Panic Disorder + IBS/Digestive Problems?

[LittleBonJoviGirl]

(Note: I've posted this thread in the Stress/Anxiety and Panic Disorder Forums as well, so if it looks familiar - it is! Just looking for more feedback and help!)

Oh boy - after reading through the majority of these posts, it's such a RELIEF to know that I'm not alone here. So many times, during my bouts with panic and anxiety, I feel like an alien, especially in my college lecture halls where I seem to be the only one losing my mind because of panic while everyone else is calm and cool as a cucumber. Argh.
I have been battling with GAD for about four years; however, the SEVERE panic that I had always dreaded but (thankfully) never experienced decided to spring upon me last October. I'm a junior in college, so of course, I have my fair share of stress (more than most, I'd say), but one day, in my Linguistics class, out of the blue, my stomach began to churn. And make noises. This was SO embarrassing because it's a small class (12 people) and during certain parts of the session, it's silent while we do writing exercises (I've now come to dread those).

Anyways, my stomach would NOT STOP churning. As gross as this sounds, I felt like I needed to make an extreme rush to the bathroom because of the Big D (diarrhea). Unfortunately, there are no rest rooms in that building, so I felt like I had no escape. Suddenly, the worst panic attack of my LIFE began. My heart felt like it was trapped inside of my neck, I was sweating, heart palpitating, couldn't breathe, and almost dug a gaping hole into my thumb with my pen to try to relieve the stress and the churning stomach. About 45 minutes into that Hell, I told the professor I had to leave. Thankfully, she was nice and let me go.
I cried all the way home - what just happened? Was it a simple flu virus or was it a panic attack? Did one bring on the other?

I thought it was a one-time occurrence. I thought wrong. The same thing happened in another class of mine. And again, I had to walk out. SO humiliating! I began to dread each class, each day, and each minute. My doctor put me back on Xanax (.5 mg/2 times a day) and at the beginning, it helped. Now, it seems I've become immune to it. No relief whatsoever.

I've begun abusing Immodium to the point where I know it's not healthy. I only eat foods that can be digested fairly easily, as I'm DEATHLY afraid of the "Big D/Panic Attack" to happen again. I've come very, very close to leaving lecture halls again, but try to breathe myself through it and take the Xanax in advance. Still, I dread each day. Each minute spent in a classroom is like an eternity in Dante's Tenth Circle of Hell.

Please, someone tell me that I'm not the only one. I really do feel like I'm losing my mind.

Please pray for me, and thank you for reading!

It sounds very much like a panic attack and that your stress and anxiety generally are making your stomach bad and causing you problems. Sounds like you have IBS.

Unfortunately, due to the mind/gut link all your stomach problems will be worse until you can get your anxiety under control. When under stress, the brain releases certain chemicals that also have a direct effect on the smooth muscle tissue and the peristaltic action of the gut, which is why you get your gurgling stomach and the urgent need to open your bowels and have diarrhea. Palpitations, sweating, not being able to breathe and an upset stomach are all symptoms of a panic attack rather than flu, and the fact that these keep happening are more indicative of panic attacks rather than stomach flu.

Can you remember when these first began? How long ago and can you remember feeling like this or having an upset stomach as a reaction to any event that may have happened some time ago? It may seem daft, but all these are linked and if you have an inability to deal with a problem on a mental and emotional level, then your body will produce and give you physical symptoms in an effort to force you to deal with them.

I would suggest that you see a counsellor or therapist or someone that you can talk to about this. Going to see you doc is ok, but does he have time to talk to you rather than just giving you meds to try and deal with the anxiety in the short term? These are meds that even you say are not as effective now? You need to get your doc to refer you to a therapist as until you can get to the bottom of what is causing your panic attacks, they will probably only get worse and not better. It is better to find and treat the cause rather than the symptoms, as you have a better chance of cure that way than the other way.

Hope this helps?

[suzyshop1]

Sometimes having IBS can bring on a panic attack because your thinking that you might not be able to make it to the bathroom if you have to go.Or sometimes a panic attack can effect your IBS if you have that.I know this because ive suffered from both.Hope this helps.

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[Mary Beth]

As we all have come to know IBS can certainly be stress related. My son who is 16 also has IBS and can relate to some of your horror stories of being in class and needing to use a bathroom. Frequently, none were available or they were locked. We have since been to a pediatric gastro doctor and he has been very helpful. Being on a mild antidepressant can help the stress as well as calm the colon. Along with this and some other medications he seldom has the stress of worrying about finding a bathroom at the worst times. It is time to find a good doctor and treat all the symptoms.

I have to say that I strongly disagree with you. By treating the SYMPTOMS of a problem you will never solve it because this is just paliative at best. To solve something you have to find the CAUSE and if you find and treat the cause you will be able to resolve the problem for good.

Your son is very young to have IBS at 16. When did this first start and can you link it start to any specific event or trauma? If you can and you can deal with this, then your sons problems might resolve.

Rather than an MD I would suggest that you go and see an ND. They will give you more time and can help you more naturally rather than having to fill your body with chemicals that more often than not have unwanted side effects.