# Mild IBS but a lot of anxiety/nervousness



## tommy_b (Jul 8, 2012)

Hello all, I couldn’t really imagine finding myself here as I never really discuss my problems with anyone. I feel rather bad for just posting and asking for advice as I have not contributed myself yet, I must admit I do wonder what useful advice I can provide as I can see my problems are nowhere near as big as many others. To be honest I am still not sure whether I have IBS… see symptoms below. I will try and keep this post as short as possible and summarise with bullet points as I could ramble on all day…. My digestive problems started a couple of years ago; up until then I was a ‘normal’ one or two a day kind of guy with no thoughts or worries about bowel movements. -	Diagnosed with IBS around 2 and half years ago after many tests including a sidgmoidoscopy. -	Symptoms are not exactly extreme i.e. I don’t have chronic diarrheal or constipation but consist of frequent bowel movements with urgency. Some very occasional D and mucus with a lot of bloating. -	BM’s can range from 3-10 a day and are usually incomplete, stools are usually well formed though- Often never feel 'empty', sometimes I can go 3-4 times in a hour or so. -	Cannot find any food/drink that makes things worse, there is no pattern, i.e. I can have exactly the same foods one day and be fine then the next day be unwell. -	I often get very tired even though I am very fit and exercise every day. -	Some days I will have a lot of nausea throughout the day I have a long running history of anxiety, throughout my school years I really screwed up and just ended up not going due to a phobia of vomiting (saw a psychiatrist… took meds, counselling etc). I however turned my life around and re-sat my exams, went to college and now I’m nearly finishing uni. I hadn’t been suffering with anxiety since school until I started getting the IBS symptoms. I thought I could manage them but I live in constant worry about doing anything as I’m always concentrating on my bowels, I also worry about having to use the toilet frequently in front of my girlfriend and friends. (Strange I know…). Last year I tried to push past this and took a work placement with the biggest IT company in the world which was a big step for me. This involved me moving away from home and living with sharers but it was an opportunity that I could not miss. I managed only 6 months of the years’ work placement as my anxiety levels grew and I found it too hard to live away from home in a house with one bathroom between four people. The stress of work did not help also. During this period I started taking an SSRI (Citalopram) which in fact did not help at all but gave bad side effects. I begged the doctor for some strong anti-anxiety meds (Valium) to get me through the last 6 months but alas they would not prescribe. So now I find myself back home and starting my last year of uni again in a few months, I take the liquid form of Immodium with mixed results to slow things down and just try to get on with life. Things are getting tough though and I am nervous for the majority of the day. I know it seems stupid but all I can think about is if I will need to use the bathroom when there isn’t one available. I also have been seeing my girlfriend for 3 months and I am contemplating breaking up with her because I feel it too hard to deal with my own problems whilst I am around others. I know this is bad as I just try and isolate myself more and make more excuses as to why I don’t want to go out with friends. I am also worried about my IBS getting worse, I guess this is a possibility with the anxiety that I experience? I have been given a script for beta-blockers by the Dr, however I rarely get bad panic attacks and just find myself anxious all the time. (I don’t think beta-blockers will help me with the anxiety symptoms). The strange thing is when I’m not nervous and am just sitting at home my stomach can still play up so I know it’s not all triggered by my nerves. My next step is going to see a private Psychiatrist as I cannot get a referral from my GP who will hopefully help me deal with the anxiety. I know this is an IBS forum but I believe my anxiety is purely trigged by the IBS, hence why I have written so much about it. I know this was a long post but if anyone has read through it I would love to hear some feedback/advice as I feel really low. Once again sorry to everyone else that has it worse than me. Cheers Tom


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## Hope4Health (Jul 21, 2012)

tommy_b said:


