IBS and Axiety- something interesting I just learned
#295829 - 01/09/07 07:32 PM
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Tinkerbelle
Reged: 04/17/05
Posts: 231
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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Hello!
I was talking to my therapist yesterday, and he was saying that in the animal kingdom, scientists can tell when an animal has been nervous because they can follow a trail of bowel movements to the animal. It sounded a little more eloquent when he said it, but you get the point...
In any case, this has been proven true for me in my life as well. I have much less anxiety than I have had in a long time right now, and my digestion is doing pretty well. I still kinda alternate from D (I am mainly a D) to C, but on a whole I am pretty stable.
It's exciting because I feel like I have figured out what works and doesn't work for me. I was so overwhelmed when I began writing on this board, it was like I didn't understand my body at all, and had no clue what to put into it. I also was being a hypochondriac and thought I had other things wrong with me other than IBS....
But time has shown me that I have a tummy that is sensitive to emotions, too much fat, too much grease, and pretty much anything fried or cooked in oil. I do great with cheese, but can't really tolerate ice cream or soy. Also, too much animal flesh is not good for me currently, but fish is great...
But really the main thing for me as been anxiety and stress.... time has shown me that the more emotions I am going through, the more my tum does all kinds of weird yukky things. It just makes so much sense. The digestive system is so sensitive, and notoriously effected by emotions ("I can feel it in my gut," etc)... and it is the first thing to go out of whack under stress... I mean other people get headaches, neckaches, etc.... but us on this board get tummy aches...
For me it has been important to figure out what is out of balance in my life, what is causing me anxiety. Anxiety also runs in my family so it's either genetic or learned (too complex an issue to get into here).... but whatever the cause, I have it and am very prone to it. So I have to be careful about the things, people and choices I surround myself with in my life. All of it effects everything. It cannot be seperated.
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Thanks for your post!
Can I ask, do you take any meds for your anxiety?
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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Thank you for your post. You hit the nail on the head for me, and said it so eloquently.
Snookie, IBS-C
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Snookie, IBS-C
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I take Clonopin to sleep (.25 milagram).... sometimes every night, sometimes three nights a week. I don't know if that helps me at all the next day, like if it stays in my system or not.... other than that, I took Lexapro for four months to get out of the most extreme part of my anxiety. It REALLY helped me. I was down to 90 lbs and really in a bad state... now I'm a stable 106 and that's great for me. I've been off of the Lexapro for 1 year now.
I am in great therapy. I am also a counseling student in a Masters program... so I am learning about myself and my anxiety every day and trying my best to manage it myself. But it is hard and sometimes I get really overwhelmed. It has been recomended to me that I get back on Lexapro, but I am detereminded to help my anxiety in more natural ways.
What about you, are you on any meds?
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Hi. I was on Lexapro for almost a year and I'm thinking of starting it up again due to anxiety and some depression. The doctor had given me some Clonopin to take if needed in the meantime while I was awaiting the Lexapro to "kick in." I still have some left. I don't recall the mg. but I know that it says to take 1/2 pill over an 8 hour period. I have really used it sparingly...taken it for two different plane flights and then two different panic attacks over the last year. However, I really wish I could take something like that more often!! The Lexapro helped as an "overall" type of anxiety reduction, but the Clonopin was great for just "calming me" during situational panic atatcks. I have avoided taking it b/c I figure it's addictive. What do you know about that? I am going to try the Lexapro and then go back to the doctor. Part of me would rather have something like Clonopin instead of a daily AD since my IBS is so often related to stress and certain activities. Please give me your input. (I was only taking 5mg of Lexapro...the minimum I think.) THanks.
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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Hi there...
Well, the reason my doctor told me to get back on Lexapro is because she said if I was taking Clonopin every other day, I might as well take something every day that would prevent me from getting a panic attack or anxiety... These medications are very tricky, if you ask me, and should be thought about A LOT more than the doctors make it seem like. Doctors give them to us like candy and don't inform us about what a big deal it is to put these things into our system.
I have been greatly helped by both Clonopin and Lexapro, and I believe that they are both incredible tools for people who are struggling with psychological issues. However, both have negative side effects that should not be overlooked. Clonopin is addictive, and Lexapro has some effects when you are getting off of it. These things should not stop someone from taking either of them, in my opinion, if the things you are suffering from before taking them make it worth it (I, for instance, had lost like 15 lbs and was not sleeping- much more dangerous to my body than the side effects that occur). So it's a very personal decision whether or not to take either of these drugs.
