# Does anyone have fun anymore?



## 13627 (Jun 16, 2006)

I cant seem to enjoy myself when i go out unless im starving myself...but yet at the same time..im still not enjoying myself bc im starving and i feel weak ....so...does anyone really have fun - w/o anxiety w/o any worries when they go out with friends or socialize at all? I cant remember the last time I've had a worry free fun time..other than highschool...There's moments of it...but never consistently


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## 14448 (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi Jigglypuff,I have the same problem, though i'm finding ways to overcome it. A few years ago I was so worried of getting cramps and D, I got worried if I even went shopping with a friend. The thought of them knowing I had IBS was almost worse than an attack itself.If I don't eat I'm usually ok, so when I first discovered this I used to avoid eating all day, which meant I could relax a bit but instead felt irritable, tired and weak, and couldn't enjoy anything. Last summer I went on a trip to Blackpool with friends, ate nothing while they bought food and dived in and out of fudge shops, and was so spaced out and grumpy that I ruined the day for them as well as myself. Now, if I'm going out, I eat a minimum amount of food to give me energy and keep my blood sugar stable. I eat high protein, low fat, and avoid sugar and starchy food. eg. I will eat w/m toast with scrambled eggs for breakfast, a pitta bread with peanut-butter for lunch (easy to eat discreetly in a cafe/restaurant), and chicken with steamed vegetables for dinner. I also carry sesame seed bars in case I feel faint. I sometimes eat out, but only if I'm close to home and can excuse myself easily.What triggers your iBS? For me it's certain foods, eating when stressed, and stress on its own. I take propranalol for anxiety, and if I feel stress is about to trigger an attack I take diazepam or clonazepam, which relaxes muscle spasm as well as relieving anxiety. I feel much safer now that I carry these meds.Also, ask yourself what is the worst thing that can happen? If you eat, you at least have a chance to enjoy yourself, and if you do have an attack there's always immodium and other meds. Go to places with lots of loos and check out where they are when you arrive. If you can't tell your friends about ur iBS you can always say you have a migraine/feel sick/need to b on ur own for a bit.Don't lose hope!


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## 17541 (Jul 18, 2006)

I feel the same way. Going out with friends is one of the hardest things, especially if you don't know in advance where the bathrooms will be.Here's a silly -- but often useful -- suggestion. My favorite excuse for running to the bathroom is, "I have an eyelash under my contact." (And I'm not acting when I look like I'm in pain!)This is something most people can relate to, and it isn't an embarrassing reason for needing the bathroom. If you take a long time, you can always say, "Oh, my contact popped out, and I couldn't find it on the floor, and then I had to rinse it off..."


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## 22597 (Jul 12, 2006)

Hi, everyone.







I understand about not wanting anyone to know about your condition. I always used to hide my IBS and just say vague things like, "I have an upset stomach," or "No thanks, I'm not hungry." But I finally got tired of doing that, and now whenever I get a chance I tell people up-front. I know it can be embarrassing, but you don't have to say a lot of details. Depending on the situation I might just tell someone I have a sensitive stomach, or a digestive disorder, if I know it's not appropriate to say more--but I feel so much better saying _something_ about my condition. You might at least consider telling your closest friends--they should understand. It helps so much to have friends who know, so I don't have to explain myself to them. And this will definitely make your outings less stressful!


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## degrassi (Jun 10, 2003)

I agree its easier when your friends know. My friends know about my IBS(some know all the details, some just know i have stomach issues). They have never had a problem with me saying I dont' feel well and cancelling plans or even changing plans from going out to staying in if if i'm not feeling up to it. When i talked to my friends about it I found out that a couple of them have pretty bad IBS also, so they understand. As for going out places, I wake up super early as i'm usually sick in the morning. Then after i'm done being sick i'm usually feeling better around supper time so i can go out at night. I take a bunch of immodium and I try to go places I know. I still get nervous when we are going somewhere like a concert where i know bathrooms will be hard to come by or somewhere far from home where if i got sick it would take a while to get back to my house.BUt I have found that if i follow the getting up early and immodium routine i'm usually ok by night time and can go out without too much worry.


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## 13627 (Jun 16, 2006)

its not so much about making excuses or anything..anyone who knows me knows my condition and im not scared to tell anyone.. i have nothing to be ashamed of..what i meant was does anyone go out without even thinking about ibs..i cant seem to enjoy myself bc of the thought of not being able to concentrate on anything else but if im going to have to run to the bathroom/how many bathrooms are there/where's the closest one ..etc...my mind is occupied with ibs all the time it seems


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## degrassi (Jun 10, 2003)

I think about IBS before i go out but once i'm out i'm usually ok and i dont' think about it too much as i'm busy doing whatever.


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## 13647 (May 30, 2006)

I'm going to have to agree with degrassi. Before an outing sometimes I usually worry and get stressed, but once I am out, it doesn't even cross my mind that often.Andrea


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## Guest (Aug 2, 2006)

i have fun (for me anything not severe ibs problems is considered fun) but on a regular basis i will not be able to stop thinking about my ibs even when im having fun. tonite for example went for a night swim with some friends and the whole time i was just kinda quiet because i was having almost like flashbacks of the days where i had no stomach problems. it really sucks.


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## 22597 (Jul 12, 2006)

Since I've been dealing with a flare-up the past few months, I do stress about going out for certain things. If I'm just running errands or doing something on my own time, I usually don't think about my IBS much, except to remind myself to take my meds or whatever. But when I have to be somewhere at a certain time, especially for a social event, my digestive system gets nervous before I do--it starts acting up just at the thought of having to be in a situation where I know I can't just wear or do whatever I want. For evening events I've decided not to eat dinner until I come home, because if I eat right before I go somewhere I have major discomfort the whole time. I can go out and have fun with one or two close friends, because they know and understand about my IBS. But if I have to go to a party or some other large gathering I get really tense.


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## 22161 (Aug 1, 2006)

hi jigglypuffUnfortunately i don't think that we'll ever be able to stop thinking about it. Because i get so stressed about going out with friends, i rarely do unless it's to one of their houses (they know about me IBS!) The last time i went out with my mates was april. I go out on a night out about two to three times a year. If i know i'm going out i don't eat directly before it and eat when i get home but i would have had breakfast and a snack bar in the afternoon. This seems to hold off the weakness.On a high note though once i'm through the worry of actually going out and got to the venue / thing i'm doing i normally forget about it once i've spotted the loos and if i am nervous i stand close to the door for a quick escape! I just wish i could remind myself more of that feeling of forgeting about it cuz then maybe i'd take the leap more often. I think you will manage to have fun eventually when you've found your own coping techniques.


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