Long story short at the start of the year I had bouts of diarrhoea and blood, poo sample came back clear bloods came back clear, sigmoidoscopy revealed mild inflammation, was diagnosed with colitis, symptoms were sore back ,hips , burning in my tail ,diarrhoea , February through April was prescribed 2 different types of colitis medication made little difference, had never had mental health issues in my life before ,53 years old fit male , started to get panic attacks and bouts of anxiety, eventually got to see a gastrointestinal in June he asked for a colonoscopy and ct scan both came back clear , was now on a 3rd set of medication for colitis made little difference, had a letter from gastrointestinal he now feels it not colitis, and is Ibs , confused does not even cover it , so my question is -on your journeys do you feel your Ibs causes anxiety, or anxiety causes Ibs ?
thanks Paul
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Johny334
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Oh yes, stress works both ways to hurt IBS. I have been terribly stressed and anxious for the last month over some awful, horrible, difficult and what seems at this point, insurmountable family issue. And it has messed with my IBS so badly that I can't even commit to travelling there (many miles away) to do anything. I can just about handle remote stuff but even all that triggers off my gut because of the incredible stress involved..
But my IBS has not been good for a month now because of it..
Also, when I have an IBS flare up, that in itself causes a weird anxiety state. That feels different and in direct response to what my body is putting me through. I don't know....some flight or flight response? Adrenaline? Or maybe just a product of sheer exhaustion. That happens even if there isn't bad stress in my life, and when my gut steadies out I don't feel that any more.
It's a chicken or egg situation🤔 I do know that because I have IBS d and I don't know when attacks may strike I get anxious if I attempt to go out for the day.. As for panic attacks a Yoga teacher suggested to go with the panic attack breathe deeply in and out and it will ease...
Absolutely both, foods and medications can all effect or cause IBS. Your gastrologist hit the nail on the head. They don't know, so by default you must have IBS. It would be simpler if they just came clean. We wouldn't be running around looking for the IBS cure that does not exist. How do we treat something without a defined cause.
Don't over exercise either as it can stir up the stomach. Moderation to everything is the key.
In very general terms with IBS usually it is the yeast based enzymes that become prevalent and starts us on our journeys. Stress/ anxiety causes the yeast enzymes to become predominate. Too much of that and you'l likely be stereo typed as IBS.
If you get on to it early prebiotics and probiotics can address the imbalance. Don't get it early enough and it becomes an up hill battle.
The usual road to resolution is fodmap, gluten free and lactose free. Then rebuild your diet with what works for your stomach. Not always what you want! No booze, no fried foods and no fizzy drinks. In fact not a hell of a lot of fun with food! But it can bring relief. There usually is not a quick fix and if there is you didn't have full on IBS.
My personal feeling is that anxiety is a strong contributor to IBS, latest research indicates the incredible complexity of the gut biome, all those micro - organisms, the second brain, with lots of neural connections , not surprising that stress, etc will play a role, my partner is in a nursing home, I have had a number of recent bereavements, and my IBS definitely flares up under stress. I am having intensive counselling, and my counselling talks about nurturing the inner child thats in all of us, just be gentle with your self, tell yourself you love all of you , warts and all, I personally am convinced it helps, as IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, and its more saying what it isnt that what it is. Try and seek out some counselling, mentoring, many GPs have access to support, or can point to online support, theres lots of things out there take care
HelloAnxiety doesn't actually 'Cause' IBS, but it will definitely trigger flare ups. It's a battle constantly with food and stress and anxiety. Mine started when I was 50 but in my case, I'm convinced it was menopause that was the culprit. Ive always been anxious right from childhood but still was able to have a normal life and enjoy things and hold down responsible jobs without being ill. Then everything changed and since then, every detail in my life has to be well thought through. I opted for a much simler life and cut out unnecessary stuff, including some people and family members. Some people I could no longer be around without suffering later and I decided it's just not worth it. Others call it selfish, I call it survival!
Mine started when I was fifty going through the change. Never been right since. IBS and diverticulitis flare up. I’m 67 now. Did have IBSC FOR 3 years now changed to very loose. No answers hardly eat anything chicken and potato, carrots caused me so much pain. Awful
Yes, same here. I'm at a loss at what to eat, carrots I love but and only eat a tiny amount when I'm feeling ok. I dont eat meat anyway, not for 42 years, hardly any salad these days and no green leafy veg, just peas and a tiny but of sweet corn, thats it. Fortunately, I can eat fresh fruit and seeds which I do every day and thank my lucky stars ! I take supplements because I have to, and I couldn't live without my probiotics. Costs a fortune😳I've lost a stone in less than a year, clothes are hanging on me. I had IBS C for years but the last couple of years, it seems to have changed to IBS D and Mixed. It's definitely got worse with age, I'm nearly 66 and had it over 15 years. On top of the menopause, it was hell, but that's subsided now, still left with this though. I'd be as fit as a fiddle only for this 😞 had a flare up last Tuesday, lasted 3 days, tried to get an appointment with the doctor as I was convinced it had to be something else, but I couldn't get an appointment, told to ring 111 or ring back next morning. It's awful now and I can't be A---d with them, so I deal with it myself. By Friday, I started to come round and this is what it's like constantly. All we can do is keep trying this, that and the other. Take care
Thank you people don’t understand how ill you can feel. I rang doctor no appointments for 2 weeks. Had to ring 111 then got a phone call with a medic who phoned my GP and they found appointment for me same day. Antibiotics for diverticulitis blood tests and sample tests done get results next week. But I do just try to work out how to manage it myself. Not a good life.
