Stomach gripes
Hi there im new to this i have been suffering with digestive problems for over 12 months. I am in the deep hole of symptoms versus anxiety anxiety causing more symptoms. I suffer with health anxiety and sometimes I get in such a state but I think it can just be IBS it's bowel cancer is there anyone else that has these thourghts because sometimes there seems no end an i want my life back .
Hi
and welcome to our community. You are definitely not alone. I also suffer from anxiety and IBS, where one fuels the other and sometimes I don't even know which of the two is causing a flare.
We just recently had a discussion about health anxiety (specifically about bowel cancer) here: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/forums/fear-of-bowel-cancer-is-making-me-not-want-to-be-here-anymore. There are so many comments in that thread that might be helpful to you as well.
In my personal experience, anxiety is my main problem and I've realized over the years that almost all of my digestive issues were caused by that. For example, my digestive system tends to flare when I have somewhere to be, not so much when I'm at home. And my IBS started during a time of stress... So, I'm now trying to focus on getting my anxiety under control, because I know that that will, in turn, help with my IBS. However, no matter what I eat or don't eat, my anxiety can still cause a flare.
That being said, have you had all the tests done to rule out other conditions? It's always best to be sure, especially if you're worried.
Have you tried adjusting your diet and doing stress management techniques? I personally find that bland foods like rice, chicken and applesauce work well when I'm flaring, but diet is very individual. For the anxiety part, I've found hypnotherapy (using Nerva), EFT tapping and breathing techniques to work pretty well. Many people do very well with therapy, too, if that's accessible to you.
I hope this helps a little.
Big hugs, Karina (team member)
