Is this anxiety induced ?

[Codfather]

Hi. I have had IBS 30 years plus . I am ibsd . I am in the middle of a really bad flare up . I suffer from anxiety / low mood and stress , these are my triggers . This time I have had a multitude of symptoms.... Pains in the upper and lower back , below rib cage , in the shoulder joint , wheezing , hives , swollen face , and pains in the groin . The diahorrea comes after I'm triggered . First the bowel speeds up and I get gas and gurgling noises then it's followed by diahorrea ! Does this sound familiar to anyone else ??

[Linley]

The wheezing, hives & swollen face are not familiar perhaps a visit to your GP is in order 🤔

[Hidden in reply to Linley]

I've had ibs for 20 odd years and I developed hives all over my body about 8 year ago, was due to an allergic reaction to strawberries (which I had been eating for donkeys years and my favourite fruit 😫) and has not reoccurred since.

[Frasina]

Hives is normally an allergic reaction to food or meds or something you have taken etc.. I do not know if it is IBS related, but I will tell you that I came out in hives last Monday and it was over a lot of my body! Sent pic to GP and they said I need to see them... put me on 5 days steroids and antihistamine but I am still itchy after a week!Do go see the GP and explain this to them..

[Codfather in reply to Frasina]

Ok. Cheers

[Hidden]

I take citalopram for the anxiety, that really helps x

[Codfather in reply to Hidden]

Hi. I'm on sertraline. It has a vast amount of side effects ! I'm under a lot of anxious stress at moment , house move etc etc , this is playing havoc with my IBS !

[Hidden in reply to Codfather]

If you get side effects ask the doctor to change them. I'm on citalopram and get no side effects. 👍

[WellySam]

My IBSD is certainly triggered by stress.

I don't know about the other symptoms and it is worth getting them checked out. They may be coincidental to the IBSD but also could be triggered by the impact on your immune system.

A few years ago I was suffering terrible chest pains and thought I was having ahead attack. After many tests my GP told me that stress can cause all sorts of physical symptoms

[MatthewU]

The way forward is to have a daily dose of Citalopram which should help reduce the number of episodes you get and treat the anxiety, also a daily multi bio probiotic can help the positive gut bacteria which can also help

[Codfather in reply to MatthewU]

Thank you Matthew. Does the citalopram not aggravate IBS ? I'm on sertraline and I think it's adding to the diahorrea ! But but

[Codfather in reply to Codfather]

But stress and anxiety are a major factor for me. Not food. I'm moving house at present. It's hell !!!!

[MatthewU]

Stress and anxiety are your enemies; by increasing blood serotonin Citalopram helps the gut. It is a surprising fact majority of the serotonin in the human body is produced within the gut, and SSRIs (Citalopram is a SSRI) affect enteric neurons. They also exhibit antimicrobial properties that comes with the potential of disrupting microbial hemostasis. This is why when you feel stressed or anxious your gut may turn or feel uneasy. I personally have only found benefits with my IBS from being on Citalopram. Remember, when you first start this drug it may make you feel a little worse, dry mouth etc, this always passes after 2-4 weeks of treatment, you need to work through it to get the benefit. I've also cut right down on caffeine, wheat products, cows milk, reduced sugar intake and no fizzy drinks, I feel that all this as helped. Additionally I take a probiotic, ensure that I'm fully hydrated, regular meals freshly made and finally don't get over tired, so regular bedtimes from now on!

[Codfather in reply to MatthewU]

They say too much seratonin in the blood will give u diahorrea ?