Strange feelings before a bowel movement

[Sasical]

Hi there

For quite some time now I have a very strange thing happen to me. And can be happily going about my business or working and suddenly I get like a surge in my body, like a really panicky feeling, my heart starts to beat faster, I go clammy and start sweating, start shaking sometimes my arms and legs go numb and I have trouble standing and then I realize I need a bowel movement, sometimes urgently. Then when I go everything just calms down, sometimes immediately, sometimes in a matter of minutes or even up to half an hour.

While it happens it really feels as if I"m going to die but then it all passes and I feel ok until I need a bowel movement again.

This used to happen to me occasionaly but it is now almost every time.

Anyone else have something similar? Any clues as to what it might be?

Thanks in advance

[Moon_B]

I have this these days too and it is cause by anxiety for me. I am thinking it may be something called irritable bowel syndrome. It is very stressful, it causes abdominal pain and gases. I get even panic attacks sometimes because I fear I might vomit ( I have emetophobia).

I do think anxiety is the underlying cause. Typically, you need to try to dissociate the anxious feeling with the physical symptoms to stop the loop. I’ve read about it and they suggested meditation, mindfulness, exercises and a change of diet might be helpful.

Hope it helps you!

[Sasical in reply to Moon_B]

Thanks for your reply. I don't have any pain, just lots of symptoms before a bowel movement which subside after using the bathroom. The symptoms are not related to anything I'm thinking at the time or any triggering situations, it's just something related to bm.

[Sunshine425]

So crazy I never would have thought to ask this as I get so embaressed...... but I experiece the same thing..... several times a week. Its deft the anxiety...... or maybe something we ate? Idk but thanks SO MUCH for sharing your question!!

[Sunshine425 in reply to Sunshine425]

Ill be driving to work ...... and im like omg I dont have time to stop somewhere or Ill be late! Which makes it sooo much worse. I eat pepto tablets... which ive read can be damaging to rely on it so much. But idk what else to do!

[Sasical in reply to Sunshine425]

Hi there

I'm looking into it, I have an appointment with a gastro doc, I will update with any info I get. I need to find out what is happening as this is making things difficult for me at work or when out and about

[Sunshine425 in reply to Sasical]

Thats great, Glad you are seeking help. I feel your pain.

[Indigojoe in reply to Sasical]

what is your blood type?

[Sasical in reply to Indigojoe]

I can't remember, why? Is it relevant in some way?

[Indigojoe in reply to Sasical]

I used to eat foods that were not beneficial to my blood type and they ALWAYS set off my gut.

One day I went to a book store and there was an author giving a talk about blood type.

He described what happens to the body when you eat foods that are not beneficial to your specific blood type and he was describing ME.

SO I listened to him, and started to put together my symptoms etc..............and when I do not eat the " bad" foods, I have way less " anxiety".

[Sasical in reply to Indigojoe]

Oh how interesting, I will look into that, thanks so much for sharing

[Indigojoe]

this symptom caused me to believe that I had anxiety for YEARS.

It was by accident that I realized that the weird symptoms, like you described and " vertigo" and dis-regulation of where I was, was a GUT THING.................and just like you..........." boom" and I felt better.

My heart would skip like crazy and I was sure it was my heart and a few hours later, my GUT would flip out..........30 fing years............LONG years and it was my GUT..............

[Sasical in reply to Indigojoe]

And did you find a solution?

[Agora1]

Hi Sasical, it is an adrenaline rush that we get because we are so hyper vigilant and

self aware if something changes in our body. It can stimulate the Vagus Nerve and

cause all kinds of symptoms from dizziness, liteheadedness, warm clammy feeling,

nausea and anxiety. It's the bodily changes that cause the anxiety and not the

other way around. I always wondered about this as well. Thanks for your post xx

[Sasical in reply to Agora1]

Agora1, so you think this can happen without me being aware of the bodily changes that are going on? I mean, when I'm not even tuned in or thinking about what is going on in my body?

Thanks

[Agora1 in reply to Sasical]

Sasical, without even realizing it, an anxious person is always tuned into their bodily changes. Know that our body is a marvelous instrument and strives to keep us safe.

We don't have to be so "on alert" all the time. Once we learn how to trust our feelings,

changes won't be as threatening. I am not a doctor but just another anxious person

who found these answers work for myself. Of course, always seek professional

advice. xx

[Sasical in reply to Agora1]

Thank you so much for your reply xx

[MollyStark]

Exactly what Agora1 said.😊x

[HealthAnxietyGuy]

I've been going through almost the exact same thing for the past few months. I had tried many things and went through multiple stool tests and blood tests which all came back normal. What has finally helped is taking 50 billion probiotics "urgent care" and I also worked up to 4 grams of psyllium husk every day starting with 500mg per meal since I mostly had loose stools. I also added some exercise, all which seems to have improved my symptoms greatly. It took a good 3-4 weeks on the probiotics to see a difference and my symptoms slightly worsened a bit which seemed to be because of the transition/die off of bad bacteria in my gut.

