# I wish I could just be a normal teenager. Anyone else feel the same?



## lxdreamerxl

Well, first of all, I just discovered this site now and I already feel so much better just knowing that I am NOT ALONE. Because I feel that way...a lot.And this message may be long and I'm sorry for that, but I just feel like I have so much I need to get out to people who can relate with me becuase I've had this thing bottled up inside of me for so long!!I'm a senior in high school and school is so hard to deal with, I'm absent a lot and it's so hard to get through classes when my stomach is ripping apart and I have to run to the bathroom every five seconds.I've kept the fact that I have IBS-D from all my friends, which has been hard to do, and the only one who knows what's wrong with me is my family and my boyfriend (it took me a year and a half to admit what was wrong with me to him) and so most people just think I'm a hypochondriac. As lame as it is, I'd rather them criticize me for that than for the embarrassing truth.Sometimes I just get so upset that I can't be normal. The other night I was out with my boyfriend and some friends and they had to take me home because I got so sick...I just can't go out and have fun and be normal like everyone else and it's hard to deal with that fact. I haven't been on a field trip since 6th grade and traveling is horrible for me. I dread car rides or any place I am not totally accustomed to because I need to have access to a bathroom at all times.I get panic attacks and freak out if I don't know where the bathroom is or if I'm on a long car ride, which stinks, because I'd like to travel a little, and I love to sing, and singing involves traveling, which is pretty much impossible for me.It's just so hard to live this way. It's so dibilitating and yet to describe IBS to someone it sounds like a joke.Anyway, now my big concern is I'm accepted into a college about a half hour away from where I live, but because of the scholarship they gave me, I have to live on campus. Living with someone else in a tiny dorm room seems totally impossible to me. I want to go to college so badly and be involved in certain acitivies and just have a normal, enjoyable college life but I have this big, embarrassing problem in the way. I'm hoping I can just get up the nerve to let them know ahead of time what's wrong with me, so maybe my whole situation would be easier, but it's hard to admit something like this to complete strangers.Sorry I wrote so much...but it just feels so nice to finally get all this out...Does anyone else know how I feel??


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## H. Lacey

i absolutely feel the same way! i've had IBS since i was 10 and now it's started to get worse, so worse that i finally had to tell my school about it so they let me go to the toilet during lessons if i need to, and it was incredibly embarassing knowing that my Head Of Year (person who sorts out stuff for my year and the year below) knows what happens when i eat sometimes and she admitted herself that it's embarassing and asked if i wanted her to tell the other teachers and i said straight out said "no!"i'm dreading getting any older, because i'm 15 now and my friends don't expect much from me, you know like, they don't really care whether they see me at weekends or whatever, but my brother (who never used to go out) is now going places with his friends since he went to college. i'm going college in September and i'm scared out of my mind that something is going to go wrong or something, like i'm gonna be out at the cinema, or out bowling or something similar and i'll need to go to the toilet urgently. and of course it's hard to explain to people, people think i'm joking or 'it's not that bad' because i have to live with the pain and so if it's ok to live with it can't hurt that much, yeah right! my parents don't understand about it, nor my friends who basically change the subject everytime i mention something about it, or they just smile as if to say "shut up, i don't want to hear about it"if you read my post about dreading growing up you'll know you're not alone with this at all, i actually wish i had a friend who was at my school with it or something similar just so i had someone who understood, but there are times i feel like no one understands about it.


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## Sarah C

I've been lucky enough to have teachers where I generally don't have to explain, they just let me use the restroom. Occasionally, such as during a test, I'll have to tell them that I have a stomachache and need to go. Anyway, in response to someone understanding, there's a good side and a bad side to that. There's a boy in many of my classes that has severe IBD, and so there's someone that understands but that also makes some other people think that I'm just trying to get attention. So there are two sides to that coin.


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## 18260

I feel like that every day of my life. I even wonder if life wouldn't be perfect without IBS. But you can't roll over and die you just got to keep going. Next year at college explain to your roomate right off the bat. Make it sound really bad so he/she feels sympathy for you and won't harras or question your IBS. Good luck at college.


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## 19526

I hate it so much. But do you guys have doctors and at least a diagnosis, I do not. My parents won't listen anymore. I hate it.


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## lxdreamerxl

Thank you guys all so much for replying. Like I said before, it just feels good to know that _someone_ out there understands what I'm going through.Hopefully I work up the courage to let my roomate and college know ahead of time whats wrong with me, but I'm still pretty stressed about it.And bugaboo, you really should see a doctor, just to be absolutely sure its IBS your suffering from. If your parents won't take you, is there anyone else you could go with or could you go by yourself?


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## lulu684

graceful-i understand how you feel!!! i cannot be a normal teenager..i'm so depressed about my ibs that i never attempt making new friends or anything. at least you have a boyfriend!!!p.s. can i call you GG? hehe


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## CandyElfKY

I hope you don't mind that I'm not a teenage - I'm 24 and had IBS since about 7 years old. Anyhow, just wanted to let you all know that I too refused to tell anyone about my stomach issues. When I took on a new (and stressful) job, I forced myself to tell my co-workers, family & friends b/c I wanted them to understand that sometimes, I just have to leave. Believe it or not, they took the news really well, and are all incredibly supportive. While I'm not saying you should put up a bulletin board at your school, just know that there's light at the end of the tunnel, and others will understand! It's more popular than any of us think - when I mentioned my IBS at work, about half my co-workers admitted to either having it or having a close family member or friend with it. Oh and one more thing...Don't be afraid about the future. I was scared to death when I had to take on a full time job. The thoughts of the IBS kept me up many nights - but it all will work out.


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## lxdreamerxl

The positive feedback is definately appreciated, Candy.And Christie S, GG is fine by me.







The more I hear other people's stories and the more I think about things in general...I know I need to let people know what's going on, at least the important people. I'm sure it would make things a lot easier. But, as I'm sure everyone on here knows, that is a lot easier said than done. But I'm working on getting my courage up there!!Update on the college thing...Well, I told my advisor and she seemed cool with it but....I don't know, I don't think she totally understood the severity of it. Like, she told me, "Well, for the trips you're required take for your honors classes, don't worry, I always like to know where all the bathrooms are too." Which was nice of her to open up even that much but I don't think she understood that this isn't a "just-in-case, sometimes" situation, it's an "everyday, this is my life" situation. Ah but there is still time to work this out I suppose and at least she understood somewhat, right?


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## 16141

i have had it for about half a year now and its a night mare for me. I'm still in highschool and it feels like a curse thats on me. I can never sit in class. I get so nervous that gas is going to build up and everyone is going to stare at me. I wish i was normal.


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## 17728

I know exactly how you feelI was in the odd postion of wishing that I could just go to all my classes.In the run up to my A level exams, I was unable to attend a single History class for 2 months and I was regularly missing classes in other subjects. There was nothing more annoying than sitting in the common room and listening to people whineing about how boring classes are or how they have too many.Even during the exams themseleves I was more worried about my stomach than my test. I managed to pass but I feel like I was denied the chance to prove my full potential.And I havent even mentioned social life.


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## Nikki

I did similar things with my exams. I was so worried about my damn stomach! I still worry about this type of thing while doing my postgrad. But, it DOES get easier! It really does! I know how to cope with it now- don't ask me to explain how- but i just do.Bugboo- you really should get someone to take you to see a doctor. How old are you?Nikki


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## 16446

I know exaclty how you all feel. I've been diagnosed with IBS since the 10th grade. It has progressively gotten worse as the years went on, and has put me in a constant state of depression. It seems as though i can't ever go a day feeling normal, or healthy. I'm really self-concious to the fact that i'm constantly running to the bathroom, or have to sit through a class with severe gas. Personally, the gas is the worst part, it not only smells and makes you uncomfortable but it really hurts and is constantly making my tummy grumble. I've never been able to go out without feeling sick, and can never go on road trips. I'm constantly locating the bathroom wherever i may be just so i know where to go when i need it. The doctors tell me to do stress relief exercises but its not that easy. I've tried everything from yoga, to meditation, to anorexia. I have tried changing my diet too from the normal sandwiches and pasta, to carrots and celery, to cutting out all wheat and dairy all together. Nothing seems to work. Along with all my stress with college, and a roomate, now i also have to deal with the stress about being sick all the time. Stress is not an easy thing to get rid of, and i just wish there was medicine or somthing i could take everyday to make it go away. I've tried all kinds of medicine, but i take it so much that i eventually become immune to it. I'm always complaining about it to my parents and my doctors in hope that they can help me in any way possible. I think about what it would be like to be a normal teenager every day of my life. I had a boyfriend for 3 years before i came to college, and he didnt seem to care about it. People are more supportive than you think, but it still takes alot of courage to open up about it. To me it just seems disgusting and i never want to talk about it. I always feel gross when im "sick" as i like to call it. I really wish more than anything in the world to be normal...and the stress is only going to continually get worse. Wish me luck!


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## 22288

IBS is a terrible thing. I have just realised that I have it or aleast i think i have it I have all the symptoms. This was all due to my stupidness and starting a diet when I wasn't even fat! My symptoms are varified but at school they are even worse! I feel the need to visit the loo a lot and some times skip classes to do what I have to do. This effects my eduaction which I love to enjoy but can't. In class my stomach sometimes churnes and makes highly embarrassing noises.Sometimes I even loose my appatite and starve through out the day, I even gag and throw up if I try to eat. I feel like a FREAK case I am one. Most of my mates are aware of my problem but only one of them understands the trouble it is giving me. They probably find it hillerious that I have a problem with my stomach but we know that it is no joke. Every day I go through the same thing the same questions run through my head. When will it be over will it happen today?I told my parents about it but they just think Im being stupid and need to get over it. They wont let me see the doc so I have to suffer in silence. I cant go out go to sleepovers or have fun with my mates and I am going on Holiday soon for two weeks which I am really worried about! It's driven me so mad that I even think about suicide! There has to be a better way out of this though! Does anyone know if there are any cures? *PLEASE* tell me if you know something that works! thanks


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## 22745

R to the S, i'm sorry to hear you're having a rough time.I wish i could tell you there was one sole proven cure but i'm afraid there isn't, as much as we'd all like there to be, however with the support of doctors and those around you it becomes manageable. Even though i'm new to the board myself, i'm more than sure there are plenty of us around on here that will be here for you, but please put all thoughts of suicide out of your head, things WILL get better.


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## 13583

If u would like to hang with ur friends u can ask them if they would like to go over to ur house and watch movies, or play games. U can have fun and hang with ur frimeds at the same time. ( dont worry about being different nothings wrong with that.. i have ADD and i wish I could be smart like my friends but i hade to laern thatr just because i have ADD doesnt make me stupid i'm just slower than evryone else lol i do get teased from some people especially from my sisters, i do cry and wish i was like evryone else but i'm not, god made me this way for a reason. And i fully except that. so keep ur head up high and say, i will get through this!)-Jordyn


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## 14601

Jordyn that was well said, im lucky in that lately i seem to have a more positive outlook on my IBS, i got really down about it a few months back but i saw a brighter side like you guys will.For anyone who is scared/ embarassed about telling their mates, dont be, like someone else on this thread said, when i started to tell people close to me, half of them had a family member or a close friend who has it. It took me a long time to tell my bf but im so glad i did, he fully understands and we share the same kind of toilet humour which helps







lol.i did have 1 friend who actually couldnt understand IBS and the affect it had on me she was the only person i told barr my best friend and obv my parents. In fact she was horrible, shed call me up with my other mates from school,saying how nasty i was cos i didnt wanna come out calling me endless names, until one day i fought back, told my other school mates why i wasnt going out anymore, i expected them to say "ewwwwwwwwwww" etc but they were so understanding it actually made me feel bad for not telling them in the first place!!. One other mate was harsh on me for not telling him but apart from that now ive got a friendship circle with people i can really call friends!IBS does have a slight positive side,in that it can siv out the bad mates and leave the good ones!


