Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:14 pm
Hi joanlee, I've had every test done you can have done looking for the reason for my stomachaches all have come back good. I've come to the conclusion that's it's all a vicious(cycle and I'm sticking to the program. It's stress and anxiety and I'm in week 2 and it has really started to help me understand I'm causing this myself. Hope this helps.
Originally posted by joanlee:
I have made a few posts on this site, and I would just like to ask anyone if getting rid of the anxiety will get rid of the IBS. Lucinda talks about the fact that she used to have IBS, but I don't know what her current condition is. Obviously she has cured her anxiety, but I'm wondering about the stomach problems. I was never an anxious person at all until I had an accident at work, and had to soak my pants in the bathroom sink and run out to my care and go home. The experience scarred me so badly that I became almost agorophobic. I couldn't ride in a car with anyone, or stand in line, get a haircut, etc. I went to every doctor I could think of, including shrinks, but all they do is prescribe meds. I've had 3 colonoscopies, gone to a naturopath, GI docs, etc. I am getting better, but my problem is I can't figure out whether I have a physical problem or if it's all in my head. A few times I have had accidents (bouts of explosive diarrhea) just completely out of the blue, which I really don't get. Even at home. So in that respect, I feel it's physical, and I take cholestyramine, which has helped tremendously. I used to get diarrhea only in the morning, and especially after eating, especially fatty foods. Even today, when I go out, I have to locate a bathroom before I can relax, and if I 'loiter', like look at greeting cards, etc. I almost always have to go. If I have to wait anywhere, like the doctor's office, I have to go. Does the anxiety cause the diarrhea?? What's the deal? Does thinking about it make me have panic attacks? My hands shake, my mouth gets dry, and I can actually make myself get diarrhea just from being upset. The program seems to be helping a little bit, but a lot of it doesn't apply to me, since I was never like this before the initial attack. I never had a problem being around people, and actually used to teach computer classes at a community college, so had overcome my fear of public speaking! Thru this whole thing, I have made myself face this, and I've held down jobs (miraculously), sat thru interviews (even though once I had to leave to go to the bathroom 3 times). I even had to get up in the middle of my yearly pap smear!! I used to be so bad I couldn't even go out of town with my husband for the weekend. I am so embarrassed and disgusted with this condition, that I've tried to act like it isn't there, because I don't want to think about it, and don't want to dwell on it! I'm totally confused. I wish I could figure out whether the stomach problems cause the anxiety, or the anxiety causes the stomach problems. I can't even come up with a humorous scenario to replace my obsessive thoughts. For the life of me. When people say, what's the worst that can happen? and that it's never as bad as the anxiety, Well, I know what it is, and the fear is real. I'm not imagining anything.