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IBS and anxiety

Posted , 6 users are following.

Flik22
Flik22

Hello!  After some advice! I have been told I have stress related IBS! I've had a flex sigmoidoscopy and adominal ct scan all came back clear! My main problem is I never feel empty! Take this morning for instance I have already been for 4 bowel movements and it's only 12pm! Started off 'normal' then each one is getting looser, I started off today feeling ok! But after the 3rd trip to the loo my anxiety creeps in the stomach noises/rumbles happen I have horrid cold shivery feelings all over, I have to go again! This time more looser, I know my anxiety isn't helping but it's the amount times I have to go that make me anxious! This morning when I woke I felt absolutely ok!??  And now I feel like I can take leave the house as I'm honestly stuck to the loo, each time I get off I immediately feel in need to go again!!  Does anyone else suffer like this and if so how do you control your anxiety?  / stop needing the loo! Xx

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 Flik22

    Posted

    Try imodium which will help with loose stools or diarrhoea.  Codeine can also work. You could also try rice or bananas to bind you up. Once you control your bowel movements, your anxiety will clear up.  I had IBS D last year for three days but it didn’t make me anxious.  I continued going out and did all the things I usually do.  Codeine helped to slow down the diarrhoea but Imodium after each meal completely stopped it.   I stopped fruit for week and gradually reintroduced it once my bowel had settled down.

    Since my diagnosis, I no longer worry about my IBS; I have learned and accepted that it is now part of my life.  I treat my flare ups as soon as they start and my symptoms clear up. Knowing I have medication to hand, stops me worrying.  I have a very stress free life which also helps.  I try to keep up a good sense of humour no matter what annoys or stresses me.

    • Flik22
      Flik22 pippa58442

      Posted

      Hi Pippa, I really admire you!  It takes over me when I have days like today where I can't get off the loo! I keep worrying 'what if I was at work 'or 'what if I was out with friends', I know worrying doesn't help but I don't know how to stop it! I've just been Again so now I have an incredibly sore bottom (sorry if tmi) and my anxiety is horrendous which I know doesn't help!! I'm at home son it stresses out this going to loo all the time is what is stressing me out!!!   I can't get hold of codiene as I think can only get on prescription! I have just taken some Imodium! 2 for now, suppose 2 more if I have to go again! Xx

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Flik22

      Posted

      You could ask your doctor for codeine if you need it; but Imodium should do the trick.  Thanks for the compliments.
    • Flik22
      Flik22 pippa58442

      Posted

      Ok! I might just do that, I can't keep on like this! I've taken Imodium and had to go again! I'm so down with all this, I've tried talking to the doctors and all I get back is, you're bowel is clear from the tests I've had!! Just don't know what to do really 😞 Xx

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Flik22

      Posted

      Anxiety can also you to run to the loo a lot.  There is a technique called biofeedback which helps you to control anxiety and bowel movements.  Perhaps ask your doctor about that.
    • Flik22
      Flik22 pippa58442

      Posted

      Thanks Pippa, I'm going to look into biofeedback!  Also I'm going to go back to keeping a food diary, some days I'm ok and then I'll have days like today!  Hoping it doesn't carry on tomorrow, I have work!! Xx

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Flik22

      Posted

      Take Imodium before going to work and bring it to your office in case you need to potion yourself at work.
    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Flik22

      Posted

      I head about biofeedback from an IBS booklet I bought at my chemist.
    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Flik22

      Posted

      You can take Imodium regularly.   Sometimes with regular use you have to take more of them to make them effective.  However, if you get constipated, come off them and try prune juice or oranges.

       

    • Flik22
      Flik22 pippa58442

      Posted

      Hi Pippa! So I've discovered if I take Imodium on my bad days it helps me the next day (I kinda feel normal) but then by the day after, when it wears off,I'm back to square one! Bloated, gurgling stomach noises and constantly on the loo as if I am making up for not going much the previous day!  I hate this so much, its as though we get teased with how how it feels to be ok! Then wham payback for that one day the next!! Xx

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Flik22

      Posted

      Try avioding foods that have insoluable fibre and stick to soluable fibre.  Insoluable fibre can be bad for IBS D.
  • borderriever
    borderriever Flik22

    Posted

    Flik

    People are not restricted to one visit a day to empty their bowels, generally people may go several times a day.

    The actual emptying your bowels can be habit forming, if your system anticipates three, or four visits, that will be your bodies anticipation and you will keep following that pathway.

