# My life with IBS-D



## Mike Sweden (Jan 23, 2012)

Hello people.Now I have finally decided to release my feelings and experience to other IBS sufferers to self-help and as well to hopefully help others. (WARNING: I'm not the best in English so I intend to use a translator so that you can most easily understand what I mean.) My name is Mikael. (Swedish spelling of Michael) I'm 21 years old and lives in Sweden. I have had IBS-D in over four years now. It crashed after I completed school and became unemployed. I stayed home and lived my life as it came. I am very interested in video games and computer games that I played with my classmates. During my lifetime I have had diarrhea very often (about 2-3 days a week) because I eat / ate a lot of candy, chips, fat food and drank lots of Coca Cola.I've never been fat or even overweight (since a young age). I have a powerful physique with fat on my body. (Can not think of the English word for my body type) I stopped playing football and baseball when I was about 7-8 years. After it became just walking to and from school as my only exercise until I graduated from high school. Three years ago I began to understand that there was something wrong with me. Had very often diarrhea and stomach ache. So I got me a gym membership and the gym for six months. I did not notice that much difference. I weighed 115 kg before I started the gym and now I weigh 95kg, so it was the only advantage for me. Now I have stopped gyms because it gives me nothing, just a bill of more than 400 Swedish kronor (about 40 USD). I have started going for walks with my girlfriend at night and run every now and then in the summer. By the way, I met my girlfriend a year after I left school. Today I often got stomach-ache and diarrhea daily. I do not go from home very often because I'm worried about having to go to the bathroom every time I go from home.My home is like a safety zone. I have not diarrhea attack when I'm home, only if I'm out on the town or at a friend's house. I drive my girlfriend to work and picks her up every day and I get stressed and nervous every time. I have also noticed that when I do something (like the dentist or medical examination, a cinema, cafe whatever public places simply), I often get a stomach ache and diarrhea. if I know I should do something on a Friday, like going to the cinema for example, where can I get a stomach ache on Monday because of it.I often go to the doctor but is there away to no avail. So I started to write down everything I eat and how my stomach reacts to the food to be able to find what I can eat. After two weeks I have not received a positive result, but I try intil i do.Now you have found out some how I have it. Please come with questions if you wonder how I 'survive' day though or if you want to ask how i do things and so on. I will also update and help others on the forum.Edit: It's hard to talk about my stomach problems so I would often not talk fellows who do not know what IBS is, or do not have it theirself. The only ones who understand and listen close to me is my sister, her boyfriend and my girlfriend. Re-Edit: Now I have started with "emptying days." Once a week, so I drink only water to empty the stomach and intestines of food to give your stomach a little "breathing room". Someone who has tried to do it?


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Perhaps you could benefit from seeing a therapist knowledgeable about IBS and specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you conquer those fears about leaving the house. The anxiety can make the diarrhea worse! So it is good to treat the anxiety.Have you tried using Loperamide (imodium) or Calcium carbonate supplements? See this thread for info on how & when to take the calcium carbonate:Just click here:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/72764-lindas-calcium-info/Most IBS sufferers find that using a few treatments working together is the most effective in helping them manage their symptoms.


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## Mike Sweden (Jan 23, 2012)

Thanks for the quick reply, really appreciate it. I feel a little stupid that I did not read through the website.It is difficult to raise this with your doctor or therapist in Sweden because there is so little information in Sweden. I told my doctor that I have IBS and she looked at me like a question mark.But I'll try again and find a good therapist.I have tried Imodium and it worked fine. until I started to become immune to it. Today it works, though it is not a safe bet for me.I've never heard of calcium carbonate supplements, but I'll read a bit about it and atleast try it for some time.Thank you!


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