Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Symptom Of Ibs With Constipation

Question:
IBS is what really started my agoraphobia and IBS is hindering my recovery. I was wondering if anyone else has IBS and how you deal with getting out and having an episode hit. How would you, or do you deal with the mental pressure of this? It's just all too embarrassing for me. If I'm brave enough to venture out and this pain hits my belly, I go into sheer panic. I can't work on my panic due to the IBS.

Answer:
If you have an anxiety disorder and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you definitely are not alone. According to researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina, 50% - 90% of people seeking treatment for IBS have one or more psychiatric conditions, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 1 In another study at the same university, 36% of study participants with IBS also had PTSD. 2 In a SUNY Health Science Center study, 46.3% of participants with panic disorder also had IBS. 3 Right now, you may be experiencing the symptoms of IBS and not even realize that there is a name for your problem. Perhaps you've been diagnosed with IBS and do not know what to do about it. Another possibility is that you are having symptoms, and other causes (such as your medications) have not been ruled out. The following answers to questions about IBS may help you begin understanding this condition. A. A simple definition provided by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), states that IBS is a common disorder of the intestines that leads to crampy pain, gassiness, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. People with IBS may experience constipation - difficult or infrequent bowel movements; diarrhea - frequent loose stools, often with an urgent need to move the bowels; or both. People with IBS may also experience the urge to move the bowels but be unable to do so. Severity of the symptoms of IBS vary. Some people have mild IBS while others may be disabled by it. Q. What causes IBS? A. Theories about the causes of IBS can vary as widely as theories about anxiety disorders. Researchers have had a difficult time finding a physiological cause for IBS, so stress has often been stated as the cause. However, doctors now believe that stress may worsen IBS but not cause it. Instead, researchers have found that the colon muscle of a person with IBS is more sensitive than for people without IBS. This sensitivity causes strong reactions to stimuli that would not bother people without IBS. Medications, certain foods, alcohol and caffeine have all been found to aggravate IBS. Researchers have also noted that women have more IBS symptoms during menstruation, suggesting that hormones may play a role. Most recently, researchers have found that a bacteria in the intestines may be the cause of IBS. Does anyone else have trouble with controlling their bowels on a regular basis? Mine go into spasm, and, whether or not I've already visited the bathroom, I will need to go again with about 10 seconds warning if I'm in a panicky situation - such as queuing in a store or bank or being trapped in the car. Sometimes I don't make it. Horrible but true. Q. What should I do if I think I have IBS? A. You should talk to your doctor as soon as possible. You need not continue suffering because there are a variety of treatments available. Additionally, if you have an anxiety disorder, the two conditions can aggravate each other, particularly if you already have a phobia of going out or going to social functions. The symptoms of IBS may be symptoms of other conditions, so your doctor will need to run some tests to rule out the other problems. You should let the doctor know about all medications you are on, in case your symptoms are a possible side effect of your medications. If you are seeing a separate doctor or psychiatrist for your psychiatric medications, you should let him or her know about your symptoms as well. IBS is not so rare and it can be controlled by medicine. I know because before I was diagnosed, I tried to keep track of where the rest rooms were and certainly watched what I ate. Sometimes I would just have unbearable pain in my gut that would not go away. Finally, my doctor got me to a gastrointestinal MD. He doubled my dose of Librax. For anxiety I had been taking Buspar. I still am somewhat careful what I eat and try to drink lots of water. Q. How is IBS treated? A. The most common treatments for IBS include dietary changes, stress relief, and medication. Some people also look to alternative medicine for solutions. I recommend About Guide Amber J. Tresca's Irritable Bowel Syndrome 101: Treatments and the Future for more information about IBS treatments. http://ibscrohns.about.com/library/weekly/aa051100b.htm It's OK to say, I'll be right back, I have to go to the bathroom. I found that when I said this, sometimes it relieved the pressure and I wouldn't have to go anymore. Another thing, the more we worry about what if, the more our stomachs are going to tighten up and the worse it will be for us. So, usually (I'm not perfect yet), I can say, OK, my stomach hurts, but I'm going anyhow. Q. What special steps should I take if I have an anxiety disorder and IBS? A. Thankfully, some of the treatment methods for IBS are also methods that may help you with your anxiety disorder. Eliminating alcohol and caffeine has been shown to help anxiety disorders, and the healthy diet people with IBS usually follow may be beneficial as well. Stress relief techniques such as relaxation should be a part of most people's anxiety recovery programs. Lifestyle changes such as exercise have also been shown to help psychiatric disorders. One area where you should proceed with caution is with medications. If you are prescribed medication for IBS, you should be sure that all health professionals involved know all medications you're taking and that it is OK to take them together. You should ask if any of your current medications may be causing your symptoms (for example, some antidepressants can cause constipation - you may not have IBS after all; it may be a side effect of your medication). If IBS is aggravating your anxiety disorder, particularly for people with phobias, it is important to discuss these issues with your health providers and therapist. Perhaps your agoraphobia has, all this time, really been a fear of being away from home and far from a restroom. Perhaps your social anxiety has been an embarrassment of running to the bathroom in front of people. If your phobias haven't been caused by your IBS, though, they may certainly be aggravated by it. Will you be able to practice desensitization (slowly exposing yourself to feared situations) if you're having the physical symptoms of IBS? These kinds of questions should be discussed with your health providers and a well-rounded treatment plan should be designed. http://panicdisorder.about.com/library/weekly/aa031501a.htm That fits me to a T.  I got anxiety after I had IBS for a long time. The IBS is why I had to stop teaching, since our class periods were 90 minutes, and I was constantly running to the bathroom.  I loved teaching, was very good at it, and hated to give it up, but I just couldn't keep leaving the classroom.  Since I was a choral teacher, I would sometimes have over a hundred kids in my care in one 90 minute period, and the liability of leaving them unsupervised wore me down.