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[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

My question is linked to health anxiety but I wanted to post separately to ask if anyone is having the same experience as me.

It seems a lot of ladies worry about how their heart will cope when suffering palpitations, plus a lot of us have altered bowel function at this time in our lives. The strange thing is I've had both but my extreme worry and panic are only ever triggered by one of these problems. As an example my heart has played all sorts of tricks and made me feel awful but I remain confident about it's ability to cope and the palpitations etc have never worried me. It's a different story with my guts however, the slightest rumbling or extra amount of flatulence and I panic that I have a terrible illness and my life is about to be ruined. Now why is it I can be rational about my heart but panic stricken about my bowels?

I have had Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the past and maybe this is why I am extra sensitive about my digestive system but I've read many posts from ladies who worry about their heart even though they've never had any problems and they are found to be healthy.

Why is it possible to be rational and calm about some of the physical meno problems and a gibbering wreck about others? Why can't we apply the sensible part of our brains to every situation?

Has anyone had a similar experience or knows of any way of improving the situation?

As always ladies I appreciate your time and wish you wellness !

Take care.

K.

[dazned]

Sorry can't help you if only I knew

When I get these anxiety attacks I m convinced I have every conceivable terminal illness going and nothing will shift these illogical notions out of my mind for days ! My what terrible things we go through .

[Millykin]

It does seem so irrational, last year it was my heart that got me anxious thinking something's wrong, then I moved onto bowels now I'm worrying about lungs and breathing! Just can't win x

[honeybun]

I have never worried about my heart despite having had a racing heartbeat and horrid palpitations.

What I do worry over is my stomach and bowels. I have IBS and mild diverticulosis. I have had an endoscopy and done stool tests both with the kit and for the GP.
I had a good discussion with my GP and she confirmed what I already knew. The link between anxiety and stomach/bowel function is very clear.
Unfortunately we get into an awful cycle. The more we stress the worse it becomes, and then we stress more. The link has to be broken somehow.
If my stomach is good then I feel so much better, if I have a bad day then my anxiety kicks in and I don't want to stray far from a loo....just in case. I'm scared if I'm out I will be sick or need a loo in a hurry and not be able to find one in time......and so it goes on.
I also have a sickness phobia which does not help.

It's breaking the cycle that's the hard bit.....it takes work , and for me it's a work in progress.

Honeybun
X

[CLKD]

I have a phobia    even so I'm not ultra clean around the house.  I have never been worried with my heart as I'm not aware of it. My guts however are my weak point but I've never assumed that I have a dreadful disease, because I know that when something 'happens' in my environment my guts will rumble, roll, make me more aware of them …….

Health worries aren't logical 

[karenja]

not logical at all, but thank god we are not alone, and again thank god for mm x

[honeybun]

Oh I'm ultra clean everywhere. When I come out of a supermarket after having pushed a trolley or carried a basket the anti bacterial hand wash is used.
I wash my hands a lot.....especially at my mothers ...  .....

I have Dettox beside the sink and the kitchen and bathrooms are done daily....touch the bin ....I wash my hands...touch the dog bowl....the same. I have passed it on as my daughter does the same 


No wonder I have dermatitis.....even the doctor looked surprised at the state of my hands when I showed her yesterday....I now have the strongest cortisone cream known to man  . It's my own fault with my hand washing habit.

Honeybun
X

[CLKD]

I don't over-wash unless there are issues in my Life - then I make a list of when I ought to wash them and tick it off - it makes me realise how often I am doing so.  I have hand-wash in my handbag, camper, Toyota - for those times it's necessary 

[honeybun]

In my world it's always necessary.

If you saw some of the things that happen in my mothers house you would wash your hands too.....only you have to Dettox the taps first....and I'm not joking. She just doesn't understand hygiene particularly well any more....and she was the most house proud person ever.


Honeybun
X

[CLKD]

I tend to de-fox my Mum's bathroom when we visit …….. she has macular so deons't see grime any more but generally, she isn't dirty around the house.

[honeybun]

Mum is not dirty, just forgetful.....she does things now that she would never have done in the past. She is so very vague now there is no point in prompting anymore.

Just have to wash hands a lot.


Oh we have gone so off topic......sorry.....back to the point now.


Honeybun
X

[CLKD]

Does her lack of awareness make you tummy grumble though ……… I could never clear up after Mum …… never had problems with litter trays etc. but my gut lurches at the thought of anything more necessary 

[honeybun]

No I just get on and do it....as long as it's not vomit then I'm fine.....kind of. Don't have much of an appetite for lunch some days and if it's really bad when she has been unwell sis and I glove up and get on. I do call my sis if I can't cope on my own if it's really bad which is rare.
We do it together.....and swear a lot...quietly.


Honeybun
X

[CLKD]

 

What causes me problems currently is lower bowel wind ……. which begins around my belly button, moves downwards but leaves my tummy feeling weak and queasy …….  then my brain gets going 'what if'.  Then my stomach churns and as soon as my body becomes physical then panic sets in. 

I have never been aware of ovulation, heart rate; considering I've had panic attacks since age 3 ……… that my heart hasn't joined in at times 

[Mrs Bennet]

I have never worried about my heart despite having had a racing heartbeat and horrid palpitations.

What I do worry over is my stomach and bowels. I have IBS and mild diverticulosis. I have had an endoscopy and done stool tests both with the kit and for the GP.
I had a good discussion with my GP and she confirmed what I already knew. The link between anxiety and stomach/bowel function is very clear.
Unfortunately we get into an awful cycle. The more we stress the worse it becomes, and then we stress more. The link has to be broken somehow.
If my stomach is good then I feel so much better, if I have a bad day then my anxiety kicks in and I don't want to stray far from a loo....just in case. I'm scared if I'm out I will be sick or need a loo in a hurry and not be able to find one in time......and so it goes on.
I also have a sickness phobia which does not help.

It's breaking the cycle that's the hard bit.....it takes work , and for me it's a work in progress.

Honeybun
X

Honeybun can so relate to this post......when you discover how to break the cycle please let me know....really struggling at the moment.....so don't want to become agoraphobic due to this retched toilet thing xx