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## Loz88

I totally understand how you feel. All my friends and family and my boyfriend does know that i have IBS and im pleased they know. It actually helps me, because if i'm in the toilet for a long time or im in there frequently, they understand why and don't say anything about it. They care and just want me to be better, although my IBS does rule my life, where i feel like i have to be near a toilet at all times...i dont stop it seeing my friends/boyfriend because they understand and they dont mind me sitting in their bathroom for a long time. I'm lucky i have a lot of support. I also get embarrassed about using public toilets, because some people will laugh or criticise u and i just wanna tell these ignorant ppl what's wrong with me and make them wake up to the world.


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## 19256

HI my name is jackie and i just found this website yesterday and the first post i read was yours and when i read it my heart dropped because all along i felt so diffrent and alone like no one could ever understand but when i read your post its like i wrote it im going threw the same exact things.. im actually going threw a phase because i was on the way for a vacation with my boyfreind which by the way took me a long time to tell myn to but anyways i got really sick and i was 4 hours away from home no bathrooms at all i had to go in the woods 8 times in deep pain... so now i wont go anywhere i get so nervouse i shake. i have no life i get homeschooled i dont hang out with friends anymore.. I just have no one to talk to and when i read your post with you haveing panic attacks and not wanting to go into car i started to cry knowing im not the only one. im new but hopefuly i can stay intouch with you im a senior to..


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## ~Vicky~

I was diagnosed with IBS around a year ago - and before that I was in incredible pain with my stomach and all that sort of stuff. The worst the pain, the worst the depression and the worst the pain.If you know what I mean? As soon as I feel a little it worst then my pains and toilet going is really not good.I haven't been able to tell any of my boyfriends that i've had that i've got IBS...Doubt it is attractive to them.Sometimes I wish I had a boyfriend with IBS, so he would know how I feel and what I'm going through.Thoguh I've looked through so much on here, I still kinda feel alone.I mean I dont know anyone who wants to talk to me with IBS..And sometimes I just wanna scream loudly and lash out.Most the time I burst into tears asking why me because I feel I'm not normal.My confidence has been beaten to the ground anyway and IBS does not help. I just want someone to talk to..I can't talk with my doctors, my teachers, friends about it...and i hate talking about it with my mom because she says she understands..but she doesnt know what its like to feel like you wanna die..I go through depression alot..and anxiety so much that all this is affecting my school work, and soon i have my GCSEs...Someone talk to me? please?My e-mail addy is Groovyvickster###hotmail.com.Thank you.


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## 21315

hi i can relate to every thing every ones said here sometimes i can get really jelous of my friends who can go out whenever they want and not have to deal with any side effects like us but i decided a few weeks back that im going to try and stop letting IBS control my life and since then its gone ok ive had a few close calls but nothing major (tooch wood lol) i havent been well this half term so far thou but luckily for me it was just C and not a lot of it so ive tried my best to get out the house and away from the toilet lol o and vicky about the boyfriend issue ive recently just started going out with someone and he guessed i wasent well when i had a really bad attack when i was out with him and i just said i had a few stomach problems and he left it there so that seemed to work for me and hope everyones feeling better today


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## 14855

Thinking youre depressed is probably the main cause of your problem. You need to start looking at your life with a confident mind and stop telling yourself your depressed and down etc. IBS is not the end of the world and you can treat it yourself if you really try. Please dont say you want to die Vicky because there are people out there who are actually dying and cant do anything about it. Ive been there and ive felt it, but you need to stop.There are plenty of people out there in your shoes, like myself, you need to hold your head up high and live life while you can. Only you can help yourself







Ill be here to talk any time.


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## 23294

Wow! I just found this page today and I can honestly say, like most of you, I am so shocked to see I am not alone! I have had IBS for as long as I can remember. I am now 17 and I can honestly say that it runs my life.. I basically never leave my house and it realyl is difficult. I can't work, which really makes things difficult because I feel so guilty letting my fiance do all the work.. I am really glad to see there are people out there like me that won't be judgemental, unlike so many other people I know... A lot of people in my life get angry at me all the time for not being able to see them, even though they already know what I have.. I guess some people just don't understand it.. Lucky for me, I nabbed myself a wonderful, understanding guy! Just thought I should say, as a note of confidence, don't be afraid to tell people. It is better that they know than don't, especially if it is a boyfriend or girlfriend. I can't imagine how hard things would be for me without my fiance. He makes things so much easier and he immediatly went out of his way to try and find ways to help me... Also, he showed me that people with IBS can easily live with people who don't have it. I thought I would never be able to get married, but my fiance proved me dead wrong. So, no matter how bad it gets, know that there are other people like yourselves, as well as normal people, that will be glad to be there for you. If anyone wants to talk, please feel free to send me an e-mail, I'd love to talk to people who I can relate to.~*Ally*~


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## 22288

My friends know about my problems (well mos t of them do) but I still feel nevous. in class there are moments where I really need to use the loo so I have to fake a coughing fit or something. I wish I could just tell my teachers but its hard. Im trying to see the up side to life and try new medications but my mum is trying to stop me using pills but Im not giveing up..........just yet.


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## 18095

Heyyy, I've had IBS.D. since the end of 8th grade. It got a whole lot worse during highschool, to the point where I had to be homeschooled. I'm 18 now, I live at home and I'm going to community college because I was so afraid of going away to school and being sick.Its scary to see how alike all our stories are and how difficult it is to preform everyday tasks. One of the hardest things about IBS for me is never being able to make plans ahead of time for fear of getting sick. My friends don't fully understand and they think I'm bailing on them all the time. Just last week I went on a snowbaording trip with a few friends and I ended up not even making it on the mountain. I literally stayed in the bathroom for 3 hours crying because I felt so awful. I feel like it was a blessing in disguise though, because now I understand that i need to change my diet and I need to do whatever it takes to get my stomach under control. Sometimes you just have to hit rock bottom before you can help yourself. ANNNNYYYWAY, that's all I really have to say right now. I'm really glad I found this site.


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## ~Vicky~

Hey Cristina Bootyy!! I'm also a suffered of IBS and this help group has helped me alot.I have met others with IBS and its given me more peace of mind!!







my bf knows i have IBS and although he isn't a sufferer - he is fine with it





















anyway!! do you have msn? my add is Groovyvickster###hotmail.com add me!!


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## 23285

ha


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## 21002

I know how you feel i sometimes just sit on the floor and cry because i have nobody to talk thats going through the same thing that i am. and also i resently have my first child he is five months old and i am really scared that he might get uc from me. i dont know what i would do if my son were to have uc how would i explain that not everybody has this but you do thats how i feel like im broken. or an outcast. then you cant tell your friends about it becauce they start looking at you different like that can catch it just by being around you.


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## 14399

Honestly I know exactlly how you feel. But listen you should realize that if your boyfriend would like you for who you are not what you can't help you should have thought about that and told him. And about school I feel the same way I have missed a whole week this Friday because of my stomach and my teachers don't know what the hell IBS is. And yes my parents think I make up my stomach aching all the time they think its in my head, but parents don't realize anything. They just want whats best for you and they push to hard for sucess. And about college I think you should slowly open up to your dorm roomate, they should understand if you sit down and talk to them about it and just be straight foward and if they don't accept the fact that you use the bathroom ever 5 seconds then just stink up the place and **** them off.=


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## 13554

Agh, I feel the same way. I've had a bad colon since I was born, with the nerves not working quite right. I know when I was young my parents would have to take me to hospitals, because I'd be in such pain and would bad acid, always throwing up. I took something called sisapride(I'm not sure if that is spelt right) which worked great, but was taken off the market. From then (when I was 6 or so) until just a year or so ago, I was having bowel movement every 2-3 weeks, and would never really be sure when they would come. So I'd always go absolutly crazy before sleepovers, worrying if my colon would betray me. I didn't have any of the throwing up problems though, I apparently had a megacolon as a result of the constipation. Thinking about it now it was kind of freaky, but the situation has only gotten a little bit better. I'm taking a laxative called "Polyethylene Glycol 3350, NF Powder for Solution" which softens stool. It has improved things, and I think the size of my colon has reduced, but it doesn't aways work quite right. For a while, I'd have a bowel movement every other day, which was a amazing. I remember asking my mom what was the normal amount of time in between bowel movement, and when she said "every day" I was in shock. Anywho, I think I have to work on a diet and exercise that maxamize the results of the medecine, because I'll still have bad constipation if I don't take my medicine. I really don't want this to get any worse, but I don't want my colon to rely on the medicine either. So I don't really know what the next step is, but I'm hoping for the best. It's a relief knowing that there's a whole forum devoted to all of this though, I'm new, and still exploring, but maybe I'll find something reassuring.


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## 18398

Everything u said i fill the same i slightly better though ! but it's so true


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## sazzy

You've taken the words right out of my mouth. I envy people who don't have ibs and have only told my best ever friend, she's got her own share of problems and we help each other through our probs and it really helps just having some one to talk to. The rest of my friends i wouldn't dream of telling, they treat things like my prob as a joke and i hate it but don't say anything. I have only just joined this site and i seem to feel loads better knowing that i'm not the only person in the world who has got it, it's nice to be able to just relieve my probs on here and not have to worry about embarrasment coz we've all got similar probs.


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## 22859

ya i agree, it really helps to know there are other people out there going through the same things. does anyone go to a boarding school? i'm applying for next semester, but i'm kind of worried about being sick away from home.


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## 15492

I had ibs for 15 years, tried all the remedies.Went on Isagenix Cleansing products and healthvitamins. Cleansed my body of Toxins, lost weight, stress was no longer an issue, andafter a month I had no ibs symptoms. Now have been free of any ibs for three months now.No timing of when I can leave the house to another location or embarassing emergenciesIf interested... halrow.isagenix.comor e-mail me.. halrow###secretbackoffice.comOh, that bloating stomach was a 39 " waist,is now a 35"...This is my testimonial and mine alone, varifiable.


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## smiley

Nope. I am normal. I was given a problem to overcome and thought I'm still working at overcoming it I'm just as normal as anyone else out there. Everyone has different problems you'd never know about unless they told you. Thats exactly how I live my life. I don't let my IBS get me down. I mean it hurts at time but I still keep the views that I'm a normal person.


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## 20140

as i read all of these stories most of us are going through the same thing. I do have ibs but not d, i have constipation. Its still a bad problem becuase i still always have to go, and it seems its always in a bad situation like school. i just turned 16 and am a sophmore in hs. School is impossible to go to and right now i am home tutored. i have had problems since 7th grade but this year has been the worst. last year was tough because it was freshman year and i missed a lot of school. to make it harder, there were a lot of times when i had accidents or people could hear my stomach in class. very embarrising and its hard to explain why it happens.







i feel im normal, but i wish i didnt have this and be like my friends. only a couple kno, but everyone is on my case about going to school. i wish they would just understand, thats all i want from them.


