as if my mind says to my bowel, 'will there be a toilet where you're going? no?' and then i feel those all-too-familiar pains in my gut which makes me stressed and the stress... oh you know how that circle goes! I know there must be some kind of subconcious way we could control our minds from setting our ibs off, but i just dont know how! im only 19-- this shouldn't be happening to me!!!claire xxx


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## thickthighs (Dec 10, 2007)

im a stressed ibs-d person toowhat triggeres me is going to my religious gatherings,for some reason the thought of being around my fellow church members makes my sbowels act crazy..but once im there about 30 minutes my stomach is fine..i may have toi go atleast one time before 9;30am and then im fine i start around 6;30 in the morning and finish around 9;30 and USUALLY dont have to go anymore unless i eat something with milk in it..im lactose intolerant also


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