My Crohn's and Colitis Blog » Colitis Flare » Panic Attacks/ Anxiety anyone?
Panic Attacks/ Anxiety anyone?
Question:
kevin, what is ocd? i was just thinking that maybe those of us who are a little high strung or get stressed easily it somehow weakens our natural defenses inside our bodies and leaves us open for a number of things including digestive problems. i don’t know i’m just thinking too much i guess. from, Michelle
Response:
I was diagnosed with OCD/Anxiety attacks and Severe Mood swings when I was 24… I have been takin Anafranil ever since.. I dont have any more symptoms… But now.. Years later.. I get this Crohns crap… I dont think there is any connection… Butt… Kevin In Dallas.
Response:
Wow! I just went thru an episode with panic attacks and wondered if there was any connection to my CD. My doctors haven’t said yes or no to the connection, but reading your post and the threads makes me think that there is something to it. Briefly, I have had CD for about 22 years with some remissions mixed in from time to time. About 1 year ago I changed jobs and the stress started to build and so did my flare ups. Four months ago, I ended up in the ER very dizzy and ready to pass out. While going thru and waiting in the ER for the tests to come back, I was very anxious, couldn’t lay still and my heart was pounding. I mentioned this to the nurse and she just fluffed it off. The tests came back and they determined that I had dehydrated myself (bad diahrea), and admitted me into the hospital. For the next 48 hours, I was given IV’s consisting of a lot of fluids, antibiotics and some drugs to relax me. When I was discharged, I didn’t feel all that good but went home anyways. I immediately went back to work which was a big mistake. I wasn’t feeling good, the work load was huge and I was scared that I was losing my ability to cope. Then it hit. I received an flaming e-mail from my boss that pushed me over the edge. Since receiving that e-mail, I had about 4 panic attacks with the same symptoms that you described. I went back to the doctor and she prescribed Zoloft for the panic attacks and set me up with a therapist. Since then, I’ve been well controlled after taking 8 weeks off from work (with no pay). I have returned to work but I still have moments when I feel the panic building, but with the Zoloft and the training I received from the therapist, I’m able to relax and let it pass. It looks like I will be on the Zoloft for at least a year or more. To me, the panic attacks started when I allowed myself to dehydrate and become very weak both physically and mentally. It’s a "catch 22". Stress brings on the CD, the CD brings on the panic, and the panic brings on more stress. I suggest strongly that you get the panic attacks under control quickly before it becomes a part of your life, and that should help your CD symptoms as well. Good Luck, Glenn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My mother called today. im sure you guys know how that went. although she means well she still is convinced that i have UC because i worry too much. Well, i told her " you would worry too if you were bleeding from your butt." shes probably half right , though, accept i could never figure out what causes what. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
Response:
I too get panic attacks ….. and it can be out of the clear blue sky. There are times I wake up in the middle of the night with them and can’t get back to sleep. I don’t have to run to the potty with them though. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
Cheers & Hugs, Robin http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/7945/ You shouldn’t have to pay for you love with your bones and your flesh, you know hell is for children. -Pat Benatar
Response:
My mother called today. im sure you guys know how that went. although she means well she still is convinced that i have UC because i worry too much. Well, i told her " you would worry too if you were bleeding from your butt." shes probably half right , though, accept i could never figure out what causes what. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
Yes, it sounds a bit familiar. My "interpretation" of the event might be different. I think the feelings of panic are related to being sick. When you never know when you are suddenly going to have to go to the bathroom (and you suspect it is going to be painful) and that you might not make it to the bathroom in time (with all the embarassment that causes) and that you are losing a lot of blood, I think maybe it is a physical response to a real stressor rather than an inability to handle "stress" well. I teach teenagers (30-40 at a time) and I don’t have a problem handling the stress that involves. So, to sum it up, I don’t think that stress leads to colitis flare ups — I think colitis flare ups naturally causes stress (as would other serious illnesses). Kind of long-winded but I have also experienced being told similar things as to what you describe your mother saying.
Response:
This is very familiar to me. I have been in the hospital 4 times due to flare-ups. 3 out of the 4 were during midterms and finals. I don’t think it is a coincidence. While I don’t believe that stress caused my uc, I do think that when I worry and stress it makes the symptoms worse. When I am stressed out I also am not taking care of myself in the best of ways – not eating right, etc. All of this I think contributes to making my condition worse. I could be wrong – who knows for sure. Just wanted you to know my experience. Nicole My mother called today. im sure you guys know how that went. although she means well she still is convinced that i have UC because i worry too much. Well, i told her " you would worry too if you were bleeding from your butt." shes probably half right , though, accept i could never figure out what causes what. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
– Jimmy Fingers, free book "Finger Magic" at http://members.tripod.com/~imagique/magic.html My mother called today. im sure you guys know how that went. although she means well she still is convinced that i have UC because i worry too much. Well, i told her " you would worry too if you were bleeding from your butt." shes probably half right , though, accept i could never figure out what causes what. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
– Jimmy Fingers, free book "Finger Magic" at http://members.tripod.com/~imagique/magic.html
Response:
My mother called today. im sure you guys know how that went. although she means well she still is convinced that i have UC because i worry too much. Well, i told her " you would worry too if you were bleeding from your butt." shes probably half right , though, accept i could never figure out what causes what. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
Interestingly enough, I do not have any bowel symptoms during a panic attack — unless my bowel is already acting up. I know that physical stress and anxiety can make my symptoms worse — note that I said, "can." They don’t always act the same way. But I think the biggest problem that you have with panic attacks and anxiety is in quality of life. Let’s face it, it’s no fun living in fear — and the severity of your panic attacks sounds pretty bad, too. If you’re not on any medication for it, I recommend you talk with your doctor. There are a number of good anti-anxiety agents available now including Xanax and Buspar (this latter one is not even slightly addictive, but it is also less effective). I can’t promise you that getting the panic attacks under control will help the UC symptoms, but it will make you feel better overall. steve
Response:
My mother called today. im sure you guys know how that went. although she means well she still is convinced that i have UC because i worry too much. Well, i told her " you would worry too if you were bleeding from your butt." shes probably half right , though, accept i could never figure out what causes what. Sometimes i have these anxiety attacks when i feel like i can’t breathe and my heart races. & then of course i gotta poop. but i don’t know if my whole poop problem is caused by stress put upon my body from these panic episodes. Does this sound familiar to anyone out there ???? Michelle
Response:
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