Well it's wierd, but I am not conversant with colitis. But to sign you off with IBS seems questionable since you have passed some blood before. Is there no permanent cure for colitis? I have a diverticular, that produces gas at times. May have mild flare up every few years, but only caused a liitle blood once, due I'm told to minor blood vessel burst near diver area. How can it be colitis one minute, then you haven't the next? On another note, people like who suffered anxiety and panic attacks for some usually go on to develop IBS unfortunately the two go hand in hand most of the time. Also don't forget this heatwave in UK at the moment is bad news. Research of some years identify heat, humidity and low pressure thunderstorms affect the Seratonon levels in the gut. Having heat stress on top of everything else is very problematic. Which I prefer winter to summer the last 14 years. I eat very light meals during heatwaves, and definitely no fried, spicy, sauces, pies. Until the weather improves and temps go back to normal
In answer to your question, anxiety can cause IBS and IBS generally does cause anxiety; we have a circular argument! As already mentioned, IBS is the label given when there is no other definitive cause found. You have had a colonoscopy and CT and they were clear... however, the sigmoidoscopy revealed mild inflammation and even that could easily cause the symptoms you have been experiencing including the sore back and hip areas - inflammation in the colon (even mild) can also create inflammation in joints and areas like the back and hips. Colitis is a bit of an umbrella term as it means inflammation somewhere in the lining of your colon and this was picked up with the sigmoidoscopy. So, you likely have both colitis and IBD which is actually very common according to my gastroenterologist as I have both IBS and patchy pancolitis; the IBS I have had for 25 years, but the IBD only 2 years...
You have not said what meds you were put on? Were you given mesalazine of some sort? This is the first line of treatment for inflammation and it should have helped the diarrhoea if so.
You need to help the anxiety as it manifests in different ways because of our individual differences. You can refer yourself online without a GP getting involved as all counties in the UK offer this service so google counselling for general anxiety disorder (GAD) and complete the form They should respond in a few days and once you have had a telephone consultation you should be seen quite quickly.
You may also need to see a different gastroenterologist if you feel the one you have is not been very helpful.
Sorry to hear of your problems Johny. It's taken me years to stop being anxious about the anxiety/IBS relationship! When I'm having periods of reprieve (sometimes long) from IBS, I don't find that anxiety brings the IBS back, equally the IBS can reappear when I've no particular anxiety all. After endless tests and 'oscopies, various medications (which didn't agree/have any benefit) and therapies, enough was enough and I now just try to go with it - eat sensibly, do spells of relaxation, reduced breathing (as learned in Buteyko Breathing which is great for calming the whole body) - and wait for it to pass. The one thing which does help me is taking probiotics - some didn't agree with me but I then tried Bio-Kult, a 14 strain variety which has undergone NIH double-blind controlled trials and showed significant improvement for IBS sufferers. It was also featured on a small trial on a Michael Mosely TV programme and brought about various benefits to the participants. Hope this helps and you're able to get some relief very soon.
hi thank you all for taking the time to reply, each reply I’m - yip that’s me or yip feel like that or yes that’s how that happened!!!
The medication was budesonide , prednisolone , and yes mesalazine , I’d say the mesalazine gives me around 20/ 30 % benefit on a good day
I have tried hypnotherapy, it really worked for me , and will definitely go back when the time is right, I also use the DARE technique, have read the book and listen to podcasts for me it’s something that clicked ,
I have an appointment a week on Monday with gastroenterologist , he has all test results now ,I’m not pinning all hopes on this appointment because I’ve been set back so many times so far , but let’s see what he has to say , pre guessing, if I get nothing from it my next step will be a nutritionist
Good luck with the test results but, yes, IBS and anxiety are closely linked and it can be a vicious cycle. But, to be clear, IBS is not caused by anxiety - anxiety makes it worse. IBS is a dysfunction with a number of potential underlying causes; getting to the bottom of it is extremely difficult, and I’ve yet to find a solution, but many have found ways to control it to some extent.
Ibs had this from 40 till 79 now one a doctor told me that the reson thay call it ibs is because thay don’t no wot it is. And I no it’s aufull you have to live a different life from evry one els I do no wot to say I’m still having test at 79 so I think it something you have to live with but don’t stop looking and going for wot ever test thay Ofer you
I'd say both. Anxiety causes IBS to flare up and then we get stressed from the symptoms and trying to control them whilst having a normal life. I'm going out on Tuesday night and I've been stressing over whether I'll be well enough and that has made my symptoms worse. It's just nasty the way it messes with you.
Unfortunately anxiety and IBS go together - the best thing I did was to have hypnotherapy, I can't recommend it enough. I saw a hypnotherapist but there are some good self guided apps available as well. I also used Rescue Remedy, and learnt "correct" breathing (sounds odd but it's about learning how to use your diaphragm effectively), it really eases anxiety, you should be able to find guides online (meditation or yoga guides are useful).
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Anxiety and IBS
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