Anxiety or Crohn's Disease?

by Brian
(NY)

My ex-girlfriend has anxiety, panic disorder and agoraphobia. She is also somewhat of a hypochondriac, as the aforementioned issues would suggest. For instance, I came home from work one day to find that she had gone to the doctor and got fitted for a halter monitor to see if she had heart problems cuz she felt like she was having a heart attack earlier that day when she supposedly got a heart palpatation that lasted for over a minute where she couldnt breathe and felt like she was going to faint.

She is going for a sb camera endoscopy today to find out if she has Crohn's disease. She had been suspected of it but there was never any evidence that she actually had it. I personally feel that she does not have it. She is just now finally working outside of her house for the first time in 5 years and has been having stomach discomfort, nausea etc and that is a result of her anxiety, as far as I am concerned.

I do realize that her anxiety could have actually caused her to have real stomach problems, like ulcers but could her anxiety have caused her to develop something like Crohn's disease?

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Anxiety or Crohn's Disease NEW
by: Annette Young

Hi there,

Thanks for your question.
Anxiety and panic disorders are very real - to the person suffering from them and although they can be very frustrating to others, they have to be taken seriously and managed professionally.

You haven't mentioned any symptoms as such so it is difficult to be able to confirm if she might have Crohn's disease at all. There are many conditions that mimic Crohn's so it can be a long process for diagnosis.

Does she suffer from severe abdominal pain? Does she suffer with nausea and/or diarrhea? Is there any joint pain or rashes? Is she feeling extremely fatigued?

These are all indicators of Crohn's disease.

It is worth noting though that Crohn's is greatly affected by stress and anxieties and at one point, was considered to be the cause of the disease. Now, research has indicated otherwise, however, stress and anxieties play a huge role in making the condition worse.

So although it won't cause it, it can certainly make things a whole lot worse. Obviously the fact that she has changed her situation could easily be a trigger too. I would suggest that she learns some relaxation techniques to help release her tensions but she should also seek medical advice and see a counselor if possible.

I hope this helps?

Kind regards,
Annette


Growing up crohns
by: Anonymous

I was diagnosed with crohns the day I was supposed to leave for college. Throughout high school I had no problems with anxiety or stress but the second I started thinking about college it came on full force. My doctor didn't directly say but I think my anxiety levels about leaving crated the crohns inside of me. Now 4 years later I have had trouble socially and I have a lot of anxiety about even the smallest things. Something that weren't problems in high school. My boyfriend is completely supportive and I Need him there for me because he's the one that's been in and out of hospitals the whole time I've been in school. I owe him the world
same story for 20 yrs
by: Anonymous

my wife also goes through tests regularly weekly for 20 yrs her dr. told her she is the worst hyper chondriac he has ever seen asnd she doesnt beleive him it is hurting us emotionaly and financialy does anyone have any words of wisdom ?its not that i dont care its 20 yrs of our lives looking for the ghost of an illness if someone says they are a hyperchondriac thats the first step nbut 20 yrs didnt change anything .she doesnt want me to work so i can be there in case of a medical emergency but she is healthy the stress is making me a nervous wreck
same story for 20 yrs
by: Anonymous

my wife also goes through tests regularly weekly for 20 yrs her dr. told her she is the worst hyper chondriac he has ever seen asnd she doesnt beleive him it is hurting us emotionaly and financialy does anyone have any words of wisdom ?
ANXIETY OR CROHN'S...
by: Anonymous

I know your post was ages ago, but others benefit from reading a variety of answers.

crohn's is not caused by stress, but stress increases pain during a flare-up.

as far as you thinking this grl is a hypercondriac, it says alot more about you not understanding wat a panic attack is, or what having crohn's disease involves.

i suffered from panic attacks all my life but didnt no what they were until they got severe when i was 19 and stayed severe for 2 years.

it was the most confusing terrifying ordeal i have ever experieced!it was a 2yr cycle of not knowing wat was going on with my own body, constantly feeling anxious and sick, worrying about when and where i would get sick or lose my breath to the point of fainting.

i became agraphobic in order to avoid places where i felt i couldnt hide or reach a bathroom in time to get sick if needs be.

counselling helped as i needed to talk to someone who knew i wasnt crazy.i gradually built my confidence up by visitng the places i eventually avoided, and through breathing exercises i learned to relax and stay in those places rather than run from them.

i went back to work and eventually enrolled for college when i was confident enough panic attacks werent gonna rule my life anymore.
it wasnt until i was in college a yr and a half that i was diagnosed with crohn's, last February at the age of 23.

although u might think your ex has over reacted to slight symptoms, it sounds like she was as lost as i was.
and as for being tested for crohn's, she obviously has showed signs/symptoms to say her doc has referred her for tests.

i understand it must be highly confusing for someone who isnt experiencing any of it first hand,i lost a few frends and a boyfrend coz i couldnt explain myself and they put it down to me being over dramatic. if you care about this grl tho, all you need to do is reassure her you know she's not crazy and she'll get through it, one day at a time!!
Ex Girlfreind
by: Anonymous

I believe your girlfriend has a vitamin defiency related to her periods a month
anxity and crohn's
by: Mia

Hello,

I also suffer from anxiety and panic disorder so I definatly know what she is going through. I started having stomach problems 1-1/2 years ago when I decided to go back to college to try and become a nurse. I thought because of the anxiety of being out and in school that it was the reason for my stomach problems. Well just shortly after Thanksgiving (2007) I found myself in the hospital and they told me that they suspect that I have crohn's disease. I was there for about 8 days without being allowed to eat a single thing (so my intestine's could rest). Well, I have to go do a colonoscopy on the 15th of Feb. and they just ran a blood test last week called the Anti-Saccharomyces cervisiae Antibody (ASCA) and from what the doctor told me that it show's that I have crohn's disease. I have been very scared and of course it doesnt help your anxity level at all when finding this out. I talked to my counsler about anxiety and crohn's and she said that there are a lot of people that suffer from anxiety and panic disorder that do start to have stomach problems such as crohn's. I see that a lot of people say they have flair ups when they are stressed. Well, can you imagine having anxiety which is a constant stress on your body. I do believe that me having anxiety disorder did contribute to me now having crohn's disease.

I am so sorry for such a long story. If she would ever like to talk to me she can email me anytime at sweetnakira@yahoo.com.

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