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anxiety and constipation

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kerry18162
kerry18162

Hi! I'm new posting here and could use some help! I have terrible anxiety that rears its ugly head when things are stressful. Other times, I have anxiety, but my meds seem to keep it at bay. Last weekend I had a bad flare up and there was bright red blood on my toilet paper, which is not unusual. I didn't think anything of it, but the next day I had a little bit of darker blood (it was a tiny bit, probably dried from my thrombosed hemorrhoid). I haven't had any bleeding since then, but I fell into the rabbit hole of googling. I have a new daughter and I keep thinking I'm going to get a disease and die, leaving her behind. I have diagnosed myself with colon cancer, and I'm even taking on some of the symptoms, but most of me knows this is just my anxiety. I have frequent bowel movements, but I feel like it's a lot smaller in size than normal, and I still feel like there's something left when I finally finish up. I don't want to strain, but I feel like I need to. I've taken laxatives, fiber, stool softener, but it seems to stay the same. My stomach hurts, but I think that's from anxiety more than anything. I have never been diagnosed with ibs, but I have had symptoms for the past 10 years. So, I feel constipated, but I'm still pooping. Has anyone else had this happen? Advice?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • astrozombie
    astrozombie kerry18162

    Posted

    I have had similar and even blood in my underwear and sometimes bright and other times darker but the blood can still be dark and we can still be healthy.

    By all means pop along to your GP and ask for a second opinion as I am not a doctor.  All I can say is I have similar symptoms. All those bowel treatments I think did me more harm than good so I have sacked them all and try to eat better and drink 8 glasses of water a day. I think we have all been like re: straining. I get stomach craps at times. I have anxiety and IBS and one has possible caused the other. I move between constipation and running to the loo. I have had symptoms since 2011.

    • astrozombie
      astrozombie

      Posted

      Should say cramps but the other is not far off the mark at times smile
  • Toruokada
    Toruokada kerry18162

    Posted

    My first advice is to not google your symptoms. For some strange reason any symptom googled is directly as a "cancer" symptom. Also colon cancer does not work its way fast. I do know that colon cancer or any sort of cancer starts off with fatigue feeling extremely tired that you no longer can do the easiest activity of the day with other symptoms such as fevers, loss of appetite, vomiting and weight loss all at once. When you have cancer you would definitely feel a change most of the time especially when its at a advance stage. So definitely lay off googling symptoms. I remember googling my symptom and it also led to cancer which was just silly and false. I too had experience anxiety from it but after some time I felt better. Also if you think the blood is from the hemorrhoid you need to go to the ER. It may not be as serious as cancer but its still a bit serious for a hemorrhoid to erupt. I recommend you not to force and push. I was suffering from constipation and I had one as well. I stopped forcing myself to push and relied on stool softeners for about 5 days and jet worked after I stopped taking them. Don't mix laxatives and stool softeners that is the worst idea that can lead to feeling much worse. Since you stopped bleeding you are in the clear. I would recommend eating more fruit and oatmeal (use skim milk instead of normal milk or water. Its the same as the taste of regular milk) it does sound like you have ibs this stuff can go on for weeks, months and even years. People may experience symptoms as yours while others who have ibs will go on with their lives never knowing they had it. Its just one of those odd things. I wouldn't worry about it being colon cancer. That usually happens to people 50+ years who eat bad quality food their wholet lives. If you drink water, exercise (not daily but at least 2 times a week), don't consume much alcohol, processed meat and such you are in the clear. Just don't google symptoms anymore. Its all rubbish stuff
    • Toruokada
      Toruokada

      Posted

      The only time I had freaked out on my stools was when my stools were black but I had realized I had 2 spoons of pepto bismol which caused my stools to be black for 2 whole days.
    • Toruokada
      Toruokada

      Posted

      Also your anxiety is causing the trigger of your ibs symptoms to become worse. Its very common for someone to suffer from ibs during a high state anxiety (it happened to me for a few weeks). Just try to relax. You should feel more relaxed to know that you do not have colon cancer.
    • kerry18162
      kerry18162 Toruokada

      Posted

      Thank you all so much for your prompt answers. I know I shouldn't be googling stuff... I tell people that all the time, but sometimes my anxiety consumes me. It's like I go down the rabbit hole and what started as a small problem is now bowel cancer where my daughter grows up without a mother! I know I'm being silly, but anxiety sometimes gets the best of me. Thank you all for your reassuring responses.
  • philippa61759
    philippa61759 kerry18162

    Posted

    Doctors couldn't identify my symptoms so I googled and ended up consumed with panic, anxiety, terror and despair.  Every day I focused on a new nasty condition.  Once I was diagnosed with IBS, my panic cleared up and my symptoms reduced.  However, see your doctor for tests and diagnosis and reassurance.  Ask for an ultrasound, CT,  stool and celiac test, colonoscopy, endoscopy, 
  • astrozombie
    astrozombie kerry18162

    Posted

    To be fair to the doctors they did diagose me with IBS but I did not believe it. I could not work out how someone reasonably healthy could go from someone with a carefree laissez faire attitude to someone who found it very difficult to leave the loo.

    I just could not comprehend how this had happened. I thought it must be a phase or it was an ingredient in the food. I thought there has to be a reason and I must find it to go back to being the person I was. The chap who did not race off at a punk concert and leave his g/f standing there whilst he ran the length of a London high street trying to find a loo, easier said than done in some parts of London.  This led to me panicking all the time. I used public transport for work and biggest worry was not month end but will I get from bus station to another without needing the loo. I was in meetings with senior management and trying to not let my body take over which it inevitably did causing me problems at work and in my relationship which I have found is very common from comments in here. I am much better now though far from cured but I did a complete makeover with my diet producing my own diary.

    All the things Philippa mentioned I agree you should ask for although I have only ever had blood tests, endoscopy and the much loved colonoscopy. I have had a few of those smile

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