Why does my stomach hurt in these situations?

[shrewd]

Hey, lately i have been noticing that when ever im about to go out somewhere and leave the house my stomach will hurt me. Usually it will hurt me in the car going to the place, and often it will hurt me at the place, and until i go home it stops to hurt. Im not sure if im nervous about anything, but i know im often scared that i might need to go to the bathroom in a very embarrasing point of the night and i think thats why i get nervous

- I'm very social and not scared to talk to people
- I work out alot, almost 4-5 times a week
- Finacially im pretty well off
- No stress in my life at all

I recorded for the past 3 days when it would hurt me..
1) went to pick up my sister from work which was about a 1/2 drive from my house, i think my stomach started to hurt me when i was in traffic (i'm thinking its because it was a certain place where i couldnt leave)
2) Went out with one of my friends, as soon as she got in the car my stomach started to hurt.
3) went to drop my girlfriend home, felt like a very crampy feeling.

Times it doesnt hurt but usually does when with people
- At the mall, it used to hurt when i was at the mall, until i went alone and all was fine
- At school it would sometimes hurt but now im ok


ANyone have any suggestions.....the doctor wants to give me ANTI-DEPRESSANTS which i dont want to take.

 

[ThatLady]

Hmm. You might be suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. That can cause a cramping pain, especially at times of stress, accompanied by diarrhoea or constipation (usually diarrhoea).

Here's a link that will tell you about IBS. If the symptoms match, this may give you something to take to your doctor and discuss:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs/

 

[David Baxter PhD]

The reason your doctor wants to give you "antidepressants" is that modern SSRI medications are also helpful in treating conditions other than depression, including anxiety disorders and eating disorders.

 

[Suzette]

Hi Shrwed,

It seems like your stomach gets upset when you get into a situation where you are afraid to get embarrassed. You write: "But I know im often scared that i might need to go to the bathroom in a very embarrasing point of the night."

I do not really know what you mean by that point of the night (sorry, English is not my native language!) but perhaps it is the same thing as not being able to go to the bathroom when you are with strangers. Only at home it feels safe (you cannot get embarrassed) and there you have no problems.

And apparently it bothers you so much that your stomach tells you that by getting upset.

So the question comes up: do you feel you can really be yourself with your friends and relatives? Do you feel safe with them?

 

[shrewd]

its not that, i feel very safe. It hurts when i go to the local bank, or even to pick my sister up from work, or even stuck in traffic.

right now im taking dicetal, the doctor said it will help if it is IBS. So far its the third day on the pills and i feel no different. : (

 

[Suzette]

Hi Shrwed,

Hmmmmzzz... not easy this!

You feel safe you say.

I copied this from your first post: "Hey, lately i have been noticing that when ever im about to go out somewhere and leave the house my stomach will hurt me."

Since your stomach (i.e. your body) can talk (!) it is trying to tell you something. Now the thing is... what....?

So many reactions can occur without you actually noticing anything strange in a situation but your body never lies.

I think that you are unaware of what you really feel or something. What is it exactly that you are scared of, I don't really get a picture. (You wrote: "but i know im often scared").

Can you try to think this over....?

 

[shrewd]

I think im scared of having to go to the washroom but not having a washroom to go to. Unless i drink camamila tea im ok for a bit then it hurts a little later on in the day.

I work out alot but lately because of thsi stomach problem i've lost alot of weight and mass. Im 6'5 200lbs. i lost about 10lbs in the past two months of mass. which is alot.

Since i've ruled out what im scared of, how do i fix this?

 

[Suzette]

Hi Shrwed,

You wrote: "Since i've ruled out what im scared of, how do i fix this?"

This might be my language difficulty but earlier in your post you mentioned getting scared when you don't have a washroom to go to. So I don't hope you will rule it out, unless you don't want to go into this further. That is up to you.

So I don't really know whether you would appreciate any questions.

(For now, just one: what is a washroom exactly? I cannot find it in the dictionary.)

 

[David Baxter PhD]

"washroom" is a (mostly North American) term for "bathroom", "toilet/toilette", "loo", "WC/water closet", etc.

 

[Suzette]

Ah ok, thank you! My dictionary translates in British English.

 

[shrewd]

im willing to take any suggestions necessary.. if you have questions im more then happy to answer them, so i can overcome this illness...

 

[Suzette]

Hi Shrwed,

If one compares going to the bathroom (or washroom) which is a very private and intimate thing what only is a relief when you feel comfortable, with feeling at ease with other people, i.e. being yourself with them/ also show your your weak sides/ feeling comfortable, would that somehow apply to you...?

It comes across that when you are with other people, you somehow feel a bit threatened and when you cannot leave (traffic jam) trapped. Perhaps that is why you don't have you stomach pain when you go home or are at home. Since then you feel safe and you can be yourself (I assume).

You also write that you work out a lot. A question comes up: what would happen if you, say, work out only once a week instead of 4-5 times a week? How would that affect you?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I think your doctor's suggestion (SSRIs) is on the right track.

I think im scared of having to go to the washroom but not having a washroom to go to. Unless i drink camamila tea im ok for a bit then it hurts a little later on in the day.

I have seen this phenomenon in other clients with certain anxiety disorders. The worry about not being able to do something, not being able to get away, not being in control, of being "trapped" in some way triggers the symptoms.

