# anxiety -- new to this whole thing



## Michael NYC (Oct 27, 2003)

hi,i'm new to the ibs scene -- have been having problems since the spring and was finally told today by my doctor that it is IBS. but for months my anxiety has been the biggest reason for all of the pain -- and as my stress increases, the problems seem to worsen.more than anything, i've started associating some of the things my partner and i do most with anxiety, which manifests in my stomach turning cartwheels and extreme nausea. its gotten to the point where i avoid going to some places, and often make myself sick enough to the point of having to leave.the problem is, the most evident source of stress isn't something thats likely to change anytime soon. my partner and i are trying (pretty unsuccessfully) to have children, so the past 8 months have been constant stress -- and this will probably continue for at least another year.so in the face of an impossible situation, how do you manage the anxiety? and how can i teach myself to cope with the amount of pain and discomfort that i now feel on a daily basis?like i said, i'm new to this whole thing, so any help from seasoned veterans would be great--michael


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

I am under high stress tht will not change soon--my parents have dementia and are elderly and ill so each day can bring new problems. In January, I started to have daily diarrhea 3-6 times a day, mainly in the morning. Testing showed nothing, diet changes did nothing, anti-D and anti-spasmodic meds did nothing. Finally, in July I took some Xanax for my anxiety--the D was gone in 48 hours. Now also on Effexor XR .75 mg per day and the D has never come back like before. Mine turned out to be stress/anxiety induced D...even though it was diagnosed by GI as IBS--and only controlling the anxiety solved the problem. Also do yoga and relaxation techniques, but without the meds those were no help either. In the short run, Xanax can do amazing things. Take care.


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