# Struggling



## lillyd (May 15, 2017)

Hi there, I am an 18 year old female who was recently diagnosed with IBS-D/C. I had been having stomach issues for a while, but they really intensified over the past two months. After many consultations and tests, my doctor determined that IBS was the issue. Unfortunalty, all this began right before I left for a 3 week study abroad in Greece. I went on the trip anyway, and was crushed to find that my symptoms would have a major flare up so far away from home. I'm still on the trip right now, and while I am trying to enjoy the experience, it has been really hard because I often have to rush back to our apartment and cut other people's trips short or just not go at all. This has put a damper on my trip to say the least, and while my friends are supportive, I feel guilty that I'm such a burden on our travels, and I find myself avoiding trips at all. I haven't been able to detect a clear pattern or set of triggers, and that's making this hard to manage. I've been talking to my parents about it on the phone, but they seem annoyed that I'm not having the time of my life. I'm trying to enjoy the trip, but the pain and fear of accidents is starting to overwhelm me. Any tips for managing IBS away from home or tips for someone who's early in the disease? I've tried cutting our certain foods, taking my medication, etc, but I'm not finding much relief. To be honest, it's hard not to get kind of depressed at times. Any advice is welcome!


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## Filbert (May 25, 2017)

Hi Lilly, do you recall taking any Antibiotics in the last year? such as for a cold/flu or after a dental procedure? If so, you may have Candida overgrowth. It's very easy to identify, see (



). A clear indicator is if you have oral thrush (consistent white and sometimes yellow spots on your tongue). I had the same issues with you when I went to Thailand with some friends, I had to go to the toilet 6x a day and hold up everything, so I know what you're going through. I hate to say it, but [most] doctors, parents and friends won't be any help because they don't know/care how soul crushing it feels. Let me know how you go with the spit test for Candida overgrowth.


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