In your case, you mention that chamomile tea delays the onset of the symptoms for a while. This would support the "anxiety" theory because chamomile has a very mild tranquilizing effect as well as a mild muscle relaxant effect (especially abdominal mucles).

Basically, what your doctor is suggesting is medication that will do what the chamolmile tea is doing but will do so more effectively and with a more lasting effect.

In addition to (or instead of if you insist) medication, it would be helpful to find a psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders and CBT.

And finally, in addition to the above, you haven't told us much about your history or when/how/where this problem first surfaced, but it may be helpful to explore that as well -- the possibility of some sort of post-traumatic reaction?

 

[shrewd]

Dear Suzette,
Thanks for responding, I dont feel threatened at all by other people. Yesterday i went to a wedding and i had a pretty good time. I only ate a little bit of food just so my stomach wouldnt hurt and it didnt so im greatful.

Alot of people have been suggesting that i cut milk and dairy out of my diet and to see how it makes me feel. Is it possible that if i did have a lactose problem that it can be related to my stomach hurting during tense times?

I have been cutting down my workouts to about once a week for the past two weeks mainly because the amount of weight i have lost because of the lack of eating.

Dear David Baxter
Im going to see how i feel in about a months time before i go to a psychologist to see if i can get over this with out resorting to another doctor. At my last doctors he only gave me the decital pills to see if it would help, just to see if it is IBS that i have.

I believe it all started when i went to montreal last month. I was going through a hard time, I had lost my job and it was exam time in school. I went to montreal for a interview but i was nervous going on the plane because i get costraphobic. I didnt bother taking a gravel because i thought the 45 min flight wouldnt be bad at all. I ended up getting really sick and had diarrea and i felt nausaus. Throughout the whole 6 hours that i was in Montreal my stomach was hurting me. Until i returned back home later on in the night i was ok.

I noticed i built a fear of flying or airports in general after this. I came to this conclusion when i went to pick up my brother from the airport the following week. I couldnt stand waiting at the arrival terminal, my stomach was paining me like i've never felt in my life before. It was as if i was getting on a plane myself and leaving. As soon as he came into the car and we drove home i was fine.

Thanks for responding Dr. Baxter

 

[David Baxter PhD]

shwred, that's exactly what I meant and what you're doctor was seeing when he recommended the medication.

The use of CBT and desensitization procedures would probably be extremely helpful. Think seriously about contacting a therapist.

 

[Suzette]

David:

And finally, in addition to the above, you haven't told us much about your history or when/how/where this problem first surfaced, but it may be helpful to explore that as well -- the possibility of some sort of post-traumatic reaction?

Shrwed:

I believe it all started when i went to montreal last month. I was going through a hard time, I had lost my job and it was exam time in school. I went to montreal for a interview but i was nervous going on the plane because i get costraphobic. I didnt bother taking a gravel because i thought the 45 min flight wouldnt be bad at all. I ended up getting really sick and had diarrea and i felt nausaus. Throughout the whole 6 hours that i was in Montreal my stomach was hurting me. Until i returned back home later on in the night i was ok.

I noticed i built a fear of flying or airports in general after this. I came to this conclusion when i went to pick up my brother from the airport the following week. I couldnt stand waiting at the arrival terminal, my stomach was paining me like i've never felt in my life before. It was as if i was getting on a plane myself and leaving. As soon as he came into the car and we drove home i was fine.

I did my best to think along but this seems to be the problem.

Think I better finish here, since I am not a therapist!


Suzette

 

[Me1]

First of all, hello to everyone. I just stumbled across this site today, and am very thankful for that. This seems to be a good place for information and support, thank you to everyone for that.

Secondly, Shrwed, I also have this problem... But I'm (working on recovering, fairly successfully so far!) agoraphobic and social phobic. The social phobia led to moving to a smaller highschool, then homeschooling with a tutor, and eventually dropping out of school all together.
It used to be that whenever I knew that I would be leaving my house, my stomach would cramp up and hurt horribly, and whatnot. Eventually, as I got the proper medication and support from family and friends, the pains would start to go away. The "What if?"'s are starting to lessen, also.
"What if I have a panic attack?" "What if someone confronts me?" "What if I have to use the restroom?" "What if I get into a car accident?" etc, etc.

It seems to me, though I'm by far not a professional, that you have a mild anxiety disorder..? Therapy, medication, meditation, or some other form of relaxation could be helpful. There are also things that you can tell yourself to either trick or relax yourself while you're out. Telling yourself that you're okay, and nothing will happen to you can help.. but of course, sometimes it isn't so easy.
"I'm with ___, and ___ cares about me. Nothing bad will happen. ____ and I went out the other day, and everything was fine."
I'm currently on the maximum dose of Effexor. I was surprised to find out just how much it actually helped my stomach. I don't even worry about having to go home from wherever I am because I feel ill anymore. I know that when my stomach acted up, it made me even more anxious, which made my stomach hurt more... A vicious cycle. ^__~

I hope that my personal experience is helpful.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Welcome to the forum, Shan, and thank you for posting your experiences!

 

[Me1]

Thank you! And I hope that I was at least a little bit helpful to Shrwed.. :-\

 

[Suzette]

Hi Shrwed,

How are you doing...? Can you find your way with all the information and responses given...?

I hope you will post a reply.

Greetings,

Suzette