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## 22617

Hey Everyone I'm a 17 year Old Girl with IBS-D and OMG has it gotten in the way of my Life. It all started my sophmore year (Im a senior) I would get random attacks and Gas especially when I'de get nervous. I began to realize that Tests made me nervous becuase of the quietness. Being in quiet situations made me extremly nervous and would give me horrible diarria(I can't spell my own problem...hehe) and loud gas/stomach noises along with cramps and a back ache. So I began leaving school early to avoid quiet situations. My Grades used to be all A's and B's and began to drop because I was absent or Id miss classes that made me nervous. I began feeling depressed and feel extremly hopeless. Everynight I'd go to bed with a knot in my stomach becuase I became to nervous about having to go to the Bathroom and my stomach making noises that I hated going to school. By Junior year I became extremly depressed I would even cut class to avoid taking a test or I de go to the Bathroom and stay in there the whole period in order to avoid people asking me why I took so Long







One time I was with my Boyfriend and I was nervous becuase we were sittin in the car and it was quiet and my stomach made a noise bc I held in my gas and he asked what it was (he knew about my IBS) and I felt so embarrassed I left the car and told him 'd run in into the restuarant where we were parked to use the Bathoom I had horrible D and Gas and began to cry and refused to go back to the Car. Luckily my sisters and cousins explained to him that I was extremly embarrased that tha I was crying and I avoided him that night and he went home sad. This problem began effectin my relationship with my boyfriend bc every time I'd see him Ide get D beforehand and I wouldnt even want to see him. I decided I needed therapy. Yes I had IBS and it was a physical problem but it was also emotional and mental. I was extremly depressed and Paranoid about it so I knew I needed Help. I began therapy that January and ended just a few months ago. At first I would tell her it was becuase I was nervous and situations that I would get attacks and after her gettin my to open up I realized I was a very sensitive person who worried alot and who had some other issues that triggered the IBS attacks, although I did get attacks when Ifelt perfectly fine and happy becuase like I said it's also a physical problem. So we talked alot and I opened up and she also taught me self-calming techniques. that Included A: Deep Breathing and B: Deep Muscle RelaxationIm going to explain them to everyone..Im here for support and to help







A: Deep Breathing consists of Breathing in your nose and holding the air inside for 3 seconds(count to three mentally) and than releasing the Air out of your mouth for 3 scnds. Do the deep breathing for about 20 counts...In thru your nose and out thru your mouth and repeat 20 times. This is one my favorites becuase if you're ever in a bad situation you can breath in and out and no body will notice..B: Deep Muscle Relaxation means that yo will tighten different parts of your body for 20 seconds. Starting at your Feet..press them down ino the grown as hard as you can for 20 seconds. Than release and breath in and feel the muscle relaxing. Than repeat for you legs, SQUEEZE them together for 20 seconds than release. Do this and move up to your buttocks to your stomache to your shoulders and finally finishing on your Hands. SQueeze them together as tight as you can for 20 seconds and release. The purpose of this is to hold it as hard as you can and to concentrate on that one body part bc it will take your mind off other things. But do not do it so hard as to hurt your self.Note: these excersizes work best when done twice a day at night before bed and as soon as you wake up...Also in bad situations but try to do them Everyday at least twice and Practice even when you dont feel Nervous becuase the more you practice the more Relaxed you will feel. Well to finish off my therapy ...Going helped me get threw my silent! SATS and my junior school year, I have become a more social person I go out more and I stress much less than before but people try to do these techniques they HELP! They have gotten me threw tough situations. But dont think that they will take away ur IBS and Anxiety...they just help you relax which in turn can help greatly reduce IBS attacks related to Anxiety.Well I began my senior year and I feel like a much more Normal person I am not as depressed and I don't wrry as much about how people will think of me or how horrible my IBS is. I go to sleep everynight peacefully bcuase I know that everyday is a new day and it might be a hard day..but People we ALL HAVE HAD HORRIBLE DAYS...but in the End thats what they are just a HORRIBLE DAY...it didn't Kill You. But I knwo it's hard bc we tend to have alot of bad Days but we also have Good Days! Wow I feel much better about my situation. COnsidering the fact that I did cry about it today in school...but sometimes we need to cry and let it out bc no one understands our struggle but ourselves.Before I finish off I'de like to say that even tho I hve gone to therapy I still have had a couple days in school that I get extremly depressed after an Attack and when I do is go to my Guidance counselour and talk to her and than I feel much better. Something I recommend for students(I'm a Highschool Student:Senior) is..1. Talk to your guidance Counselours about your problem if you are too embarrassed write a note or have a parent call in and trust me they hear much worse stuff. But explain the whole situation so they can better help you2. Talk to your school Nurse and explain your sitaution please dont be embarrassed they are there to help sick students.3. Go to the DR. and get a note stating that you do have IBS and to allow your teachers to let you go when you need to. I personally did this with All of my teachers and All of them Understand and let me go when I need to. Im telling you teachers are Understanding.But if they are difficult just go back to your guidance counselour and inform her/him..You wont get the teacher in trouble. What my counselour did was she wrote a confedential E-mail to my teachers and explained my situation and told them not to make a deal or comments and to keep the situation confedential. People we have a situation that interferse greatly with our lives the best thing to do is to inform these people in your school becuase school is like our second home and we have to feel atleast comfortable. Also any adults who have a hard work situation just explain the situation if you want to be more professional get a Dr.S Note and simply give it your boss. We have a medical condition that affects us physically, emotionally, socially, and mentally so sometimes we must step up to the plate and explain to people what our situation is. p.s. if any one would like to talk with me please send your email to me and ill respond..Lol Hey I dont want everyone knowing I have IBS...Lol MUCH LOVE EVERYONE AND LIFE FULL OF SH!T..LOL...BUT THERE'S A GOLDEN TOILET AT THE END...lol I dunno I just made that up I hope everyone had a laugh...


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## 17533

i've had ibs since i was like 6 im 15 now and its hard yea but it's gotten alot better since i went to a doctor i used to have that problem everyday but its reduced alot now maybe twice a month at school. its usually when im stresed out and every morning i have to wake up with this stupid problem and being nervous all day. but yea i pray that it'll get better soon....


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## 20635

Well, just like artistic girl, my problem has to fo with gas build up. It all started when we moved to another country and it just got worse. There were one or two classes each semester that gave me the most trouble but i had my friends with me in most of my classes so that helped cause i was more relaxed. i also told my counselor about it and she wrote an email to ym teachers when i had exams..usually finals stressed me out a lot. im taking a semester off before going to college but im so so scared of even sharing a room with someone ! im even scared of sleeping with my family how am I gonna deal with someone else? i actually told my dad i needed a private room and he said he would pay for it but i dont really know if there will be any rooms avaliable..the only thing that helped me go through highschool was my art classes and for that im so so thankful. well..for anyone interested in talking my email is: cool_andy14###hotmail.com


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## Haunted

Damn I wish I could be normal. I get so jealous when I see all my other friends being happy and comfortable around each other. I am a pretty good student, but lately IBS has really be interfering with my school work and my social life. The only people that know I have it are my mother and my naturopath. I've hinted to my Dad several times that I have something wrong with me, and he keeps nagging me to tell him what it is but if I told him he would just say "it's all in your head" or something ignorant like that. And why does the main name for the disorder have to be Irritable Bowel Syndrome? I mean you wouldn't be able to explain that you have it to someone who doesn't have it because as soon as you say the name they'd probably burst out laughing. One of my really bad symtoms which just started this year is my stomach growling. I'll just be sitting in class and for no reason my stomach will start making these really loud and embarrassing growling noises. It actually sounds like I'm farting. I'm getting really worried about my future because nothing seems to really be helping me right now







And I also have a problem with gas build-up which makes every school day painful to go through.


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## sazzy

HeyaI know it's great to have this site to vent on and not be embarrassed.One thing I say to every one is don't let IBS get in the way of things you want to do. You only live once so why not make the most of it?Have you tried experimenting with different meds? Things like immodium, lomotil can be good. Also a high fiber diet can really help people, though it tends to get worse before it gets better. Also adding peppermint to your diet can really help. Take the scholarship to college and say to yourself, f*ck ibs. A lot of IBS is caused by stressful situations so of course it's a vicious circle, what you have to do is break that circle and force yourself not to think about it. Maybe go to a few councelling sessions for some ideas on how to relax. You've come so far to get into college so why ruin your opportunity? It'll open up so many careers so when you're older, after that big push, you can find a job that is relaxing and near a bathroom not travelling aroundI hope you get your life back on track soon


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## 14529

I totally know what you mean Haunted. I wish I could be a normal 20 year old. I've had IBS since I was 16, and it has drained me out completely emotionally, physically, and mentally. When I was in high school (I don't know how I got through being there 8 hours a day), I used to get the same growling noises, too. It was gas, and so hard to deal with. I had to pass gas, but couldn't. It was so painful. I had to rush home everyday and try to go to the bathroom and pass gas to get relief. It's still very similar today. But being in college is better because I only have to be there for like four hours and there are many bathrooms that don't have much traffic. My social life has totally suffered, too (although I do try to get out there). I wonder what it feels like to be normal....


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## 17388

I know exactly how you feel. I was home bound last year and i tried school this year and that was a disaster..i ended up home bound this year too. i barely leave the house and have constant anxiety even when there is nothing happening. I know how you feel and it sucks!


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## 14529

I'm anxious when there's no noise, no anything at times. Really does suck. It affects my sleep a lotttt.


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## Ty K.

GracefullyGassy said:


> Does anyone else know how I feel??


Gracefully - I definitely understand how you feel; I'm a sophomore in high school, and I first got the symptoms of IBS when I was 13. Since then they've become constant, literally 24/7 gassiness/bloating/moderate-but-distracting-pain. My ninth and tenth grade academic years have been independent study (outside of school/on the internet) because I am completely terrified of going near a classroom. Now I can't even go out to dinner with family members or do minor things like taking a walk without feeling really nervous. The thing is, people without IBS don't seem to comprehend this at all, and it's hard to expect them to, since they've never experienced the feelings of dread associated with one's stomach. My mom often says "It's not like you don't have legs," even though I've explained to her thousands of times how debilitating this is, and she's the person I talk to most about this; I can't even imagine explaining it to friends. Anyhow, the worst thing about IBS in my opinion is that it not only ruins your present day life but it makes you fear the future and feel as though you're never going to be normal. Sometimes I'm so worn out by the constant anxiety, and by the way that this has totally thrown my life off track, that I don't really feel like dealing with it anymore. And I can't talk to friends about it because it's so embarrassing and strange (or it feels that way). It's nice to see that there are other people who feel the same way, but I almost wish no one else had to deal with this because it's so impossible! I wish you luck with college, and I really hope everything works out. I'm sure there are many worse things in the world, but this is incredibly unfair. (Sorry about making this so long, guess I've kind of bottled it up as well).Ty


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## AllStrZ

I see that a lot of you people don't tell your friends about IBS. In my opinion you should, you will be surprised how supporting and understanding they are. Of course it's embarrassing and me being a guy doesn't help, but letting people know about our disorder will only increase awareness. All in all, they are your friends, thats what they should be there for.


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## Haunted

AllStrZ said:


> I see that a lot of you people don't tell your friends about IBS. In my opinion you should, you will be surprised how supporting and understanding they are. Of course it's embarrassing and me being a guy doesn't help, but letting people know about our disorder will only increase awareness. All in all, they are your friends, thats what they should be there for.


Honestly, a lot of my friends are stuck-up and seem oblivious to the fact that some people have real problems. That's what I get for going to a private school







They're not very supportive, and quite a few of them are the kind of people who laugh at the pain and suffering of others. They'd probably just laugh at me too.This is what I get for trying to be nice, helpful, supportive, trusting and tolerant. A bunch of people who try to tear me down at every possible chance they get.The only thing they're interested in that involves me is bad gossip and rumors. From personal experience my advice is to never share your secrets with anyone.