> Hello all, I couldn't really imagine finding myself here as I never really discuss my problems with anyone. I feel rather bad for just posting and asking for advice as I have not contributed myself yet, I must admit I do wonder what useful advice I can provide as I can see my problems are nowhere near as big as many others. To be honest I am still not sure whether I have IBS&#8230; see symptoms below. I will try and keep this post as short as possible and summarise with bullet points as I could ramble on all day&#8230;. My digestive problems started a couple of years ago; up until then I was a 'normal' one or two a day kind of guy with no thoughts or worries about bowel movements. -	Diagnosed with IBS around 2 and half years ago after many tests including a sidgmoidoscopy. -	Symptoms are not exactly extreme i.e. I don't have chronic diarrheal or constipation but consist of frequent bowel movements with urgency. Some very occasional D and mucus with a lot of bloating. -	BM's can range from 3-10 a day and are usually incomplete, stools are usually well formed though- Often never feel 'empty', sometimes I can go 3-4 times in a hour or so. -	Cannot find any food/drink that makes things worse, there is no pattern, i.e. I can have exactly the same foods one day and be fine then the next day be unwell. -	I often get very tired even though I am very fit and exercise every day. -	Some days I will have a lot of nausea throughout the day I have a long running history of anxiety, throughout my school years I really screwed up and just ended up not going due to a phobia of vomiting (saw a psychiatrist&#8230; took meds, counselling etc). I however turned my life around and re-sat my exams, went to college and now I'm nearly finishing uni. I hadn't been suffering with anxiety since school until I started getting the IBS symptoms. I thought I could manage them but I live in constant worry about doing anything as I'm always concentrating on my bowels, I also worry about having to use the toilet frequently in front of my girlfriend and friends. (Strange I know&#8230. Last year I tried to push past this and took a work placement with the biggest IT company in the world which was a big step for me. This involved me moving away from home and living with sharers but it was an opportunity that I could not miss. I managed only 6 months of the years' work placement as my anxiety levels grew and I found it too hard to live away from home in a house with one bathroom between four people. The stress of work did not help also. During this period I started taking an SSRI (Citalopram) which in fact did not help at all but gave bad side effects. I begged the doctor for some strong anti-anxiety meds (Valium) to get me through the last 6 months but alas they would not prescribe. So now I find myself back home and starting my last year of uni again in a few months, I take the liquid form of Immodium with mixed results to slow things down and just try to get on with life. Things are getting tough though and I am nervous for the majority of the day. I know it seems stupid but all I can think about is if I will need to use the bathroom when there isn't one available. I also have been seeing my girlfriend for 3 months and I am contemplating breaking up with her because I feel it too hard to deal with my own problems whilst I am around others. I know this is bad as I just try and isolate myself more and make more excuses as to why I don't want to go out with friends. I am also worried about my IBS getting worse, I guess this is a possibility with the anxiety that I experience? I have been given a script for beta-blockers by the Dr, however I rarely get bad panic attacks and just find myself anxious all the time. (I don't think beta-blockers will help me with the anxiety symptoms). The strange thing is when I'm not nervous and am just sitting at home my stomach can still play up so I know it's not all triggered by my nerves. My next step is going to see a private Psychiatrist as I cannot get a referral from my GP who will hopefully help me deal with the anxiety. I know this is an IBS forum but I believe my anxiety is purely trigged by the IBS, hence why I have written so much about it. I know this was a long post but if anyone has read through it I would love to hear some feedback/advice as I feel really low. Once again sorry to everyone else that has it worse than me. Cheers Tom


I know exactly how you feel. This entire summer I've been cooped up inside, unable to go anywhere or do anything for fear to having an IBS attack. I had to quit my job and move back to my mothers house because I kept missing so much work. I thought the time to relax and not worry about work would help, but I've been having nasty symptoms all summer long. I feel bad because my boyfriend wants to go out and do things and hang out with friends and I would rather just stay home







I want to spend time with him obviously, but it's hard to have a good time when all I can think about it my stomach and bowels. I feel like I'm holding him back or letting him down all the time. He says it's okay, but I think it's hard for people to really understand how IBS sufferers feel. A lot of my problems have to do with anxiety as well, I can tell. When I'm nervous I get bowel spasms, when I get bowel spasms I get nervous. It's a horrible never ending cycle. I've seen so many doctors in the last 3 years and absolutely nothing has helped and I feel like I have no support through all of this..I know how hard it can be constantly trying to explain to people why you don't feel like hanging out, have to cancel plans because of an attack, or just want to rush home and be away from people. I'm sorry that I don't have much advise to give at this point, but it's nice to not feel like your alone in all this, so I hope I helped in that way at least. God Bless.


