# IBS and Stress/Anxiety [17 Year Old]



## CJS93 (Mar 22, 2011)

I am 17 years of age and have only been recently diagnosed with IBS (January), however I believe I have had it since 2005 (so since I was 11).I have always notice that there was a link between IBS type symptoms and stress (so exams and stuff like that)...Has anyone else had this problem? And if you have, how have you dealt with it?


----------



## faithxlove (Feb 2, 2011)

there _absolutely_ is a connection! and i know this is gunna sound lame, but i try to tell myself... "if you don't stress about it... it won't be as bad... and why are you stressing about it? you're worried it'll get bad... but if you don't stress... it won't get bad..." hahaa. it's like a never ending circle. but seriously.. a good answer.. I've heard a lot of people try meditating. My thing is just keeping my focus off the problem and making sure i look at the situation realistically. If i'm stressed cuz I feel like i'm trapped in a class, I have to remember... I can get up and leave at any time! and when it feels like a class is gunna last a life time, I remember it's really only another half hour... I just have to distract myself. I know symptoms aren't easy to ignore, but they'll lessen slightly if you DO ignore them. anyways... those are my lame answers!


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Have you seen this?:http://stress.about.com/od/otherconditions/a/IBS.htm


----------



## BrandonL (Mar 27, 2011)

I think you double-posted this in another part of the forum, but here's my answer in case you were checking this one...I think there are a lot of effective ways to deal with this. I think a first step (and this has been really helpful for me) is to be very organized about my college schedule and any upcoming tests, etc that might "freak me out." I especially get bad cases of IBS around test times, because I'm a musician and part of my curriculum is performing in front of a bunch of my peers all the time. So, naturally, that would set off my IBS and make it hard to do my job when it came time to perform. I think the main thing to concentrate on is this: what can I control and how can I be prepared? Things you can definitely control: Your level of understanding of the material before a test (if you are prepared for a test, you are less likely to freak out or have IBS problems due to anxiety), what you eat the day before a test and the day of (I'll get into this in a second), and how you treat yourself mentally before a big exam.1.) Study hard and be confident in the material. Don't fret too much about missing material in classes if you are sick - if you are working at being prepared, you will get the material from the teacher outside class and study a week or two before the test. Make study guides and get into study groups if you like that social aspect, etc. These will all hope you feel more prepared and less likely to become anxious about school and have an IBS flare. 2.) Control what you eat. Read up on things that contribute to IBS D flare ups. Here's a small list of things you CAN eat that will be "nice" to your system: RiceMillet BreadMilkQuinoaTofuPotatoesSaladApplesauceBananasPapaya/MangoSalmonBaked ChipsChicken(Those items are mostly things I have compiled for MYSELF; they are sources of SOLUBLE Fiber. Insoluble fiber can lead to bad digestion and IBS D problems). The morning of a big test I might eat a banana, have some yogurt, and a slice of millet bread (or any other non-wheat/flour bread) with some cream cheese and jelly. I've also been doing whey protein for more energy and to build muscle







.3.) I think a big thing with IBS people is how we treat ourselves. I've gone through so many days of hating myself, hating my body, asking the "why am I like this?" question, and just making myself more depressed. It's very important you treat yourself with care physically, as well as mentally. You are doing yourself no good by worrying about a test and going over how you might "fail" in your mind over and over again. This will surely lead to some IBS problems. Be gentle with yourself, be prepared, so you can say to yourself, "hey, I can relax, because I am prepared and I'm going to kick butt on this test!"Another suggestion I have is "preparing your body" before you go to bed the night before the test. Take some anti-D medicine before you go to bed and when you wake up. This may help your body adjust to any "jitters" you have left. Be prepared. Bring some with you to class, etc in case you feel sick. Ok, so, I hope those strategies will help you out in some way - they really have changed how I view myself and view my situation. No one wants to be "us," but someone's gotta do it and having a negative attitude all the time really sucks, right? If you are truly, absolutely having performance anxiety issues and, after you have tried some of my coping suggestions or found some other ways online, you can go to your physician (any general doctor will do) and ask for a nice little drug called Propranolol. It is known as a "Beta Blocker" and it has changed my life. I still get performance anxiety, because I have to get up and play my instrument in front of huge audiences. The beta blocker effectively helps your body cope with any anxiety its dealing with by calming your heart rate and dampening any side-effects from anxiety (like IBS D, in my case). It has helped me not have D before big performances countless times. I, however, only use this drug when I'm performing and not on a day-to-day basis (so, maybe 2-3 times a month). Stay positive. Stay strong.Best,B.


----------

