Can stress really cause all of these gut issues?

[Bluespecs]

I've never had a robust digestive system and have struggled with IBS for almost 30 years since my mid twenties following on from a period of stress at that time. I suppose stress does go straight to my gut. I suffer with upper (acid, dreadful daily nausea, pain, bloating) and lower (excessive gurgling, gas, pain, diarrhoea/constipation, urgency).

However, over the last 6 years it's been truly dreadful and despite many invasive tests via the hospital and trying endless self help including low fodmap diets, avoiding known triggers, taking various medications and supplements, exercising, gut directed hypnotherapy, listening to the Calm app daily, yoga etc etc etc, I am getting worse and not better in any way.

But I have also been under quite a bit of stress these last 6 years. I help care for my mum who has Alzheimer's, breast cancer and osteoporosis. It's relentless watching a loved one suffer like this and even with carers in just simply watching my mum fade away from this awful disease is beyond heartbreaking. Anticipatory grief really is a thing!

All has become so much worse over the last 10 days as mum had an awful fall in the garden and has fractured her neck. She has been in hospital since then and I visit every other day with my poor worn out dad (dsis does the other day).

My guts are in an awful state now. Constant nausea, a feeling as though a bowling ball is wedged in my stomach, gurgling, excessive movement, urgency etc. No matter how much relaxation I try I just can not get my digestive system into a calm and relaxed place.

It really is driving me insane and I swing from telling myself that it's stress to then stressing more as I then convince myself I have something very serious going on.

I honestly don't know how to control this. None of the strategies I've gained over the last 30 years are helping anymore. I don't know what to do.

100% stress can cause this.

A friend of mine was part of a trial
He has PTSD from time in the forces and this expert has been following forces personnel with PTSD and gastro issues...like significant gastro issues. Absolute evidence of the link.

My dd has suffered a lot of stress in the last two years and is suffering from all the things you mention. Her weight has plummeted.

There is indeed a link with stress. I think one of the problems is some medics talk about it being nothing to worry about (i.e. not life threatening) or "just" IBS and patients feel dismissed and belittled because for them it is not "just" anything ... it is misery.
There is lots of research around the "gut brain" which is immensely complex and I believe that one day it will all be much better understood and future generations will have better treatments available and be taken more seriously.
In the meantime you are heard by me OP and I am sorry for what you are going through

If your gp would give you a beta blocker or antidepressant it may help.

beta blockers did for me. I couldn’t believe it worked tbh. After a decade of issues suddenly i could eat normally.

I hope your mum is ok. Getting old sucks. As does watching our loved ones. ❤️

My husband has IBS, its normally not too bad. He can eat pretty much most things he likes and sometimes gets a bit of bloating etc. His symptons are normally alot worse when he is stressed. He uses Trebor extra strong mints to help with it as when he was younger, he was prescribed peppermint capsules to take but he found the mints really help. He has them everywhere and will never leave the house without them.

I hope your Mum is ok and things start to get a bit easier.

Thank you everyone, that's our my mind at ease a little. I think my poor stressed out brain isn't in the right place for rational thinking right now and I've been getting myself in a right state.

ExitPursuedByABare I'm sorry your DD is struggling atm, I hope things get better for her. I've lost weight too, it's hard to eat well when your digestive system is in such turmoil.

RentalWoesNotFun I've tried several antidepressants over the years which made things worse but I've never been offered beta blockers, I'll make a GP appointment this week and ask about them.

I take Colpermin mint capsules, for me they do stop the diarrhoea but nothing else. I love a trebor mint. I'll get some tomorrow, thanks for the tip.

Yes i think that's what I'm dealing with too.. pretty much the same symptoms as you. Don't actually have anything stressful going on in my life, just my anxiety playing up more and antidepressants have started to become less effective. It just stresses me out more though because I'm emetophobic 🙈

You’ve got an immense amount on your plate. I’ve been there myself so I really feel for you.
I also have experienced similar impact on my gut, digestive system/ IBS.
It’s very very likely linked. Esp. Given the recent developments with your DM health.
I also found Peri Menopause hit me at a similar time.. and that played a part too.. not sure how old you are? But all my friends in their 40’s are experiencing a lot more or new issues with their digestive systems.

