Anxiety, IBS and AF - really struggling

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Anxiety, IBS and AF - really struggling

Postby banjobuddy » 22 Dec 2016, 10:14

Hi all,
I'm really struggling at the moment and I'm not sure what to do. I got my last fissure in 97 and just developed a new one a couple of weeks ago. I also suffer from IBS.

Anyhow, I changed my already very bland diet immediately and upped the wretched Movicol and have ever since been on a largely white fish, jacket potato and broccoli/peas diet. I do have a fish finger sandwhich for lunch with a whole avocado. The problem is this has now exacerbated my bowel urges and I find I'm producing stringy too soft motions and my bowel only feels empty for a short period - then I get urges again. I find I'm going to the loo about 4 times a day, which although not completely unknown for me, it's accompanied by the frequent urges.

I'm not exactly spasming like a typical fissure, but this pressure is driving me insane and my anxiety levels are sky high. I can't think of anything else and only really get any respite during the evenings when things seem to calm down a bit, urge-wise.

It's even worse seeing all the busy people enjoying themselves for Christmas and feeling like I just want to hide away, even from my wife and 6-year-old daughter - it's breaking my heart.
I've been chatting recently with one of the lovely members on here (mypoorbutt) and she's been really great and very encouraging. I'm just in this dark place at the moment and I'm struggling to see a future.
Anybody got any ideas regarding my mental and physical state - I'm feeling like a helpless wimp at the moment and can't wait for Christmas to be over, if I'm honest.

Also any ideas about diet to help put some weight on. I'm eating avocados for the calories, but I'm not sure they fully agree with me. I'm even wondering if having such a limited low-cal diet is not giving the Movicol enough substance to cling onto to to make better formed stools. I'm having about 80ml of Movicol morning and night.

I hope to see my old CRS in the New Year, but have to get through Christmas first. Incidentally, I've suffered with this for nearly 20 years in one form or another (fissures, hems, IBS etc.). As I discussed with MPB, I'm very tempted to try and get an LIS in 2017 if I can, but I'm worried my IBS will really hinder the recovery.
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Re: Anxiety, IBS and AF - really struggling

Postby SueH84 » 22 Dec 2016, 12:07

Hi Banjobuddy

I have suffered from IBS most of my adult life. I should say, not badly - but I have had flare ups from time time. Sometimes, it would not be triggered by what I ate but would be because of how I was feeling. I used to suffer from anxiety quite badly, but thankfully I no-longer do.

I got a fissure in July and had LIS earlier this month. Whilst suffering from the fissure, I have tried very hard not to get constipated. I haven’t cut anything specifically out of my diet. I have a sweet tooth, but didn’t give up on cakes and chocolate! The fissure was making me miserable enough, so I wasn’t prepared to cut out all the food I love. I have found in my case that moderation has been my key word. I do know that too much fruit and vegetables makes my stomach irritated, resulting in multiple BMs. Awhile ago, I read somewhere that it is very important to really chew what you eat. I have consciously tried to do that.

However, sometimes I have used a stool softener and a small amount of Fibogel. Basically I have taken my diet one day at a time and have tweaked it as I have gone along.

I am only two weeks post LIS, so I am carrying on with my pre-LIS regime. I have had a couple of days where I have had multiple BMs in a day but it does not seem to have affected my recovery. Just before Christmas is not the best time to be recovering and I am determined not let my guard down over the Christmas holiday!
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Re: Anxiety, IBS and AF - really struggling

Postby banjobuddy » 22 Dec 2016, 13:36

Thanks Sue :-) Do you mind me asking what decreased your anxiety? I know it's a major problem for me and I find myself often waking up at 5'clock in the morning worrying over my morning bowel motions and unable to get back to sleep. For me it's a chicken and egg situation. To relieve the anxiety I'd need the fissure gone and to help with healing it, I need less anxiety.
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Re: Anxiety, IBS and AF - really struggling

Postby SueH84 » 22 Dec 2016, 15:42

Hi Banjobuddy
I was a slave to anxiety for a long time. I thought it was a complex problem when in fact it was actually a very simple one. I was helped by a man called Paul David. I stumbled across his website sometime ago - it’s called Anxiety No More (anxietynomore.co.uk.) He has also written a couple of books which I purchased from Amazon. It’s not a quick fix and it took time but it’s all thanks Paul David that I am where I am now, confident enough to say that anxiety will never ruin my life again. Believe me that is something I never thought I would be able to say. :-)
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Re: Anxiety, IBS and AF - really struggling

Postby banjobuddy » 23 Dec 2016, 20:07

Thanks Sue,

I'll look him up on Amazon. It sounds interesting :-)
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