[16646]

Hi all, I figured out my pain might be anxiety related. I had IBS for two years but also with this constant pain on the lower left of my stomach below my chest, sometimes it get worst and radiates to my back. I don't think I get this pain when I sleep, but I can't get good sleep because it's hard to fall in sleep with this pain, and for whatever reason I wake up at night many times. The pain comes right after I fully wake up. I've done many tests, none of them says I have any physical problem. That might also because whenever I am seeing a doc or under a test, I don't feel pain. So sometimes it get better when I am doing certain things ex. when talking with my boss or chatting with stranger. So i wonder if any of you have these pain? and is this anxiety or depression? I am glad I found this site to talk about things like this. ThanksFang

 

[TammyJ]

my pains start from anxiety too. i mostly have them just under my ribs it can be so unbearable that i cant fall alsleep and only have small amounts of sleep a nite.i also have pain at the top of my ribs especially after stomach cramps. ive only just been diagonosed and finding it hard to deal with. any help on how i can ease it please?

 

[16646]

i can picture it as trapped gas caused by IBS, sometimes I can feel it released to stomach. Or maybe it's just my imagination. LOL

 

[15642]

You guys are totally describing me to a T! It's like trapped painful air in your chest, sometimes it goes to your back, sometimes down to your stomach, sometimes it just sits in the stomach, sometimes it's butterflies, queazy feeling. Hate it! And yes, I believe with all my heart it is totally stress & anxiety related! Our nerves are telling us it's time for a change, be it overthinking (negatively), bad relationship, bad job, low self-esteem, whatever it is, your body is rebelling. Hope you all find your answers.Michele

 

[13515]

Hello everyone,I feel so much better after reading all these stories because i now know i'm not alone. I too have been the docs recently about pains in my stomach bottom right and bottom left she had a feel around & said it was a little bit of IBS and don't worry. So i toddle off & dont worry for about a day and then i start getting pain under my ribs on both sides so i see another 2 docs and one looks ### me like i'm a loon and the other tells me i have a virus(whats all that about).I have been in a terrible state of panic thinking i'v got something really bad,iwoke up one morning feeling really nervous & sick and my heart was beating so fast and i didnt have anything to calm me down only herbal tablets.I wouldn,t wish this feeling on my worst enemy, does anyone else feel this way at all and if so what calms you down?

 

[15959]

I know this sound funny and crazy but playing video games helps me. Every night when i get off work i go home and play My X box 360 I go onto xbox live and start talking to different people as we play different games and before you know it my anxiety goes away and whats even more funny is that the pains from the ibs aren't as bad. I seems i forget about the pain and when i get off i feel like going out and in joying life again. oh yeah i'm also 31. I just got tired of take pills and always being tired and worn out. I still have bad days but When i do i just get on and play a little online poker my online friend get me laughing and life gets better again. You can beat this it just another game that how i look at it sometimes you get high score and have a good day sometimes you bomb out. Hopefully you guy and gal understand what i'm saying and don't think im nuts.

 

[13857]

I have severe pain on my left side and right side by my belly button and even undernieth it I can't sleep at night because it is unbearable I use heating pads or rice bags or even a hot bath and lots of pain killers to help not that they stop the pain but they take the edge off. My husband thinks I'm crazy because I can't sleep at night. Plus an hour after I eat I am in so much pain to I just want to die sometimes.

 

[16646]

Hi guys, I'm back. Glad to see some followups. Gemini, I had similar pain you mentioned, don't worry, see doc, and don't think too much. I guess everyone here is positive it's stress or anxity related. I'll just mention something which helped my symtom lately.1) R2 mentioned play video game. I was a serious gamer, but I'm quitting and moving to wii or cube kind of game, 'cause I noticed whenever I am playing the game, I feel better, but when I get off, my pain come back quickly. So I guess distraction is neccessary but can't be too stressed either. Talking to ppl probably is the right anwser.2) Hanging out with close(those you don't feel pressure with) or new friends helps a lot. Talking is a constant distraction especially when you talk about your feelings and hear others.3) My best one which reminds me lately is something I don't fully understand. I went to a 2-week conference, I dressed well, gave nice speeches, and met with lot of people. I don't have any pain (maybe just a little when I was alone at night at hotel) in that two weeks. I felt reborn, no kidding. It happened to me before. I guess it's self-esteem related but I can't rationize it. Once I hit home, I start to feel terrible right away. (My relationship didn't work out either, but I guess it's not related somehow)4) Too much thinking is definately the killer. One of the solution is don't give your mind time to kick in. ex. Dress properly, walk on the street slowly (walk 10-20 blocks on sunny day, running is no good), or go to bar, or just talk to some stranger. I don't know, dress like important people just makes me feel better right away. 5) Draw attention from other people, I know you might be man, WTF, just do some bold move. Dont' let your sensitivity kick in and mess up your mind alone. 6) I almost forgot to mention that, this pain can be released right away if you know how (don't throw eggs at me). For me, if I lay on sofa or bed on my side (not back), the pain(tension) can be killed with the feeling of some gas bubble released from the pain spot. I realized that it might not be gas bubble, it might be just some muscle movement inside that release the tension of your mind somehow. Couple of other thing will do the same, ex. touch and rub your inside thigh or hand, or shake one hand with other hand, etc. You have to be calm when you do the above, I guess if you are extremly calm, you don't have to do anything to relase those bubble. Hope the above helps. At least it helped me in the last couple of months. Now I am at a stage that I can control it, but can't get rid of it. Getting better I guess.Holding there. FangIt's not a bug, it's a feature.

