Can anxiety cause diarrhea?

[Marne]

Hi, i suffer from anxiety and the fear of vomiting, today i picked dd2 up from school, she did'nt eat her snack in the car and when i got home i realized she haddnt eaten her lunch, this is unlike her so i started to worry that she might be coming down with something, this triggered of my Anxiety and the feel of panic, i then had the urge to go to the loo and have spent the past hour on and off it . I have taken some tablets to stop me going and my anti-sickness med, whilst all this was happening Dd2 ate all her dinner and is running around happily (seems fine).

So was it anxiety that caused the diarrhea?

Does anyone else suffer from this?

Feeling very stupid and dehydrated

[KTDace]

I am sorry you are feeling anxious. I have the very same reaction to anxiety, I need to know where all the toilets are where ever I go as sometimes the need to go is almost instantaneous for me.

[HouseGirlfriend]

Yes diarrhoea can be caused by anxiety or stress.

So can many things actually...

Drink lots of water and hav a bit of plainish food if you can. Don't feel stupid :)

[Greenshadow]

Oh, most definitely yes.

On the whole I am not an anxious person, but on the odd occasion I've laid awake at night worrying about something, I am liable to get up in the morning and have diarrhea.

[madmouse]

Oh yes

Can't go far from the loo if I'm seriously scared of something (mostly what if dh has died in car crash/ds has serious illness/friend doesn't love me anymore)

[Marne]

It was almost instant (when i found she had'nt eaten her lunch and dd1 told me a child was off school with tummy ache), i wish i could control my fears , i have an appointment with my counceller tomorrow, i was going to cancil as i thought i was managing, looks like i better go.

Dh will be home soon and wont give me any sympathy as he's fed up with this happening, will try and buck myself up before he gets in.

[Marne]

I think i was also panicking as the dd's are going to a party tomorrow, dd1 is so excited and the thought that dd2 might be ill made me worry about how upset dd1 would be if she could'nt go to the party (she does'nt get invited to many). Dd1 now suffers with anxiety too and i feel like its my fault, i try not to let her see when i'm anxious but she must have noticed.

I seem to be getting diarrhea a lot lately, was starting to worry that i was ill but i have no pain with it (just the need to go ASAP).

[Pancakeflipper]

Yes it will be linked to the stress. It's your adrenalin kicking in. Try not to panic about the trips to the loo. It will ease. Try deep breathing and sip a little water. And have a bath tonight to relax.

Do speak tomorrow to your therapist about it. It's very common so don't think you are a 'freak'.

[Marne]

Thank you all for being so kind, i am drinking dyrolite (sp) to buck me up as i feel drained, will go and have a bath as soon as dh gets in.

[madmouse]

Hun you don't need dioralyte - tasts vile too

Drink something nice that makes you feel better - tea or coffee or a nice soft drink

[LoveBeingAKnockedUp]

Another one who this has happened too

[Marne]

Feeling really rough this morning, was up all night worried that dd2 would be ill, i have kept her home from school as she did not eat her breakfast but she is now jumping around and seems fine (wish i had sent her to school then i could have gone back to be) .

[BunnyWunny]

Yes definitely- that's where therm "shitting myself" comes from, surely?

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Marne it happens to me everytime I get anxious. A few years ago I had to go by ambulance once with DS1 to A&E in the middle of the night because he was having breathing problems (turned out to be croup) and all the way (a 25 minute ride) I was really, really struggling to hold it in! As soon as we got to A&E I dived into the loo! It was awful. I get this problem every time I get nervous or anxious about something.

[Marne]

Thanks Becky, it seems to be happening to me more and more due to this silly phobia, as soon as anyone mentions being ill i have to go , i think its time i gave in and asked the GP for some medication, i'm fed up of feeling like this, when it happens i seem to be ill for 2 days (mainly due to lack of sleep), i seem to spend most of my life feeling ill and anxious.

[PandaisLife]

This is pretty normal for those people who had a history of anxiety poop. Here's one thing you can do whenever this happens.

[Geogaddi]

i get it almost instantly every time my anxiety flares up. Used to get it constantly in the night when it was really bad and contributed to my insomnia.