Hello,

I have had a very noisy stomach since the last two years. It began about a few months after I came to US for graduate studies. I have seen at least two GI specialists and know now that it isn't induced by any allergy/Celiacness etc.

Briefly, the relevant symptoms are -
A growling/rumbling stomach (having nothing to do with hunger), mild social and work/performance related anxiety, easily alarmed/scared by sudden sounds/motion, feeling of loneliness (actually am I think! ), mild diarrhea-ishness AND gassiness from time to time (mostly when tense about a meeting/presentation etc)
[No other severe hysterical mood disorders or pain etc, just the above]

So, now I just *know* that my stomach noise and state is an indicator of how tense/nervous I am. [Readily verified by such symptoms present almost always just before an important 'show down' and *disappearing* immediately after that]. I guess it has something to do with the hyperactivity of the intestinal motor contractions induced by anxiety. Exercise seems to help a lot too. Symptoms seem to quickly disappear for about an hour immediately after a brisk abs-intensive exercise.

I have tried from allopathy the following -
Hyoscyamine & Dicyclomine to slow down my stomach.. they seem to work but only for about an hour (I am thus on my own when giving a 3 hour exam). And do not work about 30% of the times..

I read about Ignatia and related homeopathic remedies for symptoms similar (?) to mine. Before I try it, I have a few questions -
1. Any side effects?
2. Is it habit forming? Meaning, if it helps me, and I take it for the next 10 years on a as-needed basis, will I grow dependent on it to keep my stomach quite?
3. Does it *heal* the problem or simply cure it for the time-being?
4. Should I be taking it at all? Had read something like it's meant for Women only? (I am a 26 year old guy). Do my symptoms qualify for a prescription? If not, what should I try?
5. Where can I get it from? (in US) Is it available over the counter?
6. What's the usual prescription like (frequency/quantity)?
6. URLs for further reading if you have any?

Thanks a lot for your time and help! I usually avoid taking medicines for 'trivial' problems, but have given up on this one. It sounds trivial but has very embarrassing effects!

Do reply please!

[ 23 March 2002, 21:46: Message edited by: Rahul Nair ]

Dear Rahul,

Are you a hot or chilly person?

What foods do you go out of your way to make sure you have? What is your appetite and eating habits like?

What drinks do you like, and what temperature must they be, and do you drink them down or just sip a little from time to time?

Tell us what is your worst time of day--when your vitality is at its lowest? What's your best time of day?

Are your complaints more on one side or do they move around?

Let me see if I understand this:
Just before an important meeting or any situation where you have to prove yourself and there's the chance that you might fail and embarrass yourself, you become anxious, with the result that your stomach growls and you have mild diarrhea; and when the situation is over, you're OK. Is that right? You also startle easily.

How do you feel about thunderstorms?

How do you feel if you miss a meal?

Do you feel better in open air or warm rooms?

How do you feel in the morning when you wake up?

Thanks,
Snoopy

Thanks JVolkman, Snoopy!

JVolkman, actually, being a graduate student with a very limited budget, I don't think I can spend more than I already have on treatment which doesn't lead anywhere. So that's why this sudden interest in alternative medicine, esply Ignatia which seems to have helped others with Stomach problems related to social/professional anxiety.

Snoopy, some replies -
Dear Rahul,

> Are you a hot or chilly person?

Temperature-wise, I am a chilly person. My feet are usually unusally cold. I have a rest-less legs thing since birth, wherein I like to shake my legs as I go to sleep.

> What foods do you go out of your way to make sure you have? What is your appetite and eating habits like?

I tend to crave for spicy food once in a while, which as a matter of fact totally screws up my stomach even more, but still..!

> What drinks do you like, and what temperature must they be, and do you drink them down or just sip a little from time to time?

My favs would be lemonade, mountain dew, sprite, gingerale. I like them cold but not too icy. I usually gulp down in volumes and not just sip.

>Tell us what is your worst time of day--when your vitality is at its lowest? What's your best time of day?

