Ibs sufferers. Have you ever had a flare up because of severe emotional stress?

[3bundlesofjoy]

Just went through a really horrific bout of stress and was very emotional. Had 2 panic attacks (hyperventilating) and went to a&e for checkups as heart rate was through the roof. The stressful period lasted for 2 days. I have previously been diagnosed with anxiety, so really struggle when in a stressful situation.
All those symptoms have settled now, but on the day the stress started, my bowels started growling and I felt like I was bloating up with water in my intestines, that night I had horrendous cramps and diarrhoea. Cut a long story short, I am now on day 4 of diarrhoea. I have Ibs, but my symptoms are not this bad. Usually I am constipated for a few days followed by a bout of diarrhoea and then the cycle repeats. Currently I’ve just got non stop diarrhoea. The minute I eat something the rumbling and cramps start.
if you suffer with Ibs can you confirm that the extreme stress and emotional distress can be a trigger sometimes? Also any advice how to reduce the loo trips?

I think I know this is an Ibs flare up, but just wanted to hear if anyone else found that emotional stress can also be a trigger for a flare. In the past it was usually dairy or spicy foods that made me go into a flare.m, never anxiety or stress

My anxiety always effects my gut. So yes. This week I had a bad panic attack and the main lingering symptoms once I got it under control was gut problems for 24 hours.

Without a doubt yes!!!!

Hope you feel better soon xx

Stress is without a doubt the number one cause for flare ups :(

I had a 2 week flare up when my mum died. It was horrific.

I don’t have IBS but stress and anxiety really affect my gut. I am coming to the end of over 4 months of house buying hell.
My heart rate is elevated most of the time, I have palpitations, my hair is thinning, my sleep is shit and I’ve not had a solid poop for over a week. These are all stress related and will pass.

100% yes!
diet and stress affect my IBS

I've been under a fair amount of stress for the last year, and have had pretty constant digestion issues for the same amount of time. Everything else has been ruled out so yes, I'm putting my IBS down to stress.

I'd say stress is the number one cause of my flare ups so yes.

Yes of course. That’s normal, surely? I don’t understand the number of people on here who think it’s only caused by food intolerance.

Same here. In fact, I notice it more when I’m stressed or anxious about something than I do when I eat things I know cause me issues.

Thanks for responses. So, it is highly likely the stress has triggered the flare up. day 4 and still no relief. Any tips for the diarrhoea to settle quicker?

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection

Absolutely OP. The brain and gut are so closely linked, and I definitely find my stomach affected when I am anxious or stressed.

Yep. The more anxious I am the worse my stomach health. It was so bad the year I was diagnosed with my stomach issues I ended up in hospital and the only person who even thought to ask about whether I was stressed or not was one of the new junior doctors...the female locum GP I saw (who was a large part of the reason I didn't get the tests I needed) sneerily smirkingly dismissed me when I told her my symptoms, and a different male GP just said airily the condition was "very common" in "young women of my age" (subtext: just learn to live with it, you silly little girl, it'll all be fine when you've had a baby or two). It wasn't until the walk in centre helped me (they still existed then) that the correct wheels got put in motion...

Just to add, I live with a nurse - current suggestion when the diarrhoea hits is to eat a few marshmallows. (No, Spinning, I didn't mean the whole packet....) :)

I absolutely believe that stress can trigger flare ups of IBS. It has happened to me.

My IBS flares up with anxiety. I find 15mg of codeine (prescribed for something else) helps matters.

Yes definitely stress and anxiety affects my gut too.

Have you heard of gut directed hypnotherapy OP? It's included as a treatment option in the NICE guidelines along with medical treatments and psychological counselling etc. Could be worth a look. I did something similar for an anxiety treatment and it unexpectedly helped my IBS type symptoms too

https://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/articles/irritable-bowel-syndrome.html#howdoyoutreatibs

Have a read of Gabor Mate’s ‘When the Body Says No’. It doesn’t give solutions but explains why this happens.

Absolutely! Horrendous pain and many trips to the loo...
My go to remedies: hot water bottle, paracetamol, peppermint tea and eating really plain food for a few days. For really bad diarrhoea Immodium or similar.

