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Stomach bug seems to have brought my depression back

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jennifer926
jennifer926

First off, thanks for reading. Second I’m sorry if this sounds minor compared to other issues but I’m just struggling a bit and wanted to hear of any similar experiences. Third, I’m on mobile so sorry for format and potential errors.

Ok so basically around May last year I went through a bit of a breakdown. Hit by panic attacks, anxiety and depression. I had never had any mental health issues prior to this and it got so bad I basically couldn’t eat or sleep, had regular panic attacks and lost around 30lbs in a few weeks. My partner convinced me to contact the doctor and I was referred to a mental health nurse who, to be honest was fantastic. She talked me through all of the clinical side of anxiety etc and prescribed beta-blockers. These didn’t really help much, although they kind of reduced the severity of the panic attacks. After a while she prescribed Setraline 50mg increasing to 100mg and I have been on this dose since July/August last year.

Over the past four or five months I have been doing so much better and feeling like my old self. I mean yeah I have the odd bad day but not to the extent of when I was at my worse. All in all I was quite happy with how I was doing and was scheduled for a review with my doctor next week to possibly look at gradually coming off my medication.

Ok so that’s the background, now to the issue. A couple of days ago I developed either a stomach bug or food poisoning where I just felt horrendous. Constant diarrhoea (sorry tmi) and feeling weak and just generally s****y. So yesterday afternoon I suddenly was hit by the old familiar doom and gloom and anxious feelings I know and hate all too well. I found myself in tears with the pit in my stomach as though it never went away and generally feeling almost as bad as I did last year. I’ve been taking pepto bismal and drinking flat coke to help with my stomach and have been avoiding food (both to stop the upset stomach but just also because I can’t face anything due to my stupid anxious/depressed brain)

I’m praying that this relapse in my mental health is simply linked to this bug as I’ve read about the connection between the gut and brain, however I’m panicking that this is becoming a full relapse and I’m terrified that I’m going to end up back where I was last year.

Has anyone ever had this? If so, how long after a bug until you went back to "normal"? Any tips or words of comfort?

Thanks so much

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • borderriever
    borderriever jennifer926

    Posted

    You need to ask yourself, why would I consider my gippy tummy is acting up due to my mental health condition. It may be as mentioned above you have eaten something that has upet your tummy. Flat coke will not really help you and an upset tum. It sounds like your Anxiety has been activated by the worry over your fears, Anxiety. Try drinking Black Tea, the Tannin will help clear away the Bugs You mention your Doctor discuss the problem you have. With Him

    Generally when in the far distant past when we were able t o travel, getting a bad tummy with loose bowels was sorted by not eating for a day or two and taking something like Immodium to set up to stop the skits. The use of tummy medications will settle you down after clearing the gut. Rice in many countries is given to settle the tummy down as well, Milk can also line the walls of the yummy to make you feel better. Black tea as mentioned before will also kill any bugs in the gut and keep your fluid levels high it is important you keep drinking failure of doing that will just make you feel worse, You need to be able to clear out your tummy and settle it down

    Explain all with your GP when discussing your medication, Hopefully by next week youwill feel that much better

    BOB

    • jennifer926
      jennifer926 borderriever

      Posted

      Thank you so much for replying. I hadn't thought of black tea but will definitely give it a try. I have a review with the doc on Monday so will chat with him about it too. My anxiety and depression has been pretty well managed over the last 6 months or so and i've generally been doing much better so it coming back was a bit of a disappointment to say the least. I'm hoping the return of it has been a result of whatever bug i have, as opposed to the upset tummy being brought on by anxiety but i guess i just need to play the waiting game and see if i can get back on an even keel after it clears up. Thanks again for replying and for the advice.

  • alimcg29
    alimcg29 jennifer926

    Posted

    Hi if you have been ill with your stomach your medication may not have been able to work properly meaning that you have been left with a return of the feelings. I know if you are taking the pill and get it sometimes it won't work some probably similar with any other type of tablets. Just a suggestion. Hope you feel better soon.

    • jennifer926
      jennifer926 alimcg29

      Posted

      Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I'm still battling through and praying that when i'm physically better, my mental health will improve. I guess i was just lulled into a false sense of security that i was "better" after feeling good for over six months. So when i caught this bug or virus, the last thing i expected to deal with was a return of my anxiety and depression. It honestly feels like it never went away. It came back 1 day after i caught this bug so i'm hoping i go back to normal as I don't think i would be able to cope with feeling like this every day. Thanks again

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