What do you think your trigger is: Stress or Food?

I've had 4 flares since 1996 and I'm 99.9% sure stress related. Has anyone tried using a low dose anxiety drug to ward off flares during stressful times?

sdbook

sdbook said:

I've had 4 flares since 1996 and I'm 99.9% sure stress related. Has anyone tried using a low dose anxiety drug to ward off flares during stressful times?

sdbook

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Welcome to the forum sdbook, I have had difficulties since Feb or Mar of last year. I can say for sure that my flares have been due to stress, stress, stress!!!
clonopin (sp) helps a bit but not when i am really struggling.

I think Stress plays a major role but so does eating the wrong thing. I have never used antidepressants but I do know personally of someone who has and they dont have any symptoms. But again, we are all different and react different. It could do the trick for you, trial and error is the game of this disease. Let us know what you decide! Good luck.

I have anxiety disorder and I am sure that when I am anxious it makes things a little worse. But not severe. I do take 10mg of Lexapro daily and that helps me feel much more in balance.

I take a pill three times a day that is a low dose anti anxiety and anti spasmatic. It doesn't make you sleepy or zombie-ish or zut you out.

chlordiazepoxide/clidinium

It has been a god send. My regular gi didn't give it to me it was another doc in his practice that was filling in for him while he was on vacation and I could just kiss him for it.

i take 4- 5 mg of xanax for panic attacks, great drug, but highly addictive. been taking it for 20 yrs, its been a life saver

I think my flares are totally stress related. Food then just makes things worse if I eat the wrong thing. I take a low dose of Prozac to help handle my anxiety and stress. I also do yoga and try (though I hate it) to exercise 3 days a week to help release stress too.

When I was on Effexor (almost 6 years) all it did was make me angry and have violent mood swings. Now I'm off the Effexor and on Prednisone, but at least the mood swings aren't violent.

But yea, with me a little bit of both. But with my last flare up, the Diarrhea didn't start till I took some NyQuil.

I take two klonopins a day, two wellbutrin, and two 20 mg of bentyl/diclocimine (SP) four times per day. Should be enough to knock out a horse but barely helps at all at this point.

scifi-enthusiast said:

When I was on Effexor (almost 6 years) all it did was make me angry and have violent mood swings. Now I'm off the Effexor and on Prednisone, but at least the mood swings aren't violent.

But yea, with me a little bit of both. But with my last flare up, the Diarrhea didn't start till I took some NyQuil.

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Hey Sci-fi, I agree, that effexor is some bad S#@$@! For me the side effects did were horrible.

I think it's both for me. When I was younger it was extreme emotional stress (such as watching my parents battle it out and throw forks, knifes, books, ect. at eachother). Now i think it's both. A little more on the food side tho. Because I don't seem to have problems much when there's stressors anymore. Unless it's just due to being around someone sick and geting sick as well.

I've recently decided that the worsening of my symptoms has always been with an increase of stress or anxiety. I've been meaning to ask my doctor about a possible anxiety med but I'm not sure I want to be on any more meds.

Stress is my trigger
When I ended up in A&E in January, I'd moved house, got divorced, stressful job, mum was ill, then she died.
Now I'm on 25mg Amitriptyline for neuralgia (which is gettin better) in high doses this med is for depression, in low doses as a pain receptor.
don't know whether it's psychological, but I'm very very calm! (and on Pred too!)
Sleeping better, eating well and very very calm!
Think I'll stay on it!

My most recent flare reared its head after my long term relationship ended and things got messy. My flares are directly related to stress and I have no hesitation in saying that.
I've often considered turning to anxiety medications to help control my Crohn's symptoms (I also have anxiety disorder) but I'm trying to get through without them.
I'm trying to work through it using CBT techniques which have helped a lot but it has been really hard and has taken an awfully long time to make a difference.

I was on Zoloft for a couple months and doing fantastic and then when I stopped, I suddenly developed these symptoms (still undiagnosed, but they suspect Crohn's). I can say though that I have gone back on the Zoloft and am not really noticing a difference.

If anything though, anxiety DEFINITELY makes everything worse! Especially when I am in pain I begin to worry a lot more, which kicks my anxiety into high gear, so then come the panic attacks - and yeah, it's just one big vicious circle.

rayzorblade said:

Especially when I am in pain I begin to worry a lot more, which kicks my anxiety into high gear, so then come the panic attacks - and yeah, it's just one big vicious circle.

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ditto!
:hug:

STRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Sue

I have horrible stress sometimes during the day and my GI doc has me prescribed on ativan 1mg x2's a day as needed. They seem to ward off some of the stress. I may need to look into something stronger though, because some days are just miserable.

Both for me. I have had a VERY stressful week and normally I have 5-6 BM's a day, but for some reason I haven't had any in 2 days. I'm not having any pain so I assume no blockage. I just think it's because of the stress from my job this week. Next week will be better.

Lucy said:

Both for me. I have had a VERY stressful week and normally I have 5-6 BM's a day, but for some reason I haven't had any in 2 days. I'm not having any pain so I assume no blockage. I just think it's because of the stress from my job this week. Next week will be better.