 

[15294]

Just found this site, actually by reading a Dear Abby type article in todays paper, Which I never do, I might add. WOW, what a blessing. Dear, Windmaomao,(aug 29 posting) you just describe my symptoms and problems to a T!! I was diagnosed about 3 months ago and am on my 3rd RX of Zelnorm, which i feel helps some with the constipation but not a whole lot with the constant returning pain in the left side of my stomach and visual bloating. I have spent many a sleepless night hurting and worrying if I have some sort of serious cancer or other underlying problem going on inside my abs. After reading your post I believe you and I have the same whatever. Like you when I do certain things the pain goes away. I love to walk and seldom ever feel the pain when Im walking doing my excersise. Seems I go to bed with the pain and after finally falling asleep I wake up several times during the night and it may only slightly be there till I become fully awake and then there it is. If I fall back to sleep and manage to get a few hours sleep Im usually ok when I wake up, get my shower and start my day but after about a hr. or so the pain comes back and pretty much stays with me off and on throughout the rest of the day and night. I experience a lot of gas usually upper which I find myself burping all thru the day and night and constantly as I wake in my sleep, I read where someone else posted this same problem (burping constantly.) I took a new position about a yr and a half ago at my job that has probably contributed to my IBS (office mgr. at a medical office) I love my job but it can be very stressful at times and Im sure is causing anxiety that Im not even aware of. I have resulted lately to taking an occasional xanax .05 before bedtime which helps me get thru the night but I don't want to become dependent on them to sleep, but it sure seems good to sleep thru the night and not wake up hurting and worrying. Thanks to this web site and reading all the postings and comparing my symptoms and knowing this condition is real and others are expericing the same things I deal with on a daily basis makes me not feel so isolated. Lately I feel myself becoming depressed over the pain and worrying. I just want to feel good again, its been a long time. Hopefully reading all the posts will help me cope. I don't like to complain to my friends, family and co-workers because no one wants to hear it any way and I don't want them to think Im a constant complainer. Its nice to know I can share on here with others who understand. Thanks everyone.T

 

[13802]

I can relate to you completely. For the last Five weeks ive had almost constant stomach cramps in my lower left and right abdomen. Sometimes just above my belly button. I am a diagnosed Anxiety sufferer and the doctors are telling me that its all down to stress and anxiety. I constantly think about my stomach (All day thinking that theres something wrong) and it sends me on a panic cycle. Ironicly after the panic attack the pain is not so bad but about 20 mins l8r I obsesse about it and the cycle starts all over again. The doctors want me to go to CBT and might put me back on seroxat. Am I alone? Do any of you get this? Im just needing someone to ease my already over active mindAndrew

 

[18855]

Hi, I sure do. I have been on a bad streak w/ this since Christmas. Finally going to Gastro today. I pop Tranq.'s sometimes I panic so bad. Every bad thought goes through my head.And yes it almost always on the left,down my leg and foot this time.I went to the ER 10 days ago and had blood work, cat scans and ultra sounds done.Today will tell something I hope.I just want to feel beter. I have been on a bland diet of crackers and toast pretty much for 3 weeks. Its getting old.Anxiety can cause alot of problems,I try to keep busy all the time. People don't understand why I can't sit still, It's because if I do I think to much. What symptoms do you have? IBS? try to find a hobby that keeps you from all the anxiety. I painted the whole kitchen, it took me a week but it kept me busy . Hope it helps to know your not alone. Lori