# Missing Class because of IBS



## MusicMelOU (Jul 19, 2004)

I developed IBS suddenly after having really bad food poisoning a year ago.Typically, when I get an IBS attack, I get really bad persistant diahrea along with horrid pain. The pain is basically glorified nausea with cramping and cold sweats and sometimes even dizziness. When it happens, I get attack after attack after attack. It's pretty relentless, and having an IBS attack can leave me feeling weak and sick for the rest of the day.I'm a college student, and so a lot of times this will happen and I find myself having to miss class. Luckily, i have medicine that works decently a lot of the time, but when it doesn't I am S.O.L. As a result, I will get behind in classes and have to play catch-up; it doesn't help that stress flares IBS, so I tend to get more sick close to exam time.Just wondering if anyone else is in this situation, and how do you handle it?


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## sadone (Dec 17, 2003)

last semester i ended up taking most of my classes through correspondence...i know that's probably too late for you...so if it is coming to the point that you can't make deadlines or are missing a lot of vital material--i'd go to your prof(s)...


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## jrs (Jun 18, 2001)

This is always hard - the key is more to ensure that your prof knows about the problem and that you're taking active steps to deal with it. Most will be supportive of your condition and try to make adjustements where it's possible. I would also suggest some sort of stress-reduction techniques, whether meditation or yoga, to help you out a little with the anxiety.


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## erin5983 (Mar 25, 2003)

Those sound like my IBS attacks. In college, my professors have generally been pretty understanding. If you find you're missing that much class, email them and ask if you can come speak to them in person. Go to their office and tell them that you have a persistant medical disorder and that sometimes you may have to miss more of your allotted classes. I would recommend doing this before you start missing a lot of class, so they can be aware. Tell them you can supply a doctor's note if needed (most won't actually make you). Explain that you are in a lot of pain and that while you are doing everything you can, sometimes you just can't make it to class. Most professors are human. In person, it's a lot harder to deny a person. Good luck.


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## KCTony7 (Jan 18, 2004)

Since my IBS-D symptoms have gotten really bad 2 years ago, I've missed a lot of classes per semester for the courses I've taken.Luckily in most of my classes the teacher puts the powerpoint slides/notes online and attendance is only like 5-10% of the final grade.Last year I got a letter from my GI that I could give to my teachers explaining my situation. I brought it to my teachers at the beginning of the semester and explained to them I would probably have to miss multiple classes b/c of my condition, and that I wasn't just slacking off.Most of them understood. Still pretty much all of them still gave me a 0 or close to it for the attendance part of my grade, so I had to do really well on the tests and assignments to compensate for that.Just another challenge to deal with b/c of IBS I guess.


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## gotta_go (Aug 26, 2004)

I'm adviceless, but I just wanted to say that I sympathize with your plight. My IBS also developed after what my doctor thinks was a really bad case of food poisoning, and it is very unpredictable, but when it strikes I also get ceaseless diarrhea cold sweats and dizziness. And I just feel constantly under the weather. I am starting a program at a new school, and stress brings on attacks for me as well, so I really feel your pain. Sorry, I know this post wasn't terribly helpful but for me at least it's somewhat comforting to know I'm not the only one having this experience.


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## sisu1308 (Sep 27, 2004)

I just graduated. There were many times I was sick. One of my friends told me that when I'm sick that you can see it in my face and in my body- there is no denying it. I was always worried that my teachers thought I was faking it, but hearing him say that helped.Talk to your teachers and tell them about your illness. They are human (well most of them!) they should understand. If they aren't receptive ask if they need a dr's note or anything else.If you have your professor's support you are half way there.


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## ETownChick (Nov 24, 2004)

I was in the hospital twice this semester. It stunk. I finally got caught up with all my work and then I was in the hospital again. I am almost caught up this time. The thing to remember is that it takes time to get caught up. Just talk to your prof's about it. All mine know about my situation and are very understanding. They are alwyas willing to help me out. And when you are stressed, I find that listening to music or a meditation cd helps me. I like Christmas music. It really realaxes me.


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## Kit_Kat (Dec 2, 2004)

Midterm week hit awhile back and the stress made my IBS wig out. I get real bad nausea along with IBS-C&D, so I was missing a lot of class. Eventually I emailed my profs and they were very understanding about. That way I also didn't have to face an awkward face to face confrontation.


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## decemberm00n (Nov 23, 2004)

The last semester I attended I had two classes that only allowed 6 absenses. They did not take doctor excuses. Everyone could miss up to six classes. (after 3 absenses you grade went down a letter grade ect until the 6th day which the highest you could make was like a D or something.)I thought this was pretty unfair, especially with people with health problems.That semester for some reason my attacks were getting bad and I was missing a lot of classes. I went to the doctor who put me on some stomach meds and Paxil. The paxil made me feel horrible to the point I didn't get out of bed until 5 pm one day. I had no energy and I was really "down" or depressed.I ended up withdrawing that semester because I figured it was all f's if I didn't. (withdrawing was a bad choice though, I had to pay a fee of $900 and they ended up putting me on financial aid probation - which made me lose my aid - which made me not be able to attend the next semester because I couldn't pay for it.)I obviously handled this sistuation not in the best way - but I was at the end of my rope and I couldn't handle school, work and IBS at the same time.The semesters before that though I took a mixture of campus classes and online or correspondance classes - that way I'm a full time student but I only had to be in class a few hours a week for one or two classes. That worked out great for me.


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