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## postmortem

i crack jokes about my ibs and toilet habits every now and then. my friends tend to talk about their #### from time to time anyway so i'm all heyss i'm gonna join in too but my stories are better because my #### is more different and more special. win.


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## evulienka

Karma said:


> When I was in high school (I don't know how I got through being there 8 hours a day), I used to get the same growling noises, too. It was gas, and so hard to deal with. I had to pass gas, but couldn't. It was so painful. I had to rush home everyday and try to go to the bathroom and pass gas to get relief. It's still very similar today. But being in college is better because I only have to be there for like four hours and there are many bathrooms that don't have much traffic.
> 
> My social life has totally suffered, too (although I do try to get out there). I wonder what it feels like to be normal....


Karma, reading your post was like reading my own life story. I went through elementary school and high school with exactly the same problems. Sitting through lessons with gas and pains and then I couldn´t wait till the end of classes to finaly get home. I´m leaving off for college next year with a litlle hope that it´s gonna be a little bit easier, at least a little...


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## lolly1989

GracefullyGassy said:


> Well, first of all, I just discovered this site now and I already feel so much better just knowing that I am NOT ALONE. Because I feel that way...a lot.And this message may be long and I'm sorry for that, but I just feel like I have so much I need to get out to people who can relate with me becuase I've had this thing bottled up inside of me for so long!!I'm a senior in high school and school is so hard to deal with, I'm absent a lot and it's so hard to get through classes when my stomach is ripping apart and I have to run to the bathroom every five seconds.I've kept the fact that I have IBS-D from all my friends, which has been hard to do, and the only one who knows what's wrong with me is my family and my boyfriend (it took me a year and a half to admit what was wrong with me to him) and so most people just think I'm a hypochondriac. As lame as it is, I'd rather them criticize me for that than for the embarrassing truth.Sometimes I just get so upset that I can't be normal. The other night I was out with my boyfriend and some friends and they had to take me home because I got so sick...I just can't go out and have fun and be normal like everyone else and it's hard to deal with that fact. I haven't been on a field trip since 6th grade and traveling is horrible for me. I dread car rides or any place I am not totally accustomed to because I need to have access to a bathroom at all times.I get panic attacks and freak out if I don't know where the bathroom is or if I'm on a long car ride, which stinks, because I'd like to travel a little, and I love to sing, and singing involves traveling, which is pretty much impossible for me.It's just so hard to live this way. It's so dibilitating and yet to describe IBS to someone it sounds like a joke.Anyway, now my big concern is I'm accepted into a college about a half hour away from where I live, but because of the scholarship they gave me, I have to live on campus. Living with someone else in a tiny dorm room seems totally impossible to me. I want to go to college so badly and be involved in certain acitivies and just have a normal, enjoyable college life but I have this big, embarrassing problem in the way. I'm hoping I can just get up the nerve to let them know ahead of time what's wrong with me, so maybe my whole situation would be easier, but it's hard to admit something like this to complete strangers.Sorry I wrote so much...but it just feels so nice to finally get all this out...Does anyone else know how I feel??


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## lolly1989

lolly1989 10 july 2007 10:30m. heya i no exactly how u feel. i have only just found this site, i thought i was tha only 1 who had it. i hate it i can never go out with friends and i feel ill atleast once a week i feel so down,. i want to be normal. i miss work so much bcuz i feel so ill especially when im due on its 10 times worse. i get nausea and stomach pain and gas alot which is embaressing. pleas reply so i can talk to some one else 


Ty K. said:


> Gracefully - I definitely understand how you feel; I'm a sophomore in high school, and I first got the symptoms of IBS when I was 13. Since then they've become constant, literally 24/7 gassiness/bloating/moderate-but-distracting-pain. My ninth and tenth grade academic years have been independent study (outside of school/on the internet) because I am completely terrified of going near a classroom. Now I can't even go out to dinner with family members or do minor things like taking a walk without feeling really nervous. The thing is, people without IBS don't seem to comprehend this at all, and it's hard to expect them to, since they've never experienced the feelings of dread associated with one's stomach. My mom often says "It's not like you don't have legs," even though I've explained to her thousands of times how debilitating this is, and she's the person I talk to most about this; I can't even imagine explaining it to friends. Anyhow, the worst thing about IBS in my opinion is that it not only ruins your present day life but it makes you fear the future and feel as though you're never going to be normal. Sometimes I'm so worn out by the constant anxiety, and by the way that this has totally thrown my life off track, that I don't really feel like dealing with it anymore. And I can't talk to friends about it because it's so embarrassing and strange (or it feels that way). It's nice to see that there are other people who feel the same way, but I almost wish no one else had to deal with this because it's so impossible! I wish you luck with college, and I really hope everything works out. I'm sure there are many worse things in the world, but this is incredibly unfair. (Sorry about making this so long, guess I've kind of bottled it up as well).Ty


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## gottogo

This post will probably get removed since I am not a teenager anymore. However I just felt I needed to reply since I have had these same problems since I was 12. Going through high school was horrible. I know how all you must feel. I made it through though. Its wonderful that in todays world that this site is available. I always thought I was the only one with this problem. Having gas constantly was terrible. I now have it under control some. My GI doc has me eating Fiber one for breakfast a few times a week. That helps with the gas. I also have to watch what I eat. Junk food will give my IBS problems. I think it might be the corn syrup that is in them. Once in awhile if we go out to eat, I will take a pepcid ac before I eat and not have problems afterwards. Also walking helps.


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## Sammy-Jo

well i have to tell you that i know exactly how you feel. im turning 17 in a couple of weeks and ive been living with IBS-A for my whole life. it got really sevier when i was in grade 7 and im now going into grade 12. i know exactly what its like to have no life. ive lost everything and almost everyone becouse of my IBS. the only ppl i really have left are my family and my boyfriend who i just told about my IBS. we been together for a year and 5 months and i just got the juts up now. my stomach is getting so bad i cant leave my house. i dont know what to do anymore i dont even know if i can finish highschool. im sposed to start co-op in september but i dont even know if i will be able to. it really sucks. its nice to see that im not alone and that their is ppl like me out their. ppl can be so mean. i dont know how many times i have been humiliated or harrased becouse of my IBS. All i ever wish for is to be normal or atleast closer to it so i could live my life


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## vollyball_lover

hey you need tell people about your problem I mean I dont know really what you mean but I do know that people and be so mean thats it dosent seem fair!!!!! I'd tell staring with alittle people and see how thats goes then you should tell people about your problem and if they have a problem with thats there problem and they need to get over them selves cuz the world dosent revalve around them your true friends wont care they love for who your not what u r!!!! if you just give people a chance you'll find that they dont ever care I'm slowly learnong to open up to people and I've made so many new friends thats what you need to do if you feel so great venting on this wouldnt you feel alot better if people knew you for you!!! well thats all I have to say!!!


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## TeenGurl16

I definitly wish i could feel like a normal teenager, in fact my msn name says it rite now. I have lost best friends and other close friends becuase of my ibs. I couldnt handle being expected to stay the nite at friends places or sneak out and go drinking or even just go to the movies becuase i was constantly getting sick. And now i have a guy in my life and while we have decided we cant go out at the moment i still feel like i should be up front and honest about my ibs because i dont want to risk losing him over sumthing as stupid as IBS. I really care about him and lying to him hurts so much. But the big question is HOW? how do i tell him this, its sumthing that you wouldnt normally talk about. And i know this next topic may not be the best topic for everyone in this age group of the site but lately i have been thinkign about it alot. I have read in many blogs that woman have pain and such during sex, due to there IBS. This is something that i am worried about becuase if sex and IBS dont work well together then im gunna need to tell the guy about my ibs before hand. Everytime a guy mentions to me about hooking up my stomach starts to hurt just from thinking bout it and i even get full out sick at times. If anyone has any advice or information that would be greatly appreciated because i really want to know before i go ahead with things.


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## Haunted

TeenGurl16 said:


> And *i know this next topic may not be the best topic for everyone in this age group of the site* but lately i have been thinkign about it alot. I have read in many blogs that woman have pain and such during sex, due to there IBS. This is something that i am worried about becuase if sex and IBS dont work well together then im gunna need to tell the guy about my ibs before hand. Everytime a guy mentions to me about hooking up my stomach starts to hurt just from thinking bout it and i even get full out sick at times. If anyone has any advice or information that would be greatly appreciated because i really want to know before i go ahead with things.


You'd be surprised In my case I'm especially worried about this too, even though I've got a few years ahead of me before I really have a reason to start worrying about it.


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## TeenGurl16

Haunted are u really only 13? u sound so much older and more mature then the thirteen yr olds where i live. and if u are only 13 i would say that ya u got a few yrs before really having to worry about sex and ibs


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## Haunted

TeenGurl16 said:


> Haunted are u really only 13? u sound so much older and more mature then the thirteen yr olds where i live. and if u are only 13 i would say that ya u got a few yrs before really having to worry about sex and ibs


Yes, I'm really 13 I've been told that I sound older than 13 a few times, especially by people at forums like this one


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## sazzy

Yeah Haunted, you sound extremely mature for your age, and a lot kinder than a lot of 13 year old guys I know.


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## sickteen

i am a social teen but i get so sick i have to miss alot of things leaving sleepovers golf practice and afriad to go to far from my house i have had some close calls this summer


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## GreenDay12

Im a senior in high school too and i gotta say, i just want to break down sometimes. I mean, So many of my freinds will get mad at me cuz ill make up some lame excuse to not hang out when im having stomach troubles. No one knows excep for my best freind (thank god for her). I feel kinda lame on this site but i just wanna let you know that i feel the same way as u all the time. Its horrible. but if you ever need to talk or get an embarrasing momentoff your chest, just hit me up.


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## Severely Suffering Snapett

Just when I thought that I was the only one in my school to haev IBS I was talking to a girl who is fairly new to my school and she was on a detox diet and I was telling her about how good it would be for me and then she told me that she was also suffering from IBS. We just gave each other a big hug because its nice to know that others are going through it too. She seems to be more in control than I am though as she interacts with people more than I do but its just good to know im not alone.


