Dealing with nervous stomach/IBS?

I’ve been dealing with a fair amount of life complications over the last year or two, and honestly, I’ve always had a bit of a temper—the kind of quiet, simmering irritability that most people don't even notice until it's too late. But lately, things have taken a physical turn. For the past few months, I’ve been feeling this nagging pain on the left side of my abdomen. I went in for an ultrasound and they told me everything looks fine structurally, but apparently, my small intestine is pretty irritated. My digestion is a complete mess right now; basically, every time I eat anything remotely substantial, I’m sprinting to the bathroom. I rarely have a normal bowel movement these days. If anyone here has dealt with something similar, please, hit me with some advice on how to manage these symptoms. I already tried messing around with different probiotic strains, but it didn't do a damn thing for me.

Do you find yourself straining hard during bowel movements, and does it result in any blood in your stool?

No... actually... I'm pretty sure you're talking about symptoms of a stomach ulcer.

you’ve got a nervous stomach

Just a bit of advice... I know getting rid of the separation is the goal, but honestly, that’s going to take some serious time. You need to focus on something small first, just enough to take the edge off those symptoms.

I could sit here and talk to you about switching careers or moving to a new city... but honestly? The real shift was how I rewired my brain and what I actually value in life. For the longest time, I was constantly stressed out over work—obsessing over clients and trying to bend over backwards to satisfy every single one of their ridiculous demands, only to get zero appreciation in return. Then, one day, some idiot cuts me off on the highway and I nearly 😠. That moment just flipped a switch in me. From that point on, it’s been me and my family first—and then two empty slots—before anyone else even gets a look in. Look, if someone genuinely needs a hand, I'll step up. But killing myself over work or getting sick trying to cater to someone else's toxic whims just to have it go unappreciated? Yeah, fuck that.
Now, I'm making a conscious effort not to let the little things get under my skin—it's just business, after all. You've gotta be grateful that you're healthy and alive, because everything else ☕

So here’s the thing... my job situation is basically the root of all my problems right now, mostly because I don't have one. I'm 29, and I've been working steadily since I was 20, so being unemployed feels like a massive gut punch. Honestly, back when I was actually employed, I’d get stressed out, sure, but I could always wrap my head around things and just push through the noise. But now? Every time I try to figure out my next move, I just end up spiraling in circles.

Look, you really just have to stop stressing out. Once it hits you that your entire life can flip into a total disaster in the blink of an eye—and I mean that—then being unemployed doesn't seem quite so catastrophic, does it? You’re going to find something eventually. Just lower your standards for a bit, take whatever comes your way, and focus on leveling up your skills. Believe in yourself. It’s easy for me to sit here and play philosopher, but honestly, there isn't much more wisdom to be had than that.

Look, I hear you... but honestly, my issue goes a bit deeper than just work stress. Growing up, I had plenty of reasons to be on edge, and I guess that just became my baseline. Now, it’s like a constant hum of anxiety under everything I do. On top of that, I deal with this relentless perfectionism—it's exhausting. Even when everyone else is raving about something I’ve built, all I can see is the one tiny flaw that shouldn't be there. I know... I know people who haven't dealt with this stuff probably think it sounds ridiculous or even laughable, but trust me, if I could just flip a switch and change how my brain works, I would in a heartbeat.

Probably just IBS. Grab some papaya enzymes at a CVS or something, or just ask the pharmacist if they've got something better for that crap

I had a pretty similar experience—saw this GI specialist out in Chicago... who told me I was dealing with major bloating—basically just trapped gas everywhere (makes sense)—and that my intestinal villi were a bit damaged, which he linked back to my diabetes, so things just weren't running smoothly

He had me taking these Venter tablets before meals; they kind of melt and form a protective layer inside to shield the lining
plus some Prolife probiotics
and honestly? It helped a ton

not a total fix, though—not that I’m still taking them

I really need to go back for a follow-up, but I just can't seem to make it in

it's a physical thing, but also clearly tied to my nerves—I've noticed everything flares up whenever I'm stressed