This keeps happening to me

[froggie44]

I wasn't sure where to post this so posting here for traffic.

For many years now I have suffered with anxiety that tends to come and go. Ironically during periods of my life when things are settled and calm it tends to be the worst. When I have genuine issues and troubles I seem to function better.

My anxiety manifests in the form of panic attacks which create a very physical reaction in that I need a loo pretty urgently. It's classic fight or flight - body senses perceived danger so tries to 'empty itself' for want of a better phrase so it can run away quickly. Because this has happened to me before I now get super anxious travelling anywhere new and I absolutely won't go anywhere without toilets (had to pass up a hiking trip with friends recently for this exact reason).

So in half term I've been taking dc places and trying to branch out and challenge myself a bit. On three separate occasions I had to find a loo really quickly and I did need to go, it wasn't like I was imagining it. Before finding a loo I got seriously panicky and started sweating and dry retching which was really distressing. Because this has happened to me three times in the space of a week I feel like I'm going to be petrified of going anywhere now. It's really impacting where I can go and what I can do.

In the past I've tried cbt which didn't work at all. I had a stint on citalopram which helped a bit but masked the issue rather than solved it. I just don't know what to do now. Is anxiety related IBS a thing? Because I never get like this when I'm somewhere 'safe' like at home or work or somewhere where toilets are easily accessible.

I would start by visiting the GP. They could help. Also, have you considered having a portable toilet in the boot of the car in case of emergencies?

It might be worth asking a GP to try you on Propanalol? It's really good for easing the physical effects of anxiety so might help with the rushing to the loo (It helped me). And maybe taking an immodium before you go out?

I have IBS and anxiety can definitely be a trigger yes. You do need to see your GP to rule out other causes but if it is IBS there are meds that can help. I take Buscopan which works well for me and means I can go out without worrying about emergency dashes to the loo.

The thing is I don't have IBS symptoms unless I'm in unfamiliar situations that trigger the anxiety. I don't have issues with it at home or work for example.

I had a similar issue some years ago where I had awful toilet anxiety and the further I was from a toilet the more urgently I felt I needed to go. I ended up wearing a pull-up in those sort of situations as I felt like knowing if I had an accident it wouldn’t matter so much and that nobody would know removed the anxiety. I never actually used it, it was just the knowledge it was there that seemed to help reduce the anxiety and it also gave me the confidence to realise that I wasn’t going to have an accident and over time I stopped needing it anymore. It’s not an issue anymore although I couldn’t say exactly how I got over it, it just diminished over time.

For many years now I have suffered with anxiety that tends to come and go. Ironically during periods of my life when things are settled and calm it tends to be the worst. When I have genuine issues and troubles I seem to function better.

The other thing I mean to mention, this struck a cord with me. I have an IBD (as opposed to IBS) and it is always, without exception, during periods of calm that it flares up. I am generally an anxious person and I tend to be OK physically during periods of bad stress, yet once the adrenalin leaves that's when I have a flare up. So a GP may want to test for IBD.

I had the same problem. Dr prescribed me a low dose of citalopram which massivley helped and within about 5 weeks the physical symptoms had completely disappeared. I then worked on managing my anxiety and came off the medicine about a year later. That was about 4 years ago and I've had no bowel related anxiety since.

If I can avoid medication I'd like to. I did a year or so on citalopram and while it did help me to feel stronger in some ways, I had a lot of side effects that weren't great. I have a young baby now (came off the medication when pregnant) and I don't want that foggy headed, aloof feeling again if I can help it.

But I do need to find a way to get control of this. Even something as simple as taking my son to a rugby match sets me off and then I end up embarrassing and worrying him too. I feel awful. I used to be able to hop on buses or trains, visit new places, go walking for miles without a second thought. Now I won't do any of those things. I'm not sure what triggered it but it's awful.