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## toby_d (Jul 27, 2012)

your symptoms sound oh so so familiar to myself, i did have symptoms that were related to foods, but if i avoid the foods they go away. but at the moment i'm left with most of you symptoms which have been caused by stress and anxiety, because i'm on the verge of losing my job. have you tried hypnotherapy?i'm half way through mine and it has done wonders for my anxiety which inturn has helped with the ibs. i'm not completley there but i'm only half way through so here's hoping


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## cookies4marilyn (Jun 30, 2000)

I can so relate to both of your situations - please do consider hypnotherapy - after years of suffering it helped me - found out about it here 12 years ago - take a peek at the links below for my story and info. I used the IBS Audio Program from England, which has been helping sufferers since 1998 - we have many stories from folks who have been helped tremendously. Happy to answer any questions - there IS hope - you dont have to suffer alone.


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## katey (Jul 20, 2012)

I can relate to the anxiety/IBS cycle. I haven't found a way of dealing with it yet (and am awaiting further tests to rule out IBD), and I too choose to stay in a lot of the time as it is easier than going out and worrying about where the toilet is/if I will get a flare up.


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## Sammetal91 (Aug 8, 2012)

Hey Tom, you're not alone. Anxiety has a tendency to really screw with my IBS symptoms and it's getting to the point where I am getting less sleep than I'm already forfeiting unwillingly. Also, I'd never think I'd hear of another person who had a phobia of vomiting. I actually had (somewhat still sorta do) a phobia of vomiting when I was younger so it's relieving to hear I'm not alone in that aspect.If you like the gal, I'd say stay with her and try to explain IBS to her and see if she'll be more understanding. I'd think women are a bit more sensible when it comes to feeling crappy as they gotta deal with the monthly nonsense.


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## Morexer (Aug 8, 2012)

Hi tommy,Anxiety seems to be a common thing for us IBSers on here. My strategies are dealing with the anxiety, watching my diet, and re-training my bowels (I've for the most part lost control of them).Find something to help you deal with anxiety. Some strategies are meditation (my favorite), therapy, medication, yoga, hypnotherapy, supportive friends or groups (maybe try to find a local IBS group), gardening, or whatever activities help you relax. Some of these only help alleviate symptoms in the short-term, and the anxiety can flare back up when in social situations. Therapy and/or mindfulness practice (with or without anti-anxiety meds) can help tackle the anxiety loops we get stuck in, so they will help in the long-run. PM me if you'd like some information on my meditation/mindfulness approach.My gastroenterologist told me to do the following each time I have a bowel movement (this may or may not help for you - I'm constipated and have trouble evacuating despite straining to):Before having a BM, crouch on the floor of the bathroom in the squatting position, and just focus on deep breathing. Relax your bowels (but not too much, lol) and other muscles. She says to do this for 5 minutes. It helps me because it helps my rectum relax, and then the stool passes easily (sometimes) when I get on the toilet, no straining required. I'm also on a high-fiber diet and take laxatives daily, but I'm chronically constipated.Hope this helps. I just joined this forum and already it's been helping me get a sense that I'm not in this alone. I've felt very alone during all of this, so it's been good to have this online support group.


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## waterlilybelly (Aug 11, 2012)

Welcome! I'm pretty new and your post is boosting my courage to post my story too.I hope you find some of Marilyn's links useful. In graduate school, I signed up for a CBT trial just in the name of science or what have you. It helped so much that I've kept doing the thought exercises they gave me. Hasn't made my digestive issues disappear, but I suspect it helps, and Less Anxiety Is Better in my book. (and fwiw I did finish my graduate degree & get a position) I love treatments that work and don't make me feel worse/dependent/etc!Hope you do speak w/your gf, if you think it's appropriate... she might be glad to feel like you want her on your team as you grapple with improving your health. Best wishes on your journey...


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