New member, any idea for IBS related anxiety?

[MagentaA]

Hi. i have signed up earlier today, and must say I have read so many interesting and helpful posts and replies already. I am currently at my wits end with IBS and work! Busy, fast paced job with irregular hours doesn't help anything, which I am looking to change, but for now I am finding things impossible. My IBS is more severe than it has been in years, and its causing me anxiety that it could be something worse, which I go through phases of being paranoid about. Does anyone else get this? Over the years doctors have pretty much pawned me off and put it all down to stress, even when I haven't been under any stress. The original diagnosis was made by doing blood tests for coeliacs etc. And then assuming it must be IBS.

I don't mind the bloating so much (looking 5 months pregnant can be awkward, but manageable) but the constant nausea and upset stomach are really bothering me. Not only does it frequently prevent me from doing one of my hobbies outside of work, but sometimes I genuinely cannot tell if I am ill from IBS or from something like a bug or virus, which I also worry about for work.

Any advice or similar stories very welcome.

[pajohns]

I get into vicious cycles of anxiety = ibs = anxiety = more ibs. For example this week a colleague was off with a bug, I got anxious that I'd get this bug then started to feel ill so I was then anxious about it even more then more anxious etc etc etc. I use mindfulness to try to break the cycle sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It's worth trying though.

[MagentaA in reply to pajohns]

I don't mean to sound daft here, but what do you mean exactly by mindfulness? I am exactly the same when I'm near people that are/have been ill, I'm also quite paranoid about getting ill from food. I guess we all spend some long feeling awful with IBS anxiety about anything extra is understandable, but ironically adds to the problem!

(Thanks for the response)

[pajohns in reply to MagentaA]

Yes I'm exactly the same! Mindfulness is just things that give you an awareness of what's going on in your mind, to relax the mind and focus the mind on positive things. Meditation is the main one but there's other techniques.

I have an app called headspace which taught me some meditation exercises or there are some on YouTube. I like the app cos it's the voice of Andy from CBeebies (if you don't have little kids you'll have no idea who that is 😆)

I find talking to family and friends about it is helpful. Being really honest about how I'm feeling even if it seems like a silly thing. Not bottling it up.

The ibs and the anxiety are massively linked. In my case I know the ibs came first and the anxiety makes it worse. I also think it all a bit post natal.

Try the app, it's a good start 🙂

[MagentaA in reply to pajohns]

I will give the app a go, thank you. Everything you are saying makes sense, and the anxiety definitely came after the IBS. Thank you for the advice

[pajohns]

Read this

nhs.uk/conditions/stress-an...