Anxiety, a cause for diarrhea?

[tredy1]

Hello,

My 12 year-old battles diarrhea almost on a daily basis. We can't seem to track a consistant food cause from his diet the day before. It happens upon awakening and lasts until he can't go anymore.

We've taken him to a Children's GE Dr. and had extensive testing via endoscopy, and colonoscopy, stool samples, etc. We've tried Rx such as Ammodium to no consistant success. Sometimes it does nothing.

Also, he does take a daily prescription for ADD and nightly Prilosec for Asophogial reflux. (discovered via endoscopy) We also supplement with a daily OTC fiber tablet. The Prilosec seems to help the morning IBS because it is definitely worse and more frequent when the Prilosec is overlooked the noght before.

We guess this problem may be related to the STRESS and ANXIETY of readying for the day. He is a CD student in special education with other anxiety related behaviors and is also physically impaired with a right side hypertonation. So the morning routine is nothing close to routine.

We would appreciate any directional help on this.

Thanks.

[cnote]

when i go through an anxiety spell i get diarrhea in the morning/loose stools... have been the past few days.. it will pass.

[RockRose]

I agree that anxiety can cause diarrhea,  but it's odd that he has this on waking up in the morning - rather than during a stressful period of the day.

Is there a reason you're giving him a daily fiber tablet?  I would think that would make diarrhea worse.

[rilbrianne]

I know anxiety causes me to have the same problem.  I'm not on any medications, I'm 25 but when I'm anxious or nervous about anything, I have that problem as well.  If he has anxiety related behaviors, then the anxiety (in my opinion) could certainly be a cause for the daily diarrhea.