# feel so alone!



## mercedes (Mar 1, 2011)

Ive not been diagnosed with IBS properly,as i am still having many tests done but its what the doctors most likely think it is.Its been goin on since september 2010 and its gotten worse. EVERYTHING i eat doesnt agree with me and so now ive lost alot of weight because im afraid to eat..for example; i wake up and have cereal,then when i get hungry around lunch time i will have a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar,i skip dinner and have another packet of crisps. I used to weigh 9.10 stone and within a couple of weeks i lost alot of weight,down to 8.0Ive even had to go to A&E because ive been in so much pain!!Its also started to ruin my social life,friends invite me clubbin,out for meals,bowling etc and i have to always make an excuse up and its fristrating because i really like going out and having fun but i cant! Through having this IBS i have gotten anxiety and depression.For the past 4 weeks ive been at home,missing college and my saturday job. Im in my second year of hairdressing and im afraid im not going to pass because im hardly ever there,or even worse get chucked off the course because of my attendence.I do hate my life,even more so because noone really understands what its like. My boyfriends kind of does,but i feel bad because all we do is sit indorrs at mine all the time and its boring being stuck in four walls all day long everyday. My parents do not understand at all,its causing so many arguments at home causing stress which makes it worse! they seem to think i exagerate it or 'skive' as they say. Im meant to be in college today,i got up and ready but just couldnt leave my house and my dad wasnt too happy.Right now im trying to figure out what i can and cant eat,but it seems to actually be everthing and it doesnt help that im a really fussy eater. Im also waiting to hear from the hospital to have an ultrasound done and to see a gastreontologist. xx


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## onemoedee (Feb 28, 2011)

your not alone , i charted everything i ate for 6 months , im a picky eater myself , my wife has to make seperate meals one for her and one for me , she understands , but she doesnt cuz she doesnt have to suffer daily like the rest of us ,


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## mercedes (Mar 1, 2011)

ive tried doing food diarys etc but its really hard to keep track beause i might b able to eat pasta for example one day and then the next day i cant.also i take two imodium tablets when i wake up so throughout the day it tends to b easier for me to eat so i wont have a spasm when eaten smething so its hard to rule out things when i dont dare not take imodiumi feel like such a druggy because i take so many tablets a day! lol. The contraceptive pill, anti depressants, imodium, some other tablet 20 mins before a meal,if i get acid reflux i take a different tablet,i take two paracetamols and codien when pains are bad..but i dont want to live off tablets my whole life,they will only work for so long until my bpdy wi;; get used to them its hard when i need to finish my level 2 hairdressing and i doubt im going to because im never in college,and if i dont pass i have no future! how am i supposed to live with this illness is what i always ask myself.Im glad ive joined this though so i can actually talk to people who understand!xx


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## bones (Sep 26, 2006)

Fear of the future is common with people with IBS. I've been down that road. The key is to understand that IBS can be managed.Here are couple of things you should always do:
*Be active:* Doesn't mean you have go to the gym everyday. Just make it a habit to do some physical activity each day: cleaning the house, mowing yard, walking to subway, etc. Physical activity produces endorphins that are like natural antidepressants.
*Spend time outdoors:* Vitamin D deficiency can cause symptoms very close to IBS. Next time you go to the doctor, have him test your Vitamin D levels. In the meantime, spend as much time outdoors as you can (esp. during the weekends). This will help with Vit. D production. If you're afraid of having an incident in crowds, stick to riding a bike outdoors. This way you're being active, getting Vit. D, and going so fast that if you passed gas, by the time anyone could speak up about it, you'd be long gone.
*Vent each day:* Vent to someone each day about your problems (not just the IBS ones). If you can't find someone, do it in a diary. From personal experience, it's very effective.
*Be prepared:* IBSers usually avoid others because they're afraid of passing gas or needing to go to the restroom while in the presence of others. Just be prepared for such situations. A little perfume on the bum beforehand could take care of the smell from silent gas. Sit by the door during classes so you can easily slip out to the restroom when you need to. Keep some wet wipes in your pocket so you can feel "fresh" after wiping. Time your eating habits so you get hungry just after the end of your class. Right before I'm hungry is the time when my IBS symptoms are the best. Just do something that will make you feel you're more in control of the situation.
*Take a multivitamin:* Sounds like you're eliminating a lot of foods. A multivitamin could fill in some of the nutrient gaps. If the multivitamin makes you feel worse, then just eliminate it.
BTW, when you go to the hospital for an ultrasound, have them take a look at your gallbladder for gallstones.Remember, the road to managing IBS is a marathon not a race. Bit by bit and with help from friends (online and off), you'll get there.Keep strong.