Yes, stress can absolutely cause this. It's because stress triggers the flight or fight response, so your body shuts down all unnecessary functions in order to put maximum energy into either fighting or running for your life. This includes the digestive system.

The problem is, humans evolved for the fight or flight mechanism to be very temporary, in the face of imminent danger. When we're chronically stressed, we get chronic digestive problems and inflammation, and the problems are cumulative, because the gut microbiome is damaged.

It’s very likely that this is stress related, if my experience is anything to go by. Last year I had an insanely stressful period of time at work (six months or so) which brought on the worst gastro problems I’ve ever had. I lost two stone, I ended up being put on the 2 week pathway for gastroscopy, MRIs, had loads of other tests and stuff. When I eventually begged the gp for something to help with my plummeting mood, they started me on mirtazapine and beta blockers. They told me it’d take 10-14 days to start to feel any effect. Literally 14 days on the dot later, I woke up feeling relatively normal (was waking up with intense nausea and diarrhoea at 4 or 5am each morning). It’s all been under control ever since, even though the actual stressful work situation is still ongoing. To me, that says that all of the gastro symptoms were related to stress. I really feel for you, you’ve got so much on your plate right now, and struggling with your own physical symptoms must be so hard on top of all that. Hopefully you manage to find something to help with it. Keep your head up.

Yes stress and anxiety can totally cause this level of gut disruption. During periods of bad anxiety in my life I have basically become housebound over it. As soon as I stepped outside my stomach would play up and I’d immediately need the toilet and then I’d panic if I wasn’t near one and the cycle continued. Thankfully it’s a lot more controlled now but I was always amazed at the clear link between the brain and gut and how severe the physical symptoms can be.

If you can get a handle on your stress (easier said than done I know) then I bet you’d see improvements with your digestive system.

I had chronic fatigue that left me bed bound. I believe that and IBS (as well as other illnesses) have the same root cause. I feel for you, being chronically ill with medicine failing to help is awful. I did the Lightning Process and have fully recovered, back at work, children, live a full life. It all sounds a bit culty when you google it but essentially the theory is the symptoms are very physiologically real, but triggered by the unconscious brain rather than pathology in the body. To be very clear as it’s frustratingly misunderstood - nothing here is saying you are responsible for your symptoms, or ‘making up’ symptoms, it’s the unconscious brain so nothing to do with consciousness. A cheaper option which helped me is a book by Alan Gordon ‘the way out’. It’s about chronic pain so you just need to replace that with IBS when you read

I think menopause and stress ruined my stomach.
It recovered during lockdown when I wasn't rushing around. Didn't have a moment of pain for a whole year. Came back in the first month of going back to the office.

I'm 52 and have been struggling with peri since I was 45. Things have definitely been worse since then. Unfortunately, several stressful things occurred at the same time I went into perimenopause so it feels as though I've been battered and blindsided from all angles.

I feel for you, I suffer from emetophobia too.

Good to hear you are so much better. I need to try something, this is driving me to distraction, it's completely controlling my life.

Perimenopause certainly isn't helping me either. It's all hit me at once and I suppose my digestive system is my weak spot?

Think I’m dealing with the same right now. Sometimes I don’t even realised how stressed I’ve been/am until it hits and I have diarrhoea every morning and an uneasy feeling in stomach. It generally lasts about 6 weeks until it settles.

You need to look into herbal remedies now that medication isn't working.
-yoga gets rid of stored emotions. There are also certain poses that will help for gut issues
-https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vedic-Digestive-Supplement-Indigestion-Peppermint/dp/B0DSYF6BV1. I'd recommend these tablets
-avoid eating upfs
-dont use fragrance, air fresheners etc
-don't cook with non stick
-drink fennel tea, it really helps my gastritis

That's how I am, I really feel in my head that I am dealing well with the stress but my digestive system tells me otherwise.

Tbh, I do most of those things and more.

I take peppermint oil capsules, I drink digestive ease tea (which contains fennel), I take digestive enzymes, I am very sensitive to artificial fragrances etc so don't have anything like that in the house (accept for natural essential oils), I practise yoga, gut directed hypnotherapy and listen to the Calm app every day but the outside stresses of my life just overrule all the good I try.