# Haven't been to college yet -- VENTING!



## anonymous237 (Aug 31, 2002)

Im almost 20.. graduated from high school in 2000, have been out of school for a couple years.. because of my IBS.. and I dont think I can ever go back to school... I just cant handle it!.. everything irritates my stomach.. ive tried EVERYTHING .. im highly lactose intolerant.. so anything that has a touch of dairy.. bothers me.. im extremely gassy 24 hours of the day.. my stomach makes noises ALL DAY LONG.. i feel hungry/empty all the time.. bloated.. the list goes on and on!!.. i dont think im gonna get anywhere in life, cuz i feel my ibs is holding me back.. im quite a shy person so i think it makes it worse..i think it acts up more.. when im in a quiet room with people.. i get panic attacks and get VERY edgy and what happened in high school was I would just get up and leave the room before my stomach could act up it felt like.. im just blabbing on and on.. i dont know if i make any sense.. but i need some serious help.. doctors say shi* to me.. im eating alot of natural foods .. but.. nothing is really helping me!About my education though, Ive looked for courses online i could take, or something that I could study through distance learning or whatever.. but .. i dont know.. I feel like im in a standstill.. my life is just put on hold.. I tried night school once.. and that was hell.. I couldnt even take a few hours. Its weird because if I was in a class room with loud noises all the time I think I would be fine..compared to a quiet room where i know people can hear my stomach/intestinal noises.. what do i do......i want to get on with my life...


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## Jadair (Aug 28, 2002)

anonymus237,I have been through plenty of doctor's that said shi* to me, I know what you mean. I would suggest looking for another doctor. A specialist maybe, or just a reg MD, that can lead you in the right direction. Keep trying, if one doesn't work, try, try again. It took me many years to find a good MD.As far as the schooling goes, there are a few online distance places, that are awesome, and you can work at your own speed. I don't know if I can mention them on the board, but hit the email thing above, and send me an email. Keep your head up high, I know it's easy to say. The way I mean it, is don't let yourself get depressed over it, it will only make things worse. My MD wanted to prescribe anti depresants for me, I said NO. I told him I'm not there yet, but will let you know when/if I do get there. I told him I am trying to beat the depression part. And besides, those anti depresants do a job on my tummy.Jadair


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## Tamgirl21 (Sep 2, 2001)

Anonymous, I was in the same situation, but I tried to go to college twice and ended up withdrawing. When I was 21 I finally got so fed up and promised myself I would go to college and get a degree b/c I'm not going to let IBS stop me from what I want to do. Like you, I have the loud stomach and gas here and there but I've managed to complete one semester which was a big accomplishment for me and now I just started my 2nd. The things that helped me were to not take such early classes b/c that when my IBS is the worst. I also woke up 2 hours before my first class and ate a light breakfast and drank peppermint tea which I found to be really helpful. My classes are all in computer rooms which tends to drown out any of my stomach noises but I found if I brought some safe snacks with me, my tummy wouldnt' gurgle as much. I always sat towards the back of the class too and put my book bag over my stomach, that kinda worked. For your panic attacks, have you ever tried deep breathing? That has helped calmed me down a little but I also take the lowest dosage of xanax which is .25mg only when I know I'm going to be in a situation where I'm going to be a nervous wreeck, is not addicting and it didnt make me groggy or drugged. I really hope you feel better and the first step is just registering!! You can always withdraw later. Good Luck!!


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## Jadair (Aug 28, 2002)

Anonymous,I received an email from you...went to the site to reply. Either you have me blocked from sending a reply, or something went wrong. I'll post it here for you, I don't think it's wrong, but if it is, I am sorry to all.JadairHiHere are two: Ashworth College degrees: distance learning and home study or www.ashworthcollege.com if the link doesn't workHere is another one, but they really aren't up to date with what they teach:Study at home with Education Direct Technical, Business, Computer, Career or www.educationdirect.comLet me know how you make out. ----------------------------------------------


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## PippylongStockings (Jun 6, 2002)

I just started college and had put it off mainly because of my stomach. I get tons of anxiety and my stomach makes odd noises constantly and 10x more if the room is quiet. Last week was my first week and all during class it was making noises. And I said oh well that is life if people have a problem with my stomach making noises they have mental issues to think I can tell my stomach to be quiet. If I get sick I'll just leave the class. I know that I can't put my life on hold till my IBS is gone and till my stomach stops making noises because it may NEVER happen. Just say SCREW everyone else I'm here for me not them.


