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Anxiety related IBS

Posted , 5 users are following.

sharon73515
sharon73515

Hi folks,

First of all apologies for yet another post!

Really struggling to shake this anxiety episode, thought I had a grip but hey ho.

Basically my docs and I believe I have ibs. I had a flare up a couple of months ago with the usual symptoms of constipation/soft/ diarrhoea. Slight aches tummy, wind and burping. At the time I was highly anxious but it all seemed to settle down when anxiety eased. But now my health anxiety is high again and I think I'm having another flare up of ibs but this time no diarrhoea ( yet fingers crossed ) passing a bm on average every other day or every day however I often feel like I haven't emptied my bowels fully and so the wind continues plus tummy cramping achey feeling like I've over done sit ups or something..plus feeling a bit bloated too. This has been every day for a week now but last flare up lasted about 3 weeks too.

Had stools tested last time oh and I had a pelvic ultrasound just before Xmas for another issue but that all ok tho the sonographer said she heard a bit of bowel grumbling at the time but wasn't concerned at all.. anyone else have similar symptoms ? Many thanks in advance :-)

0 likes, 52 replies

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  • sharon73515
    sharon73515

    Posted

    Also forgot to mention that I was taking acidophilus chewable tablets as recommend when I had my last bout but just after I ran out of tablets a couple of days later is when my newest flare up started so could this connected or just a coincidence ??
  • Crazymary
    Crazymary sharon73515

    Posted

    Ok, two things have you had a colonostome to make sure all is ok, if not get one, you may a mast cells in your colon, 2nd I have had IBS my whole life I am 70 little blue pills fiber you name it nothing worked. So I felt it was something I ate that caused the flair up. So I decided to try cleaning out the pipes. That's a fleet, small bottle 2 oz. with 4 oz of water followed by 8 oz water. You can get fleet in your drug store, now you must stay close to the bathroom and it takes most of the day. But this is the 3 Rd time I have done this. And it stoped the attack each time. So it works. The next day you are better. Another thing I have done in the spring if your ibs is caused from mast cells. Which I am told has something to do with allergy s take a over counter allergy pill with a acid reflex pill twice a day for 10 days and it can keep an attack from coming on for months. Now These things have made my life better. But I am not a doctor. If you try them let me know how you did. And take a deep breath and don't sweat the small stuff. 

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 sharon73515

    Posted

    Your health anxiety will be triggering your IBS.  Symptoms can vary with each flare up which can also vary in length and severity.
    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Thank you pippa for your post, I'm going to try and get in to the docs tomorrow.. hopefully just ibs flare up due to high anxiety.

      Take care x

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sharon73515

      Posted

      First try distraction techniques such as light exercise or a hobby.  This will help to take your mind off your IBS and anxiety.  I find distraction techniques help me more to control my IBS.  Going to the doctor, fuels my anxiety.
    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Thanks pippa, I've been trying all day to keep occupied.. telly and walk amongst a few other bits and I meditate every night too which I have found helpful and I know what you're saying about fueling my anxiety by seeing the doctor but I'm just over anxious because of the cramping that I'm getting most of the day every day for week even after I have had a bowel movement and then still feeling like I want to go again so I do think it is a ibs flare up.. however I just want to see what they say about this new symptom for me.. thanks again and I'm off to meditate now lol

      Nt x

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sharon73515

      Posted

      I had chronic stomach pain every day for three and a half months. Having a bowel movement only eased it for a very short time and then it came back.  I had very bad anxiety because no one was helping me.  However, once I got a diagnosis of IBS, my health anxiety completely disappeared and my symptoms got a lot better.

      Flare ups can last days, weeks or months.  What you are experiencing is very common with IBS.  The best your doctor can offer is antispasmodics or anti anxiety medication.

       

    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Oh wow that sounds awful for you having to go through it for that long, I feel for you but glad it's sorted now,

      Thank you again but the trouble is I'm on sertraline ( for anxiety etc ) and doc prescribed me " mintec" peppermint capsules for the ibs but they have very little effect for the cramping. Anyway hopefully she will give me something else today.

      X

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sharon73515

      Posted

      To be honest, peppermint doesn't work for everyone; it gives me heartburn and does nothing for pain. I don't find natural remedies do anyrhing for me in general..  It is trial and error to find an IBS med that works. I tried two.  The first was Mebeverine which was prescribed by my doctor and it made me much worse. I then tried over the counter Buscopan which helped my brother's IBS and that worked for me too.  Nurofen also helps.  

    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Cool ok thank you I will get some buscopan today. And see if the doctor advises the other.

      X

    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Cheers pippa, I will let you know if the mebeverine works for me as that's what the doc prescribed as you predicted lol oh and Im having a blood test done tomorrow for celiac and also a urine sample for uti oh and I'm going to be tested for the menopause as I also think I could be in peri menopause. Oh and I'm awaiting an appointment for a bowel specialist but not really liking the idea of a colonoscopy so fingers crossed I won't need one.

      Hope you're well and coping with your ibs symptoms now.

      S x

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sharon73515

      Posted

      Be careful with Mebeverine; it is is a known irritant.  Stick with the Buscopan first because it is much milder.  A lot of people have commented here that they couldn't tolerate Mebeverine. I had to throw them out within four days.  I didn't even finish the first slide of tablets. There isn't much info on the side effects on the patient leaflet; I had to google them and I had every side effect listed.

    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Hi pippa,

      Hope you are well.

      I've got the prescription for mebeverine but holding off taking it for the time being as I don't want the possible side effects to give me increased anxiety lol bit my celiac test and urine test came back ok but still waiting on menopause test as I think I'm going through peri menopause but course now I'm worried why that didn't come back at the same time. ( overthinking )

      Anyway hope you have a good weekend x

    • marareta
      marareta pippa58442

      Posted

      Hi pippa its nice to find someone else that has IBS my pain is terrible round belly button under right rib ( gall bladder removed 6 yrs ago ) but the anxiety that comes with this it really frightening no appetite can't eat had it this time 10 days I also take antidepresnt  but reading your post I realise that what I'm going thru is normal thank you hope Alls well with you 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 marareta

      Posted

      I'm very well, thanks.  I'm in my Italian home just now until September.  Unfortunately, when we arrived, my mum died of end stage dementia. She was buried in Italy, which she always loved.  Thankfully, my IBS did not flare up at all.  Probably because we were expecting my mum's death at any time,

      Glad you are reassured by my post.

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sharon73515

      Posted

      Strangely enough, when my symptoms started, I thought I might be peri menopausal but it it turned out not to be the case.  I'll be 45 at the end of the year so I think I have a fair way to go yet.  If you do decide to try Mebeverine and you get side effects, there are other medications you can try instead.  When I got side effects from Mebeverine, I got very anxious that my new symptoms meant something serious.  Luckily when I stopped them, the sude effects disappeared. 

    • sharon73515
      sharon73515 pippa58442

      Posted

      Hi,

      I'm really sorry to hear your sad news, how awful for you and despite expecting it it's still very hard and takes time to process it all so my sincere condolences. And at least you can take comfort that her final resting place is where she wanted to be.

      Thanks for the advice re mebervine, think I'm going to hold off for a while. And yeah I'm surprised you didn't get a ibs flare up with what you have been through..

      I have been told by several people that it is hard to get a definite diagnosis of peri menopause at our age especially if recently on or still on the pill.. so they mainly go on symptoms apparently!!

      Anyways men don't appreciate how easy they have it some times lol

      Take care and have a good weekend there in the sun!!

      X

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