Clonopin will help you in the moment, whereas Lexapro will help you overall and significantly reduce the probability that you will have a panic attack or anxiety. So generally they work for the same thing, however Lexapro takes longer to work but then evens you out.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions.
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((hugs))))
#295846 - 01/10/07 01:21 AM
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seggy
Reged: 04/24/06
Posts: 255
Loc: North East of England, UK
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thanks Tinkerbelle I was just about to post a topic on this so you've really encouraged me. The past few days I've been soo anxious and it's such an awful feeling. In the new year I took a double dose of a med and had to go to A&E think they call it ER there in the states but anyhow I was sent home saying it was an ok dose, since then though I've been obsessing about having a heartattack, and I'm certain I'm bringing on symptoms like heartburn and my neck has started aching just since I read that it was a symptom of a heartattack it's crazy and soo annoying. I have OCD so I must be prone to this.
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Thanks, for posting this I have been struggling with the decision of takin AD'S / Anti anxiety meds.
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Yes...more questions!  Ironically I wound up taking a Clonopin this morning b/c I was having a panic attack about an activity I had to attend with my toddler. (It was such a trivial activity...of course I feel so ridiculous), buy anyhow, I was doing pretty well, feeling confident, and even offering newbies suggestions on this board! But my mind really has so much control over me and I have had this set back. I took 2 preventative immodium last night but I got so worked up this morning that I wound up having a bm anyway. That's it...just one..so I shouldn't have been worried, right? But my mind started running away with me thinking, "how did that bm sneak through after the immodium (plus the acacia and safe breakfast)? I had stomach pain which I know I was causing myself. Anyhow, in despair, I took the Clonopin and made it through the event. You explained the two perfectly: clonopin for situations, lexapro for overall, but would Lexapro really have helped me to ward off this panic attack this morning had I been on it for awhile? Maybe I would need a higher dose? How much do you take? I imagine that if I had Clonopin readily available, I would probably use it twice/week, depending on what's going on in my life that week. I guess I have to weigh the side effects, long term effects of both (in other words, better to be at a higher dose of lexapro long term or better to take clonopin as needed 2-3 times/week?)  Oh...I need to go back to my doctor! I'm doing the hypno and I'm so disappointed that the stress freaked me out so much today. Thanks for any advice you can offer. 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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Hi there Line....
I think you mentioned you were on 5 mg of Lexapro? In any case, I am a very little lady (I was 90 lbs at the time) and I was on 10 mg... 5 helped to an extent but 10 REALLY helped. And yes, it prevented those panic attacks from occuring as frequently. I wish I kept a journal of that time because I can't remember all the sepcifics, like if I even had panic attacks at all. But I can so relate to you... I will write the story of what happened to me last night here so you can see what I'm talking about...
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It seems that every time I post here acting like I know what I'm talking about and have my IBS under control, I get an attack!
So yesterday, I fell asleep around 8 and woke up at like 10.... My stomach was bothering me so I ate a little applesauce that I warmed up, thinking it might help. I also had a really bad headache and my period. So I was trying to sleep, and at about 1:30 am I started to feel really naseous and like I was going to throw up. i was getting hot and cold chills (does that ever happen to anyone?) so I was like, maybe i'm really sick, maybe I have the stomach flu! I had taken some clonopin so I was also kinda out of it... and out of fear, I took 2 Pepto Bismal and 2 Antacids!! I still went to the bathroom about 3 times, and thankfully did not throw up. I have a huge phobia of throwing up, and I just wanted to get through the night without that happening.
I wrote to my friend online and he calmed me down. I fell alseep around 3 or so, woke up at 9:30 and I feel pretty good today. But man, it's like, what was that? Was that all created by fear? I doubt applesauce could do all that to me, considering I eat it freqently. I am going to see an accupuncturist today to talk about it and get a treatment. I don't like taking all those drugs. I think they are just a mask for a much deeper problem... Namely anxiety. I also know that taking weird naps at strange hours of the day messes up my body and sometimes my digestion too... so who knows!
Just wanted to share that with ya'll... good not to get too caucky and think we have our bodies figured out.. we can control them, understand them to an extent, but there is still a lot of mystery associated with them no matter which way you swing it! Same goes for our minds and spirits... beautiful and confusing.
