IBS § panic/anxiety

[soldiersmom]

Thank you for any help you can provide. I have been told for most of my life that I have spastic colon (IBS ?) It usually flares up when I know I am going to be in a social situation..My stools are often lumpy and hard to pass or loose and or diarreah. This last 6 week period has been the worse..I have suffered daily from panic attacks and anxiety..I have had more diarreah than I usually have.not constipation. Loose stools are Brown and Golden..I have had my gallbladder removed last January. I also have gerd.. No blood can be seen..often my stools float. I am most worried about this shivering feeling I have upon wakening. Like my nerves are on high alert.All bowel problems are in the morning only or after eating.I am so worried about colon cancer as my aunt died at age 63 from it.And my grandmother too although she was 91.  I wasnt worried until I had a "Bug" just befoe thanksgiving and I had a lumpy bowel movement followed by a large amount of water--two days in a row..since then my Panic has taken over my life. We recently had a death in the family and have sold our home and moved..My son just returned from a 20 month deployment to Iraq. Sorry for being so long winded..My question is --do you think my mind has stirred up my IBS? when I forget to worry I seem better. Thank you so much for your help.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

It may certainly be possible that the IBS symptoms may have been exacerbated by anxiety.  

Before attributing the symptoms to irritable bowel syndrome, you may want to consider a colonoscopy to rule out cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or polyps, especially if there is a family history.  

There are some studies showing some benefit for tricyclic antidepressants.  You may also want to consider antispasmodic agents which can sometimes alleviate the symptoms.  

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[Buteykoman]

I have read with interest the theories relating asthma and IBS and GERD, as well as reasons put forward for these ailments when standard diagnostics cannot identify a ready cause.
One of the main issues with asthma, and other breathing disorders (snoring and sleep apnea) is the fact that people hyperventilate and therefore lower their residual CO2 levels in blood and lungs.
CO2 has several important roles to play in the body, two of which are:
1. Control of release of Oxygen from blood (the Bohr Effect)
2. Prevention of spasm in smooth muscle tubes throughout the body.
Taking into account that the respiratory system is almost exclusively 'tube' based and that the digestive system is all tubes, of one kind or another, it stands to reason that if there is perpetually low CO2 in blood and lungs (lower than 40mm Hg pACO2 and 6.00 to 6.5% alveolar CO2)there will be a tendency for spasm in these areas.
By restoring breathing patterns to normal and correcting mouth-breathing, it is possible to bring these conditions under control without the need for medications and surgical intervention.