Don't know if physically ill or just mental illness anymore

[isolate34]

I don't even know what I expect from posting here, I just feel like I am going crazy. Long history of depression and anxiety, on and off meds etc etc. Becoming a parent increased this anxiety and depression at times as its been tough juggling full time work and being a single parent but overall I'm doing okay and keeping things afloat.

I have vague symptoms that come and go over the past few months and I can't help feeling something is wrong with me medically, but whenever I have approached my gp they seem to be putting it all down to stress and I just don't know whether to just accept it or not.

Symptoms are, suddenly looser bowel movements up to 6 times a day. My usual is about twice a week so a big difference. Itching skin all over and easy bruising. And just generally feeling achy and tired.

I doubt anyone can help but just trying incase

Always, always, always have the physical side checked out. Loose bowel movements and itching might be linked to stress, bruising isn't. You need to insist on tests I'm afraid.

They need to be doing tests for your bowel issues. That’s a big change and shouldn’t be put down to anxiety. I was fobbed off with anxiety for 18 months when actually I had Addisons disease (rare but they should have picked up on it) which is fatal if untreated. Doctors etc are too quick to put everything down to mental health. At the very least they need to be doing blood tests, FIT test and examining you properly.

I do have underactive thyroid along with another autoimmune condition so I'm wondering if it's something autoimmune but again I've tried asking the question and all I've had is a diabetes test and cholesterol?! I understand my mental health conditions need to be considered but honestly I feel like having that flag on my record just makes me not taken seriously and I always have to try and fight for tests etc, it was the same with endometriosis I had to fight for 7 years to be diagnosed. I'm just tired of feeling like a freak show as if I'm making this shit up, like thank god I can work from home as I've been running back and forth to toilet multiple times with urgency daily for months now. They've changed my antidepressants to see if that helps 🤷 thank you for your responses though I will try and push for investigation.

I was about to say check your thyroid! Mental health conditions are linked to underactive thyroid, if you don't know, e.g. depression, anxiety. Do you have up to date thyroid labs, just in case something has changed there? It's possible to swing to an overactive thyroid if you have Hashimoto's (and back again to underactive).

Edit: I've just googled bruising and itching and yes they can happen with an overactive thyroid, as can loose bowel motions. So my first port of call, if I were you, is getting full thyroid labs done.

Loose stools and itchy skin can be caused by anxiety and stress, never heard of easy bruising being from mental health but definitely heard of easy bruising being a side effect of some SSRI's, if you've changed meds recently and can link it up with that?

Regardless of those facts, physical symptoms should always be checked out by a GP before ruling as psychosomatic causes. With the stools I'd be asking for a FIT test and Calprotectin test, both stool samples and easily done via GP no referral necessary so no reason why they should refuse! I'd also ask for a full blood screening for all deficiencies, liver/kidney functions, blood count etc.