Does anyone else suffer from poor mental health AND terrible gut issues? It’s a vicious cycle.

[Iloveautumncolours]

I know the two often go hand in hand but I am struggling so much with anxiety, panic and depression. I also have daily digestive issues.
I have suffered with various anxiety disorders since a small child but the digestive issues hit at 25 and have never eased, in fact, at 50 they are the worse they have ever been and the combination of poor mental health and daily (often all day) gut issues are literally destroying my life.
I have had endless GP and gastroenterology appointments. Lots of tests but everything comes back as IBS.
However, despite being super careful with my diet, following an IBS diet, taking IBS meds, avoiding my triggers, drinking only water, walking an hour every day, listening to hypnotherapy every single day etc, I just can not get anything under control. I am under it’s control rather than the other way around.
Antidepressants exacerbated my gut issues and gave me diarrhoea (which I have a huge fear of) so I end up feeling worse taking these (tried Sertraline and Citalopram). Gp got annoyed with me when I stopped taking them and said I have to except it will upset my tummy but she has no concept of how bad my digestion is and how much of a fear it is for me.
This exacerbates my anxiety, my panic disorder and my ocd thoughts. This in turn and the fact that I feel so controlled by by gut issues makes me so very depressed and feel like it’s not worth even trying to feel like going on. I just want to stay in bed every day. I feel like I am moving through life in concrete boots, it’s a miserable way to go on.
Obviously, I am aware the more I stress then the likelihood of having a worsening of my digestive issues is high but I can not break the cycle no matter what effort I put in.
I am exhausted an don’t know what to do anymore.
Has anyone else had poor mental health and gut issues? How in earth do I get a grip on any of this?

Should add that I have also had many sessions of CBT, counselling, hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.

Have you tried cutting stuff out of your diet to see what affects your gut biome? I’m sure you’ve tried this but that would be my suggestion. I’ve had the same combo of symptoms to you and am a similar age, and the last couple of years I’ve managed to massively reduce all mind and gut symptoms this way.

To be honest I think what you need is to get your depression/anxiety under control. There is a lot of evidence about the link between the gut and the brain so your issues are not surprising.
I would recommend going to see a psychiatrist (privately as the waiting lists are dreadful and if you can afford it.) Psychiatrists know much more about medication and how it can be prescribed to help both issues.
I would also recommend reading about meditation and taking it up along with yoga. Both of these practices work on the nervous system to calm it down.
The following books are very useful:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Meditation-Change-Your-Brain/dp/0241975697/ref=sr_1_1?crid=E7ZCSRQPNXR2&keywords=meditation+science+book&qid=1681126742&sprefix=meditation+science+book%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1

and

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strong-Calm-Free-meditation-mindful/dp/147297977X/ref=sr_1_9?crid=34KV5NGW6IAOL&keywords=Yoga+book&qid=1681126938&s=books&sprefix=yoga+book%2Cstripbooks%2C72&sr=1-9

You have really worked SO hard! Since you have tried everything on offer I would slso suggest trying to eliminate something from your diet. My DH suffered from IBS for decades, I personally attributed it to his harsh mother, but a year ago he eliminated gluten and to a large extent the IBS vanished.

I have IBS, ADHD & Bipolar.

I've seen the biggest single change when adding beta blockers combined with a real cut back on white bread & dairy.

Oatmilk products & sourdough seem easier on gut.

I'm on other meds for above things but over many years these 2 things had the most impact.

Yes and yes. Propranolol, a beta blocker, will definitely help with the 'anxious tummy' physical symptoms and recommend probiotics too. But long term it's the anxiety that really needs treated, although you have obviously been taking a lot of steps to try and deal with that.

Chat135456 I do follow the low fodmap diet which is an elimination diet, I also avoid my known triggers but just not sure what else, food wise, may be causing it.
IrisAtwood thank you for those recommendations I will check them out. Tbh, I have wanted to see a psychiatrist since a young age but always palmed off by GPs. I have been lucky to have been referred by my gastroenterologist to see a psychiatrist at a London hospital. I have been on a 2 year wait and have been told I should be seen sometime this year 🤞 Sadly, I just can’t afford to see someone privately but at least I am nearer to seeing him.
Thank you pikkumyy77 I do follow the low fodmap diet, avoid my triggers which include dairy and gluten but I just can not seem to pin point any other offenders. I keep trying though.
Thank you NurseCranesRolodex I do avoid dairy and gluten but haven’t tried beta blockers. My gp wouldn’t prescribe them because I have low blood pressure but at 112/70 I think that’s low normal so maybe I should ask another GP? I am willing to try anything at this point in my life.

namchangeanxious I will definitely ask about beta blockers, as I mention above the last GP I asked said my blood pressure of 112/70 was too low and beta blockers may lower it even more but I am desperate to try something.

