Feeling so anxious and can’t control my ibs

Hi Julie,

oh dear, poor you! I assume you’ve identified things like foodstuffs that set it off? Your GP might actually consider an anti spasmodic drug, and/or meds for anxiety rather than depression? 

if you do start anti depressants they do have quite a long window till you start to feel the benefit, about 2 weeks generally, so it might well be a good idea to talk it over with your GP anyway.

Hugs xxx

Hi moomy 

I hope your keeping well. 
thank you for you comments: yes I do take antispasmodic tablets which do help. My doctor did suggest a drug for anxiety but it’s also used for depression too. The side affects sound awful, so I didn’t bother. I have suffered a long time, due to lots of things in my life going on. And I just plod on, but obviously this is different, it’s real hard core shit!  And you certainly know that. It’s just sometimes doctors just dish out pills! I have taken kalms and they help.
so thank you, your very kind  

Hi Julie,

it might actually be worth asking for some counselling or talking therapy? I know it sounds odd but sometimes it really can help you see the wood for the trees? And they can help you develop your own coping strategies for all that you’re facing.

Daughter actually said she just got on with it, she felt that we had much the worse deal in watching her go through all the sh*t but not being able to help ease it for her.

Hugs xxx

Hi moomy

so sorry for the late reply.

thank you  for The suggestions, I will look into that, although at the moment may be tricky. But it’s got to help my funny mind! 

I think your daughter is probably right in one respect it’s so difficult watching them go through it. As a parent it’s your natural instinct to protect them and something like this leaves you so helpless and frustrated. The Covid has def made it worse too! 

thank you  for Your help, I hope your daughter is doing ok 

speak soon 

julie

Hi Julie,

it’s a horrible time for you and yes, Covid makes it far worse. If you do think counselling would help, ask now as it will take time to arrange! You may be able to get telephone help anyway, even though ideally face to face is best. 

we didn’t even tell daughter how bad we felt till after it was all over, she actually brought up the subject saying she felt for us all while she was going through it, and said whenever she went to hospital she ‘got her blinkers on’ and felt like she was a laboratory rat, they were out to make her better but to put her through some nasty stuff to do just that. The moment she walked out the hospital door again she was herself again and wanted to get on with her ordinary life. I guess that was the way she dealt with all of it, but she did get counselling as of course she had a very long illness, but has now been in remission since early 2011. 

Hugs xxx

Hi

Have every sympathy, I have a personal theory that it is linked to blood pressure. I will tell you why.

Obviously, when stress and nerves kick in, things like IBS get worse. 

I havent really suffered IBS but certainly I wonder it would be worh checking if your IBS episodes are related to increased blood pressure. Obviously blood pressure varies accoring to situation, though it is of course more complicated than that, it is an underlying condition.

I am in my 50s, and recently put on blood pressure medication. One 'clear' side effect I have had is a calming of activity in the. stomach.

Obviously you can;t take Blood pressure meds with being diagnosed with high BP. Might be worth checking your BP though. 

Hi nick

i hope your keeping well and your son is ok. 
I get what your saying with regards to high blood pressure, fortunately my is low, so I don’t really have a problem there. But I understand what your saying. I think my brain is just become wired that way, I think having the ups and downs I’ve had in my life has had a toll on my digestive system and only knows to act one way now. But thank you fir your thoughts 

kind regards x

Sorry it was not helpful though, I'm not sure if IBS is diagnosed for me, but likewise I have had periods of my life when stomach problems arise for months on end, and then subside. My blood pressure tablets had a better effect than anything else, so I do think it is related to anxiety. Calmness in your mind is critical I believe for a healthy stomach, but of course in moments of stress that all goes out of the window.

But I guess I do have low-level IBS, and I have had many issues and tried various things. Immodium are a god-send, but I found things like Buscopan for IBS only a little help. Each to their own. 

For instance mertazapine medication in tablet form to help me with low-level insomnia gradually eroded my stomach lining as the tablet often sat in the same spot in my stomach to dissolve (I guess), but it took me ages to work out why everything was literally going straight through me, until they gave me a 'melt in the mouth' version of mertazapine instead. That sorted problems out very quickly.

I also do believe in complimentary medication and each morning I take 2 glucosamine tablets (for joints), 1 small aloe-vera tablet, and when my stomach has really bad episodes I take Optibac Probiotics for a few weeks daily - which really helps. If I feel my stomach is really sensitive I additionally take Lamberts L-Glutamine powder which helps line your stomach and sort of 'strengthens' it - but only for a few days or even once a week for a few months, as it can dry your stomach out too much and cause problems if taken daily ovver time. Also peppermint tablets can help a bit. I guess its always a fine balance, but with all these anxieties in life that have come our way, its hardly surprising.

I also explained to my close relatives that certain situations might spark it, and once I really explained, they understood that I simply avoided them - formal social gatherings etc. Its difficult but once you identify and omit certain worrying situations from your life, your anxiety does reduce I find, and then after a few weeks so does your stomach.

I also cut out sugar where I could, so I have stevia as an alternative, I even cut out dairy and yeast (bread) for a while, so you find what is causing your stomach the problem. Sometimes your stomach just needs a rest for a month, from certain things, then after a rest you find you can eat these things afterwards without a problem. Eating healthily is always good of course when your stomach is stressed, I ate lots of chicken. 

Everyone has individual problems and solutions for IBS, but for relaxation I found a half-hour session with an osteopath worked wonders for me over a few weeks, but at £40 a time it was expensive. They obviously concentrate on your joints, but also work on messaging/relaxing your stomach and liver, and I never felt so relaxed as after a few sessions. But I would go there on an empty stomach (:-.

With my boy getting HL, and regular visits and scans, life will never be as relaxed again I guess (:-.

Just my thoughts............you have my absolute sympathy but hope these give you some ideas. I wouldnt say many of them are recognised by a GP though, just things I have picked up that are said to be good for your stomach .So you takes your choice..................

Hi

i hope your keeping well?  And your son is ok .Thank you for comments, I found them all very helpful. I have taken glutamine to help repair my stomach when I had an ulcer. I take probiotics too on a daily basis and zinc I do play around with supplements, it it can really help . It’s amazing how our minds can cause such havoc on your stomach, I think if your a  type person who doesn’t worry or get stressed with things it probably doesn’t affect your stomach . Unfortunately I am not like that  but I totally agree with you, alternate therapy’s really help, and watching what you eat and drink makes a big difference too. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke, and eat pretty healthy 95per cent of the time. It’s very true, our lives will never be relaxed again, and I guess it’s something we all have to adjust to, and hopefully somehow learn to live with without too much impact on our health.

thank you so much 

kind regards

julie