# Seeking Some Commiseration...



## facethemusic (Dec 5, 2007)

I just joined this forum tonight. I have had stomach problems for years, but the IBS has really taken off since I started college three years ago. When I was in high school my best friend had it too, so we could always hang out together and not be humiliated when we had stomachaches or other problems, but it's harder here at school, far away from home. I don't have a group of people I feel comfortable with in that way. My friends make plans and go out and I don't go with them because I'm scared of the thought of what will happen if I have a flare-up. I have a reputation for being pretty anti-social, which makes me sad, but I can't really deny it.I have the added problem of majoring in music performance. It's one thing when I have to miss a class because of my stomach problems, but things in the music world don't work like that - a stomachache is not an acceptable excuse to miss a rehearsal. Concerts, which used to be fun things for me, kind of terrify me now because I worry about what would happen if I had a flare-up onstage. I worry about them for weeks beforehand and carefully plan what I eat and when I eat on the day of. I have, luckily, never gotten an attack during a concert but I have gotten them in rehearsals before and it's so humiliating to have to run offstage with everyone turning to look at you. I am stressed all the time and it is such a vicious cycle because the stress causes the IBS...which fuels the stress. It's like my insides are actively conspiring against me. Added to that, I am having family/money/insurance issues right now that have been ongoing for a few years, and am not really in a position to go seeking out gastroenterologists and getting what (albeit little) medical help there is for IBS. I just rely on a trusty bottle of Pepto-Bismol and prayer.It's nice to know that I am not the only person out there whose first priority is knowing where the bathroom is and who feels like they can't enjoy the college experience to the fullest because of this frustrating condition.


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## Exploder (Nov 19, 2007)

Sorry to hear of all your troubles. I wish ya the best of luck and Welcome To This Forum, alot of educated people on here that are more than happy to try and help anyone with an issue, I'm fairly new here too just joined a couple of weeks ago and these people are awesome to talk to because they know just what your going through and will try and help ya every step of the way of trying to feel better, or just to listen to ya vent out about the position your in.


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## Siren114 (Dec 4, 2007)

Hi Facethemusic,I just joined this forum a couple of days ago. I can understand your dilemma. I have been doing the music performance major as well. I'm a singer. As you said, stomach aches and all that goes with IBS doesn't float well in the music world. I know as a singer, I was penalized for missing my voice lessons grade wise, never mind penalized by the fact I wasn't able to make it up which becomes a huge detriment to me. I already have a 2 year degree in music performance and I was planning on getting my Bachelor's in vocal performance. But, I have decided that my body can't handle the stress of a music degree never mind the real world of music. I am going into secondary English education. I will still be taking voice lessons and doing musical things because music is a huge part of who and what I am. I have a younger sister who is in music education and she will be getting a masters in Elementary ed. Music ed wasn't everything she thought it would be. If you want to continue in music, I would say you need to be totally up front and honest with your professors and adviser. Keep them informed as to what's going on. I'm sure your school has a clinic or something on campus you can go to for medical help. Try there and see what they can do for you. Also, look at going to the dept. where people who need help (extra assistance, extra time on tests, accommodations close to a bathroom) can request things to help make life a little easier for you. I know sometimes it's a pride issue...I suffer from it. All I can say is do everything you can to make it work for you. You worked hard to get into the music program, show people that no matter what's going on that you are working hard to stay in it. Or maybe it's time to re-evaluate, which is what I did. I will never give up on music and what it means to me. It's just no longer my sole focus in life, but it's still there.I hope I helped a little. Music is a hard major, but it the end can be really worth it! If you'd like to talk more with me that's fine. I'm sure we can help each other along.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Hey! I did music as a degree too. I wondered how i would get through it, but I never had a flare up during a concert weirdly. I think the adrenalin of playing in the concert stopped everything else from happening. The fight or flight reaction does some funny things to your body!


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## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Oh I so know what you mean with the anxiety of being onstage. Before I was diagnosed, I was having all these tummy problems but I was still doing theater. Before any of this though, my stomach would get really really bad before a performance, but it always went away when I stepped onstage. Luckilly for me the adrenaline would kick in and I just wouldn't have any space in my head for stomach worries, as I had to be preoccupied with my lines. But sometimes when I had scenes where I was sitting down for a while or not saying anything, the anxiety would pop up and I'd just try to completely focus on whatever the person talking was saying so as not to miss my cue for my next line. It's really hard, but you can get through it. I wish you the best of luck!Now that I'm out of school and I think back on that time, I cannot believe I had the strength to stick with it!


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## rockingirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Oh and also, if you're having trouble getting to the doctor, try going to your campus health center. It should be built into your tuition fees. If they can't help you, they should be able to refer you to a free clinic of some sort that you don't need insurance for.


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