# for the teens in school.....



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

i am a junior in highschool and some bad symptoms started last year (bad pains, gas, D,C). In my sophmore year i missed 12 days in the first semester and then flared up in the second semester and missed 30 days!! this messed up my grades terribly. In my school you can only miss 12 days a semester or you have to appeal to get your class credits back. This year i was trying to make it to school as much as possible and ignore my symptoms and i only missed 12 days. But now its the second semester







. My symptoms seem to be getting worse. (ever since i got on prevacid). So far i've missed 12 days in my first 4 classes and 8 in my last 3 classes. Im struggling to get my grades back to B-honor role. Now i have to go to appeals. I've missed 4 days in my first 4 classes b/c of doc appts. My mom wants to tell the principle and counselor about my problems (embarrassing!!!). I dont want then knowing about my D or C! I was just wondering if any of you have problems with school??? or am i just being weak?


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

Oh and i also forgot to add this:My mother hasnt been very understanding about my problems with symptoms and missing school. I just wish she would give me some slack. I try as hard as i can to get up and go to school! sometimes i get up at 530am and move around for an hour or so. She gets really frustrated and that makes me feel like im a terrible daughter. I would like to go to school, but with the symptoms i wouldnt be worth a #### as far as learning and assignments go. id prolly spend most my time in the nurses office sleeping. This is really depressing. When i miss school, I feel like im left out of a lot of things.


----------



## JackieGian (Mar 23, 2002)

Dear smp,I'm not a teen, but the mother of a 9th grader with IBS. He was diagnoed last winter (in 8th grade) and missed 18 days of school in three months. I totally agree with your mother. You should definitely tell your teachers, guidance counselor and principal. When my son was first diagnosed last winter. I spoke with his guidance counselor. As it turns out, she also has IBS and was very understanding and helpful. Before he started high school this year, I spoke with his guidance counselor asked that he not have any heavily academic classes first thing in the morning (that is when my son has his toughest time). I also asked the guidance counselor to alert my son's teachers to his condition and asked that he be given permission to leave the classroom whenever he needed to. I spoke with the school nurse and gained permission for my son to use her bathroom. ALL of my requests were granted. His teachers have been very understanding.Once you tell people, you will be surprised how many people either suffer from IBS or know someone who does. Please don't be embarrassed. Everyone poops!To answer your question, you're not being weak, but I think you aren't doing yourself any favors by keeping this secret.Also, it sounds as if the Prevacid isn't working for you. Are you taking any other meds?


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

jackie.......I think i will have to tell my guidance counselor since he is involved in my appeals. also i am going to a gastro on the 24th and hopefully he'll tell me something. i stopped taking the prevacid now. hopefully it will get better now.thanks for your reply.


----------



## melsim (Sep 10, 2002)

I've had IBS for 4 years now. The first thing you are doing wrong, is letting your grades slip and getting behind in school. IBS is not an excuse to ignore your work. The best thing to do is to show your school that you are giving and effort and do have an actual medical excuse for missing school.I myself this year have about 60 absences, but ALL of them are excuse and exempt from any state rule about attendence. BUT - This is also my difference, I maintain 95+ averages in all my class by collaborating with my teachers in getting work and making up tests. Do not feel ashamed to have IBS .. it's something that happens. You have to make sure your school is aware of an ongoing medical condition, other wise .. you will probably end up reapeating your junior year.Also - Do NOT stop taking your medicine just because you dont think it works. The only one who can tell you to stop taking it is your gastro. Sometimes medications take time to actually work or show improvement. I suggest you ask your GI about some other sort of medication to help with your IBSSorry and Good luck


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

to melsims reply.....first of all, its very hard to go through 7 hours of school with symptoms i have (D,C,abdominal cramps, pains). I have been trying to go as much as possible but i seem to be getting worse and some days the symptoms are almost unbareable. I am able to maintain a B average as soon as i make-up the missed work. So far i havent been to a gastro (not until the 24th), ive only been to a pediatrician and she's the one who got me on prevacid. I cant go to a gastro unless she refers me. I stopped taking it b/c ive been on it for 5 weeks now and so far the symptoms have been getting worse. she gave me permission to stop taking it. I WILL be able to make it to school more once i see the gastro and he can possibly give me some meds that will control at least one of the symptoms. I just wanted to let everyone know these things. thanks


