Nervous system and gut problems
Hello everyone,
I am writing again, because I have a question that has been on my mind lately. But let me explain first:
I have an anxiety disorder and depression and I know that this plays a huge role in my ibs symptoms, even though I don‘t know what came first.
Everytime I have a nerve wrecking appointment or something I have irrational fear over, my whole digestive track goes nuts. It feels as if thousands of ants crawl over and inside my belly, it almost tickling and vibrating. My gut gets a bit tense as well (though I try to breath and calm my tummy, which only semi-works for me).
All of this isn‘t to bad, it‘s not painful, but when I get home and relax, mostly at night when I am asleep I am woken up by excruciating pain and have to run to the bathroom, where I will have diarrhea and nausea (it is always at night, never right after or at the exact moment where I am in an anxious situation, which I find suspicious…).I start shaking and getting dizzy from the pain. When I‘ve emptied everything inside me and can go back to bed I am sooo exhausted. Even after I fall asleep and wake up the next morning, my belly is sore and as if my nerves are as thin as a thread. Everything bothers me, everything gets me shaking and tense. A loud noice, a phone call, someone around me talking to much and many more things feel unbearable.
Most of the time I have to be very conscious of what I am doing after those „attacks“ to not trigger another one. This lasts for 2-3 days and then its mostly better until I am in another anxiety inducing situation.
I know adrenaline and my nervous system probably play a role here why I get diarrhea after a fearful situation but I am just not sure if that‘s all. And I don‘t know what else to do to calm my nerves and gut.
Does anyone else experience similar things? Or has any tips?
I know therapy will be probably helpful, but it is not that easy to get where I live + most therapists I had talked to don‘t care about my physical symptoms (especially when ibs comes into play).
I also try hypnotherapy (at home through videos I listen to) but I am not sure if it is always that helpful…
Thank you for reading
Therapy helped me a ton. Thankfully a good thing that came from the pandemic is most therapists offer zoom calls. Mine was done all through zoom as my therapist lived more than 4 hours away from me. Go online and search for a therapist that does zoom. That is a great place to start. The gut and mind connection is so real. You must heal the mind and traumas so that your gut isn't triggered. Also are you getting sunshine every day for 20min to get vitamin D? And are you working out lightly daily for 30 min? it can be a walk around your neighborhood. Or follow a youtube video online and do it in your living room. It's a great way to help lessen anxiety--through movement. -Elizabeth (team member)
I hear you. I hope you are able to see a therapist in your area then. Sunshine is better than vitamin D supplement. Even if you don't think it isn't doing anything it is. Sunshine and getting Vitamin D is so so important for our health. It's great that you workout and go for walks. Keep it up! Rooting for you. -Elizabeth (team member) Yes, movement really is so helpful to release anxiety. Glad you enjoy getting outside and doing some walking or physical work. I hope you are well today. Best, Elizabeth (team member)
I am sorry not to be able to think of anything helpful. When I have a flare up of my guts, usually out of the blue and with no obvious stress beforehand, the flare (D) makes me also feel terrible. After a couple or more times on the loo, I am shaking, trembling, completely drained, can't sleep, get dried up mouth but even drinking doesn't help it, or taking electrolytes. Lightheaded, heart fluttering and palpitations, and feel a level of sudden anxiety and terribly restless which makes every effort I try to "calm myself" useless. Breathing exercises make no difference, and cannot meditate feeling like that. It's the most awful set of feelings whih feels like being possessed or something.
This is not a healthy thing to do that I'm suggesting to anyone, but I have found that often the only thing that will get to the root of it and help me is a shot of alcohol, and that also calms my tummy down, doesn't irritate it. Then gradually I can start to handle things. I keep some brandy in the kitchen for times like that. I have it with some honey, just neat.
I get the heart flutters palpitations too, I'm gonna try a brandy as well then see if it settles , ta x
I might be weird. Alcohol can possibly make IBS worse, so see how that goes! I had to stop drinking wine because of it as I was getting cold sweats and almost fainting the morning after , I'm peppermint tea now, ho hum
I have to stay well away from any kinds of wine too. They all go straight through me. I used to love beer too, but I can't have that now either. Brandy isn't so bad for me, and vodka, and that's it. I daren't have much, and I daren't have anything else. I'm ok with vodka it's what to add as my migraine is bad with carbonated drinks , I'm looking for tips here lol