[Sasical in reply to HealthAnxietyGuy]

Hi again

It happened to you also before a bm? When you had tests done did the doctors come up with anything or did you decide to give probiotics a go because they didn't come up with any solutions?

[HealthAnxietyGuy in reply to Sasical]

Yes the symptoms would get really bad before a BM. I still had symptoms a lot throughout the day but would become very bad right before a BM, it was strange. The worse time would be between 3:00 - 7:00 AM. I would often wake up feeling panicked, ill, feeling overheated but no fever, numbness/tingling sometimes in the body, heart palpitations/fluttering, etc. I thought I was dying every time. It's been a horrible 5 months or so. I also have sleep apnea which the CPAP seems to have also helped but especially the probiotics. Meds for anxiety wasn't really helping, just took off the worse edge but SSRI made me much worse.

I would feel usually much better after a BM. The doctors were not helping since they simply treated me for anxiety and so my mom suggested probiotics since they had saved her from a very bad case of C-Diff almost 10 years ago.

I was tested for stool bacteria, parasites, calprotectin for inflammation. All came back normal including countless blood tests an abdominal ultrasound. I really believe the prebiotic (psyllium husk) and probiotics is what treated me. I got the renew life 50B colon care I believe. They are refrigerated, and I believe they have a second capsule inside so that part of it desolves closer to the colon so that they survive better from your stomach acid.

[Sasical in reply to HealthAnxietyGuy]

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation, this helps a lot and I'm glad you're doing much better

[HealthAnxietyGuy in reply to Sasical]

Thank you, and I really hope that you find a solution also. I know how terrible you feel and doctors can be really frustrating. It took a long time to even get the tests done because he was treating me only with anxiety. God bless.

[mikee5901 in reply to HealthAnxietyGuy]

OMG Im sitting here with tears welling up in my eyes , I thought I was loosing my mind as this exact same thing has been happening to me on and off for over a year...I reconciled to the thought that one day it will just kill me. I cant believe that others are experiencing the same symptoms and like you all my doctors have no clue !! Im going to try the psyllium husk and the renew life 50B..I am praying it works because I'm on the verge of a complete anxiety attack meltdown over this issue ..Thank you all for sharing !

[Sasical in reply to mikee5901]

So sorry to hear that you too are dealing with these horrible symptoms, let us know how you get on. Best wishes!

[Sasical]

Very interesting, thank you so much for the info!!

[Funkyfaerie]

Hi,

Yes exactly what Agora1 said. Read about the vagus nerve.

I had all these scary symptoms you describe, when I started to understand it they got better and have almost gone now.

Best Wishes

[Sasical in reply to Funkyfaerie]

Thanks for your reply! And you had the symptoms like me? Always before a bowel movement?

[Funkyfaerie in reply to Sasical]

Yes, I would at first feel like a sinking feeling in my body, I didn't recognise it, so it would frighten me.

Then my heart would beat faster, cold sweat, think I might pass out, feel sick.

I hated it, scared me so much, couldn't explain it to a doctor, they just looked at me as if I was crazy.

Anyhow, I came across some info about the vagus nerve, in my search for an answer as you do!

And now I understand it, I don't worry anymore and it seems to have gone away.

As Agora said our bodies are always tuned in when we are anxious whether we realise it or not.

Once you understand its a reaction and nothing sinister going on, you will relax about it and it will go.

I've actually seen a few people on here with similar symptoms.

[Sasical]

Thank you so much for getting back to me! Sinking feeling is exactly what I feel. In fact it has just happened to me 15 mins ago, it literally feels as if I will drop dead, so scary. And the feeling doesn't leave until every bit of poop has left my body (sorry for tmi).

I will read about vagus nerve. Feeling very lonely with all this as doctors don't have a clue and like you treat me like I'm crazy

[Funkyfaerie]

Feel free to write to me again if you want to.

Anxiety can do some funky stuff to us!!

[Sasical in reply to Funkyfaerie]

That's very kind of you, thanks!!

[Sasical]

Bumping

[dexter92]

only just found this thread. Like a few on here I couldn’t find out anything about it.

I will explain mine in detail. Generally sleep well suddenly about 6am I’m woken by this tingling “ explosion “ will have smallish but normal poo and go back to sleep about an hour later same again and another hour later same again. What’s even more annoying if you combined all these poos it would make one good poo.

I’m on a SSRI and have erratic anxiety but during the day keeping busy it doesn’t happen then but the early awakening and disruption knocks the stuffing out of me.