# 17 year old with IBS (constipation and diarrhea)



## JordanK03

Hi guys. I am 16 (17 on November 3). I am a junior in high school. I was going to a pre-college high school for my sophomore year but had to switch to online school because of my IBS. I was missing school like crazy and had to do online so I could finish my sophomore year. I did my sophomore year online and was planning to go to school in August this year when it started but I was scared I'd miss school and I was nervous because I would have to start a whole new school since my pre-college one would not let me back in since I was withdrawn. I'm doing online right now and my goal is to go back to school in January when the new semester starts but I'm scared. I was seeing a doctor here for my IBS when he diagnosed me with it after doing a colonoscopy and tests that showed I was clogged up in there and they did a colon irrigation on me which helped. After a few months I felt like #### again and they did x-rays and it showed the same thing was happening again. The doc told me to drink magnesium citrate when I felt constipated and it would clear me out. We weren't happy with his orders since we had not seen him in months and he was not a very compassionate doctor. We decided to follow his orders but to see a different doc. We ended up getting a referral to a better doctor in Vegas who has great reviews. I have an appointment the week of October 30th. I am just miserable as I have to go to the restroom so many times a day and I feel like it doesn't come out all the way. I am on fiber and miralax but they don't seem to help. I can never wipe clean and go on about my day. Usually after I have a bowel movement I have to clean myself in the shower and more comes out there than it does in the toilet. I feel ashamed of myself and I can almost never go out of the house without being nervous or having a tummy ache and having to worry if I'm gonna have to use the restroom. MY FEAR IS that if I go to school I'll have the same issue there and have to miss, use the restroom there, etc. I just want to be a normal kid again and this disease has taken over my life. I feel alone


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## GurgleGal

I just wanted to say first of all. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.I'm 17 too. And I was recently diagnosed with IBS last year, and I had been suffering for awhile, scared and unsure of what was happening.It's taken me months to get to where I am now, and I was super depressed and felt like everything was out of control.It can be a super embarassing issue at our age, trust me! I totally understand how you feel but you have to try really hard to not let it control your life.You are the one in control, not your IBS. You maybe can't get rid of it, but you can sure do things to help you control it.Seems, like your first doctor wasn't very helpful. I've dealt with similar situations, and it can be super duper frustrating but you can't give up and you just have to keep searching until you find a doctor that clicks with you and generally wants to help you feel better. Also, making friends with people who are suffering similar to you is really helpful I find. Almost as helpful as a nice big starbucks mug of peppermint tea and some meditation : ) You just have to find out what works for you, it can be a long and frustrating process - but you really have come to the right place for support. Lots of people have IBS, many people who you could never tell have it. You aren't alone. Your just one of the 25% + of people who got an unlucky tummy card dealt to them! Hope you feel better, Feel free to drop me a message anytime.


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## JordanK03

GurgleGal said:


> I just wanted to say first of all. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.I'm 17 too. And I was recently diagnosed with IBS last year, and I had been suffering for awhile, scared and unsure of what was happening.It's taken me months to get to where I am now, and I was super depressed and felt like everything was out of control.It can be a super embarassing issue at our age, trust me! I totally understand how you feel but you have to try really hard to not let it control your life.You are the one in control, not your IBS. You maybe can't get rid of it, but you can sure do things to help you control it.Seems, like your first doctor wasn't very helpful. I've dealt with similar situations, and it can be super duper frustrating but you can't give up and you just have to keep searching until you find a doctor that clicks with you and generally wants to help you feel better. Also, making friends with people who are suffering similar to you is really helpful I find. Almost as helpful as a nice big starbucks mug of peppermint tea and some meditation : ) You just have to find out what works for you, it can be a long and frustrating process - but you really have come to the right place for support. Lots of people have IBS, many people who you could never tell have it. You aren't alone. Your just one of the 25% + of people who got an unlucky tummy card dealt to them! Hope you feel better, Feel free to drop me a message anytime.


Thank you so much. This definitely helped me knowing I'm not alone. I am seeing a new doctor and I have a procedure on Monday so he can clean me out and make me feel better along with medication.


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