Travelling/toilet anxiety

[Ineedtheloo]

I suffer with anxiety related to travelling and not being near a toilet, which to be honest is really affecting me now. I'm pretty sure I know what triggered it - a bus trip when I was at college and I really needed the toilet. I've been suffering with it for quite some time but it seems to be getting progressively worse. I did see my GP a number of years ago, who prescribed Citlopram, it seemed to get better so I came off it.

I have tried to just get on with it but I have a 'routine' before I leave the house, which involves trying to go to the toilet numerous times, so I know I have an empty bladder/bowels. I have a 30 minute commute to work, sometimes I'm ok but other times I get so worked up in the car - shaky, stomach churning, panicky that I'm going to have an accident. For some reason it's worse in the morning.

My commute from a weeks time is going to involve a bus trip too and I'm working myself up already about this. I think it's the fact that there will be others around on the bus - so if something did happen they would all see.

I'm trying to rationalise it but I can't seem to. It's come to the point where I limit fluid intake because I'm so worried.

Does anyone have any experience of this or can offer any wise words? I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and see the GP again but I'm so embarrassed by it all.

Thank you and sorry it's so long.

I don't have that particular anxiety, but I can sympathise as I know how debilitating it can be. I think going back to the GP is a good plan. Could you ask for a referral for something like CBT as well, to help you deal with how you manage those thoughts?

The rituals before leaving the house are quite similar to OCD rituals. The doc will have seen and heard things like this before, so try not to feel ashamed or embarrassed.

Echo, this could probably be treated very effectively with CBT, so please speak to your GP. I don't think your fears are that unusual, as they are the type of thoughts that cross many people's minds, but the way they are impacting on your life suggests that they need to be brought under control

I totally get this. I travel in developing countries for work and it's a NIGHTMARE trying to find somewhere to pee when you're in a rainforest/village/crappy guesthouse.

All I can suggest is recognising it as a problem, CBT (definitely!), and working through it using experiments - eg only going to the loo once in the morning when you're going somewhere easy, and proving to yourself that it'll be ok...

I have exactly the same issue. I can make myself go to the loo at any time and need to go several times before I leave the house. Wherever I am I need to know where a toilet can be found. It's a bloody nightmare. I'm pretty sure I'm dehydrated a lot of the time as I also limit fluid intake.

I have this problem too. I know where every McDonalds is on my way home from work. Knowing there are options really helps me.