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## Guest

At 45 I hardly qualify as a teenager - but I did want to say the last poster (sorry - can't remember your name) hit the nail on the head - its knowing you are not alone and that there are others out there in the same boat. Thats what support groups are all about after all - and thats why these forums are such a boon to so many folk. Even if you've had a right rough day - you always know there is somebody on here or better yet, out in the "real world" where you live - whose singing from the same hymn sheet.Sue


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## Snoopys Shorty

Im a jounior at a college prep school.. I get very stressed out before huge tests that happen on a daily basis multiple times a day.. I notice that when Im stressed, or have a large amount of any emotion, be it happy, scared, sad, mad, or stressed, my symptoms get much worse.... But I was always comforted in the fact that I was on meds.. I had been on these meds since 3rd grade... So they did nothing... But just the thought that 'this could make it better' was enough to calm me down enough to be able to make it through most school days without huge amounts of problems... All of my friends over the years have been upper classmen, because I knew I didnt have any classes with them.. But we have gotten very close and now do everything together.. In August some of my friends wanted to go on a road trip to Forks, Washington which is about 6 hours away.. We where going because we had read a series of books (The Twilight series) that takes place in Forks... I was really excited to go because these where some of my favorite books and we where going the day after the 3rd book came out.. I went with my best friend, a cabby friend, a girl who was getting ready to leave for college, and her sister..... I started to stress about this trip knowing that it will be even harder to hide because we where staying the night, and mornings, and nights are the worst for me... But I was also really excited.. Which did not help much... We spent the first night at two of girlses house and got no sleep.. So we went and got coffee in the morning.... Which I had a thought in the back of my head that it would make me sick... But I was hoping that if I ignored the thought I wouldnt get sick.. Like a mind-over-matter kind of thing.. But it doesnt always work that way.. And in the first 15 min my tummy was getting angry and i had no way of fixing it.. So I said that I wasnt feeling good and needed to stop at the next store to buy some pepto because I had gone to their house right from school and the teachers are all really big about not having anytype of 'drugs' in your locker, I can't even bring tums to school... So we stopped and I got some and used the restroom.. Being a group of girls I was unable to go alone.. So I didn't get to finish all my busness.. not that I would have been able to... But I had to stop every other exit for most of the ride there... And all they could do was make fun of me for having to 'go potty' so many times... I ate only a sandwitch the whole time we where there and only had minor problems on the way home and only had to stop 4 times... I was so upset that I wasnt normal enough to go on a simple road trip without getting so sick... So upset that I almost didnt go on a trip last month to visit the girl who went to college, with her sister and my best friend.. It was a 5 hour trip one way.. And we where going to spend a couple of nights there... My doctor stopped refilling my meds about 4 days before I left for this trip.. The stress from no meds was more than enough to make me sick.. Along with the thought of being in a car and dorm room with these people for an extended period of time... I decided that I wasnt going to let this ruin my life and I was going to go.. I ate a piece of pizza when I got to the house we where meeting at to go.. That was the only thing I had eaten all day for fear of being sick.. It was around 9 at night... We left at 10 and stopped at McDonals on the way.. I got a 4 piece nuggies and a Strawberry Milkshake.. Apparently all of this was too much.. Because only 30 min into our trip I became very 'sick'.. My best friend kinda knew I had some issues because I had ditched her because I had been 'sick' on far too many occasions... I didnt really know the other girl we were with.. I had only met her on the trip to Forks and hadnt talked to her since then... But I told her that I needed to stop.. By the time we got to a gas station I could hardly make it... I went running in and ended up staying in there for 15 min... The whole way to that rest stop I could only say sorry... About 10 min after getting back in the car I could no longer take it and needed to stop again... I spent another 15 min in the bathroom.. and got into the car apologizing and after 10 min it was the same situation.... I felt so terrible.... So I explained what was going on and that I had IBS and explained what that ment.. But they understood and asked after that every 10-15 min if I was still doing ok or if I needed to stop... The sister asked me, trying to better understand, if that is what was wrong while we where going to Forks and I said yes.. and she said that I should have just said something than and they would have all understood... I spent the rest of the weekend feeling alot more comfortable and didnt worry too much... My tummy did ok.. But it got pretty sick in the mornings and they understood and we put off going to far from the dorm 'til I was more comfident in my ability to go longer than 10 min without having to make a bathroom run... Now whenever Im with any of the 3 and I say Im 'sick' they understand just what Im talking about and they ask if there is anything they can do to help and I now talk to the sister at least once a week.. I was so upset about it when I got home knowing that I was the reason that it took us an extra hour to get there and just beign stressed from the trip than all I could do was cry about it... And I got really sick again.. So my mom tried to help me by trying to figure out what my 'trigger' foods are... I think she was just trying to prove that I dont have IBS.. Because since the beging she has acted like its all in my head... So I went the whole next week without eating anything.. All I did was chew suger free gum and drink water... The first 4 days after that only ate one cup of rice in the whole 4 days.. this made me sick... So day 5 I gave up and started eating normal food again.. But the whole time I wasnt eating everyone kept asking me why I wasnt eating.. So I told my friends that any time I eat I get uber sick and we are trying to see if there is a specific food that is making it so bad... They where actually really interested and truely cared how I was feeling and when I started eating again they would ask me every day how it was going for the first week.. And now when I say Im not eating cuz I dont want to be 'sick' they say that they are sorry for me and give me hugs... and its really sweet and makes me feel so much more loved and understood... When I told them the crabby friend from the Forks trip about me getting 'sick', before the Forks trip, when I had to ditch her a few times for the toilet she acted like it was a personal attack and anytime I said I didnt feel good and I couldnt go with her she would say 'yeah but you never feel good..' and would make me feel bad for always having to ditch my friends for the toilet... Which made it worse.. But I found that once more people knew about it she started to better understand.. I ask everyday why I cant be a normal teenager... and my mom keeps telling me that Iam normal... and acts like when I say Im having IBS issues that Im making it up... And it hurts... I have been very depressed for as long as I can remember.. Which actually isnt that long, because I blocked most of my elementry years out of my memory... Just know that you are not the only one out here and there are some people who will understand and some who wont.. Just remember that you are you no matter who other people want you to be.. Never be ashamed to be who you are.. ~Shorty


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## Sunshine8

Hey...I know exactly how you feel. Plenty of people know exactly how you feel. We've got your back







! My IBS started when I was 8...and has been getting progressively worse ever since. I've grown up avoiding foods that react badly and always carrying Imodium with me for when I feel an attack coming on. At 17, I'm now sensitive to anything containing dairy, greasy, fatty, sorbitol, spices, rich foods, and citric acids. I know that I'm worse around my period (something to do with hormone changes according to my GD) It has helped making lists of foods that have irritated my digestive system int he past...and completely avoiding them if possible. My sisters and dad aren't always supportive of this, but luckily my mom is an IBS sufferer so my family has grown up like this. It's hard (sometimes impossible) to work past the anxiety and panic attacks you get when wanting to go out. It's like your mind is ready to go out and have fun (even with friends who understand)...even when you've watched your diet and only eaten foods that are bland and boring you react to them and you're stuck home for the day/night







. I've been avoiding going out...even with my family...because of the stress that comes over me about my IBS...which usually ends up causing an "episode" to occur from stress. I totally get what you're going through about college...I am too! Even though my college is right across town from home, I'm going to be living on campus with my best friend (who I've barely told about my IBS) and the thought of having IBS episodes on campus are causing me many anxiety attacks! Let me know if you find a way to help with this anxiety!Also...how does everyone deal with telling friends/boyfriends/girlfriends/relatives/teachers/people-who-need-to-know about their IBS? I've always had a problem with this...it's so embarrassing for me.I apologize for the short novel I just wrote!


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## all*u*need*is*luv

R to the S I know how it feels to be in such a low place suicide sounds like a "sweet escape". it is nothing of the sort! my friends and family helped me through my rough patches and though they arent perfect(by any means







) they have their moments. i'm so sorry that your parents dont believe you! talk to your parents, convince them! if you have to tell another family member or teacher and have them help you explain things to them they may be more receptive to it. know that you have everyone's support on this site, you aren't alone! talk to the wall all night if you have to just dont commit suicide! you have a purpose, whether you know it or not, and your trials that you are currently facing are making you strong for that purpose. You are stronger than all of your "normal" classmates! you have come through so much more than they know. just remember that next time you feel embarrassed about your condition. you have the inner strength to get through this! you just have to tap into it and hold on tight! keep in contact with friends, i know you feel down right now and you may want to be alone but friends have a tendency to make you smile and or/ give you strength during your most trying moments! email me anytime girlie!!!!!!! psstay on your parents! if they never come around







make it your goal to find a way to get help! you must take care of your body, it will take you through many fruitful years to come!







urgent....we care


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## lauralove

hey, i am totaly the same i have just found about this website too and its really good ive made a blog and everything and only found it yesterday! ive jus found out that i have ibs and its awful its been goin on 4 about a year and i dint think note of it its just so embarrasing i told my m8s and they totally understand and that but you just wanna get through a class without needing the loo! do you feel like it gets worse when you are in a really quiet place???? i do. please write me back or make a coment on my blog. thanks.


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## purpletree

I understand what you mean exactly. My IBS didn't kick up till freshman year(I'm a sophy now) and its just so hard to get into your head that you're not totally crazy. I almost always feel like everytime I don't manage to make it to school or I can't hang out because I'm sick everyone just doesn't get it. I always tell them, it's like mental health day or oh I have a touch of the flu and the truth is I just can't eat. These days I get so gassy that it kills me just to eat. I found this website today, and I'm just so thankful, because I can't talk about it with anyone. Including my parents, who to a certain extent will always think of me as a hypochondriac, no matter what a doctor tells them. I feel that way with my friends too, probably because the ones i have told don't ever see me rolling on my bed crying in pain. I'm good at putting on a face. Actually, I'm really good at it. I just... wish I were normal. I'd take acne and greasy hair any day to just... be normal stomach wise.​ I didn't even know that there were other people out there, really. I mean, I knew but I didn't. Do you know what I mean? If you ever want to talk(and this goes to all readers) you can IM me on AIM at purpletree63. I swear I'm not crazy, and I love to talk and listen and I like a lot of normal things and weird things. Love,Laurynwait... I prolly shouldnt sign it love... we haven't even had our first date yet. sigh. oh well, backspace key farther than the enter key.​


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## oreo3218

hey!*..yeah i'm in my serior year of high school and i've beeng going threw an eating disorder and i've it for over 5 years. I'm starting to get better and stuff .. but now i'm getting all the signs for IBS!.. i'm so scared and nervouss!.. i have no idea what i have to do.. i know i need help.. i don't want to tell anyone because when i did for my eating disorder it just made me go threw a massive emotional rollacoster. It suckedd! i felt like i was all alone, didn't want to be included with any of my friends, family and one of my teachers noticed. She was with me 110%, went threw all my counciling and everything together. It was great later on. I'm thinking i should go visit that one teacher that understands things like this. But .. it's the hardest telling my friends and i don' t think i could tell my mom.. and if i go to the hositpal.. i think i'd rather go by myself just because it's less stressful and i don't want to have people judge me again. What do you guys think i should do.. please help me! Thankss..Sorry just explaining my life story haha!..







---air


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## B.curtin

Hi everyone. i was searching on the internet about ibs and trying to find out what diets and different medicines to use. i have recently discovered that i have ibs and i DO NOT know how to deal. it has literally taken over my life. i cant sit in school without thinking am i gona have to go to the bathroom soon, if i go to a football will we get stuck in traffic and ill have no where to go to the bathroom, will i make it home after ive gone out to eat with my friends. i am not scared to tell my friends about it, all of them know, including my boyfriend. its taken over my life so much ive missed alot of school and have become verrry depressed and stressed out. i get afraid i wont make it to the bathroom. my stomach hurts alot.i just need advice because i dont know how to get these things out of my mind. i want to go back to how i use to be when i wasnt searching for the bathroom, and i could go forever with out using the bathroom! i want to be comfortable again. HELP!


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## mimimeila

Oh man it's so great being here! I have told some friends about my IBS but not all the symptoms (i'm to embarrassed so i just say stomache cramps) and they don't seem to care. It was a year ago when it got so painful and so my mom went to a natural store and got me some IBS support pills that have helped enormously! I'm so happy for that but I became really depressed a couple months ago and wanted nothing more than to hang out with friends and be accepted. But I couldn't because I was soooooooo sick and no one new about it. I was completely alone and depressed it was NOT a good time. I'm still very VERY hesistant to go anywhere or do anything although I never get sick at school anymore. Noises, lights, flavors ANYTHING at all can triggar it and I need a bathroom in sight at all times. I'm so sick of being sick and no one understands. I wish i could get the courage to tell at least one of my friends but apparently i'm a coward.


