# Help with copeing



## brunky86 (Oct 15, 2007)

Hey everyone, My name is Mary and I'm 21. I'll fill you in on who I was b4 and after IBS. Before I started getting symptoms of IBS, I was a 3.8 GPA student in both HS and College, I was a 2-time regional tennis champion for my HS, and I made me college team (but I didn't do it cause it was too demanding and school comes first in my eyes), and I am a Biology Pre-Vet Major at GVSU in MI. My life was pretty amazing, great friends, I had a boyfriend of almost 3 yrs...not much more you could ask for right?....well, that all changed. Most of my "friends" and my "boyfriend", dumped me because they didn't know how to "deal with my situation". I can't really exercise anymore because as soon as I do my stomach cramps right up, and I can't do it anymore. (so playing tennis anymore was out of the picture) I also had to drop out of college for a whole year because my IBS was so horrible that I couldn't even get out of bed 1/2 the time to even go to classes, and being a Bio major makes it THAT much harder. I'm trying school again this year, and it isn't going any better, but I can't drop out because I won't be covered under my parents insurance if I'm not a full time student.....The worst part is, that I really WANT to be in school!!!! I want that more than anything!!! I used to have a 3.89 GPA in college before this damn disease took over my body!!! Now I can barely pass classes that I KNOW I could ace, but when you can't go to classes, it's kinda hard to do well ya know? I know that I need to cut myself some slack, because I know it's not "me" that is failing, it's my body.......but still, going from straight A's, to barely passing is a HUGE strain on my emotions and spirit....







I went to the Mayo clinic, and that's where I was diagnosed. The doc. there said that out of 1,000 people he has seen with IBS, he said that my IBS symptoms are in the WORST 1%......I've tried everything out there, and nothing seems to help me.... The doctor told me that I just have to live with it.....yah, if you call living the way I do "living"! I just get so frustrated when I wake up feeling like #### EVERYDAY.....there isn't one day that goes by that I feel good. I literally had to force myself out of bed everyday to go to classes, and some days I just can't do it....and that frustrates me to no end! I also hate how no-one (other than my mom) really understands what IBS is, or how it effects me...... I guess I'm just looking for people who know what it's like living in pain constantly. It feels like my life was just pulled out from under me ya know?? It doesn't help that I super anal, and REALLY obsessed with getting straight A's.......


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## Cherrie (Sep 1, 2006)

{{{ Mary }}}Welcome to the forums. Yeah... I totally feel you... and I'm so so sorry this is happening to you...Just graduated grad school myself and had the *hardest* time ever with my thesis, I totally get you and empathize with you...Same here -- was very frustrating for me, too, much the same way like it's been for you -- I went from a star student that every prof. believes would continue on the academic track and accomplish something great to having my thesis rejected the first time it went out to them and ending up taking one extra year "fixing" it. In the end when I finally graduated, it just hurt too much to see how my good rep as a good student slipped to the bottom... It still hurts a lot when I think of it... Real sorry I'm not much help in being uplifting in this area... BUT, I do believe that there may still be ways that you can cope and improve quality of life enough so you can be the best student that you can.I'm wondering if you've tried hypnotherapy? It has really good research to back up the good results and many people with severe IBS have found relief and regained control. May be a good idea to give it a try if you haven't already. The link to the CBT and Hpnotherapy forum is here: http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showforum=9. And here's Marilyn's success story about how she regained control over her severe IBS with hypnotherapy: http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=55102. If you're interesed, also be sure to read the other pinned posts there -- they're all very informative and gives good hopes.Again welcome to the site and please know that you're not alone and we're all here for you and there are still ways to cope and reasons to be hopeful.Cherrie


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