# IBS - Irritating Butt Syndrome



## ChuckCharles (Jan 4, 2012)

Hi all...It might sound silly but you have no idea how excited I am, I just found out about this site and kind of wish I'd found it years ago, it would have been a more comforting road I imagine. My story is kind of long so sorry in advance.I'm 20 and I've had IBS since I was 7 (which apparently was one of the youngest cases in the UK)but was finally diagnosed when I was 12. Up until I was seven I was an ordinary healthy kid but around the Christmas after my birthday I developed Gastroenteritis, which is believed to have been a contributing factor and distress that lead to me getting this condition. It's been a hard road and I swear unless you have this condition people can't understand how hard, painful and monotonous it is. I've lost out on quite a lot stuff in my childhood, because I had a Syndrome that nobody apart from me and my family cared about. I couldn't go on school trips, I didn't and couldn't go to sleepovers, it's held me back from taking part in all the things I've been interested in in life like acting and dancing, I got made fun of and left out but most of all its took a huge amount of time away from my education. In the UK we have things called GCSEs and A-Levels basically it's four years of exams to get you to the level to enter a university. For those four years I missed about a year and a half,with little help from my school, it was only my own determination that got my all my grades. In fact, I remember one day, I heard my teacher saying to another teacher, that it all sounded like attention seeking and hypochondria, which is just the thing you want to hear when your sick and fragile. Some members of staff were good and measures were put in place for me to be in school and get easy access to toilets without having to draw attention to myself. Along with Irritible Bowel Syndrome I got quite a few of the overlapping conditions, which some of you might also experience and if that is so you have my complete sympathy because I know how much it sucks. In my case I have, migraines, numerous food intollerances, insomnia/sleep deprivation and hypermobility.I think the most frustrating thing about it is not the pain, I've had thirteen years of it now I'm kind of used to it, it's the losing out on things, having to take every eventuality into consideration and most of all, doctors and other peoples reactions. I hate when they look at you as though to say, oh it can't be that bad. Really? Do you want to be me for a day and try it out? I think the only time someone without IBS comes to knowing what it feels like is when they get gastric flu, and we all know that is just a fraction of what we can feel daily. I think my worst experiences were probably the Doctors, for years they made me feel like I was crazy, then they tried numerous pills that did nothing, apart from one that made me sleep for 22 hours a day. Then when they got fed up of trying I'm told there's nothing they can do for me I just have to live with it or find alternative therapies. So I did, I got hypnotherapy and aku puncture. Honestly though the one thing that has helped me, is my diet, I follow a 'Raw Food Diet' which is all fresh fruits vegetables, non processed, vegetarian (which I am anyway), organic food. I've been on it for 5 months and felt considerably better... I would suggest people give it a go, but it's not for everyone. Other things I've used to sooth it is heat(baths, hot water bottles), holding my knees up to my chest, drinking either or all of camomile or peppermint tea or hot lemon, pain killers of course and I drink diet coke ( i don't know why but it seems to help with the spasms...it was suggested by a friend of mine who also has IBS).Over the years I've been through the upset, the pain, the anger, frustration. It's taken me years to build up I suppose, a thick skin but now I'm open about it. I have this incurable syndrome that is the bane of my life, yes its may not kill me (I tell myself that every day and thank god this is the worst I've been given) but it feels like it having a good go at whilst i'm in the throws of an attack. I think the more we talk about it, however embarrassing it is, it shines light on how hard it can be for people like us, to feel confident, to try new things without fear or, even to get out of bed some days. People shouldn't just assume and take advantage because we don't have 'I'm sick' tattooed on our foreheads.As long as we have IBS we are going to be challenged in life but I hope one day for those of you who are in the thick of feeling the long sometimes bleak and depressing trudge that is IBS, that one day you'll find something that eases it somewhat and that you can get to the place that I'm at in life, which is as my mama says, "Head up soldier best foot forward, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."Don't let it beat you...Happy HEalthier NEW YEAR EVERYONE!


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## Jeancokids (Jan 16, 2012)

I totally understand all the frustration. I have been diagnosed with IBS for many years but continually trying to find a way to feel better. My symptoms seem to be getting worse. I used to have IBS-D but now dealing with the IBS-C along with Acid Reflux. Recenlty went through a tons of test and the Dr. still has nothing new to tell me or try. I am starting to feel like the Drs think I am crazy too. But I feel like #### all the time. But yes, we do have to look at it that we could have been diagnost with much worse things.


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