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## Alana123

dear tye dyei feel the same wayi am a very smart studentbut during exams and especially in quiet studies i get so anxious and nervous abt my stomach gargling or havin to pass gass. it sounds so gross and i am grossed out by it too.i dont do as well as id hope on exams because i am focusing on relaxing my stomach so muchi am also so nervous for college in 2 yrshavin to sit in large rooms and squished so close to the person next to ui also used to b so popular and now i dont go to social events anymoreive become a hermit because i am so scared abt havin to go to the bathroom or my stomach gettin upset.i also can never go on dates with guysi always say nocuz i cant sit through an entire movie without my stomach lik flaringI HATE MY LIFE SO MUCH!


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## Quink

Hey graceful,i have the SAME feeling as u i havent been to school for 3 months now very worried im gunna fail and its so hard because u wanna go out with all ur friends but u cant because ur so scared ur guna get sick.i wish i was normal and i would have never thought that this has happened to me i also cant go on feild trips and all thos things.i did not have a very normal childhood and i wish that i was just NORMAL.i fear going to bed because of this pain. somtimes i dont have a choice about going to bed and im up all night without sleep.car rides are the worst all the bumping and moving around makes me so sick i cant handle it for more then 10 minutes.im so tierd of this sickaning diagnoses. and at the start of me getting sick everyone from my school thought i was a faker, so that made everything even worse but now i get piked on because i have to go to the washroom lots well it bugs me because i cant help it! i come home crying sometimes because people are just so mean!! well i hope u get better very soon and i wish the best for u!From fellow IBS fighter,


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## suchasoccerplayer

I was diagnosed with ibs when i was 9(ish)ive been given medicines that never work. its really frustrating...like other people said, illl be going on a date with my boyfriend...like meeting him somewhere....and i get such horrible pain. i am such a different person. im normally really fun and i like to be positive but its so incredibly hard with this. I get so sick and im in so much pain! I've explained to him what happens and how painful it is. hes supports me 200% and knows that he really "doesnt understand how it feels" and doesn't try o say he does like other people have. Ive also told a few friends..the close ones...but they always...blow it off. my parents are okay.. they know im not faking but it seems like it frustrates them sometimes when im constantly complaining about the overwhelming pain i encounter. I recently met a girl in one of my classes who also has this. we found out on accident because she was complaining about her stomach hurting. it was/is such a relief to have someone to go to in order to vent about the aches of the day or even discussing medicines that work or are crud. thats absolutely amazing and so comforting!! Im going to the doctor again tomorrow. im very excited. ive studied everything there is to know about IBS for this doctor's visit. im ready to get better medicine.


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## iMe22

i'm very excited for you! you may get rid of it once and for all! (although it doesn't fully go away, but at least it won't bother you anymore) i wish you good luck, and tell me how it went!there is this other girl who I know, who is always complaining about her stomach hurting, but i'm afraid to ask her, because it might be something else, and then i would have to tell her that i have it, and i haven't really told anyone ((besides my mom and dad)) because i'm worried people will treat me differently, and won't want to be around me, because they think it might wear off on them or something. i do wish i was normal, but then again, if i was normal, would i be the same person i am? i think that i do miss out a lot, because i used to do ballet, and then i had to stop because of ibs ((i didn't know what all the side affects was, so i was feeling really uncomfortable)) and i've always wanted to do soccer, but i can't bring myself to do it, because what if it's on a bad day for my stomach? i've also developed anxiety from my ibs. it feels like i'm surrounded by people who are normal, and don't know what it's like, so i'm glad i found this site, but am also sad, that many other people have to feel like this too.


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## baz22p

I do sympathise with te plight of anyone who feels that they are victim to this. I echo the seniments of Sue (sorry, I'm almost 47!). What I would like to add, and it is somethng that I am trying more and more (especially now I found a growing grou of fellow IBS'ers) is to try and think of others as being the minority. If other people a too ignorant to understand and help then it is their problem. Remember that this is the age of anti-discriminatation, so why should it not apply to us as well?


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## loolu

thats exactly what happens to me! (got-to-get-to-a-toilet-NOW feeling, bloating humiliating gas, irregularity ect) its got so bad that i asked to be put on a homebound program so i can do my school work i home while i just try to figure this out. id either be in the bathroom for 20 minuts at a time or id put my head down to sleep to avoid gas and pain in class. i just found this site and im extreamly glad i did. i got ibs in the eight grade. im a junior this year with a boyfriend and i just really really want to start enjoying school for once. people are ruthless in school. its taken me this long to really only recently find that i have ibs. for a long time i was back and forth to doctors running tests up to the wazoo only for them to come back negative, arguing with school administrators, doctors and even my parents trying to get them to understand and/or help and not think i was just trying to get attention or had a mental disorder. i have been up and down with crazy deppression caused by just the emotional toll it has you know? not much of a social life. but since ive started getting answers things have been getting better. i think things happened all in good time. im still at home for school but ive been to see a diatician which has really helped me out alot because i am also a vegan dealing with this and at the same time a phsychiatrist twice a week. just really trying to get my life back. as for the constant gas, well i can sorta make fun of myself but when it comes to hanging out with friends, getting in cars, having a boyfriend who knows what going on but not to the full extent, its really hard. from what ive been told lots of fiber at one time will cause it and vegtables such as broccoli, colliflour and cabbage (eww) hahah can cause it *shrug* so im ganna so what i can do with that information and see if some of that will get better.


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## baz22p

Glad to here things are working out for you (at least with the anxiety of it all). Also I'm very pleased to here this site is useful to you, and that our help is beneficial. The only thing I would suggest now is for you to fully tell all people - social friends, boyfriend, family, etc - because the only way to get their full support and understanding is to let them know exactly how you are. I realise how difficult this is but the education of others is the only way you will get the response you deserve. You may feel a bit apprehenive about telling your boyfriend, but this will come out in any long term relationship.


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## Bazzy

Sorry guys, but I didn't have time to read this whole thread.I was finally diagnosed with IBS by my GI when I was 10, but I've had stomach problems since I was about 4. Plus I'm lactose intolerant. After reading most of these posts, I realize how lucky I am to have such understanding people in my school. It turns out that 2 of my friends have IBS too, but people have always known that I've had stomach problems. I don't hide it or anything because I don't feel like making up excuses for all of the days of school I miss. During middle school, my grades really dropped because of my absences. But this year (9th grade), I've really tried to go to school as much as possible. I've tried so many different medicines, even an experimental one. One of my GIs (I've had 3) wanted to send me to Texas to see a new doctor because she had no idea what to do with me. I've tried hypnotherapy too... but that didn't work either. My biggest problem has been final exams. I'm always nervous that my stomach will act up in the middle, so it ends up acting up because I'm so nervous. It's nice to know that there are a lot of other people out there that are going through this too because my friends that have IBS don't really have it that bad.


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## EDeShong

This disease, even though it may seem like it, does not make you who you are. I understand it is embarrassing at times, I've had to deal with it for almost four years (since about the beginning of eighth grade, I'm in eleventh), even though these past two have really been the bad ones, but most people will understand it if you sit and talk to them about it. You can't help that you have this issue, and if they think any differently of you, they are not true friends, or good people. You should be okay in college, just let your roommate know if they ask, honesty is the best thing. You are most certainly not a hypochondriac, and that would offend me to be called so. What you have is real, and people should know that. I often feel alone at times, too, but I just think, there are many others with it, and I can't help that I have it, so I'm going to live how I live, and not let others get to me.


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## searching4answers

im 17 and a senior girl in HS too. I have ibs-like symptoms with SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and always need to know where the bathroom is too and do also miss alot of school and try to leave class as few times as possible so its less noticible. Ppl at my school dont understand. Car rides scare me b/c ur trapped in close quarters w/ppl and i also have to wonder if im leaking gas today alot & if they can smell me or what if i have to go to the bathroom. & there's been times where im in the car w/my bf and friends and i feel sick but i dont want to say anything cause i dont want to ruin their good time & i want to be there and having fun with them as long as they can so badly too. I hate how my stomach limits the amount of time i can spend out w/ppl. So yea i get what you're going through. I've had this for 2 years now. If you ever need to talk i'm here. It's difficult on days when u feel like u neeed some1 to relate so badly on an "off" day, you just feel like it's just you & your stomach sometimes. But you're not alone. PM me if u ever need 2 feel like there's some1 out there that gets it.


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## xSarahx

I'm the same! I'm a senior in high school and I'm so afraid of being away from home with a different diet and setting and stuff that i didn't even apply to university. i'm taking a year off and moving in with my family in England. ( i live in Canada)I know that the stress would be too much for me and that I would just be in the bathroom ALL the time (not like I'm not now, but you know, its different when you're alone)Only a few friends know what's wrong with me, and I'm glad that I have a friend who has IBD that can at least partly relate too. You'll be okay, just watch what you eat!!I know that everyday In class i get awful cramps, and i'm sitting there literally sweating and shaking in pain, so I told my GI and he said that it was really bad that was happening so he put me on medication, but that can only hold me out for so long. I am IBS-A, so i have alternating Diarreah and Constipation, which is hard. I am also anemic so I have to go in once every 2 weeks to the hospital to get iron transfusions because the iron pills make me super constipated... try explaining the needles marks and bruises in your inner arm to your teachers and friends







they all think i'm on drugs!!Don't worry , you're not alone.From one high school senior to another!love, sarah xoxox


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## NoSurprises

*SORRY IN ADVANCE FOR SUPER-LONG MESSAGE!*Wow it's so good to know I'm not alone :SI've been having symptoms of IBS-A for about 4 years (since I was 13) but I've only found out in the past year what it means... :/ It's had a massive impact on school, my grades went way downhill (they're still OK but before they were really good) and it's had a detrimental effect on my social life too. I'm always so worried at school or if I go out with friends that I'll have to keep dashing off to the bathroom or just feel sick. I can't really explain it to them, as, like someone's already said, it sounds like a joke when you try to explain that it's a serious problem.I go to a super-academic school (I'm in my final year) so there's always so much stress and pressure to do well and that makes it even worse... to add to all of this, I've been diagnosed with depression so my IBS attacks are way worse when my depression is worse. And in turn, my IBS makes me depressed! It's like a vicious cycle that I can't seem to break out of.I'm new to posting but I was talking about this with my mum last night (who's had IBS since she was quite young, I think) and she just said "Well, you just have to learn to live with it." She hasn't worked for years, and rarely goes out to do social stuff, so I don't think she understands how hard it is when you're young. I got really upset because I'm not ready to accept that my life is going to be more difficult than everyone else's, and I know that sounds stupid, but it really got to me. I'm starting at University in September and I'm just dreading lectures and living with a load of strangers... it should be a time when people just have fun and relax (as well as the work, of course ;D) and make friends but I'm now dreading it completely!I'm not sure how to deal with the symptoms... I've tried varying the fibre in my diet, cutting out diary, I don't eat meat anyway because I'm vegetarian, and cutting out orange juice and all sorts but nothing works! I just so want to get control of things again, especially before September... but I'm so worried about my exams too- 2 1/2 hour-long exams- nightmare! arghhhhh!Thanks in advance for any replies :SK x


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## faithxlove

wow guys, this is incredible to read! It's absolutely amazing knowing others feel the same way! I'm a senior in high school too







high school has been an absolute nightmare as I began having IBS at age 14.. so I've had it every year of what is "supposed to be the best years of your life" LOL, i always laugh at that and think.. I WISH!!! Something that has REALLY helped me this year, was getting my teachers to understand. Obviously I don't fill them in on ALL the details, but just knowing that they're willing to co-operate with me if i need to leave class, or miss a class, or write a test in another room. It still gets to be a horrendously difficult experience.. but that certainly helps. One thing I wanna ask you guys... I find that my perspective on everything is completely different because of my IBS... do you guys ever laugh at your friends because they're so caught up in relationship and friend drama.. when they really don't realize how care free they truly are?


