Stress and IBS

By Shannon Grantham

2 min read

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For years when doctors would tell me stress could be a big factor in my IBS-D, I always said no way. I have had IBS for as long as I can remember. You surely are not having IBS due to stress during your childhood, right? That is what I thought anyway. The only time I have not had symptoms was while I was pregnant. Anyone who knows me knows that was one of the most stressful parts of my life. Going through a breakup, handling a pregnancy, and raising a baby alone, you would think my stress was through the roof because it was. But my IBS went away. To me, this proved even more that stress was not my issue.

Stress over the years

These last 6 years for me have been an emotional rollercoaster. I lost my dad, one of my best friends, and countless family members due to age, COVID, and unknown reasons. A pandemic, career change, moving back to Tennessee to go back to Illinois 8 months later and again back to Tennessee.

I recently learned that stress DOES play a huge factor in my IBS symptoms. Break-ups are hard for most. No one ever wants to go through it. Navigating living together, with a child, after a breakup, even when it is civil, is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I have had a huge spike in my symptoms, making most days debilitating. I have not been able to leave the house due to worrying about what will happen if I am out and about and must go. Things most people never think about. What if I am in a store and cannot make it? What if I am in the car and cannot make it? Who wants to have to clean that up or deal with the embarrassment because I know I don't?

Managing my IBS

I had a revelation recently. My daughter was heading to Disney with her school for a week, and I was really having a hard time. Not only because it was the farthest she had ever been away from me but because that meant me and her dad would be in the house together for a week without her. We get along okay, but it just is hard for me. My sister called me and asked me to come to spend the week with her instead. This worked out great because I got to see my family and enjoy Disney, and there was no awkwardness between her dad and me.

I was not prepared for the first time in 15 years, and I had a week with no IBS symptoms. I stopped a year or so ago taking medications like Imodium to control the symptoms because I hate taking something if it is not necessary. Granted, if I know I must be out of the house, I may bring it just in case, but I don’t take it daily like I used to.

This may sound super silly to some, but for me, not having 10 or more rounds of diarrhea in a day is unheard of. For me, to go more than one day without symptoms has never happened until now. I moved back home. Quite literally, my childhood home. I have been back almost a week and am seeing a difference already. Sometimes, letting others take some of your stress can make a huge difference.

Have you noticed stress causes more symptoms for you as well?

