# New to Ibs group



## SydneyE (Apr 14, 2011)

My name is Sydney and i just signed up for this ibs support group. I've been looking for one of these for a while. I'm 16 and was just diagnosed for IBS-D a couple months ago. I've had the symptoms for over a year, but never could pin down what it was until just recently. Its been very hard to deal with, as you all know. I'm so glad i found this website because some of my friends know about my problem, but none truley understand. And i feel as if they get tired of hearing me say "im sick", and running off to the bathroom when we're out with people. I'm hoping to not feel so alone on this problem, now that i found this website. I can't keep a boyfriend because they give me too much stress, causing me to get sick. And if they ever take me out anywhere, it triggers my sickness and i have to feel embarressed and go to the bathroom. I can't do barley anything social anymore. I have to make sure im always in my comfort zone or else it'll trigger it. A lot of things trigger it. It's so hard to be a teenager with IBS-D, and barley no one i talk to understands at all.


----------



## ClaireGuest17 (Aug 7, 2011)

*Hello Sydney,I know how you feel, I've had IBS since I was 5 years old, I'm 17 now and it has changed my life so much, I was hardly at school, missed a lot of college and I don't go out unless I really have to because of how anxious I get when I'm out. When I am out I try to concentrate on my breathing to try and relax myself and to take my mind off of how unwell or anxious I feel, I also make sure I'm not tensing my muscles up as this can make your IBS worse. I would also ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician as some foods can trigger off your IBS so if you know what foods you can't have hopefully that will make eating out a lot easier which will mean you can concentrate on having a good time and if you have to rush off to the loo then it's just one of those things I'm afraid but hopefully when you do get the urge to go you won't be as unwell as you were before you cut out the bad foods.I hope this helps and if you need any more advice please feel free to message me on here







*


----------



## Brianda (Aug 26, 2011)

Hi Sydney! My name is Bree! I can definitely relate to you! It is so hard being a teen and having this embarrassing issue! You just want to live normally, but you can't! I have had this for nearly 12 years and I am only 17! Because of my IBS-D, I have missed a lot of opportunities! I transferred to online high school during my Junior year and I really want to go back for the second semester of my senior year so I can attend graduation! I have never had a boyfriend, for fear of embarrassment, and I only have a very tiny group of friends, because I am always bailing and making up excuses to why I can't go anywhere. It's hard for people to understand this. When you tell people, it sounds like a joke and not a debilitating condition. Recently, my IBS-D switched to IBS-C! Although, it is easier to go places now without the need to use the bathroom constantly I still have that fear that I will need to go the bathroom! IBS has left me with social and anxiety issues! Ugh! Now I am just ranting! Haha! But, really it is hard!


----------