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## OhSoVeryDelicious

This post upsets me because so many of us are suffering and it seems as if there is nothing that can be done to help. My name is Bree and I am 17, a Junior in high school, and silently suffering with IBS. I recently dropped out of my Junior year at my high school and transferred to online schooling, because the pain and constant urge to go to the bathroom was becoming to much. I would always worry about how I was going to ask the teacher for the second, third, or even fourth time, if I could go to the bathroom. I felt as if I did this, the other students in the class would laugh or make fun of me. This anxiety just made things worse, making it even more difficult to try to wait till the end of class. The first three weeks of the school year I had already missed the maximum amount of days that you could miss in an entire semester. So, that is now why I sit at the computer six hours out of the day and do my schooling online. Friends is a difficult subject for me, because I don't have friends. I have ONE friend. They have all stopped calling me after I would always cancel on our plans because I would have a flare up of my IBS and I wasn't able to leave the house. They all knew my situation, but they would always say it's just in your head, why can't you just not think about it. This hurt, because they would get angry at me for having to go to the bathroom. I can't help it. I have no social life anymore and I don't know if I will be able to go back for my Senior year at my high school. I'm worried about my future. I don't know how I will be able to handle college but I'm hoping it won't be as bad as high school. At least I will have the liberty to go to the bathroom whenever I need to. I'm worried about finding a career where I won't have to constantly worry if there is a bathroom around me. This is so difficult to deal with at this age. I should be enjoying life and spending time with friends. I can't, because I am always sick. I feel as if I am a burden to everyone, even my family. I don't go on vacations anymore with them because I know I will just be in the bathroom 24/7. This whole thing is so depressing and I don't know if things will ever get better with it.


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## searching4answers

faithxlove said:


> It still gets to be a horrendously difficult experience.. but that certainly helps. One thing I wanna ask you guys... I find that my perspective on everything is completely different because of my IBS... do you guys ever laugh at your friends because they're so caught up in relationship and friend drama.. when they really don't realize how care free they truly are?


Yes! omg ALL THE TIMEEE! of course not to their faces, but yeah.


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## faithxlove

OhSoVeryDelicious said:


> This post upsets me because so many of us are suffering and it seems as if there is nothing that can be done to help. My name is Bree and I am 17, a Junior in high school, and silently suffering with IBS. I recently dropped out of my Junior year at my high school and transferred to online schooling, because the pain and constant urge to go to the bathroom was becoming to much. I would always worry about how I was going to ask the teacher for the second, third, or even fourth time, if I could go to the bathroom. I felt as if I did this, the other students in the class would laugh or make fun of me. This anxiety just made things worse, making it even more difficult to try to wait till the end of class. The first three weeks of the school year I had already missed the maximum amount of days that you could miss in an entire semester. So, that is now why I sit at the computer six hours out of the day and do my schooling online. Friends is a difficult subject for me, because I don't have friends. I have ONE friend. They have all stopped calling me after I would always cancel on our plans because I would have a flare up of my IBS and I wasn't able to leave the house. They all knew my situation, but they would always say it's just in your head, why can't you just not think about it. This hurt, because they would get angry at me for having to go to the bathroom. I can't help it. I have no social life anymore and I don't know if I will be able to go back for my Senior year at my high school. I'm worried about my future. I don't know how I will be able to handle college but I'm hoping it won't be as bad as high school. At least I will have the liberty to go to the bathroom whenever I need to. I'm worried about finding a career where I won't have to constantly worry if there is a bathroom around me. This is so difficult to deal with at this age. I should be enjoying life and spending time with friends. I can't, because I am always sick. I feel as if I am a burden to everyone, even my family. I don't go on vacations anymore with them because I know I will just be in the bathroom 24/7. This whole thing is so depressing and I don't know if things will ever get better with it.


I know how you feel, and I understand when you say it's sad how nothing can be done. I'd like to ask you if you've tried FODMAPS? Understand that I suffered every year of high school with horrendous IBS. I'm a senior now, in my final semester, and let me tell you... it's INCREDIBLE the difference it's made. I have a life now







PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just give it a chance! I've tried absolutely everything else, but this is legit, honestly. Give it a week or two and try to really stick to it. I would really like to see you better, like me. It's worth a try, right?PLEASE consider it, at least


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## faithxlove

searching4answers said:


> Yes! omg ALL THE TIMEEE! of course not to their faces, but yeah.


LOL


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## Becca Spencer

Same here emial me sometime [email protected] we can talk about living with IBS I'm 13 and having a hard time with it also.


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## DevineLupine

I know exactly how you feel. I'm a 14 year old girl with IBS-C. It's so embarrassing. My main symptom is flatulence... When I'm in my lessons I try so hard to be polite and hold it in. But it's so painful and I have to keep a straight face. When it's over I just rush to a bathroom to let it out. I wish people would be able to take me more seriously and understand IBS is not just a minor problem that goes away. You're not alone. Don't worry.


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## Annie Skokos

GracefullyGassy said:


> Well, first of all, I just discovered this site now and I already feel so much better just knowing that I am NOT ALONE. Because I feel that way...a lot.And this message may be long and I'm sorry for that, but I just feel like I have so much I need to get out to people who can relate with me becuase I've had this thing bottled up inside of me for so long!!I'm a senior in high school and school is so hard to deal with, I'm absent a lot and it's so hard to get through classes when my stomach is ripping apart and I have to run to the bathroom every five seconds.I've kept the fact that I have IBS-D from all my friends, which has been hard to do, and the only one who knows what's wrong with me is my family and my boyfriend (it took me a year and a half to admit what was wrong with me to him) and so most people just think I'm a hypochondriac. As lame as it is, I'd rather them criticize me for that than for the embarrassing truth.Sometimes I just get so upset that I can't be normal. The other night I was out with my boyfriend and some friends and they had to take me home because I got so sick...I just can't go out and have fun and be normal like everyone else and it's hard to deal with that fact. I haven't been on a field trip since 6th grade and traveling is horrible for me. I dread car rides or any place I am not totally accustomed to because I need to have access to a bathroom at all times.I get panic attacks and freak out if I don't know where the bathroom is or if I'm on a long car ride, which stinks, because I'd like to travel a little, and I love to sing, and singing involves traveling, which is pretty much impossible for me.It's just so hard to live this way. It's so dibilitating and yet to describe IBS to someone it sounds like a joke.Anyway, now my big concern is I'm accepted into a college about a half hour away from where I live, but because of the scholarship they gave me, I have to live on campus. Living with someone else in a tiny dorm room seems totally impossible to me. I want to go to college so badly and be involved in certain acitivies and just have a normal, enjoyable college life but I have this big, embarrassing problem in the way. I'm hoping I can just get up the nerve to let them know ahead of time what's wrong with me, so maybe my whole situation would be easier, but it's hard to admit something like this to complete strangers.Sorry I wrote so much...but it just feels so nice to finally get all this out...Does anyone else know how I feel??


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## Annie Skokos

Hey im 16 and i feel exactly the same way. ive missed so many days of school that im having to make up three classes online to make it to the 11th grade . I feel like letting all my friends know that i have ibs is better than having to go and them not understanding whats going on. But my best friend thinks that its all in my head and that im not sick which definitely makes me frustrated because im obviously not making this up. My school knows I have ibs and i have like a special pass but ive gotten to the point where i get anxiety attacks about going at school and get picked on a daily basis. Which in turn is tearing my mom and i's relationship completely apart because she needs to be in close proximity if i needed to be picked up. my parents have practically given up on me which is the worst feeling. I cant stop thinking how my life used to be i was like extremely good at sports college scholarship good and would hang with my friends have sleepovers and now because of ibs i completely quit sports and haven't had a sleepover in a year and a half. I dread growing up and having to move out of my house to live on my own and not even knowing what do do with my life just kills me. All my friends say that i am the funniest person with a great personality and they think im so happy and normal but they have no idea how bad i really am and i never even get to see my friends because of the feeling that ill have to go to the bathroom in public. It does feel really good to get it out. Sorry if i was a little personal but just putting it out there. thanks. Annie


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## Emii

Any stress you have, anxiety or depression is known to trigger Ibs off anyway and definitely worsen any issues with it. The more your body feels like that the ibs gets bad and you get more anxious and it's a big never-ending cycle. I recommend you take up some form of yoga and learn breathing exercises. It could help you to focus and manage to get past your exams and stay reasonably calm, try not to focus on your symptoms if any while in the exam room and what I done while doing my exams, weird I know is take my books and revision etc to toilet with me if ever I had any visits for long or frequent periods in the day. I would defo recommend after or before exams u go to get cognitive behavioural therapy and do some guided imagery and get some relaxing CDs / tapes. Relaxing is the key, and I take a few naps recently here and there later in day before dinner sometimes if my tummy plays up, I go to toilet as much as I can n try to hav bowel movement and let my body repair doing very short breathing technique before resting and wake up for my body to hopefully b in a more relaxed state to have bit more of a bowel movement before dinner or something. Hope this helps sorry if it doesn't x


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## Annie Skokos

FSUgrl0715 said:


> I know exaclty how you all feel. I've been diagnosed with IBS since the 10th grade. It has progressively gotten worse as the years went on, and has put me in a constant state of depression. It seems as though i can't ever go a day feeling normal, or healthy. I'm really self-concious to the fact that i'm constantly running to the bathroom, or have to sit through a class with severe gas. Personally, the gas is the worst part, it not only smells and makes you uncomfortable but it really hurts and is constantly making my tummy grumble. I've never been able to go out without feeling sick, and can never go on road trips. I'm constantly locating the bathroom wherever i may be just so i know where to go when i need it. The doctors tell me to do stress relief exercises but its not that easy. I've tried everything from yoga, to meditation, to anorexia. I have tried changing my diet too from the normal sandwiches and pasta, to carrots and celery, to cutting out all wheat and dairy all together. Nothing seems to work. Along with all my stress with college, and a roomate, now i also have to deal with the stress about being sick all the time. Stress is not an easy thing to get rid of, and i just wish there was medicine or somthing i could take everyday to make it go away. I've tried all kinds of medicine, but i take it so much that i eventually become immune to it. I'm always complaining about it to my parents and my doctors in hope that they can help me in any way possible. I think about what it would be like to be a normal teenager every day of my life. I had a boyfriend for 3 years before i came to college, and he didnt seem to care about it. People are more supportive than you think, but it still takes alot of courage to open up about it. To me it just seems disgusting and i never want to talk about it. I always feel gross when im "sick" as i like to call it. I really wish more than anything in the world to be normal...and the stress is only going to continually get worse. Wish me luck!


Hey my sister goes to fsu and is in a sorority there, she tells me its the best times of her life but im always thinking that im never going to experience that because my ibs is so horrible. i got diagnosed in the 9th grade and now im going into the 11th im wondering how you made it through the rest of highschool and in college?


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## samoajoe

Military school may be a good option for you. The academic and sporting standards are the best with supervised after hours study periods being compulsory. Extra-curricula activities like sailing are commonplace. In fact they are often not extras but an integral part of the school’s curriculum. There is a strong push for solid preparation for college entrance and outstanding colleges at that.


