# Young teenager recently diagnosed with IBS



## dylanmaille (Jun 11, 2013)

Hi everyone! I am writing today to share my story about IBS, to get advices and give advices to the other.

My story is pretty long. My name is Dylan, I am 16 years old and I am french and recently moved to the United States with my mom. My mom got married to an american. And i have been diagnosed with IBS not long ago, here in America.

I started to have stomach problems about 4 years ago, really bad problems which stressed me out a lot. It was affecting everything, to the point that i didn't want to go to school anymore. A always used to find a way to get out of school early because i could not go to class anymore. I used to say that i was not feeling good, i had fever or that kind of thing. But the real reason why i was getting out of school was because of my stomach.

The first 2 years, i kept this problems for myself, never talked to my parents or anybody about it and i was really feeling bad. My stomach was always bothering me and i didn't know what to do. I am a very anxious guy, and i stress for anything. So my stomach was stressing me a lot and the more i was stressing, the more my stomach was feeling bad.

Anyways, i had a hard time sleeping over at some friends house, or going on week ends somewhere or even going to the movies everyday. I was not enjoying my life because i didn't do the fun things because of my stomach.

I really didn't know what was the problem. I thought i had cancer or some really bad diseases... I thought that nobody could understand how i feel like. I was alone with this problem.

In the middle of my 10th grade year, I moved to Florida. It was a BIG change for me. I left all my friends behind, all my life pretty much. But i was happy because i really love America, and i had some family problems in France that i was happy to get over it.

My parents put me in a great school. I started to had really good grades, my teachers are all proud of me, i have been in the united states for only 6 month and already work very good at school, better than when i was in France.

But i still had this stomach problem and i really was DONE with it, i needed to do something, i could not live like that anymore, it was enough. My mom started to see something change in me. I was kind of depressed because of my stomach. I was not eating with my parents at night, not talking much, not smiling... My mom thought that i was not happy in my new life, but that was not it.

One day she came talk to me, to ask me what was happening and i told her everything. I told her what i had to live with during 4 years, why i was calling her at school for picking me up early, why i was not sending much time with friends...

And it really felt good. That was the first time i was talking to someone about my problem, after 4 years.

I told her, mom, i must have cancer or something, it is not possible. How could i feel so bad?!

I have no manny friends yet here, and IBS really does not help me make friends. I told my mom that i felt lonely too. I have no friends in america, they probably will think that i so weird and won't like me.

We took an appointment with my doctor. I put me on a gluten free diet, took some blood sample, took pictures of my stomach with the machine (I forgot how it's called)... Everything was completely normal. The gluten free diet did not work. So he sent me to a stomach specialist to the hospital.

3 weeks after, I was in the specialist office, i told him my story, and i felt like... He examined me, and told me: Well, you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome Dylan.

I had no idea of what it was but i was SO happy that someone gave me a right diagnosed with real words and everything!

The doctor explain everything to me. And he told me that i was the most severe case that he had never seen in his carrier. He told me that this problem was common to people who are anxious and depressed (Anxious, exactly me) When he described everything to me, i thought he was talking about me. He was saying exactly what was happening to me during 4 years and what made my life so difficult.

I was so happy. Finally, he found what i have.

Today I am still learning how to live with IBS. It's really not easy.

I am seeing every week an psychotherapist who help me a lot. We talk during one hour and when i get out i feel really good. And my stomach never bother me when i'm with him.

Sport help me a lot too. I play tennis, basketball, i run and swim. Sports helps me a lot with IBS. I'm trying to do as much sport as i can.

I am on summer break right now, so i don't have the stress of school, so i will have to lear how to "live" in school with IBS, i will see how it goes in about 2 month.

Talking to my mom was the best thing i ever did. She still does not understand completely how i feel like but she's trying to help me the best way she can.

I will try to make new friends over the summer.

I'm very embarrassed to tell to people my problem. I'm very scared what people will think about me. And i'm working on that with my psychotherapist.

IBS is not a disease who gets resolved like that. You have to learn how to control yourself, learn how to deal with it. Little by little, i will find the way to be comfortable with it. With the help of people around me.

I hope my story helped you.

Sorry for my bad writing, but english is my second language, i have been living in the States for only 6 month. Take it easy!

You guys have a great day!

Dylan


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## Maddie55 (Jun 11, 2013)

I have never seen a story on this website that has related more to my own than yours (besides your move from France). I started having stomach problems when I was 4 years old and they have continued on and off until this very day, I am currently 16 and also suffer from a lot of stress and anxiety. I wanted to thank you for posting this because I had no idea anxiety could be linked to IBS. my grades suffered severely earlier this year because I had missed a lot of school because of my recent and severe flair ups. I also don't have many friends and would never have had the strength to admit that before I read your story. I am always embarrassed by my IBS, and only had the courage to tell my doctor the severity of my symptoms recently. I have tried every diet, except the gluten free diet, and feel kind of hopeless. I can only eat certain foods and even though I eat very little I have gained a lot of weight over the past year and am very embarrassed. I currently weigh 195lbs and exercise for an hour everyday. I have gotten to the point where I started seeing a weight loss therapist and we are both stumped on why I cant loose any weight. It took a lot of guts to talk to your mom about what you are going through, I am lucky enough to have a mom who also suffers with IBS (though not as severe).

I thank you for posting this and hope everything works out for you!









Maddie

P.S.- by the way your English is really good!


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## dylanmaille (Jun 11, 2013)

I am very happy to hear that from you! I knew I was not the only one on this planet with this kind of problem! lol

Yes, anxiety is one one my big problem who relate to my IBS. Every time I start to stress, I never feel good.

I had good friends back in France but I am having a hard time making new friend here and my IBS does not help me at all. My IBS does not let me do things like sleepovers, going to the restaurant, being in a quiet place with people. It stress me a lot. I am currently working on this with my therapist and he helps me a lot.

As I said, I am a very stressed guy and have a big problem with stress, who makes my IBS worse. I stress for any kind of things.

I am invited to go to my cousin's house this week end for 3 days and 2 night. I have started to stress about that a week ago. I am supposed to see my therapist the day before living and I know it will help me a lot. Also, sports help me very good.

I am learning how to control myself everyday, it will take a little bit of time but I know I will be good in the future.

When I stress out, my therapist told me to take a deep breath for 10 minutes, and ask myself: What is the worse thing who can happen to me? And if it happens, then what?

I think about it and find all the solutions to calm my self down.

I absolutely DO NOT want my IBS to take control of my life. I realized that I have missed a lot of things during the past 4 years and I don't want that to happen again. So now, I'm trying to don't care what people think, and they will have to accept me as I am. My first try is going to be this week end. That will be the really first thing I am doing with other people for 4 years now. I hope it will go well. But if it doesn't, I won't give up and try it again the next time.

I hope everything works out for you too.

And thank you, I'm trying to do my best 

Dylan


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## DangerHighVoltage (Jun 18, 2013)

Hi,

Its nice to hear from someone younger who also has this problem! Im 20, but started really feeling the symptoms about 17-18. I also find that exercising helps me a lot, not just with my stomach but mental health as well!

Unfortunately I let IBS take control of my life for way too long, and am just starting to get out there and LIVE again! It really changed who I am, made me more of a cautious and indoorsy person. I still get scared that I will get sick when Im out, all the time actually, but by taking deep breaths, calming down and assessing the situation have helped me.

What I found helped was telling one or two of my best friends about it. Its good to have people that you know will do anything to help you get out of a stressful situation, that they will take you home right away if you start feeling ill, is really a calming factor!

I hope you find success!


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