could irritable bowel syndrome be triggered by BPD?

[Calm Waters]

after the trauma I have been through in the last 2 years I am now trying to support my youngest son who has had to bear the brunt of much family stress over the last few years. He is nearly 18 and appears to have IBS, has become reclusive and socially isolated, is using cannabis to manage the condition, is awaiting am endoscopy on his colon and is severely depressed angry and surly al the time. He has no job is not on education and seems rto have given up all hope of a normal life. We have tried various diets and potions to no avail and I am increasingly thinking its a stress response to the BPD issues we have in the family. Does anyone have any insights? - thanks

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[Kate4queen]

My third son also struggles with IBS and has done since the age of 10/11 and I do think that his issues were a reflection of the constant state of anxiety our family lived in with his 2 year older brother with BPD.

Even when son #3 was hospitalized due to his IBS at age 10, his brother was furious and made everyone's life hell because he wasn't the center of attention and hospitals were his thing, not his brothers…

So yes, there are some genetic reasons for having IBS, I have it too, but living with our particular family dynamic certainly didn't help.

Is your son willing to see a doctor or a therapist or consider hypnotherapy?

Mine takes miralax, which you can buy over the counter and that helps him a lot. Of course, his decision to stay with his brother when everyone else has moved away isn't helping much either, but he's 20 now and I can't stop him.

[jellibeans]

Dear calm waters

My dd16 has BPD but my older dd19 has had other issues similar to IBS... . I feel like the two of them are both ill... . my older daughter was to so many doctors before getting a DX of POTS... . one of the side effects are these IBS symptoms... . she was put on celexa... . not as an anti-depressant but to increase the seretonin levels in her brain - to improve the receptors... . she is doing very well now and is off all meds. She also was tested and had many food allergies and we altered her diet for a time... . have you had your son tested?

I have alway thought that some how there is a link between them but I really don't know. My older daughter is very different and is a high achiever... . athlete, smart... . gets along... . a real pleaser.

that is my 2 cents... . hope that helps