Worst - Typically early morning until 11AM when there's something planned for the day. Best/Better - Most of the rest of the day/night.

> Are your complaints more on one side or do they move around?

They are Not one-sided. Mostly tend to originate from the lower abdomen I think.

> Let me see if I understand this:
Just before an important meeting or any situation where you have to prove yourself and there's the chance that you might fail and embarrass yourself, you become anxious, with the result that your stomach growls and you have mild diarrhea; and when the situation is over, you're OK. Is that right? You also startle easily.

Exactly! And the anxiety ironically is about my stomach! So its a cause-effect loop that I would die to get out of..

> How do you feel about thunderstorms?

Nothing particular. Not scared of them, don't like them too.

> How do you feel if you miss a meal?

Tend to get very hungry I usually have light lunches and perhaps can't sleep without having dinner.

> Do you feel better in open air or warm rooms?

Better? I guess in open air (close to nature!)

> How do you feel in the morning when you wake up?

These days, mostly tense. About work, about my stomach etc.

Do these ring a bell? Please do let me know.

-R

Rahul,

Could you describe your energy--are you peppy and bubbly, or are you sluggish?

Do you desire spicy because you come from a country where it is customary to eat spicy foods?

Did I ask what you are afraid of--other than giving presentations, etc.? If not, please answer. For instance: heights, snakes, insects, night, being alone, marriage, scary movies, ghosts, robbers, etc.

What is your build?

Do you make friends easily?

How do you feel after a nap?

What weather do you prefer?

When you have an emotional problem which is bothering you, what do you do?

Think of a time when someone in your family was sick, what did you do?

How are you at the sea?

Are your feet icy cold? Just in bed at night?

The restless legs in bed--are they restless at other times too?

Are you, yourself, a restless person? Is your mind restless--trouble concentrating, etc.? Do you feel the need to travel? Do you feel hurried?

What do you enjoy doing?

This fear of speaking in public, when did it start, what triggered it?--what was happening in your life around the time it started?

Would you have this loud stomach if you weren't anxiety ridden?

What do you think motivates you? For example, some people are motivated by the desire for power/money, others by idealism, others by the need to be reassured that they're loved and cared for.

What makes you angry? What do you do when you get angry?

How do you feel about music?

Do you like to be consoled?

Do you sweat during sleep? Or at any other time?

Are you an orderly/tidy sort of person or on the messy side?

Thanks for answering,
Snoopy

[ 05 May 2002, 01:33: Message edited by: Snoopy ]

Hi again Snoopy,

Some more replies..

> Could you describe your energy--are you peppy and bubbly, or are you sluggish?

I would say bubbly and quite active.

> Do you desire spicy because you come from a country where it is customary to eat spicy foods?

Yes. I used to be able to tolerate spicy food much more back in India. Here even mildly spicy food upsets my tummy.

> Did I ask what you are afraid of--other than giving presentations, etc.? If not, please answer. For instance: heights, snakes, insects, night, being alone, marriage, scary movies, ghosts, robbers, etc.

Heights and speeds (eg turbulence in flights makes me typically makes me more tense than most ppl around me).

> What is your build?

Tall (6+) and well built.

> Do you make friends easily?

No, I take a lot of time to make friends but tend to make really good ones.

> How do you feel after a nap?

Nothing in particular.

> What weather do you prefer?

Cool but not cold.

> When you have an emotional problem which is bothering you, what do you do?

Pray, play music, watch movies, hang out with a few nice friends..

> Think of a time when someone in your family was sick, what did you do?

I must've worried myself sick.

> How are you at the sea?

Not exactly bold. In general, I hate uncertainty..

> Are your feet icy cold? Just in bed at night?

Always!

> The restless legs in bed--are they restless at other times too?

No.

> Are you, yourself, a restless person? Is your mind restless--trouble concentrating, etc.? Do you feel the need to travel? Do you feel hurried?

I am fairly restless, but not physically.. I think and worry more than usual. Most of the times constructively, but I do worry too much and would like not to.