@cokezero26 thanks for the link. Really want to learn more about the brain and gut link. I realised I’ve been waking up with a nervous stomach every morning recently. Like that butterfly feeling. I don’t even know why that’s started to happen. It’s involuntary I think.
@Scousemousey I’ve read on another forum that codeine helps to slow the diarrhoea down. What strength codeine works? I have the over counter ones with paracetamol in them. Was thinking of taking them to help with the cramps and pain anyway.
@Spinningjenny23 marshmallows? More than happy to try that! Never heard that being suggested before. Thank you.

I’ve actually never tried Imodium before. My sister once took it for food poisoning (Egypt) and she said it made her worse. But I guess food poisoning diarrhoea and ibs diarrhoea are different

I'm now diagnosed with IBD but had IBS most of my life and it was all stress related. Stress was always the cause of my flare ups and they're hard to get under control once it flares. So give it a few more days and hopefully it will calm down, be careful not to dehydrate and if it goes on too long give the GP a call.

@3bundlesofjoy I guess not everything will work for everybody, eg your sister and Immodium. IBS is certainly different for everyone and usually involves a lot of trial and error to establish your own triggers and works to help.
I do hope you feel better soon!

I'm the same OP, my stress and ibs are directly linked and I've also been diagnosed with anxiety a 5 years ago. I went through a very traumatic experience in 2012 (I was diagnosed with ptsd ) and that is when my ibs began, though I had it under control using buscopan until I had my dc, after that it was uncontrollable (I wouldn't take any buscopan while breastfeeding and when I stopped bf and started buscopan again it didn't work anymore).
Over the years I saw various Dr's, had tests such as coeliac etc which came back normal but it got to the point I was panicking the minute I put my shoes on to leave the house. The first Dr I saw said it was normal to be incontinent for a year after birth and agreed that I shouldn't take any medication while bf and suggested just not eating or drinking anything while out, which was exhausting and unsustainable long term. There was one time where I almost had an accident on the busiest street in the city, I just made it to a supermarket toilet with seconds to spare, that kicked my panic in to overdrive.
When I went back to work I was constantly on edge, always panicking that I needed the toilet and rushing to the toilet just in case and it was my manager that recognised I had anxiety (his wife was the same) and when I went to a new GP she was so understanding and couldn't believe I'd been living with so much stress for so long, it had become my normal. She prescribed propranolol (beta blocker) and that was incredible, I still take now if I feel I'm starting to panic. Another GP when reading my notes described my condition as "trauma related ibs".
I also took antidepressants for a year and had cbt therapy about 5 years ago now. The therapist was lovely and she said that when I was panicking my body was going in to fight or flight mode, and in flight mode my body was trying to make itself lighter to flee faster hence the urgent need for the toilet. She also said I should do something nice for myself so I bought a bike (I cycled a lot before dc) and cycled to work, it was amazing for me as I used to have panic attacks on the train every day. I would cycle no matter the weather and got really fit and I'd cut out that first triggers, the busy train, the queue to get out the station, having to pay to use the station loo every morning (even when I didn't actually need it). I told myself if I needed to abandon the bike and run for the toilet that would be fine but as soon as i was on the bike the need for the toilet stopped, so I do think for me, it was the mental stress leading to the physical symptoms. She helped me recognise it was anxiety that was ruling my life and my ibs was a symptom of that. I now wfh but try to go to the gym a few times a week and I really notice when I don't go.
I know now that this is how I react to stress so beta blockers are in my bag just incase. I also always carry imodium instants, I was given a leaflet years ago from one of the GP's, which recommend taking imodium short term for ibs flare ups if needed though this was 5 years ago so I'm not sure if that is current advice.
Are you getting help with your anxiety?
Also could you speak to your GP practice and ask for a GP with knowledge of ibs and anxiety and I'd also recommended the cbt, I felt it made a difference at the time (I'm not a medical professional obviously).
Do you have support from friends and family just now?
I hope you get the help you need soon OP, I know how debilitating it can be.