My IBS and Anxiety

I’ve been suffering with IBS for 28 years. It was mild at first when I would eat certain foods, especially pastas, I would have diarrhea within minutes of eating my meal. I also began having a low level of depression. After a few years of that happening things began to get worse. I was about 25-30 pounds overweight so I tried the Adkins Diet. That sent my IBS overboard. I began getting explosive, bloody diarrhea. I called my doctor, and he called in Lomotil.

RA, Crohn's, and IBS

Well that stopped my diarrhea, but gave me constipation. With the constipation I got insomnia. Weeks later I got terribly tired. So tired I couldn’t get up to go to work. It subsided enough to get back to work. I then developed terrible joint pain. I had a lot of tests run, and the doctor said I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. I went for 18 years living with pain, fatigue, and abdominal pain, anxiety and alternating between constipation and diarrhea. In year 18 I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The GI I was seeing at the time did very little to control my disease. Fast forward 5 years of living with Crohn's and still having severe fatigue, anxiety especially after I ate or ate something that didn’t agree with me I found a new GI. She said I have Crohn’s and IBS! The Crohn’s was in remission. She gave me Bentyl to help the IBS, but I still feel anxiety after eating. I was about to give up all hope that I would ever be functional again.

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IBS and anxiety

After reading some more about IBS, I now realize that the IBS is causing my anxiety after eating. The Bentyl helps, but I need to talk with her about the anxiety after eating. There are very few foods that I can eat. I only take in about 500 to 700 calories a day. I see her on the 21st of this month to see if I can get on an antispasmodic/anti anxiety medicine. Does anyone else have anxiety after they eat? Or does anyone else have Crohn’s and IBS too. My doctor said that 45% of her Crohn’s patients have IBS too.

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