> What do you enjoy doing?

Be with friends (good close ones only) and go to nature treks with them..

> This fear of speaking in public, when did it start, what triggered it?--what was happening in your life around the time it started?

I have always been shy of speaking with New ppl, with ppl I know, I tend to be quite loud and confident. Unless it's a quite room and I am the center of attention!

> Would you have this loud stomach if you weren't anxiety ridden?

It would be very rare. I have had two years to observe it.. it DOES have something to do with my anxiety.. or atleast it intensifies highly when I get these anxiety attacks!

> What do you think motivates you? For example, some people are motivated be the desire for power/money, others by idealism, others by the need to be reassured that they're loved and cared for.

Recognition. From ppl I am close with, I don't need reassurance about love/care..

> What makes you angry? What do you do when you get angry?

I tend not to angry easily.. typically someones rudeness ticks me off.. but I don't typically react.. just curse when alone.

> How do you feel about music?

Great!

> Do you like to be consoled?

No particularly.

> Do you sweat during sleep? Or at any other time?

My palms sweat big time during these anxiety attacks.. normal during other times..

> Are you an orderly/tidy sort of person or on the messy side?

Tidy and like order a lot!

Hope that helps you help me!

Let me know and thanks!

-R

Thanks JVolkman.. you are right about the accessibility.. I will keep that in mind and explore some soon. There seem to be some smart homeopaths on this board, and I want to get their opinion too. (I have taken this up as a personal research project.. there just has to be a cure/answer!)

General note to the reader- If you'r a practitioner, please do reply with what you think might help. Allopathy has failed, and I am looking at Homeopathy and Exercise/fitness as the only possible rescue now.

Thanks a bunch,
-R

Dear Rahul

you are in good hands with Snoopy. I just wanted to ask a quick question - and make sure that Snoopy didn't miss this as it was in your original post.

This trouble began AFTER your move to the US correct? What were you feeling about moving to the US? Was this a positive time, do you get homesick, etc?

Also, how different is your diet now since moving to the US?

Barb

[ 23 March 2002, 22:28: Message edited by: Barb ]

__________________
Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to animals. For they are without sin and you in your greatness defile the earth by your appearance on it and leave traces of you foulness after you. Dostoyevsky

Also Rahul - do you have ANY other symptoms? For instance headaches, sinus trouble, allergies, muscle aches? I ask because in homeopathy the prescription is based on the entire person not just one issue at at a time.

You mentioned you are lonely - is that since moving here?

__________________
Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to animals. For they are without sin and you in your greatness defile the earth by your appearance on it and leave traces of you foulness after you. Dostoyevsky

Hi Barb,

Those are good questions.

I have had a very positive feeling about coming to US as far as work and returns are concerned. Since I had to leave several Close friends and family back home, though, I have felt quite homesick from time to time. I do have friends here now and think am managing fairly well. But there are days or weeks at a time when I have shut myself away from all fun things due to exams and work and worries about my stomach (e.g. avoiding parties or sitting together with someone for a group-study for fear of the noise etc).

I have absolutely No other symptoms other than the stomach noise and anxiety related to it that causes it to increase even more. I haven't even had a cold in the past 2 years.

I believe that if I get something through *pathy, which helps me have a good day if I take a pill in the morning, and which is Not habit forming or to which I would get immune to, and which has No side effects, then I can get back living a great life! I am having a great life otherwise.. just this anxiety thing and this noise.. a 'trivial' nuisance I would really like to get rid of! I plan to take this wonder pill for now and slowly fade it away so I don't 'remember' to get anxious before a meeting and don't 'remember' to think about my tummy..

Thanks all for reading.. waiting for some great help...

-R

Rahul - what about the diet changes since your move?

How much sour drinks (lemonade, sprite, etc.) do you consume?

__________________
Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to animals. For they are without sin and you in your greatness defile the earth by your appearance on it and leave traces of you foulness after you. Dostoyevsky