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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Anxiety IBS

20 replies

Samben100 · 23/11/2021 10:59

Hi all,
I'm at my wit's end and thought I would ask whether anyone else's teenager has suffered a similar problem and if so what you did to help them.
My son is 15 and is super confident, good at school and has lots of friends and hobbies. A few months ago, he started to get diarrhoea when he was in school. Soon, he would get it whenever he was out of the house. He now worries so much about needing the toilet that he gets chronic diarrhoea when he leaves home. (Apart from a few safe places - friend's house, music lesson, gym!)
He has had blood tests and stool tests which have come back normal. We are waiting to see a consultant for further help. It is not diet related as he can eat anything when he's at home, and only has a problem when he leaves the house.
He has been seeing a hypnotherapist for two weeks but is not showing any improvement yet. He has been off school for weeks now.
He is not being bullied and has not suffered any traumatic experiences.
If anyone has had any similar issues with their teens, I would love to hear from you.

OP posts:
OatyFlapjacks · 29/11/2021 21:52

Hi @Samben100, I was hoping someone would reply with some advice as we are in a similar situation with our 14yo ds. Have you seen any improvement yet?

His diarrhoea started after Covid so we were hoping it was going to clear up but it’s been going on for a couple of months now. Mostly in the morning which makes it a bit more manageable. He’s had blood tests which haven’t shown anything but we’re going for more blood tests in a couple of weeks.

He’s been going to school, they have been really supportive and when ds is not feeling well he can just leave a lesson and go and sit in the pastoral room. They are trying not to make a big deal out of it so no toilet passes or anything.

We had also come to the conclusion that it was stress IBS.

Hope your ds starts to feel better soon

Samben101 · 30/11/2021 12:00

Thanks for they reply. I was certain we couldn't be the only family going through this. We haven't seen any improvement yet.
Funny you should mention Covid - he did have it in the summer but we think this started just before so we're not linking the two. It started quite gradually but suddenly got worse and he can barely leave the house now.
We are trying hypnotherapy, and if that doesn't work, I we will try CBT but there doesn't seem to be a quick fix.
Hope you manage to find a solution.

OatyFlapjacks · 30/11/2021 19:12

That’s interesting because our ds did have a very slight issue before Covid. But it’s post Covid when it has really affected him.

Samben101 · 30/11/2021 19:21

How strange - about the post covid similarity! Let me know if you are able to find a solution. I feel really stuck at the moment and don't know what to do next to help him.

OatyFlapjacks · 30/11/2021 20:54

Have you tried probiotics? We’ve stocked up today to see if that helps at all

Treeballarae · 30/11/2021 21:57

My IBS started when I was a teen and I would have diarrhoea every morning before leaving for school and I got into a real vicious cycle of anxiety - diarrhoea - more anxiety.

What worked for me was

  1. listening to progressive muscular relaxation every day, sometimes twice a day! You can probably find tracks on you tube, back in my day you had to buy it on CD. Has the hypnotherapist given a track to listen to between sessions, definitely stick with the hypnotherapy if you can as that is ones of he treatments the NHS offers for IBS.
  1. I carried a "shit kit" round with me, change of underwear, Imodium, wipes in case I had an accident. The fact I carried it made my anxiety less as I knew I was prepared if he worst did happen.
  1. I ate a really plain diet if I knew I was going to have to leave the house the next day, drank lots of plain hot water.
  1. Walked after every meal, that kept my digestion settled, reduced bloating and worked off the adrenaline from the anxiety.

It must be a terrifying time for young people at the moment given the 24 months we've all had so it's no wonder they are so anxious about leaving the house. I hope the diarrhoea settles down soon.

Samben101 · 07/12/2021 12:06

Hi @OatyFlapjacks - a spoke to a gut health specialist and she recommended probiotics so will be getting some of those.
In the meantime, the hypnotherapy does seem to be having a positive effect. We've seen a small improvement over the last four weeks and the therapist did say he thought it would take about eight weeks, so I've just booked another four weeks. We're also on a waiting list forCBT starting in the new year. Fingers crossed!

Samben101 · 07/12/2021 12:11

Hi @Treeballarae,
Thanks you so much for sharing your experience.
He does have a relaxation track to listen to - from the hypnotherapist. your advice on diet is very useful too - thank you!
I'm hearing of more and more teens with this issue. There was a programme on Radio 4 last week which a friend told me about - I'm trying to find it to listen back to - but apparently it was all about teens IBS/Anxiety. It's good to know that he's not alone.
I really appreciate your advice - thanks for sharing it with me.

LapinR0se · 07/12/2021 12:13

This is called toilet phobia and is amazingly common. You have GOT to deal with it or you can end up with long term agoraphobia.
What worked for me was
1 Imodium every day
Antidepressants
CBT
I had to do all 3 of these things in combination for a year to get over it. But it is possible.

Samben101 · 11/12/2021 12:15

Hi @LapinR0se,
Thanks for your message. I'm hearing more and more about this and, as you say, it is far more common than I had realised.
He tried Imodium but they don't have any effect whatsoever.
I thought the doctor might have suggested antidepressants but he didn't and I was relieved as I don't think they are good for kids his age. As an adult, I would take them if I needed, but I don't think they're great for teens. I am trying CBT though, I've got his name on a waiting list to start early next year with a therapist who has helped young people with these issues before, so I'm really hoping this will be the answer.

LapinR0se · 11/12/2021 12:40

What dose of Imodium did he try?

Samben101 · 11/12/2021 17:17

The doctor said he could take up to six a day but he stopped after taking five with no effect.

LapinR0se · 11/12/2021 22:10

So he took 5 Imodium and still had severe diarrhoea or the feeling that the diarrhoea would happen?

Samben101 · 14/12/2021 19:09

@LapinR0se
Yes. The Imodium worked at first but over time they stopped working. They just had no effect whatsoever.

LapinR0se · 14/12/2021 19:11

Ok. Honestly it’s a severe anxiety response and I would say treating the anxiety is the most important thing.

Samben101 · 16/12/2021 16:09

Thanks - I think that's right. He's just had his sixth hypnotherapy session and it is having a small impact. He'll be having CBT in January and I've reached the conclusion that this is the only way we can tackle it.

ForAFriend123 · 16/12/2021 18:16

My 16yo DS also has anxiety IBS. It started about 5 years ago and was tied in with his issues at school. Somedays he'd be on the loo for hours.
Similarly he tied Imodium which didn't help a great deal and was then referred to a psychologist. Hospital tests ruled out a physical cause.

He is better now although any rise in anxiety levels automatically triggers diarrhoea. The positive side is that at least he knows why it happens and when to expect a bout

Samben101 · 17/12/2021 09:39

So glad to hear that your son got better. That gives me hope! It sounds very similar as tests have ruled out a physical cause, which is a relief, so I'm hoping the therapy will eventually work, even though it seems to be taking a long time.

LapinR0se · 17/12/2021 10:48

CBT will help a lot provided they are experts in treating this. Can you just check with them that they have experience with toilet phobia specifically

Samben101 · 21/12/2021 18:11

Yes - the therapist says he has - so feeling hopeful.

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