Oh one more thing... my friend was supporting me by having me send love to my body and remembering the gifts it provides me with. He had me send smiles to the parts that were hurting. Also, I was thinking about how the pain I have experienced has allowed me to be the healer that I am... a "wounded healer." if I had no pain in my body, I would probably be a total superficial party animal. But the struggles I have gone through have made me a much deeper woman, and a human who has experienced life on a pretty full spectrum. Just wanted to throw that out there!
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Tinkerbelle
#295971 - 01/10/07 05:35 PM
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line415
Reged: 09/09/06
Posts: 976
Loc: New Jersey
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So sorry to hear about your bout with whatever that was. You know, I often have so many other symptoms that I'm never sure are IBS related (ie., the nausea, the chills, the fatigue). My family used to think I was a hypochondriac too. On occassion something like that will happen to me too. What did you eat earlier that day? Anything unusual before the applesauce? And yes, I think sleep patterns play a role too b/c I had never really thought about IBS getting worse from lack of sleep until I found this site, however, I always knew that I would be nauseous if I didn't get a good night's sleep (verified by the constant nausea I had during the early months of my babies' lives up all night  ). Perhaps you did just have a small stomach bug. Sand once replied to me when I had a night of d and chills after eating out that us IBSers and our friends/spouses/whoever could eat the same thing and we would get sick but they wouldn't b/c our bodies are so sensitive.
Also as a side note, I officially have microscopic colitis too and I was so violently ill this past summer for about 4 days passed out literally in bed with burning fever/then chills/d/couldn't even move. Turns out it was a virus but the doc. said she would put me on antibiotic anyhow b/c the colitis makes it harder for my body to fight things off or I tend to get the "minor" illnesses more severely than someone else. I thought that was interesting. Not sure how much science is behind it but it would fit the picture of my life.
Well, I sidetracked. Anyhow, I made an appointment with my doctor tomorrow (not the usual one that I love but a female who the nurse said is easy to talk to)...I'm going to present the whole thing including Heather's diet, etc. to her and see what she says about the Lexapro and Clonopin. I am relatively small too...about 115 pounds...not sure if that impacts on the mg. of meds but perhaps going up to 10 might help me. Thanks for your input. I'll keep you posted and feel better. 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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I almost always get chills with attacks of D (or the quasi-D I now get afterbeing on the diet and acacia), and I think there are other here that do, too.
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-Carol
IBS-A
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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i used to get them randomly every mobth or two, and it would be in the middle of the night with the extreme nausea, i would go sit on the toilet and take off my clothes because i was so hot sweating , yet i had the chills, dumping a glass of watre over my head helped, then i would massage my stomach until about an hour later i would finally have a good bowel movement, then i would be pale and start to return to normal temperature, go back to sleep and wake up feeling tired but ok. the worst part ids the nausea that feels so real you are litteraly sitting near the toilet ready to go and i have a phobia of throwing up so it would make me sooo nervous. I sometimes would take a gravol, which is dramamine in the states. it is an anti emetal and anti nauseant, also helps you go to sleep after the attack.
i don't seem to get the attacks anymore, ecept if i eat something weird or really fatty.
You are not alone.
I tried every natural methos imaginable trying to stay off AD's as i hate them, butth eonly thing that lets me control my anxirty and ocd and stomach are the meds, sadly, it is a chemical issue, not a weakness issue, don't feel bad if you need them, it took me 2 long miserable years to come to that conclusion.
Bonnie
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Miso, I'm not sure if your response was to me or someone else in the thread but good to note that this should be thought of as a chemical thing and not a weakness. That's what I'm thinking..like you who wasted two years avoiding it, I may be avoiding it and wasting valuable time in my life. I just started doing yoga and I'm still doing the hypno. I went to a dinner party last night (15 people there  at the restaurant). I took just one immodium and ate super safely but felt like I had to "go" all day and even while there. I wasn't really that anxious though (it's so hard to say when an attack will come on...I was expecting it, I know, not good to think that way, but ironically I was alright). Luckily, I could "hold" it in sort of and then went to the bathroom twice with normal bms. Took another immodium at the restaurant b/c the bm made me nervous but I think I just had to go like a normal person. So I'm going to see if I have another attack any time soon and how often. I don't get up at night like you...mine usually precede some sort of event (which could strike many, many hours before it). Thanks for your response.
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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