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I have been the same way really the past 3 days or so...and im sure its stress related as well. Its weird feeling when your used to having. 4 or more BM's a day to not having one. But I myself notice how bloated and hard my stomach:boring: gets as well, and it hurts kinda.

Hopefully the stress will depart from us soon because sadly i admit i need a BM.

Hey girls, hiya!

Think about the amitriptyline! It's been a Godsend for me, I take 25mg at bedtime, it is keeping me soooooooooooo calm, I can't believe it! Not a foggy mess, but relaxed and happy! And on Pred too! I'm sleeping better for the first time in years too, which is really important.
I've read about this med and pain, it works by blocking pain receptors. In higher doses it's used for depression.
stay well, love lots
xxxx

Astra101 said:

Hey girls, hiya!

Think about the amitriptyline! It's been a Godsend for me, I take 25mg at bedtime, it is keeping me soooooooooooo calm, I can't believe it! Not a foggy mess, but relaxed and happy! And on Pred too! I'm sleeping better for the first time in years too, which is really important.
I've read about this med and pain, it works by blocking pain receptors. In higher doses it's used for depression.
stay well, love lots
xxxx

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Just wrote that down! Thank you ma'am Happy Saturday to you!

Stress for me... definitely stress. It really sucks. By the time the flare starts the stress is gone, but by then it's too late.

Probably food for me. Right now I have a relatively unstressful life - I have very few commitments, work only 15 hours a week etc. I definitely agree stress plays a role and I know if I get worked up I don't cope as well with symptoms but at the moment it's not going badly.

In my experience, stress lead so anxiety and that leads to falling off of all the regiments I have imposed upon myself to keep the bowel under control. Then I fall into depression and dig myself out. I start all over, keep trying, until the next stressful event. Then down the hill I go again.:hang:

stress big time,i recently had a very messy break-up and i find the more stressed you are the harder it is to look after yourself

For me its definitely stress...my mom passed last year, needless to say, I'm not surprised I'm currently flaring. Last winter was the longest, toughest time of my entire life.

Trigger?

My Wife

Stress

Something happens = stess
stress = eating comfort foods which for me are all no good for the tummy
Comfort foods = extra bathroom trips, and pain
Extra bathroom trips and pain = flair
flair = stress

And it just continues..........

Both diet and stress are definite factors in disease.

Because I have a stricture, I have to make sure that anything I eat that is fibrous is cooked well. I also have to limit the amount of food that I eat. If I do not, I feel very bloated and cramped up all night long. I feel so good when my stomach is empty.

I use marijuana and alcohol for stress. I think that beer is really good for me in moderation of course. The carbonation helps me burp too. I definitely exercise more too.

I do not use any other meds.


For the past two years, I have been considering the surgical resection of a 15 cm long stricture that is proximal to my ileocecal valve. I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s 20 years ago after being treated surgically for a peri-anal abscess. As far as I can remember, my stomach problems began at age 7 when I was treated with high doses of penicillin for Lyme Disease.

I was even scheduled for surgery at Stanford, but changed my mind a week before. I am really concerned about losing the ileocecal valve. It seems important. I would like to talk with more people who have had the surgery. I would like to know their state before and after the surgery. Mostly, I am concerned about diarrhea. Currently, I have a bout once a month, usually when I am stressed out and not eating well.

I am worried that if I have the valve removed, I will have much more frequent diarrhea. The trade-off is that now, I am kept awake by cramping several nights per month. I also wonder if I would have a lot more energy if I go ahead and get the surgery. The problem is that there is no going back from the decision to have surgery, unless surgeons begin doing valve reconstructions.

Has anyone else agonized over this decision like me?
I would like to hear from anyone who has had a resection or is considering one?

I do think it can be both. However, I first thought it was silly that I had "stress." I love my life and have little stress other than simple day to day things. But one night, when my 3 year old was having a horrible night, I noticed my cramping/pain starting. I wasn't upset with her, I wasn't even annoyed. Sleepless nights are part of parenthood right? So even the simplest form of stress - a disturbed night sleep - seems to be enought to "stress" my system.

Definitely stress for me!

My choice would be definitely be Stress, although i do have quite a few issues with certain food types (Egyptian cuisine carries some tough ingredients on CD).

But the strange thing is that in the beginning (10 years ago) i used to get attacks immediately after the stress starts if not simultaneously, but recently there is a couple of days lag time???

Any ideas why?

HS

Stress....
and then junk food....cause I am running around and grabbing easy stuff...eating lunch at my desk...more stress...more junk food cause I am tired... and then major yuckiness.

My daddy once told me I could turn anything into stress. I have come to the conclusion that he was correct.

Hugs!

Severe stress does it for me, not small or minor stress

well i think stress is definately the winner?? i deffo think that stress causes my fa;re ups, i have a very stressful job working with youths in residential care, it can be veyr physical and i do 2 x 15 hour days and sleep in, over christmas we had some really difficult times, and i started to flare then for the first time in 2.5 years!!

I have had a very negavtive outlook on life for a while also just to different knock backs, i am working hard to get a positive outlook on life, as onc ei am back in remission i wanna stay there!!!! xxxx

I've added a proper poll to this thread so feel free to vote away

Stress for sure. I'm a highly anxious person about everything. The problem is I don't know how to "de-stress!"