Two week stomach upset

[takethegirloutofwales]

Morning. First let me say I have terrible anxiety but the last couple of weeks have been stressful for a number of reasons and I’ve got a bit of bog standard anxiety too. Two weeks ago I ate dinner and straight after rushed to the loo. I had an evening. Where I needed to go three or four times - initially explosive episodes - text book diarrhea Then it calmed down and became more loose stools. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been waking up with a sense of impending doom, and within half an hour of getting up, I’m dashing to the loo and having very loose stools. Then I’ve been ok for the rest of the day - hadn’t really given a second thought to it, eating as normal etc. Then I started a couple of days ago thinking about it, wondering , dr googling, and now I’ve skipped ibs or bacterial infection and gone straight to bowel cancer. I appreciate it could also be a nervous stomach as I am currently spending all day every day with my stomach in nervous knots. Since yesterday I’ve had to go a few times in the day too - perhaps because now the anxiety is heightened. I don’t know. Thinking I should probably call the dr next week but if only I could calm the anxiety down then I’d know if that was the cause or not. I’m a mess so forgive the rambling.

I have this and it’s IBS. Started when I was under a lot of stress.

My logic brain tells me that’s what it is. My stress is around selling our home to a developer - and making a big move from London to wales. There’s been lots of u certainty, negotiations, tensions with the other two owners (we are three flats in one house). But we’ve finally got there. Now waiting to sign paperwork with developers etc but it’s all really stressful and with two kids who are going to be uprooted too, I’m really anxious. So makes sense these symptoms developed. Only now I’m stressing about the symptoms AND the house stuff. At what point should
I see a dr? Perhaps the anxiety needs addressing as much as the stomach issues. I just find it so weird how it came on so suddenly after that one meal and hasn’t settled down since

I had this and it was IBS too. Weirdly it was also while I was in the middle of a big house move. I went to my GP and he prescribed me some peppermint capsules three times a day.
At first I was really ‘WTF’, but they worked.

Hello, I had something similar a few years ago, mine was definitely stress-related.

I had to move away for a job that I found very stressful, I was constantly anxious and had a bad stomach. Every time I went back to my parents house for a break it miraculously calmed down.

I thought maybe it was the different water, I cut out gluten, I cut out dairy... but I think it really was just anxiety.

Would it have ever crossed your mind it could be bowel cancer? A year ago my friend died of it. She’d been complaining of issues for so long (not a close friend so don’t know the details) but was finally diagnosed stage 4 when her bowel perforated. So I’m always scared about anything that ‘could’ be something and being misdiagnosed. My Nan died of oesophageal cancer after being misdiagnosed with reflux...it’s things like this from the last couple of years that have really affected me. I never used to be anxious about anything.

The dr will run a blood test when they suspect IBS to rule anything else out, give them a call. It’ll put your mind at rest.

I’ve had a terrible day - convinced myself I have bowel cancer because that’s how shit health anxiety is. So one way or another I’m off to the gp on Monday because I can’t deal with feeling like this. I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster and I can’t get off. I’m not engaging with work, the kids or my husband other than smiling and feigning interest. I need to get the doctor to take a look at me - perhaps at my bowels but definitely my head.

Takethegirloutofwales it’s not surprising you have health anxiety if you had those previous tragic experiences. Add stress and a stomach bug can give you that horrible feeling of being convinced it’s something serious. I know because I suffer from health anxiety myself. But you are doing the right thing in seeing the doctor on Monday, for your peace of mind if nothing else.

Hope you got on ok at your gp appointment

I had a phone appointment and got prescribed some ibs meds. Mentioned anxiety several times but the doc I spoke to didn’t really focus on that. My HA is totally
Spiralling as I’m not familiar enough with ibs and always thought it caused pain - and I don’t have any pain.

Have you had ibs before? I would have thought your dr should have listened to you mentioning the anxiety as that can cause bowel issues.

I have had ibs in the past with no pain just the running to the toilet after eating.