I just wondered if someone could help me. I have been suffering with health anxiety since my little girl was born 6 years ago, it all started with terrible stomach problems that I had when my thyroid went low after her birth and I ended up seriously constipated. The doctors in a&e gave me serious laxatives and then after that my gp carried on with them. This went on for about 3 months until I started to get extreme pain and gas and basically was in agony. I stopped the laxatives gradually, but it was the beginning of an anxiety attack over my stomach. I had every blood test going for everything always looking for 'a cause'. I forced the doctor under duress to refer me to a gastroenterologist who then gave me an endoscopy which was an unpleasant experience. This showed no abnormalities. I still had stomach problems and got extremely anxious thinking that there was something wrong. I ended up on escitalopram for 5 years I tried to quit twice but had to go back on it. Of course my ibs as they diagnosed got a lot better, and although I still got a few issues it was a lot better. Roll on to February this year when I quit the tablets as my doctor advised me to and I have been anxious and up and down since. I've spoken to my doctor and she thinks I'm a lot better as do my family but I am now getting stomach problems again and now feel anxious. I want to accept that it's my anxiety fuelling my ibs symptoms but I keep feeling anxious over it! I need calm in my life and I need to get better I need to enjoy my life and accept this is me. Can anyone help? Thanks
Hi Anna yes your anxiety is causing your ibs to flare up.l have it and a large number of people that suffer ànxiety suffer ibs.l have to say l have had it for years and it doesn't really bother me anymore l am so used to it.My advice would be to go back to your doctor and ask to be referred for therapy for anxiety also use YouTube and practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, mindfulness and breathing techniques.Do this several times a day.Eat a healthy diet and do exercise on a regular basis.
Thank Marleen I'm trying to keep it together, time to the month today feeling more anxious than normal and stomach uncomfortable. I'm doing mindfulness and have had a years worth of counselling already she's given me another referral I'll call on Tuesday after the bank holiday. Thanks so much. Xxx
Good keep going.That time of the month would definitely increase your ibs and ànxiety.I find spasmonal very good when l get a flare up.
Thanks for the suggestion I tend to take colpermin for the bloating which has been quite bad. It definately helps, just have to not let it get the better of me. Xx
Just know that it is stress induced and it is nothing sinister.