LMo, I usually post in the IBS Diet message board but for something different I checked this one out. I am telling you I could have written your post! I kindof chalked my anxiety up to being OCD. My hands bleed because I wash and sanitize them so much because I am so afraid of getting the stomach flu. I am a first grade teacher and if a child even coughs in my direction I immedietly think I am going to get sick. I have thought about changing my profession because I am so obessesed with the thought of getting the stomach flu. I dont obsess about getting things like the common cold or anything else... just the stomach flu. Also I am the same way with side effects. I read every label of every medicine and if a side effect is vomiting, I wont take it. I mean this sounds so crazy, but I am so glad to hear someone else have anxiety about this. I never used to be like this. My husband calls me a germ-a-phobe but honestly I feel it goes beyond that. I also get so paranoid about cooking chicken all the way that I would rather burn it just to make sure. How do you deal with this? I am thinking about seeing a psychitrist but I need to figure this whole IBS thing out first. I dont know how this all started!