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June6 Member
In the last 2 years with Covid everywhere and being stuck at home, my IBS came back after years of absence. Then my husband was diagnosed with afib. In 3 months, I lost 40 lbs and had the worst abdominal pain ( except childbirth ) in my life! I had IBS-C but my GI doctor refused to diagnose IBS. He said to eat more fiber for constipation!! A colonoscopy was clear- no polyps! He put me on Linzess which caused constant diarrhea. Now I am on Miralax- I take it when I need it. My husband had an ablation with excellent results. He is getting more energy every day. My IBS-C is slowly resolving with only an occasional flare. And the abdominal pain is definitely less during the flares. Do I think there is a connection between mind and gut- definitely!! Fermented foods have helped me the most!
hateibs Member
My IBS developed quite a few years (nearly 6) after the death of a loved one without whom I didn't think I could even stay alive. But I did. I managed, and soldiered on. I sensed the loved one's spiritual loving presence sometimes and felt very blessed indeed to be shown those things. It was not all darkness by any means. I thought things were going quite well, and some very special things had happened. But obviously my gut disagreed. There was no other stress in my life as I am retired and live a very fortunate life in a lovely quiet place. But I have found I can cope with stress much less nowadays. I can no longer cope easily with travel of any kind, and get anxious when I have to drive anywhere I don't know. I am okay if things stay on a steady even keel with not too many demands made of me. So the IBS and the lowered stress tolerance seem to go hand in hand. In many ways I feel weaker in many worldly ways than I was when I was younger, and coping is much more hard work.
1. CommunityMemberf75b15 Member
 COVID screwed up my IBS too. Caused unusual flares from things that did not do that before. It has finally gone back to normal after 5 months.
2. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMemberf75b15" user-id="8536671"/> You’re not alone with this experience. Other community members have also seen an impact of Covid on their IBS: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/covid-experience' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/covid-experience</a>. I’m glad your finally back to normal now. Karina (team member)
CommunityMember1554 Member
I have frequent insomnia. After a sleepless night I will have a iibs flare that has me in the bathroom all day.
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember1554" user-id="5459123"/> I feel you, lack of sleep impacts me too. How have you been feeling lately? Karina (team member)
CommunityMemberf75b15 Member
My work causes some stress, especially at State testing time (I work at a school). I am in charge of organizing the testing. We have four different tests for four different groups of students and I have to keep everything straight for the tests, along with the three ladies who do the actual testing. I have more flare-ups during these four months than any other time of the year.
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMemberf75b15" user-id="8536671"/> That makes a lot of sense. Stress is such a huge trigger for many of us! How do you cope with this stressful testing time? Have you found anything that helps at all? Karina (team member)
CommunityMemberf75b15 Member
I just try to cope by trying to control my symptoms with my mind. I do take Dicyclomine regularly, watch what I eat, and just do the best I can at the time. I've had this condition for some time but it has just recently become debilitating at times, so I am new at this prevention game.
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMemberf75b15" user-id="8536671"/> It sounds like you're doing the best you can! I personally find things like hypnotherapy, EFT tapping, or just doing things that bring me joy to help during stressful times. But ultimately, my IBS will still be impacted, so it's more about reducing the flares. Karina (team member)
CommunityMemberf75b15 Member
I try to keep my mind busy with work and sometimes it works, but sometimes it is the cause. 😁
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMemberf75b15" user-id="8536671"/> I'm the same, oftentimes working helps (I do work from home though), but sometimes the work stress makes everything worse. Karina (team member)
buffy88 Member
I find the part interesting that you didn't have symptoms of IBS when you were pregnant. I always felt better when I was pregnant too. I don't know if it allowed extra room for my colon to function (I have extra long colon). I do feel stress is a trigger but feel hormones also play a big role. Since I have been going through menopause my IBS has been tougher to manage.
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="buffy88" user-id="4585922"/> I had the same experience, especially in my first pregnancy (if you like, you can read about it here: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/pregnancy-diet' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/pregnancy-diet</a>), and even in my second, super stressful pregnancy, my IBS felt manageable. As for the hormones, they have a huge impact on me too. I get random flares before and during my period, along with other issues. You're not the only one who's struggling with IBS during menopause! We have an article all about hormones and IBS here: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/triggers/can-hormones-trigger-ibs' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/triggers/can-hormones-trigger-ibs</a>. How long has this been going on for you? Karina (team member)
lucy33 Member
I'm one of those people who is "wired a little tight" so I am generally always somewhat stressed about SOMETHING. I know this is why I have had IBS since my early teens. I have IBS-M so trying to keep things on an even keel is tough. Certain foods definitely make things worse. Medical procedures also cause problems. It's a real pain. Mostly I do okay. For me, the IBS-C is far more painful. The worst is when it flips from D to IBS-C in a 24 hour period. 
1. lucy33 Member
 <inline-mention username="Karina" user-id="2303467"/> I have to be honest, life is so filled with genuine stressors that I truly don't understand people who CAN be relaxed most of the time. I exercise a lot and I tell people to text because I ignore voice mail (which is probably a bad strategy but avoidance is my default coping mechanism) and I bake...which my acquaintances seem to enjoy since I'm always delivering them cookies. Unfortunately, none of these strategies are too successful but at least they aren't self destructive!
2. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="lucy33" user-id="2315452"/> That's so sweet of you to bake cookies for everyone, and it's nice that it helps with stress a bit! I see that my husband for example just doesn't think about many things I keep worrying about. A couple of days ago, we had a really busy day with lots of different appointments and errands, and while I tried planning everything so it would all get done, he was just saying that "we'll see". That's a way to stay more relaxed, I guess? But it doesn't work for me at all. Karina (team member)
explodingguts Member
Poor thing! I'm a wreck just reading this. Your poor body has done everything it can to get your attention. Listen to it mindfully with a Silva meditation. Visit site, get book from any library. Relax counting backwards from 100. Picture yourself healthy, attractive and happy. Imagine your stomach filled with white healing light. Do this 3x a day for 10 days then 10 says counting back from 50. This has worked wonders for me! But get the book or visit the site. You must learn to relax so that your subconscious may restore automatic healing. You've been white knuckling it long enough. Get help! See also Centerpointe, MindTrax and Learning Strategies.
CommunityMember90e971 Member
;I. Have had ulcerated colitis for 10 years. Takes my strength every day with at least 6 movements every morning with no form. Have taken meds but nothing seems to help. Mostly house bound
1. Karina Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember90e971" user-id="8850072"/> I'm so sorry that you're dealing with these constant symptoms. 🙁 That's so terrible. One of our contributors has Crohn's in addition to IBS and she found relief after seeing a naturopathic doctor. You can read about her experience here: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/naturopath-experience' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/naturopath-experience</a>, and I'll also share her article about not losing hope here: <a href='https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/hope' target='_blank'>https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/living/hope</a>. Please don't stop advocating for yourself. I don't know if you've seen our IBD community (<a href='https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net</a>) as well? Karina (team member)
CommunityMemberb28e2e Member
I so totally agree it took me years to understand that stress and anxiety were my IBS triggers. I tried hypnotherapy which was very successful and then meditation of Dr Joe Dispenza his book 'Breaking the Habit of being Yourself was my saviour. I was living in a state of chronic survival and my digestive system was shut down to be continually looking for the 'tiger'.

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