----------



## melsim (Sep 10, 2002)

I'm not trying to be mean. I KNOW what it's like to be in school for 7 hours a day with IBS symptoms. You are NOT alone.I have IBS, very very incredibly bad IBS. I DO go to school through it all, crying... and even doubled over in pain, because it means something to me to have an education.You go to the GI, you tell him to give you medicine. But do not even think that this will be a cure-all, medication only works for maybe 40% of people. You need to make serious lifestyle and diet changes also.


----------



## JackieGian (Mar 23, 2002)

Smp,I want to refer to something you said about your mom. I know it may seem that she's not being understanding. Maybe I can explain what is going on with her because I went through this last year with my son and I'm sure there were times he felt the same way as you. Your mom is not frustrated with "you" she is probably upset watching you in pain and doesn't know how to help you. I can remember talking to my son's pediatrician and saying, how I didn't understand this, I needed a fever, broken bones, etc. Stomach pains are just too vague. Once you see the gastro and your mother gets a better handle on what IBS is things will get better with her. She just needs to know what to do for you.Don't worry about your grades right now. Just do the best you can. Once you get things straighted out, your grades will improve as well.I realize that you're scared and nervous about what your life is going to be like from now on. Unfortunately, that is only making your symptoms worse. Try to find ways to relax and know that there are tons of different medications to try, some will work better than others. You just have to keep trying different things until you hit on the right one. They started my son on pepcid at first, it didn't help him at all either. We then tried three different antispasmodics before we hit on the one that worked. Even that doesn't eliminate his symptoms totally, but it makes it possible for him to live a normal teenage life.


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

melsim,i know you werent trying to be mean, i wasnt either. my education is very important for me. i plan on going to college soon after this also. i have been trying to make serious diet changed but its so freakin hard when you love food and have been able to eat anything you want! i am going to try and buckle down to get to school, even if it means not eating much for the week. today is the third day i've stayed home in a row this week. i only made it tuesday. i went into school this morning and grabbed all of my books and lined up the assignments i missed so i can do it at home. im not even sure if i have ibs right now, but ive read so many posts on symptoms and day to day life of lots of people and it sounds like they are living my life! thanks for taking time to reply, and im going to try and have your courage to last me through until summer comes!


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

to jackie,i really do understand what you're saying. i have to understand what she's going through also. i know shes frustrated with having me miss school because she only wants the best for me. she is the best mother in the world to me. she even comes in to all of my appointments with me for moral support. lol she came with me when i had to get an upper GI done and she was watching them xray my tummy in a little room and i could hear her going "wow look at that! thats her stomach?" she even mentioned something looking like a dinosaur. im starting to understand her frustration as well as her understanding mine. i feel bad for saying those things about her reactions but i want everyone to know that i was venting. she even took me into school this morning to get my books with me and ask for my assignments. i love her to pieces!


----------



## celle* (Mar 7, 2003)

do not think your the only one i'm currently out of school for the past 3 weeks!!!! i know what you mean i'm TOTALLY behind in school, and my 'rents also want to talk to my teashers!!!! yeah totally emabarassed







but if you ever want to talk about school stuff or anything i'm usually on this site~celle*


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

thanks celle... i was hoping to hear from someone like you. its nice to know that im not the only person with school problems. so far i was gone monday, wednesday, thursday and friday last week. im going to get tough and make it the whole week now no matter how bad it gets because after this week i get 9 whole days of spring break!! woohooo! lots of people are going places that are warm (florida, cancun, hawaii) im staying home and painting the house! who needs warm tropics when you have a heater and paint!


