I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety and have just started some CBT for this. My anxiety symptoms used to be light-headedness and worry that I would faint but since being diagnosed with anxiety I have told myself that this isn't going to happen etc etc. However, my main worry now seems to be my tummy and it is the thing I am anxious about over anything else in my life ( busy life with 3 DC!). I basically need the loo within a few mins of waking up and it is TMI, always loose. I am pathetic but this really upsets me as I don't feel right for a while after either and mornings are busy. I M waking in the night worrying about my tummy the next morning. I just want a break from having an upset tummy every morning:( I feel my anxiety would really improve if I did. I know you should really treat the anxiety but the diarrhoea is now the main source of my anxiety. I feel like I've come quite a long way to overcome some of the previous issues. I've never taken Immodium in my life but now wondering if I should as a short term solution/ or break!! Or how about those Kalms- has anyone used those in a similar situation?
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General health
Anxiety and IBS cycle hell. How can I escape?
mumtothreeeeeeeee · 24/03/2012 10:07
"I M waking in the night worrying about my tummy the next morning. I just want a break from having an upset tummy every morningsad I feel my anxiety would really improve if I did. I know you should really treat the anxiety but the diarrhoea is now the main source of my anxiety"
I feel your tummy would improve if you have a break from your anxiety :-) You KNOW its a vicious circle don't you.
I know, i have been where you are now - oh, if i can only sort my Breast,women's bits, tummy, mole, lymph nodes,tingly fingers out then i can sort the anxiety!! I can't tell you have many times ive planned my own funeral :( its not funny, but it is ridiculous.
One word about the KALMS and such like, firstly they have to be taken for a period of time before they are effective. but more importantly, they can interfere with certain anti-depressants that are prescribed for anxiety and you have to stop taken them for two weeks before you can take the ADs.
Im pleased that you are having the CBT and its good that you are not on ADs at present but they do work. I suffer from anxiety and my health anxiety was terrible, so much so that i would have physical symptoms. I was on ADs for quite a while and im not 100% better ( i dont think i ever will be, i had a massive breakdown, but im 95%), but strange thing - i used to be terrified of thunderstorms and spiders. I will now go and stand and watch the storms from the back door and i work with tarantulas 
Mum I'm a long time sufferer of anxiety and IBS!!!
I, like you have the light head and fear of fainting. Can't tell you how many times I've literally ran out of shops, restaurants etc once the feeling takes hold. Many occasion I've filled a basket of shopping only to get a feeling of sheer dread at the thought of having to queue at a checkout and dumped it and fled. Once I'm outside I'm calmer but that thought trail is in my mind ready for the next time 
I take citalopram and have done for about the past 3 years. It does the job ok but doesn't completely eradicate the feelings of fear.
My IBS can be awful and my gurgling stomache is something else! I find that if I get a rumbling I have to eat as being 'hungry' makes me panic that I'm going to faint. I don't think that I'm really actually hungry as I tend to graze during the day but as soon as a gurgle starts I have to eat something. I've tried so many diets but so far it's still the same (going once a week, sorry for TMI).
Some days I'll be driving to work and know that I can't possibly sit in the office all day and find myself driving back home. I feel like a complete twat but once the feeling is there, no matter how hard I try, it's there to stay.
Trying to describe this feeling is so so hard and most people I know that I've spoken to think I'm some sort of weirdo (in my eyes anyway).
I would encourage you to take the meds described by your gp. You are not a failure in anyway shape or form and if the drugs help then so be it.
What I can say is that you are normal and there is no shame in feeling the way you do. I used to think I was some sort of freak but having looked on MN and on the net, there are so many of us like this.
I would like to get to a point where I can comfortably sit in a restaurant, coffee shop, wait in a queue etc without feeling the need to leg it, but I've tried therapy and hypnosis and whilst the hypnotherapy helped, I am not cured. I'm not sure I'll ever be cured but to take my meds and feel somewhat normal is a great help!!
My sympathies to fellow sufferers. Tis a nightmare. I too have ongoing anxiety issues currently not too bad and ibs.
Firstly, I'd say it's essential to go to your GP. You need assessing to ensure there's not an underlying medical condition such as coeliac causing these problems. Simple blood tests can give an idea about these. There are ibs medications that work well - you usually take them regularly about 30 minutes before meals to stop spasms. I also find eating probiotics very effective in regulating my motions. If no medical cause is found, try keeping a food diary. Some people have sensitivities caused by certain foods. For me, it's wheat but it's worth looking to see if there's a pattern. Other culprits include lactose but different things affect different people.
Fwiw I agree antidepressants can be really effective used appropriately. I think you become dependent if you never get to the route of your anxiety, but you've taken the first step by recognising the problem and getting the counselling. You'll probably find them helpful as you start to have counselling and feel ready to step down from them after a period of time.
I hope that helps and makes sense. Sorry if I've rambled at bit, I'm on rather a lot of morphine at the moment
I hope you feel better soon.
Don't panic about the colonoscopy prep. You will need to confine yourself to the upstairs of your house while it's working it's way through you and stock up on glossy sleb magazines to take your mind off it but once it's done it's done and the actual procedure is fine as they'll drug you up to the eyeballs. I did my prep on a Thursday and was very sick on the friday morning and nearly keeled over (low blood pressure too) but the hospital rushed me through on a wheelchair when they saw a very pale, woozy lady come into the waiting room.
I'm being checked out for 'IBS'. I had a colonoscopy (all clear) last year and so far this year I've had an endoscopy (too much bile in my stomach but nothing too bad) and a CT scan. Plus blood tests and stool samples (all clear, strong as an ox).
I go to the loo about 4 times a day (and have done for a long time), it's making me miserable as the kids run riot while I'm in there, mum has to come round every day to help with the school / nursery run and I'm always rushing to make up for the lost time in the bathroom. It effects my working hours too as I daren't work too early in the day as I wouldn't be at my desk, just in the loo. I lose so much time to IBS .
It did dawn on me that it really kicked in when I stopped the pill (dianette) and was ok when I was pregnant. So I might try going back on the pill again and see if it helps. So far it makes no difference what I eat or what supplements I take.
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I too suffer with health anxiety and IBS. Having a bit of a flare up of the IBS at the moment and when in pain it's hard to keep the thoughts of something more serious at bay.
I've suffered with HA for the last 10 years, during that time I've suffered with horrendous panic attacks, been on ADs (Citalopram really worked for me), had counselling and CBT. CBT really worked. I've learned to manage the anxiety over years (although sometimes better than others). I generally try not to read articles about health (especially life threatening diseases), I've stopped watching programmes such as Casualty and Holby City (I would then think I was dying of everything featured on the programmes!), you get the picture.
At worst I was convinced I was going to die and even said goodbye to my DC (they were asleep thankfully). At the moment I'm just about managing to stave of the panic attacks. I just try to remember what the CBT taught me.....when I think I'm about to have a PA I just stop and think have I felt like this before....yes, did it kill me.........no.
It's hard because it takes over your life but OP I can tell you don't want to feel like this anymore so keep fighting and you'll get there 
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