    In the West we pass firm to hard stools, it is all to do with diet, In third world countries their stools are more natural and the stools are softer, this is why when we travel our body functions are put  out of kilter. However in this case you mention soft stools as the day goes on. If this is the case you may be forcing yourself to go to the toilet and the quantity of stool will be less and look loose, this will be down to quantity. It would seem your Anxiety is causing you to visit the toilet when the need  is the habit.

    You could try training yourself to go to the toilet less during the day, however understand some people may wish to visit two/three times a day depending on a need.

    BOB

    • Flik22
      Flik22 borderriever

      Posted

      Hi Bob, thank you for your response, what you say totally makes sense! I don't feel like I'm forcing myself to go to the loo, the urge and sensations are very real!   But I also appreciate my anxiety could be doing that!  I'm intrigued, how do I train myself to go to the toilet less?? Xx

    • borderriever
      borderriever Flik22

      Posted

      Flik

      Just make a time/times during the day, keep at those times if you go or not. However it is best you keep going at a time that you go to each day. The body will learn the  regular time periods

      BOB

    • Flik22
      Flik22 borderriever

      Posted

      Hi Bob, that sounds ideal if I could get myself into a routine of morning and evening!!  but I struggle to think how I'd cope when I feel the urge to go pretty much all day long!?? I.e today I've already gone 3times and now feeling I need to again! What am I to do try to hold on till my allocated time ? X

    • Tim038219
      Tim038219 Flik22

      Posted

      Yes, I agree with Bob.. 

      I got into the habit of going 2-4 times in the morning, 2 times in the afternoon and once in the evening. That added up to between 5-7 times in a day. It took it's toll on me and I developed a weird relationship with visiting the loo. I used to get a bit worked up over going and found it a bit stressful to the point where I'd sometimes manually evacuate so I didn't have to go back to the toilet. I developed a slight fissure and haemorrhoids from it, too. 

      Use the rule of 3. You shouldn't really go anymore than 3 times in a day and go no longer than 3 days without going. It may take some time to work your way down from multiple visits - it did me, but, depending on what I eat, I now go between 2-4 times a day which is a lot better than what I was doing originally. 

      Having the 'urge' has a great deal to do with your psychology and, as suggested by my Dr, you have to 'train' yourself out of wanting to go whenever you feel an urge. I've found that some of the urges I had were merely signals telling me I'll need to go at some point in the future but not necessarily there and then. 

      Let the stool 'cook' inside and let your body remove the water so you'll hopefully, have a firmer stool. 

      It is tough to wait it out when you've been so used to going so often, but it is better. 

      Altering eating habits may help, too. Eating fewer times a day could help. 

      With regards to seeing the Dr, I made a bullet point list of the all the symptoms I was experiencing and how they affected my life (they loved me, LOL) - it was a big list and they could see how it interfered with my quality of life. Perhaps do something like this so they don't just prescribe pills and push you out? 

       

    • Flik22
      Flik22 Tim038219

      Posted

      Hi Tim, you sound exactly the same as me!  Many thanks for replying to this feed, I don't feel so isolated hearing this! It seriously is affecting my life, my children are even picking up on how many times mummy is in the loo! The thought of having to go anywhere too early in the morning completely freaks me out! Even just the school run which is a 10min walk!!  I'm going to try and go by the 3 a day rule, I know my anxiety has a lot to do with me but trying to control it, I just can't do!  Many thanks again I really appreciate your feedback. Xx

    • Tim038219
      Tim038219 Flik22

      Posted

      Yes, I know what you mean. Having to be somewhere pre 10am can be a nightmare! I used to have to give myself 2-3 hours to fit in all the toilet trips and feel 'empty' and comfortable leaving the house.

      But, however, you'll never be fully empty as we're always processing and storing stool. This is what I had to retrain myself to understand.

      I used to wear white pads in my underwear to see if there was any 'leakage'. There wasn't, which convinced me that the other stool is tucked safely away, ready for when I need to go. This helped me too. I started off by going to the toilet once and getting out the house to take the dog for a quick 5-10 minute walk. 

      I gradually upped the time I was out the house with the dog and then did other things, like putting petrol in, before work. This helped me, too. 

      I still suffer from it from time to time (like this morning, for instance!), but it's slowly getting better. 

    • Flik22
      Flik22 Tim038219

      Posted

      Thank you! It's great to talk to someone who suffers similar!  I really do appreciate you taking the time to speak to me.  I know some days I can be ok and others I just can't! Will have to hope the good days become more!  I'm here for you if you need to chat too! Many thanks .xx

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