# IBS and high school/college sports. Advise please?



## alwayshopeful (Aug 16, 2011)

I have IBS-D and i'm going to be playing on a college volleyball team next year because they offered to pay my full tuition but i'm so stressed and worried about having any symptoms during the season. I almost feel like turning the scholarship down but I know I shouldn't. I only got IBS at the end of my senior year of high school and i'm not going to be a sophomore in college and i'm still feeling like this is having such a huge negative effect on my life. I've played volleyball for six years now and I absolutely love it but i'm worried now about long bus trips and tournaments. I'm a pretty shy person and I've never wanter to use the restroom in a public place even when I didn't have IBS-D. Should I tell my coach? Maybe my teammates when I get closer to them? I don't know what to do...


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

> but i'm so stressed and worried about having any symptoms during the season. I almost feel like turning the scholarship down but I know I shouldn't.


Two things.... stress can aggravate symptoms.. so I would stop stressing. Worrying about 'tomorrow' or the future is very unhealthy and can cause loads of negative things. So discipline yourself to be more today focused. You can certainly plan for the future.. but planning is positive and worrying is negative. And I have learned negative thoughts only lead to more negatives. And positive thoughts only lead to more positives. So do your best to change your thinking.. that alone will help tremendously.DO NOT turn down the scholarship.







But you know that. lol So onto getting you in the best shape of symptom management that you can be in!


> I've never wanter to use the restroom in a public place even when I didn't have IBS-D.


You will have to get over this... you will be living away from home... and you will be using the restroom all the time ... like everyone else... So.. trust me.. once you use a public restroom a few times... you will get used to it and it won't be a source of anxiety for you. Over the summer.. practice.. go to a Mall or somewhere else where there is a public restroom. Keep using them and before you know it... it won't matter to you anymore.


> Should I tell my coach?


 Absolutely! Get a note form your Dr if you have to. As you get to know you r teamates .... you will know which ones it is ok to talk about this with.Now how often do you have D and what are you currently treating it with?


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## brentfraser (Jul 9, 2013)

I know what will happen if you don't continue the college sports, this is in fact a contract tied to your scolarship and if you won't try or accept the offer, your free tuition might be cancelled. Why not pursue and try your best instead, after all there is no hard things that you can get when you try your best simple things.,


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