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## itian (May 2, 2011)

mercedes,I know how you feel! trust me, I get so upset and angry I cant go out todo stuff, for example, going to the pictures with the otherhalf, taking her out for meals, random drives, out with friends! - I just cant do it as I'm always in so much pain!, Most people around me dont understand it and how it feels, thats what upsets me the most.I am resorting to going private now instead of NHS as the whole process is taking so long!


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## Kambinachi (May 6, 2011)

Try consulting as many doctors as U can... Esp. Multi Vitamin Tablets ....


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## marvin_0424 (Jul 1, 2011)

hi! im marvin from the Philippines. like all of you im suffering ibs. and its ruining my life especially my social life. i have to make excuses just to not come to my friends hangout or date with my girlfriend or family outings etcetera etcetera. i know how hard it is its like everyday is a battlefield im always hesitant to leave my house not before doing the number two 3 times or 4 times sometimes 5 times so im always late for my work luckily im not yet terminated in my comppany(hehehe). but lately im somewhat accepted my fate and think, maybe god has a purpose to give me this kind of challenges. what im saying is base for what im experiencing now its kinda loosen up the burden when you accepted the truth and saying hey im stronger than you are, yes the illness is still there, the gas, the feeling of uneasiness in stomach, and so on but face it with the positiveness and posite result will come...that all, sorry for my poor English hope you got my point let us not let ibs stop our life..peace..stay happy and positive..


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## Kirballsorts (Sep 5, 2010)

Okay, probiotic yoghurt drinks, and diocalm, works really well for me, the drinks reduce the attacks and diocalm stops any. Okay, first thing i thought when reading was stop eating chocolate. It doesn't matter if you've been fine with it before, ive suddenly become unable to have any chocolate at all, even in milkshakes or hot chocolate lol. (so horrible)chocolate and fizzy drinks are often a big no no for IBS sufferers so maybe cutting it out for 2 weeks could help? i hope you figure out your trigger foods, i often have trouble with that to, maybe keep a diary listing what you eat and if you have an attack and how bad it is?


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## sambru (Sep 6, 2011)

Most people around me dont understand it and how it feels, thats what upsets me the most.


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## searching4answers (Mar 4, 2010)

"you gotta go through the hard times to get to the better clearing" it's there, trust me. It takes suffering & searching and definately alot of learning on your own, but you'll get there. You come out a better person for it too. Don't ever be ashamed to be the odd one out after this that knows how to treat people. You're all worth something so don't let this illness take complete control of your life...and if it already has, you can always take it back. For every question there's an answer, even if you have to go through hell to find in on your own.


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## searching4answers (Mar 4, 2010)

You're never alone, you just havent met the right people yet who share the symptoms in common


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## abc234 (Oct 30, 2011)

bones said:


> Fear of the future is common with people with IBS. I've been down that road. The key is to understand that IBS can be managed.Here are couple of things you should always do:
> *Be active:* Doesn't mean you have go to the gym everyday. Just make it a habit to do some physical activity each day: cleaning the house, mowing yard, walking to subway, etc. Physical activity produces endorphins that are like natural antidepressants.
> *Spend time outdoors:* Vitamin D deficiency can cause symptoms very close to IBS. Next time you go to the doctor, have him test your Vitamin D levels. In the meantime, spend as much time outdoors as you can (esp. during the weekends). This will help with Vit. D production. If you're afraid of having an incident in crowds, stick to riding a bike outdoors. This way you're being active, getting Vit. D, and going so fast that if you passed gas, by the time anyone could speak up about it, you'd be long gone.
> *Vent each day:* Vent to someone each day about your problems (not just the IBS ones). If you can't find someone, do it in a diary. From personal experience, it's very effective.
> ...


I think this is excellent advice, bones. I especially liked "be active" (jogging really helps me deal with my IBS) and "vent each day" (IBS can be frustrating--writing down all the worries, or talking to someone you trust really reduces the stress). Thanks for sharing!Mercedes: I understand that this can be frustrating. In my experience, it helps to take things slowly, deal with worries one at a time, and I'm sure you'll gradually notice an improvement


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