Have you ever tried EMDR? I have IBS stomach ulcers (stress not H pylori bacteria caused). I’ve just tried EMDR for cPTSD and whilst I can’t say I’m struggle-free, it has helped massively.

Sorry to say propanalol hasn't helped my digestive issues, but mine are not diarrhoea. They are massive daily bloating and pain plus bad acid reflux. I avoid cruciferous veg. I do take antidepressants but gastroenterologist said my issues are probably caused by taking medication!

ParkrunPlodder I did EMDR with the psychologist I saw, she recommended it because my first IBS ‘attack’ happened out of the blue at work 25 years ago, she felt this left me with a kind of PTSD-like issues over the shock of it but it was during Covid lockdown so done via Zoom, it didn’t really help much if I am honest even though she herself, was a wonderful therapist but I wonder if face to face may be more beneficial. Did you do your EMDR face to face?

Snapfel I feel your pain there with the symptoms as I suffer from those aswell. I also have functional dyspepsia and have daily nausea and acid. My friend takes beta blockers for a heart issue but also has IBS-d, sadly the meds don’t help her diarrhoea either. I would love to try a different antidepressants as I literally feel,I am going crazy at times but they are notorious for causing gut issues. It’s like trading off one issue for another.

Yes this really is a thing. I've stopped getting palpitations since being on sertraline and I feel so much better in myself. My gut issues have remained but I have learnt how to manage them. I've done the Tim Spector gut heath nutrition thing which has been enlightening for me. I've discovered I have a lot of bad bacteria in my gut (although good gut health overall) and poor blood fat (I actually have fantastic cholesterol). I've worked out that fat is what causes me problems - I only eat good fats in the first place. I've started on a probiotic and looking at my results have been able to work out which one should help me. I think it will take time for me and have yet another gastro referal.

I asked my GP for all of my test results for the last few years and was able to identify areas they'd failed me in and have been retested for things and onto various vitamins to rectify.

Next thing is for me to get a test for parasites although I think I might have sibo or fat malabsorption. I'm awaiting stool test results.

Don't look to the Doctor for answers - you need to involve them but ultimately they seem to skim over the basics and just want to prescribe generically with this sort of thing (take ppis, gaviscon, antibiotics etc). Get researching and identify tests you might need to work out what's going on. After the amount of research I've done I'm starting to think that IBS is a generic catch all for things they can't easily identify.

I feel your pain, for me it's only been 2 years and that's bad enough. I can't imagine how this must be impacting you.

Medical cannabis. The oils are great for gut issues and it is generally very helpful for anxiety and depression
Available on prescription privately so you would have to pay for it.

MaverickSnoopy I am totally with you on this. I believe IBS is just a sticking plaster diagnosis. Yes, I do have anxiety I will never deny that although I believe my anxiety just exacerbates my gut issues and they are two separate conditions, I am sure even if I were anxiety free I would still have some kind of problem in this area.. I truly believe that something is/has caused my guts to react the way they do but just can not fathom what that is and like with your experiences, I am getting nowhere fast with my GP. I have paid privately for a fully comprehensive stool test, the results of which should be back in the next week or so. I will keep looking for a reason for this, something must have triggered my digestive system to react the way it does. I was fine until 22nd July 1998!! That was literally the day it all went shit shaped!! I was fine until that day. Someone, somewhere must be able to help me identify why that was and why it continues?

thesootherfairy I have had this recommended before. Where do you get it from and how expensive is it?

I have ADHD and am lactose intolerant.Amotoxine? (a non stimulant ADHD med) has calmed my racing thoughts and the anxiety I experienced. Since then I have realised I am lactose intolerant and removing dairy from my diet has done wonders for my gut and energy levels.

I hope you manage to get to the root cause of your issues. Good luck.

h3ll0o I believe I am lactose intolerant or maybe even dairy? I used to be able to consume it fine then all of a sudden it would make me very poorly. I haven’t touched it for nearly 18 years.