# Heylo!



## dottiemaggie (Jan 30, 2004)

Heylo out there!I'm new here and thought I'd just send out a little introduction.I've probably had IBS since my early teen years - but I didn't realize anything was really wrong with me (yes, that's right, I thought it was normal to have such bad tummy aches I couldn't do anything but curl up in a little ball and wait for it to be over..) I was about 19 when it got worse and I mentioned it to my chiropractor, and he was the first to mention IBS (I also have a twisted spine in the area which innervates the GI tract..so that was his other hypothesis for the cause of my issues)Then 1st year university life got crazy and the frequency of my tummy isuues increased. I finally brought up my tummy issues with my doctor. Turns out I was worse off then I thought - I honestly never thought anything about the fact that I only had a BM like once or twice a week!!So now I'm in 3rd year, and my first doctor had me try bran buds, which I hated, and my latest doctor has me on Metamucil. I also have been told to cut out the caffeine (the only source of caffeine I've ever had in my life is chocolate - and i'm addicted







) drink more water (trying) and up the fruits and veggies (again with the trying..student's budget and schedule makes it hard!!)Despite all this, I still didn't take my IBS seriously - I'd gone so long just living with the pain it it was hard to motivate myself to change.Until this past December when I had to leave a final *6* times to go to the bathroom!! (thank goodness I had a very understanding TA!!)So that was the push I needed to seriously work on my diet, and be more consistant with the Metamucil.Things were looking good until this morning







I left my animal nutrition class 3 times (the last time taking my stuff with me) because of a little episode. In retrospect, I should have seen it coming, but it killed my mood for the day. So I decided to start looking stuff up online, and came across this place.So, yah, that's where I stand. The constipation is pretty much under control, but I still get the D, and the gas and bloating and pain and yuck. I've gotten a lot of ideas from just reading through these forums, and am going to try to make an appointment at the health clinic so I can get a doctor in town to work with (my last doctor is 8 hours away!!)now it's time for another class...hopefully there's nothing left in my system for another episode







.maggie


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## sadone (Dec 17, 2003)

maggie,yup, i totally can relate to the whole--not having the money or time to cook healthier meals, like with lotsa veggies.that really stinks that you have to leave your classes all the time. see, C is my big problem, and it has caused me to miss so many classes (or suffer horribly through them) that i've started taking most of my courses through distance ed. this has definitely taken a HUGE stress load off of me. i'm definitely more positive and more motivated too. but, at some point, i have to get back out in the world and be able to cope. ugh.i still take one of my classes at the university, but it's only one hour long (3 days a week) and in the afternoon, so i am usually feeling my best (stomach-wise) at that time.


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## dottiemaggie (Jan 30, 2004)

That sounds like a goof solution - but I know I haven't the motivation for distance ed. I'm much to easily distracted!







Most weeks I'm all right though, most of my classes are only 1 hour long







well, i'm off to go buy more veggies, in some feeble attempt to improve my diet







thank goodness for 24 hour grocery stores (as I have been procrastinating for about 2 hours now







).maggie


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