# My friends just don't understand



## Guest (Jun 22, 2010)

I started to get sick in the prime of my social life at 22, I'm now 25 and was only diagnosed correctly about 1 1/2 years ago. Before my symptoms started I was going out with my friends and drinking and partying like a normal person my age. When my stomache got to a point where i wasn't even able to go to a club or out to a park for fireworks or drive in a car for more then 10 minutes all my friends started forgetting to call me or would roll their eyes when I told them i couldn't hang out cause my stomache hurt. I lost A LOT of people that I thought were friends. My best friend of 10 years even said she didn't believe I had problems cause of how frequent my symptoms were and she was with me every day! I still have pretty severe ibs but with paxil and a daily laxative and a very resticted diet I have some of my old life back but none of my old friends. I have made new friends but always have to inform them of the fact that I have a stomache problem so if for some reason I have to make a mad dash to a bathroom they understand. All I can say to anyone my age going through this is that information is key even for the friends around you so they can at least try to understand what we go through (even tho they cant).By: 25 and stressed


----------



## cw_2009 (Apr 10, 2005)

I dont feel comfortable talking to all my friends about this.. and ive only told one person at work because she has a similar bowel problem.. i only told her because she had run out of medicine and i heard her on the phone say what the medicine was.. i wouldnt like everyone to know about this at work..Hope your ok..


----------



## cocaui (Aug 19, 2009)

I have a very few friends (less than 5).All of them know perfectly about my IBS and all of them has witnessed my suffer. I stop having problems telling them because simple enough I need to know who am I counting with or not. At times I had attacks while "trying" to hang with them and has been very heart touchy when they helped me and never criticized me. Trust me, is a bless to have maybe just 1 or 2 friends but you know they will help. (sorry for my english)


----------