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## LJones (May 30, 2002)

I'm so sorry to hear that you are going through such a hard time. I can relate though because I miss a lot of classes due to my IBS, but I think taking college classes would be a lot easier than how it is in high school because you have so much more freedom. Most of my professors don't take attendance and they really don't care if I leave class in the middle or whatever because I usually tell them I have this problem. And I know how it is about quiet classrooms and your stomach making noises because I have to have a completely empty stomach when I go to class otherwise I'll probably end up with d in the middle of class. I drink a lot of water to try to quiet my stomach or I just make noise. And I know what you mean when you say everything irritates your stomach, I'm the exact same way. I'm also lactose intolerant and on top of that I have a million food allergies.I'm not sure where you are from, but there are some schools that are geared towards students that work full time and classes are only three or four times a week. Don't let IBS take over your life, I know it's easy for me to say but I've realized that if I let it get to me it's just going to keep getting worse. I hope things get better for you, if you ever want to just vent, you can email me.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

im at university and have found the best course of action to be to ignore my IBS as much as possible. Also, i did hypnotherapy which has really helped me sooooo much. I can't emphasise enough how much. You will find it would help with the fear having an attack and it can reduce IBS symptoms quite abit.www.ibsaudioprogram.comGo to the hypno forum on the BB. Good luck!xx


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## Peony (Aug 27, 2002)

Hey guys! Well, I just started college a few weeks ago. I live on campus, which was a big step for me. I got IBS after I beat C-Diff.(if any of you have experience with that, PLEASE let me know)Now that I think about it, I probably had IBS my whole life, but it would come and go and wasn't even a fraction as severe. I'm at the point where I don't like going out because I never know how I'm going to feel, or I don't make plans ahead of time because mine is so unpredictable. The only thing I know for sure is that the morning is Hell. It never fails- every day when I wake up I have gas so bad, and then the diarrhea starts. What's fun is I chose all my classes in college before the morning thing started. So, Mon-Thurs I have a class at 8:35 every morning. It gets easier, though. It's embarassing and my anxiety is off the wall all the time, but I continue to get up and do it. I want to be a pre-school teacher. It is my dream, and I won't allow my poor confused colon to keep me from enjoying my life completely. after all, I read that 30% of us will have the symptoms lessen the older we get. We just have to hang in there. (Trust me, I'm not normally anywhere NEAR this positive.)Do any of you guys live in the New England region of the US? I'm dying to meet people who have the same issues I do.


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## anonymous237 (Aug 31, 2002)

Thank you everyone for your advice and support!!..I forget whose post it was.. but they said they make sure their stomach is empty before class (i think).. I can't even do that.. because if my stomach is empty or i haven't eaten.. my stomach growls SOO loud.. i think its worse than the other gas noises.. and then if i DO happen to eat something.. i get all these other cramps..pains..gas..noises.... its hard either way..my whole damn life revolves on my stomach!!.. how pathetic is that...


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## Pachacuti (Aug 18, 2002)

I have this same problem, and it is very hard to ignore it. When my stomach is empty it also makes huge growling sounds. I try to silence it with water, but that doesn't work too well. It's weird, I feel like I'm hungry but only underneath the nausea caused but IBS. I have been in college for 1.5 years and have yet to make a single friend so I also have anxiety problems. I wish you the best of luck with your schooling and my advice is to stick it out no matter how bad it gets. After you have completed your degree, you never again have to see the people you feel you have embarrased yourself in front of.


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## fallen_princess (Sep 6, 2002)

definitely.. i went to the specialist for my ibs.. and told him about my stomach making all these loud noises. and he said its because "my intestines are more sensitive than others', and so they make more noise while digesting. and its completely normal." what he doesnt understand is that im terrified of being in a quiet room. all my classrooms in college are air-conditioned, and its dead quiet when lessons are on. i can't concentrate because im concentrating on my stomach not making noise! also, that day i was in a cab with a friend. my palms were sweaty because i was so afraid my stomach would make noise in there, coz it was so quiet. god i dont know what will ever make it stop or at least reduced. i tried antacid last time, still doesnt help... sigh..







it helps only in one way.. psychologically..


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## PippylongStockings (Jun 6, 2002)

I eat crackers at 6:15 so I can be sick and leave at 8:45 by my 10:00 class my stomach is growling LOUDLY. I can't eat before it or I'll get D. I dread when we have a test it will be even quieter! I don't care if it happens infront of friends because we both laugh when it does and another friend has this fear too. It's the quiet classroom. This girl who talks to me and is a new friend must wonder what are those noises? Sometimes they don't sound like growling if you know what I mean.







I think I'll make a joke to her about it saying I don't know what it is about that class but my stomach growls the whole time so she will know it's growling. When I was able to eat in Jr High I would have to eat between my 2nd and 3rd class or I would have this happen. Now I have no choice but to not eat. What foods keep you fuller longer?????


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

How you doin?


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## sophiekimmel (May 12, 2002)

hey anonymous--I sent you a PM, but you still haven't read it.. so go read it!


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