I am looking for some reassurance/advice about my terrible anxiety around toilets and not being able to get to one in time.
I've suffered with bad anxiety in the past and have been on beta blockers several times. I've also seen three or four councillors including CBT to help with my anxiety. I am generally fine these days and anxiety isn't really part of my life most of the time but the past week I've been really stressed at work and I've had some health anxiety crop up and panic symptoms. I take citalopram currently.
My problem is my stomach when I get panicky, it does somersaults and the moment I'm going anywhere I need to go to the toilet instantly. I'm going on holiday next week and on a plane, i am terrified I'll need to go to the toilet or I'll mess myself in front of everyone. I've had diarreah on and off over the past week or so since I've been feeling stressed and worried.
I take Imodium when I feel I really need it and it really helps, not sure if it's more of a mental thing but I feel safe when I know I've taken it. Obviously it's not ideal, I want to be normal without having to block up my bowels!!!
It's so embarrassing so I don't talk to anyone about it which makes me even more anxious as no one knows so I assume everyone thinks I am weird lol. Can anyone relate?
Lots of us with anxiety need to rush to the loo. If I'm really nervous then I might need to go a few times. Then I'll take diazepam which helps with panic. If you're worried about the flight then just make sure you go loads before the plane, don't eat much food after you have been and take a tablet if it makes you feel safer. I'm sure you'll be fine, especially if you take a calming pill. As times goes on you will realise you don't have accidents and you'll stop worrying x
Thank you 
The flight went fine with some Imodium which I'm glad about. Although it's not giving up yet! I am on holiday with my boyfriend and another couple and last night we walked down to where all the restaurants are and I had a big panic and went to the toilet. When I came back I was obsessing over watching to see if anyone else was going in the toilet in case I needed to go again (there was only 1 toilet) and just panicking about it until we left and I said I'd go back to the villa.
Now this morning ive woken up with a nervous stomach still - already worrying about dinner tonight in case the same thing happens! Really don't know what is wrong with me I though the days of panicking were over for me!
Anyone got any tips on how to deal with this?
I'm glad your flight went well! The trouble with anxiety is it can make us focus too much on our fears, which we know are irrational. Do you have a calming pill like a diazapam or propanolol you can take before you go out? It might help you to relax and enjoy the evening and then wake feeling calmer the next day? As you realise each day that your body is fine then you will hopefully not need to take a pill as often. That's what I would do. If you still feel you are struggling then take a tummy pill like you did for the plane. Last week my daughter was watching Dora and it made me laugh as the programme was about 'Face your fear, make it disappear!' It's so true. The more you face this you will see you are ok. We all often have to rush to the loo when we get butterflies. Most bodies have muscles strong enough to hold it all in. And if you have already been before dinner there won't be much left anyway so remind yourself of that too. The chances of an accident are incredibly tiny! X