Just wondering how many of you suffer from anxiousness and nervousness? Do you think IBS cause you to be anxious or anxiety caused IBS?

Before my IBS-D took over my life, I was not anxious or nervous about anything. I would jump out of bed every day, happy and ready to start my day. Have to drive to an airport at 7am? No problem. Start a 9 hour car trip at 2am? No problem! Be in a crowd of people with no toilet in sight? No problem! Take a romantic walk on a beach? Travel by airplane? Go out to a nice dinner? Take a rowboat out on a lake? Did it all without a second thought.

Now... the thought of having to leave a safe area (translation: available toilet) makes me nuts. And if it happens unexpecedly, my stomach literally immediately 'melts'. For instance, my dad was rushed to the hospital last week and as soon as I found out, I barely had time to make it to the toilet. And yes, of course I was worried about my dad, but my stomach reacted because I knew that I had to get in the car and get to the hospital.

I've tried anxiety meds but had such a bad reaction to them that I hope I never have to go on them.

So, yeah, IBS definately caused my anxiety!

:angel:

I got a booklet from my doctor this week and anxiety is a symptom of IBS along with nausea, loss of appitite, depression, backache, urinary problems (frequency), bloating or swollen abdomen, audiable grumbling or gurgling,excess wind or gas, anxiety, fatigue, dizziness, muscle pain and indigestion.

:wave: That's a tough one! Whilst I do agree with Seabell that anxiety comes after IBS (as a result of worrying about making it to the loo etc), my IBS started as a result of a nervous breakdown - I had severe anxiety!! - this led to what I guess was the start of my main symptoms. However, I've always been a bit of a worrier but always come across as out-going, bubbly and fun. If ever I had to do anything that I didn't want to do or something that made me nervous (like, maybe getting up to sing on karaoke), my stomach would have a fit and I'd be in the loo for ten minutes just in anticipation of getting up to sing!

So, in my case, I found that my anxiety and stress led to IBS and then worrying about IBS made it worse! X

My own personal point of view, I don't personally think stress or anxiety can cause IBS but personally I find it can't half give you hell if you are suffering with it.

I have had IBS for about 18 months or so now, such a short time compared to some people that I read about, I think the trigger for me was a bout of gastroentoritis. Now I am suffering the IBS great one someone somewhere don't like me, anyhow back to the topic my own experiences of IBS with anxiety if I am anxious or nervous about something as I said above it can play absolute havoc with it, and I then find myself in a vicious circle because I have the anxiety of what ever the problem is on top of that comes the anxiety about the IBS kicking off, so for me I get a double dose of it, lovely huh!! I do sometimes think I am the only one that goes through it like this, I am sure I am not but it don't half feel like it sometimes.

Stress can cause IBS. My IBS is a direct result of anxiety problems. I have had every test under the sun to confirm this. It started during a really stressful period of my life.

Exactly when mine started too, stress and also following a bout of gastroenteritis, do you think stress can actually CAUSE IBS then, i know it can cause it to flare, but do you really think it is a cause?? I'm just firing random questions left right and centre there i know but well it is worth asking to get other peoples views!!

I guess, if stress is a cause, or can be a cause then how comes when the stress goes the IBS dont go with it?? I know impossible to say but still maybe someone knows the answer :confused:

Hi- I have always been a nervous person and worry wart.... I have had alot of stress for the last few years and last year I had a melt down(nice word) -anyways I had been having stomach problems etc for awhile and was dx'd with IBS- my doctor told me it is another syndrome that comes with your severe anxiety- along with FMS, CFS and all the so called hard to diagnose so they call it something above.

I notice food highly affects the IBS- so I just try and keep what I can eat and can't and some of what I shouldn't eat, I know I will pay later but the holidays I eat everything I can and of course pay later....

Bless you all

I know for a fact stress caused me to suffer from ibs, i had a really bad childhood and went through a lot of stress, i recall passing out in the playground at school, i think i was about 7. that was my first experience of ibs

ever since i have suffered from migraines and ibs, headaches have been sorted vis hypnosis, however the ibs is still there, im lucky in the fact that i don't have it all the time, and now i know if i have been upset 2 days later i shall be in for it! i dunno why the time delay, but i know my own body, i also get a woozy feeling when i have ibs, best way to explain it is that my feaces suddenly turns bad and it makes me ill, i have to get rid of it, then i feel a lot better.

when stressed the bowel can go into spasm and this causes problems, i can't stop getting stressed and upset about things thats just me, but im learning to deal with it and making adjustments in my life to try and steer clear of stress.

hoping this helps!
:wave:

You are not alone! I too find that anxiety and IBS are related in a vicious cycle. When my symptoms are at their worst, the anxiety increase and then my IBS symptoms increase. It's hard to break the cycle! The only way I can 'talk myself down' is to keep reminding myself that all my insides have been looked at in one way or another and there is nothing life threatening going on. My worst fear - when I'm feeling horrible - is that the doctors have missed something (like cancer) and I'm well on my way to meet Jesus for something that may have been treatable.
Good luck!

Yes! My IBS started years ago after several years of a highly stressful job. Just before I finally quit that job, I was in the bathroom every 20 mins! I am not exaggerating. My IBS has not been nearly that bad since I quit that job. I quit that job 3 years ago and what I suffer with now doesn't compare to being in the bathroom every 20 mins. Now it seems mostly to be triggered by certain foods and caffine. Once you get IBS it is here to stay so that is why it doesn't go away when the stress does.

I think I was born with IBS. As a baby I suffered from colic. Then as a pre-teen when I was examined by a doctor for something else, he mentioned that he heard a lot of gas in my stomach. It didn't seem to bother me all that much until I was in my thirties. I underwent all the tests, gave up dairy products, etc. with no change to speak of. Now at age 62 it's still a problem. Recently I've experienced more severe bloating, etc. Just had a colonoscopy to rule out internal problems.

I have IBS-c, and the only time I have a really good bm is when I'm nervous about something. In that way, anxiety is good for me, but I have always noticed that stress made the other IBS symptoms worse. One doctor told me that some people have IBS while others have headaches. Nobody can say for sure what came first. Some people may be pre-disposed to having it, but it takes some stress to activate it.

From what I can determine and I've had three of my doctors tell me this, is that the stress at work with a female co-worker (I'm male) everyday over a long period of time brought my IBS to the surface. My PCP said IBS isn't caused by stress or anxiety, but it exasperates the situation. I've had diarrhea and what is called dumping syndrome for years. It began after having stomach surgery years before. My current situation is much worse and I got this way from the IBS being brought to the surface (so to speak) with my personality problems with lady I worked with daily.

I am now on Social Security Disability, because I can't work from the pain and diarrhea from IBS. I have days that are almost normal, but I also have days that there is no way I could go to work. Due to missed work and a lung surgery (not related to other medical problems) which I still have neuropathic chestwall pain from, my employer suggested that disability might be best. My doctor concurred, so I had a fairly good case and was approved on the first attempt for SSD.

It's my opinion, from personal experience, that anxiety and stress do not cause IBS, but they sure make it alot worse.