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Posted 3/9/2015 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone -

I really need you guys right now. I have gone to my doctor with this symptom and feel she is not taking me seriously. She keeps telling me that this is related to anxiety and IBS and every time I call in a panic her nurse practitioner says "Dr wants to know if you started your Paxil yet". Yes, yes I did... I'm on day 10 and I don't feel any better. I am so worried. The symptom.... I get this strange fainting sensation (I don't faint) or floating feeling in connection to my bowels/bladder. Any time I feel pressure in that area (bowel movement or stomach getting ready for one) I begin to feel this uneasy, floating sensation as if I'm going to pass out. Doctor claims this is due to irritable bowel. I am not accepting this and it may be my anxiety fighting this diagnosis. I believe it's something else, something more serious, something life threatening. It's been going on since Thanksgiving 2014. HELP ME!!! Can anyone relate, does this sound serious, does it sound like it could be my health anxiety? Please I can't take this anymore.................
Posted 3/9/2015 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
BTurc, I think most of us long time sufferers have had that same sensation kinda like i'm going to go out
but i dont, i do normally sit down some where, i have even had it while driving, i felt like i was floating
also but after much consultation it was a dissociation or depersonalization feeling. "sorry i cant spell".

Most of us also felt that the doctor was oversimplifying our symptoms, think about this please, panic, anxiety and depression go hand and hand with IBS in some form, the symptoms can be endless for some,
but if you get your anxiety and panic under control i believe you will see the other problems dissipate, i
wish you much Peace

Larry ***
Posted 3/9/2015 9:07 AM (GMT 0)
I have had this problem in years past and worried about it just as much as you are at present. However, it all turned out to just be IBS related to underlying anxiety and, believe me, it can cause you to feel it HAS to be something serious because the symptoms seem so real. If you doc has cleared you,I think you have to believe him/her and start to deal more with your health anxiety. I am 67 years old and have dealt with this and a million other symptoms that I was SURE were related to a real physical condition but they never were, they were all anxiety causing everything. It's amazing how much anxiety can do to us....it oftentimes gives us a variety of very real physical symptoms but in reality they are all just a manifestation of that anxiety. I'm sure you are fine, whether you believe that or not, but from everything you're saying, it sounds just like me over the years and I can assure you that I'm still here and kicking, but still fighting the anxiety fight. I just don't let those physical symptoms get to me as much anymore....I've wasted so many years worrying about things that weren't really serious that now I just accept the fact that they are all my anxiety playing dirty tricks on me. Good luck to you in learning to believe that most if not all of these symptoms are just your anxiety at work.
Posted 3/9/2015 12:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi BT - I agree with larry and andwes that it could very well be anxiety. i get a lot of feelings like I am floating, especially while driving, and feeling dizzy/faint from anxiety. its a horrible feeling.

but i also just wanted to mention that if it happens specifically before urination or a bowel movement, you could ask your doctor about vaso-vagal syndrome (which is not life-threatening! - they usually just tell you to stay well-hydrated). in some people, the pressure from a full bladder or a passing bowel movement irritates the vagus nerve and can make you feel that way.

i don't know much about IBS so maybe your doctor is right and something similar happens in IBS due to irritation? but i know some people with vaso-vagal can have just this passing feeling of faintness while going to the bathroom and other than that they are fine and don't actually pass out, so it is not necessarily a big deal, but it can feel scary if you don't know what's causing that feeling.

i have vaso-vagal and its been hard to figure out when I am having anxiety or when i am having that because my main anxiety symptom is dizziness- but i've found that even having vaso-vagal it seems like most of the time the faint/floating feeling is anxiety because it gets better when I leave an anxiety- triggering situation (for me, driving, mall, grocery store, etc.). I've only actually passed out twice in my life and that was when i was much younger, long before I had an anxiety problem.

anyway, i have health anxiety also and don't want to cause worry but I just wanted to let you know you are not crazy, and that it is something to ask your doctor about if you feel like something else is going on -- and to let you know that even if it is not anxiety, it could be something relatively harmless, like vaso-vagal.

i know for me it is always hard to know when something is "physical" or when it is anxiety that i need to try to ignore or push through.

so sorry you are going through this and hope you start feeling better soon.

Post Edited (littlewing75) : 3/9/2015 6:57:08 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/9/2015 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi BT. I echo the others as well. Anxiety can parly into lots of things that we SWEAR can't be just anxiety. Especially that floaty, disassociation thing. I've experienced that before and it's easily the symptom that I hate and scares me the most. I feel like I have to concentrate on everything to stay alert and function; however, when I get busy doing something other than concentrate and dwell on it, it goes away as do most all of the symptoms. As we can all attest to, it can be the hardest thing ever to do, but occupying yourself with other things; work, a movie, fun with friends, listening to music, etc can make all the difference and the anxiety symptoms will eventually go away or at least be very minimal. It's a tough beast to conquer, but we can do it. Hang in there and keep posting.
Posted 3/9/2015 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

As the others have mentioned anxiety can cause all sorts of symptoms and is good at mimicking other things so it is important to address your anxiety have a look at our resources thread for some useful links to self help guides.

Medication can take upto 8 weeks to kick in so stick with it and you should start to see some improvement with your symptoms.

Hibee
Posted 3/9/2015 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much. I will keep you posted and I realize that I have to be patient and wait for the medication to kick in. Xo
Posted 3/10/2015 2:30 AM (GMT 0)
Bturc,

I remember feeling so panicked when I first got the floating/fainting sensation. And even when it returns I still feel a little uneasy, but I fully believe this is anxiety. Sometimes it is so hard to wait it out without worrying, but with practice and time you will get better at accepting that anxiety can bring on all sorrs of these CRAZY symptoms!

I hope you feel better soon!!! :D
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