IBS after stomach flu?

[HappyHealth22]

Happy holidays everyone!

This past Halloween, my husband and I were struck with the stomach flu- it resolved itself. I had horrible anxiety during this time. I have terrible health anxiety. We went on a 2 week trip to Florida (we live in Ohio) and the day after we came back, I had diarrhea for a few days. I went to the doctor and it was another bug- she told me that I was prone to a second bug because my immunity was low from my first bug. My anxiety was off the roof. A week later, I had random diarrhea just one time but felt terrible all day. I went to her and she told me she thought I had anxiety induced IBS. This is totally new to me bc I never had digestive issues before-- I did notice that sometime when I was too anxious I would feel nauseated and a little weird, but never anything like this. Since Halloween, I've been dealing with terrible stomach issues on and off and it's making my anxiety worse bc I'm terrified of it being something other than IBS. There have been a few days that I feel almost anxiety free (bc IBS symptoms subside a little) and then I'm struck with diarrhea or stomach pains and anxiety takes over again. How can this happen suddenly since I had no issues before? If it were something else, would it appear this way as well? I had blood tests and stool test, everything came back clear. Thank you for your help.

[Dita]

I have something good similar. I had a stomach bug 5' months ago and have been horrendously nauseous ever since. I've had every test known to man but all comes back clear so docs think it's a somatic thing or a postindectious IbS. Nausea is basically my only symptom. My. Anxiety got a lot worse since the bug and I've quit work. Hang in there, I know how hard it can be x

[Hidden in reply to Dita]

Zofran works great for nausea!

[Hidden]

Hi Its a two -edged-sword; the anxiety causes tummy troubles and tummy trubles causes anxiety.

Your doctor might want to send you on an anxiety course and start some relaxation.

If I am anxiouse i have been known to bring back a full meal in about 5 mins of eating it.

best to just have plain things till better-fish pie, scrambled boiled eggs and toast soup and toast. mash and boiled potatoes etc easy to digest.

Happy Xmas

[Hidden]

Hi--I am the same way re: anxiety will stomach issues. I am guessing based on my experience that you had more than a little stomach bug, maybe salmonella. I was diagnosed over a year ago and was very ill (my anxiety was the WORST) The GI said the damage can take a long time to heal. The damage is typically microscopic and doesn't show up in tests--but they don't like to take tissue samples as it exacerbates symptoms. If you had it, it may have been out of your system already when you were tested. They (GI, GP) have put me on things to manage it, including anti-anxiety meds, but say there isn't a cure (which I don't accept). My diagnosis is PI-IBS, with nausea and reflux. I. like you, feel great when I feel good in my belly. However I never know when that will be. My advice is to get a really good GI (specializing in food poisoning and or motility), a therapist and or psychiatrist. Have at least ONE physician that knows everything that is going on and keep up on testing and make someone put their arms around your case.. Perhaps an internist or functional medicine specialist if you only want to see one. Be insistent and persistent. If all your lab work is normal, that's a great sign. IBS is a gigantic umbrella of we don't know what the heck to do with you. I have a friend that went to Mayo, and they found nothing. She had diarrhea for a year! They told her to take immodium. It is all they could do, all her scans and blood work were normal. She eventually normalized and hopefully you will too. and me too...

[Hidden]

I really feel for you. I was diagnosed with IBS post Salmonella back in approximately 1996/7 but wasn't diagnosed until I had had a Colonoscopy and Endoscopy (I live in the UK). The Colonoscopy is where they insert a tube upwards (you prep for this procedure 3 days beforehand) and the Endoscopy is where they insert a tube down your throat. The procedures are to rule out other problems i.e. Crohns Disease etc. My tests came back clear and that's when they diagnosed IBS. I get stomach cramps, sometimes feel nauseous and sometimes constipated; I don't very often get diarrhea. I recently had a stomach bug and was only sick once but had a fair bit of diarrhea. Unfortunately, I suffer from Emetophobia (a fear of being sick and those sick around you and fear from catching a stomach bug) and although I coped very well whilst ill I was then very nervous about my husband catching it and I worried for about a week after having it myself - luckily he didn't catch it. Since I had the bug I have done nothing but worry about catching it again so I know I really need to sort my anxiety out. Since getting the bug though I did suffer with nausea for about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks but now it's gone.

It does sound to me like you may have post infection IBS but you will need tests to be carried out on you before you know, not just blood and stool tests.

I wish you all the very best and really hope things improve for you.

[Zoe99]

Hi I've had both, in my case IBS is higher up by my ribs where the acid burping starts to burp up food then either Constipation or D. Stomach flu was my whole tummy/intestines, with a fever - running to the loo to vomit or poop D. The same with norovirus but much worse. I hate to say this and may be should not but swallowing gaviscon if within 10mins the burpes go away it's IBS for me - if I run to the loo and vomit it's a bug.