IBS and mentality: how do you stay mentally tough?

Hi, everyone. I'm a 22 year old female who was diagnosed with PI IBS a few months ago. I think I got it after having food poisoning when I was studying abroad fall '15. Right after the food poisoning, I had felt pretty okay. There was one instance where I had stomach pains and nausea but other than that I felt normal. Come summer I had a week of what I thought was a stomach bug -- intense nausea and dry heaving (but not vomiting). I spent about 3 weeks after that with very little appetite and still nausea and stomach pains; I couldn't eat much more than plain white rice. After I recovered from that, I felt pretty okay -- almost normal. Come fall I was experiencing symptoms of IBS (didn't know that's what it was at the time) about once every week -- I would have nausea, stomach gurgling, excessive gas, acid reflux and heartburn, etc. I'm guessing these flares up were caused by the stress of the school year (I'm in my last year of college). During winter my stress levels went through the roof (finishing my thesis and other stressors) and I was feeling sick (same symptoms as before just worse) almost daily. I had another bout of the worse sickness (the intense nausea, dry heaving) for a couple of days and it took me out of my daily life for about a week. For the most part, I experience constipation but sometimes diarrhea instead. I went to a GI and he told me it was PI IBS. I felt pretty good for about 2 weeks (yay!) -- I would have a loose stool BM every morning but other than that I felt okay. But that didn't last long and the stomach pains, nausea, acid reflux, and constipation are back.

For me, dealing with my IBS has been extremely emotionally and mentally taxing. I feel sad when I can't participate in group events with my friends because they involve food that I can't eat or drinking, or having to sit out because I feel sick. When I feel sick, I find it really hard to stay positive and to get on with my day. It makes me really nervous and sad not knowing if the thing I'm about to eat is going to make me feel sick or not. I, also, since childhood, have had a fear of vomiting (emetophobia), so feeling nauseated causes me a lot of emotional and mental turmoil. I also have been doing a lot of research on PI IBS and reading a lot of forums, and while I know that I don't have it as bad as many other people, I find it troubling when I read that some people have been dealing with this for years or the rest of their life. A lot of times I get panic attacks thinking about it (or when feeling nauseated) and other times it just really brings down my mood and I can't leave the house for a few hours when I wake up feeling sick because I am sad or nervous that it's going to get worse and I won't be somewhere comfortable to deal with my symptoms. I'm about to graduate college and determining post-graduate plans is causing me a lot of stress. I've always dreamed of moving abroad but I find that too risky right now with my IBS not under control and the IBS controlling my life like this has been really hard to deal with.

For medication, I take 40mg omeprazole 2x a day, probiotics, and multivitamins daily. Sometimes I have papaya pills to help with digestion and gas. When I feel sick I take mylanta and I eat ginger chew candies and lots and lots of ginger ale. All of these were recommended and prescribed by my GI. I should also mention that I've been trying to be more active and reduce stressors as I've read it helps with symptoms. I've taken up yoga and meditation and I'm about to start seeing a counselor. But I also have a history with (self-diagnosed) depression and possible anxiety disorders.

I haven't read a lot about other people experiencing emotional and mental problems because of / along with their IBS and I'd love to hear if anyone has any experience with this and how they deal with it.

Post Edited (tobyteddy10) : 4/10/2017 9:34:02 AM (GMT-6)

I can relate to both of you on this. Currently, I am sitting in a recliner, pushing through a flare up (hopefully not food poisoning or stomach flu). I have been in the bathroom about 8 times over the past couple of hours. My IBS stuff all started when I went to a family wedding in Ohio years ago. I was fine, had some beers, was looking forward to seeing my family that I hadn't seen in forever. Then 2:30am hit and it was the worst case of everything from every end I have ever had...my wife also got it, on the way back home...my sister got it on the plane ride back....my anxiety and fear of not having gatorade, saltines, something to try and push down near me at all times stems from this. I have had norovirus more times now than I have ever had in my life these past 4 years. Nonetheless IBS symptoms. My wife can tell when I have a flare up..if I am really stressed out, she knows to look for the nausea, up all night chills, flare up, gas, me constantly whining etc in a couple of days....My IBS also stems from being fired twice...I handled the second termination much better. But the first one, I shutdown, quit living, became depressed. This is also when my IBS symptoms really came to be. They were so bad, that I was checked end to end by a doctor to rule out everything from cancer to crohn's disease...the end result was situational stress....I have been placed on robinul forte as needed for IBS symptoms. This was after the last gastro issue I had. My wife is still not convinced it was norovirus, but my IBS. 4 times vomitting and the D. The issues lingered for about a week before I went to a doctor.

Long story short, it does take a tough mindset to get over this stuff....sometimes you have to realize though that we have a special gut, and we can't do everything all the time....and that's alright...if it weren't for my mom, who has had IBS for years, I wouldn't know what I would do. She has helped me time and time again with probiotics, suggestions, an ear or shoulder to lean on in my times of anxiety and heaving....one of the only ways we can keep healthy with this is to keep our doctors informed, they can't read our minds, and sometimes, we have to make them listen, and not just blow it off as simple IBS...

The FODMAP diet is an excellent suggestion, but before you cut down on wheat, consider getting tested for celiac disease which is an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten causing the body to attack the small intestine leading to some 300 symptoms or so (anxiety is also a symptom). It is a simple blood test.

Learn more about testing from this University website:

http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/screening/

These are the systems impacted by celiac disease.

http://www.montana.edu/mountainsandminds/2012/fall/celiac.php

Why am I promoting this? I was diagnosed with IBS years ago. It was not until I became severely anemic and started fracturing bones, that my celiac disease was caught. Do not let a doctor tell you it is "all in your head!" Something is wrong. If not celiac disease, you should find the source!