Age 24 IBS-C My Story (NEED ADVICE)

[Gabby A]

I am a generally healthy and active 23 year old who has drawn the conclusion that I am suffering from IBS-C and I don’t know where to begin in terms of managing this/ healing myself. 

I believe my symptoms are related to stress and anxiety. (Especially as my dentist has recently noticed I am an intense teeth clencher  ). I have never dealt with irregular bowel movements before. I first had a bout of terrible constipation and bloating in May of this year. I was terribly stressed and anxious over a final exam in my hardest course that would inevitably determine wether I’d make or break my Straight A streak. I had never felt more terrible. The bloating, the gas, the lack of appetite, the nausea. Though I still managed to pass at least one bowel movement a day I still didn’t feel great. Once the test was over, my grades came in and I walked across that stage excepting my diploma, all was well again. 

I dealt with mild bloating the months after but nothing Intense that weren’t  self resolving very quickly. However, when august rolled around and I found myself under immense stress and anxiety once again my bowels locked up. I am preparing to move abroad to the UK to begin law school and the visa process was severely stressing me out. I had the same symptoms I did last may. Within a little over a week my ailments dissipated.

And here I am again….almost exactly a month later. A week and a half out from making my big move to the UK and im dealing with this constipation, bloating, gas, nausea, and lack of appetite again. I don’t know what to do or where to begin to manage this. I don’t want to feel sick anymore. I have a bowel movement once a day but its never a complete elimination and I can feel as stressful events come up my body stops working.

My mom has urged me to join these types of forums and groups just as she’s done to help heal her own gut health and thyroid. I also have a really great boyfriend, who I’m about be living with in the UK, who also deals with IBS, more specifically IBS-D, that he was diagnosed with back in our early teen years.

I want to know where to begin in terms of diet and supplements and healing. I know I first and foremost need to manage my stress and anxiety and if anyone has any good tips on how to do this I would greatly appreciate it. I’m 23, I feel far too young to be dealing with the level of stress and anxiety I am enduring. I am crying out into the void of an uncertain world, I’m about to make a huge move across the globe, and I feel under immense pressure to “make it” in my adult life. I WANT TO FEEL GOOD AND HEALTHY AND NORMAL!!! 

This was a long post and probably more of a ramble than anything useful but I just need to break into a space where maybe I can seek out and find help.

What I’m Currently doing to manage this all now:

1. Taking 2 types of magnesium supplements together

2. Peppermint tea

3. Beginning a process of elimination diet.

 

 

 

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Dear Gabby,

I understand how it feels to be dealing with this as a young adult. It sucks that it affects your quality of life this way.

In my experience stress and anxiety can exacerbate symptoms, but generally, they aren't the cause. It really is super important to speak to a doctor about your symptoms as so many other conditions have overlapping symptoms with constipation.

IBS w/constipation is unfortunately more challenging to manage with diet versus diarrhea. A low FODMAP diet, if helpful, seems to help people with diarrhea more than constipation. Peppermint is a smooth muscle relaxer and could help with pain.

I realize that you are moving to the UK in like a week and a bit. The UK manages IBS and constipation way different than in the US. You are kind of on your own there. If at all possible - try and see a doctor before you leave to make sure nothing else is going on.

I'm hopeful that you can find support here so that you don't have to cope alone.

[Gabby A]

Dear Gabby,
I understand how it feels to be dealing with this as a young adult. It sucks that it affects your quality of life this way.
In my experience stress and anxiety can exacerbate symptoms, but generally, they aren't the cause. It really is super important to speak to a doctor about your symptoms as so many other conditions have overlapping symptoms with constipation.
IBS w/constipation is unfortunately more challenging to manage with diet versus diarrhea. A low FODMAP diet, if helpful, seems to help people with diarrhea more than constipation. Peppermint is a smooth muscle relaxer and could help with pain.
I realize that you are moving to the UK in like a week and a bit. The UK manages IBS and constipation way different than in the US. You are kind of on your own there. If at all possible - try and see a doctor before you leave to make sure nothing else is going on.
I'm hopeful that you can find support here so that you don't have to cope alone.

Hi! Thank you for your response! I Am getting blood work done this week before I leave and start from there!


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[Tug]

Gabby:

I share a similar experience.  My symptoms began about your age while I was in law school.

I'm so weird that anxiety is the only thing that makes me "go"!  If I am just chilling on a weekend or on vacation, I'm locked up indefinitely. 

As for managing stress, the only non-prescription-drug thing I know of is meditation.  It sounds stupid, and believe me I'm the first to criticize it, but it can really help if you get the right info.  I really like Sam Harris's app, Waking Up.  It's a very reasonable, sensible approach.  Stoicism is also helpful; Ryan Holiday's books are good. 

As for dealing with the symptoms, there are a ton of medications you can try.  Dulcolax (the old school pills) works for me, but it can be a bit painful with the cramps, etc.  They have come out with new gummies and other new forms.  Linzess worked but almost too well, giving me extreme diarrhea.  For extreme situations, I've heard of a pill that actually vibrates in your colon; I think it's called Vibrant. 

I have managed my IBS-C fairly with keeping a regular eating schedule as best I can.  I don't eat anything particular, I just try to eat at the same time every day (lunch at noon, dinner at 7, etc.).  It sounds too easy to be effective, but it has helped me.