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## Anaf21

I really know how you feel,believe me!I'm 21 years old but I was diagnosed with a bladder disease called interstitial cystitis when I was 19 and since then my life changed.I went from being a normal girl to spending my days going to the toilet.Since I was diagnosed with that disease I spend my days in the toilet,I feel the need to urinate the whole day,I stopped going out,I had to quit school,I can't work and I haven't slept like a normal person for almost two years because my bladder doesn't give me rest.Now I was also diagnosed with IBS and I feel that now my life really ended,I can't go anywhere,I lost all my friends so I wouldn't have to explain them all this and I feel like it's impossible for me to get a boyfriend I had so many dreams,I wanted to travel around the world,I was studying to be an actress and I had to give up all that,but I still have hope inside of me,it can't be always like this I'm trying to hold on to that,thinking that better days will come but sometimes it's just to hard and I break down Everyday I think the same thing as you,why can't I just be normal?I used to be so healthy before all this,I was so happy and I miss those times so much,I find myself always crying because of that.I also found this forum recently and it's really good to know we are not alone,if you feel like talking write to me,I also feel so lonely sometimes.


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## Bridget_12

Yeah, I started having problems last year as a freshman. One day my stomach made this loud, obnoxious sound and it was after lunch. Everybody around me turned and stared at me and asked if that was my stomach. Nothing happened the rest of the year but then at the beginning of this year, my stomach just did it all the time. My stomach will start hurting like I need to go to the bathroom and then the noises come on. It's always in the middle of the silence too. If the heater/air conditioner is on or the teacher is talking or something is making noise, I'm alright, but then everything gets quiet and my stomach makes noise after noise. The worst part is is that my teachers always seem to like to sit me in the front middle area of the room. I get so nervous when I'm in the front middle. Then teachers say they don't allow anyone to go to the bathroom and I just want to die.







I know everyone on here says that it helps to tell your friends about the problem but none of my friends are in my classes so I'm constantly surrounded by people who just don't understand and wouldn't even try to understand. Then there is food, I eat a stupid banana and yogurt for lunch. :/ I really don't know why I bother to watch what I eat because no matter what I eat, I'm left with stomach noises. It just gets worse and worse the healthier I eat. Nothing helps. Cutting particular foods doesn't help. Adding particular foods doesn't help. Eating more doesn't help. Eating less doesn't help. Drinking more water doesn't help. Pills don't help.








I use to think school was alright, now it's hell. If I could go back to the days before worrying about stomach noises, where I'm sitting, and what I eat, I'd embrace my love of school.







Well, *what doesn't kill you makes you stronger*. Although quiet frankly, I'd rather be weak and have a quiet stomach but yeah.


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## Jules989898

I have a disease called GERD disease it stops me from doing the simplest things I cant run and jump and just do any thing I want to now I was diagnosed last year and have had a tough year the docs don't know what to do and were giving me random meds just hopping one would work but they didn't so they passed me on to the hospitals but just before I went I saw a specialist who has helped a little but I cant do anything I have so many food restrictions and cant eat anything which I don't get to see the label to check if it going to hurt me or not I cant go to my friends cause I have so many meds and food is to difficult for them to deal with as well I cant eat out or have a take away and I cant do PE a lot my teachers never cared very much the other day she made me do gymnastics which really hurts cause of the way my stomach folds and twists people don't understand how I feel its been a hard year where i have isolated my self from my family and friends i never feel normal now and don't know if I ever will again cause one of the worst things about GERD is that I cant eat CHOCOLATE and its Easter soon the next few weeks are going to be really hard for me making me feel abnormal again!!


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## meowmeow

I understand how you feel. I have IBS-C, and it's a lot different, in that I never go to the bathroom, but it does still hold me back. I'm in a lot of pain from in constantly and have had to miss a lot of school and work from it, and I have to be SO careful about what I order when I go out and eat with my friends, or else, in 30 minutes, I'll be in terrible pain and have to ball up until my painkillers kick in, and that's usually Loratab, so I can't function anyway.With that said, I still feel like I have it okay, because yours sounds worse and I feel like I have no room to complain! Make sure you're strictly following the diet recommended for your IBS (it sucks having to strictly follow a limited diet, but it's worth it when you can finally live again!) and do anything else your doctor tells you to do for it. With some exercises or certain fruits and things, a little trial-and-error could be involved, so start on that now so you can have it figured out before you go to college so you're better prepared. I learned that cheating on my IBS-C-friendly diet isn't worth it in the end, so even though it's boring sometimes, I'm happier. I have a friend with IBS-D like yours, with the same situation, and after a few months, she's been able to happily adjust. Good luck with college and singing and everything else! Feel better!


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## LJH08

GracefullyGassy said:


> Well, first of all, I just discovered this site now and I already feel so much better just knowing that I am NOT ALONE. Because I feel that way...a lot.And this message may be long and I'm sorry for that, but I just feel like I have so much I need to get out to people who can relate with me becuase I've had this thing bottled up inside of me for so long!!I'm a senior in high school and school is so hard to deal with, I'm absent a lot and it's so hard to get through classes when my stomach is ripping apart and I have to run to the bathroom every five seconds.I've kept the fact that I have IBS-D from all my friends, which has been hard to do, and the only one who knows what's wrong with me is my family and my boyfriend (it took me a year and a half to admit what was wrong with me to him) and so most people just think I'm a hypochondriac. As lame as it is, I'd rather them criticize me for that than for the embarrassing truth.Sometimes I just get so upset that I can't be normal. The other night I was out with my boyfriend and some friends and they had to take me home because I got so sick...I just can't go out and have fun and be normal like everyone else and it's hard to deal with that fact. I haven't been on a field trip since 6th grade and traveling is horrible for me. I dread car rides or any place I am not totally accustomed to because I need to have access to a bathroom at all times.I get panic attacks and freak out if I don't know where the bathroom is or if I'm on a long car ride, which stinks, because I'd like to travel a little, and I love to sing, and singing involves traveling, which is pretty much impossible for me.It's just so hard to live this way. It's so dibilitating and yet to describe IBS to someone it sounds like a joke.Anyway, now my big concern is I'm accepted into a college about a half hour away from where I live, but because of the scholarship they gave me, I have to live on campus. Living with someone else in a tiny dorm room seems totally impossible to me. I want to go to college so badly and be involved in certain acitivies and just have a normal, enjoyable college life but I have this big, embarrassing problem in the way. I'm hoping I can just get up the nerve to let them know ahead of time what's wrong with me, so maybe my whole situation would be easier, but it's hard to admit something like this to complete strangers.Sorry I wrote so much...but it just feels so nice to finally get all this out...Does anyone else know how I feel??


I'm a guy, 22 now, started out at 19 with IBS or chrons diagnoses. Couldn't get any real evidence of chrons after the first scope so had to assume it was just IBS. Every test since them points to the same thing. Alternating IBS - If you come back and read the comments I have some personal advice - As you get older, especially if you start letting people close to you know you have a problem, you will probably feel less ashamed by it. IBS isn't anything you can control so why be ashamed of it. I don't go around telling everyone, but all my family and closer friends know what I have. If I can't make a party or a dinner for something they generally understand where I am if not completely why. I don't believe anyone who doesn't have it can completely understand because to them its just us having bathroom problems. Some of us have it very bad. Mine personally keeps me at home often for the same reasons as yours. I wish to be close to a bathroom that I can use.One tip there is drive yourself. If you have to leave the house try to see if you can drive. Oddly it helps calm me down if I know i can stop whenever I wish. (Maybe its mostly stress?) As for the college, perhaps go to the board of housing and or whichever department gave you the scholarship and talk to them. They might can get you an exemption or accommodate you to some degree. If you have a dorm room with a bathroom to 2 of you it wouldn't be so bad. If its a hall bathroom perhaps the room next to the bathroom? Of course you could always try pointing out your condition and asking if they could allow you to drive and still receive the scholarship (maybe unlikely but you have to ask to know for sure...) A concern i have for you is, with IBS as bad as you seem to have it you should probably think about what jobs you think you can do with your IBS or see if you can get your condition under control a bit more before spending a lot of money on college. (Not saying don't go, but if you can't make the classes you will have a miserable time. I missed enough that I had to leave a college I loved going to since the classes i had to have were early in the mornings....trying to get mine under control more and go back hopefully)Anyways, good luck I hope you can get better.


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## LJH08

Bridget_12 said:


> Yeah, I started having problems last year as a freshman. One day my stomach made this loud, obnoxious sound and it was after lunch. Everybody around me turned and stared at me and asked if that was my stomach. Nothing happened the rest of the year but then at the beginning of this year, my stomach just did it all the time. My stomach will start hurting like I need to go to the bathroom and then the noises come on. It's always in the middle of the silence too. If the heater/air conditioner is on or the teacher is talking or something is making noise, I'm alright, but then everything gets quiet and my stomach makes noise after noise. The worst part is is that my teachers always seem to like to sit me in the front middle area of the room. I get so nervous when I'm in the front middle. Then teachers say they don't allow anyone to go to the bathroom and I just want to die.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know everyone on here says that it helps to tell your friends about the problem but none of my friends are in my classes so I'm constantly surrounded by people who just don't understand and wouldn't even try to understand. Then there is food, I eat a stupid banana and yogurt for lunch. :/ I really don't know why I bother to watch what I eat because no matter what I eat, I'm left with stomach noises. It just gets worse and worse the healthier I eat. Nothing helps. Cutting particular foods doesn't help. Adding particular foods doesn't help. Eating more doesn't help. Eating less doesn't help. Drinking more water doesn't help. Pills don't help.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use to think school was alright, now it's hell. If I could go back to the days before worrying about stomach noises, where I'm sitting, and what I eat, I'd embrace my love of school.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, *what doesn't kill you makes you stronger*. Although quiet frankly, I'd rather be weak and have a quiet stomach but yeah.


I just gotta comment on this in case Bridget comes back. When i was in high school still... maybe 7th grade? I had bladder problems. As in i drank a lot of coke and my bladder would fill up between each class. Well one day i nearly peed myself cause our teachers also "didn't allow anyone to go to bathroom during class" .... funny thing is my mom was a teacher at the school as well. so i went and told her about it during the day. Her advice? (same as I'm giving to you) --- If you think you can't hold it any longer, and are about to go on yourself, JUST GO ON---- what can they do to you if you leave the room and walk to the bathroom to go ? Just don't use it as an excuse to skip. Also, telling the teachers might help, just let them know you have IBS or stomach issues and may need to go and can't wait. My suggestion is ask you doctor for a note to the school / teachers saying you have stomach issues and you may need to go to the restroom at any time. (not a great help i know but at least they can't tell you no with doctors orders)


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## sweetrachel11

H. Lacey said:


> i absolutely feel the same way! i've had IBS since i was 10 and now it's started to get worse, so worse that i finally had to tell my school about it so they let me go to the toilet during lessons if i need to, and it was incredibly embarassing knowing that my Head Of Year (person who sorts out stuff for my year and the year below) knows what happens when i eat sometimes and she admitted herself that it's embarassing and asked if i wanted her to tell the other teachers and i said straight out said "no!"i'm dreading getting any older, because i'm 15 now and my friends don't expect much from me, you know like, they don't really care whether they see me at weekends or whatever, but my brother (who never used to go out) is now going places with his friends since he went to college. i'm going college in September and i'm scared out of my mind that something is going to go wrong or something, like i'm gonna be out at the cinema, or out bowling or something similar and i'll need to go to the toilet urgently. and of course it's hard to explain to people, people think i'm joking or 'it's not that bad' because i have to live with the pain and so if it's ok to live with it can't hurt that much, yeah right! my parents don't understand about it, nor my friends who basically change the subject everytime i mention something about it, or they just smile as if to say "shut up, i don't want to hear about it"if you read my post about dreading growing up you'll know you're not alone with this at all, i actually wish i had a friend who was at my school with it or something similar just so i had someone who understood, but there are times i feel like no one understands about it.


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