----------



## celle* (Mar 7, 2003)

well, at least your optamistic about painting! i started school again today and it ws great to see all of my friends but i found out that while i was sick my bf went out with another girl







!!!!!!!!!!! so i dumped him but it was great to be back, the teachers were pretty cool i just had to explain a million and one times what IBS was. do you have to do that to? anyway some of my friends were mad because i was not there and some of them still are but whatever you can't have everything!!! so whats been going on with you???? reply back~ celle


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

well so far i went in on wednesday. i got most of my homework done but im worried about advance algebra. i was gonna ask her if i could come in before and after school for a little help but she had a substitute







my friends were all asking where i was and i had to explain it so many times. i havent told my teachers yet, cuz i havent been fully diagnosed and wont be until my colonoscopy on the 27th. but after that i will tell my school counselor and yes, dreadfully, my teachers. i dont really feel comfortable about telling all of them because some of them im not too comfortable/fond of. but i dont have any choice.i didnt make it into school today







D is killing me and the bad part is that i didnt eat anything irregular from my normal diet!!!! frustrating. friday i have like 5 tests to take and its the end of the quarter. im a little overworked right now but ill hopefully get all my work in by tomorrow. spring break is only a day away at least!!!! rest!! oh and a colonoscopy.







oh well, at least i get to be on happy drugs. i hope they find SOMETHING wrong with me.







sorry to hear about your bf... that was cruel of him. i guess guys will be guys. i guess im just glad mine is understanding and supportive of my problems. lol D and all.


----------



## JackieGian (Mar 23, 2002)

Smp,If you're not comfortable telling your teachers, let your counselor, principal or mother do it. I'm not sure that you should be doing that anyway, especially if some of them are difficult. Having someone in authority over them setting out clear guidelines is probably a better idea. If your principal is someone who is understanding, it's best to go there. With my son, I told the guidance counselor and principal and THEY informed the individual teachers. Unfortunately sometimes teachers get the false impression that YOU are making excuses, they're less likely to do that with a collegue or boss.


----------



## Guest (Mar 26, 2003)

Smp, I am your age and have IBS too. This is the first time being on these posts and I'm amazed at what tough symptoms a lot of people have. My IBS has only acted up during finals last semester and I've only missed a couple of days of school from it. I've had to cut wheat completely out of my diet and it's been tough...I am also on Dicetel which helps me a lot. I know how everything feels...I'd say just do your best. You can't compare yourself to others, just do your personal best. Do everything possible to help your symptoms...and I hope it gets better for you soon.Ukiechick


----------



## smp92701 (Mar 6, 2003)

thanks a lot ukiechic.. its nice to hear that from you


----------



## celle* (Mar 7, 2003)

hello sorry i haven't written in a while a just got out of surgery so... yeah it was for my shoulder i tore cartilege playing basketball so i'm out for the rest of that season and volleyball anyone got anyother sports i can do??? ohh and i can't do running because i heart my foot and i can't use m arm.







GO ME







ok so i'm being a little sarcatic. anyway just updating~celle







P.S i got a new BF he also has IBS


----------



## Briten (Apr 16, 2003)

Hey i heard your worried about school...just to let you know i have missed over half a year..i have been in and out of hospitals....i try everyday to go to school but sometimes i just cant....i hate it when my mum acts dissapointed in me but after a while i dont even care...i have lost so much to this IBS...my favorite sport...gymnastics....half a school year so now i got I's in my classes and i am passing only b/c they teachers know i was a good student ....i am getting a standing gratis...maybe you should ask about that,,they dont put a letter grade only a medical letter.....anyways dont worry be happy


----------



## chasity_000 (Dec 5, 2002)

heyi know how you feel! im currently doing yr 12 at the moment...and it is sooo hard to get going. i think it is important to get to school, and get an education, but at the same time to have time to keep your emotions in check. if school stress's you out so much sometimes it is better to miss a day and get yourself together again. or even go in half days. to do this, it is important to have your schools support as well as your mums. my advice is to talk to your school counsellor, and get him/her to talk to your teachers, explaining you have a medical complaint (no need to go into big detail). important for you and your mum to talk things out, get her to read maybe posts on this site, so see can see how much people suffer from ibs. this may make her more understanding. best of luck. if you would like to email me please do. jessing85###hotmail.com


----------

