Anxious

[Squidge44]

I feel so anxious at the moment as my ibs is really bad. I know being anxious doesn’t help ibs but I can’t seem to help it. I get so worried that I have something terribly wrong although I had ct scan three years ago which confirmed ibs and diverticulitis. I wish I could get myself on an even keel. I’m terrified of doctors and hospitals and hate having anything wrong with me. I feel like I’m in a vicious circle. Does anyone else feel like this

[Booth29]

Yes, I know how you feel. When my ibs is bad, as it is at the moment, I too worry that it’s something worse. Mines been in a bad flare up for 3 weeks now, and my anxiety is through the roof. I’m scared to eat at times, my diet is very restricted because of this. Like you say it’s a vicious circle, and the more you worry the worse it gets. Wish I had an off switch! Sorry I’m not much help, but certainly can empathise

[t-s80]

I’ve been exactly the same. My IBS has been awful the past few weeks. I don’t know about anyone else but I kind of think it’s because I feel trapped at home. I daren’t go very far in case I can’t get to a toilet if I need one. A lot are still closed in my local area but they’re slowly opening up.

I was in a chemist the other day and bumped in to a friend who works in mental health. I mentioned my IBS being awful and being anxious to leave my house. She suggested I try something such as Kalms to help with the anxiety which will in turn hopefully my IBS flare ups. I honestly never thought to treat my anxiety too. Well I’m going to look in to it and see if it will actually work. Maybe a bit of meditation and more exercise too. 🙂

[Linley]

Do understand, during these last 3 months a dear friend who has never suffered from anxiety said she felt anxious for the 1st time. For me my IBS and diverticular have been much easier during lockdown. But having dental surgery this week the pain and looking like a lop sided hamster has brought my anxiety back big time. But one thing we all must do is to not be afraid to go to our GP if we feel there is a change in our symptoms

[Wifflesnook]

I am the same. My ibs has been awful for several months. I’m so anxious and scared it is dominating my life and I know that the anxiety and ibs are connected. My gp offered medication for the anxiety and at first I declined but then I said yes. However when it arrived it was Prozac. I don’t want to go on that route and a friend told me about Rhodiola which she thinks is helpful. I’m trying it. You might like to check it out.

[EJ59]

Yes had a flare now for a week and hit terrible anal pain most of the time just want it to go away !!!

[DebbieSil]

Hi, yes I feel exactly the same. I've currently in a flare up for 9 weeks now. As you say, it's a vicious circle. I try to shut it off in my mind but as soon as I feel another pain, I get anxious again, then my mind starts playing games with me🙄. I'm always at the edge of wanting to phone the GP again but try to calm myself down and think logically, it's so tiring, a constant battle with myself. I also make sure that I get out for walks otherwise I'm sitting around thinking about it which isn't good.

[DebbieSil in reply to DebbieSil]

It's great to find that I'm not the only one. I phoned the Doctor yesterday, we had a long chat which made me feel positive. Then...this morning I'm back to getting anxious about it. How on earth can I stop this, just want to feel normal again instead of feeling like I want to cry all the time.

I'm just out for a walk too.

[bobbyrita]

I feel the same way and I am also bipolar. I am on klonopin for years since I suffer from anxiety..My best friend died at the end of december and my stomach has just been awful since. I also am on meds which cause constipation. a lot of times i suffer from nausea. the other day i was so constipated and the magnesium citrate wasn't working and that is the only thing that works I started thinking that I was going to have to have surgery on my colon.

[Squidge44]

Sorry about the loss of your friend. This is an awful disease and nobody understands unless they too suffer from it. I’m so uptight about it now as I’m hardly eating anything but still have diarrhoea. My husband, bless him, does his best to comfort me. Hope you will feel better soon x

[LittleLish47]

Hi Squidge, I can totally relate to you in every way, my IBS is absolutely terrible at the moment and due to covid I haven’t been able to have all the tests yet to rule out everything else, and I absolutely hate going to the doctors anyway so I have already left it a very long time and i can’t even lie on my right side at the moment . It makes my depression and anxiety so much worse, which in turn feeds into the IBS, it’s an endless cycle that’s hard to get out of! I wonder if the heat at the moment isn’t helping us IBS sufferers? The bloating, pain etc is so bad at the moment. Hopefully we can take comfort from knowing we are not alone and try to be proactive about getting the help that we need despite our fears x

[Wifflesnook]

I think it does help to connect with other sufferers. My ibs involves on,y slight constipation but wind and pain, almost always on the bottom left of my belly. I think I might cope with the pain if it were not for it making me feel so ill, lethargic, sort of post flu feeling. I tend to feel my mind is too much involved because if I get really into something I don’t feel so bad. I know that body and the mind are connected. In fact especially the gut and the mind, but how do we cope? I’m selling my house and trying to buy and packing boxes and all this is raising my anxiety as well. I’m a widow in late 70s and so I’ve nobody to support me most of the time. I ready here about people whose ibs involves worse symptoms than mine but as mine are totally dominating my life I don’t feel that much better than them. I’ve had flare ups for years but never this bad for this long

[Scinder]

I feel exactly the same! The hot weather seems to make my IBS worse, I get bloated and feel so uncomfortable I want someone to pop me, if that were possible! I suffer with anxiety as well and my mind races as soon as I get a pain or bloat. I live with it as I don't think there is anything that can be done.