# HELP, SUPPORT, ADVICE! FROM FORMER IBS SUFFERER! READ! STEPS TO GET BETTER!



## roo1029 (Aug 24, 2002)

My name is Amy and I have had IBS for a little under a year. At the lowest point in my life with IBS, i contemplated suicide. I had constant pain, panic attacks, was terrified of leaving the house, going to school, depressed, and just didn't want to live anymore. I thought things could never get better. Boy was i wrong. I am now happy, going to school everyday and having fun, have no panic attacks, and no pain. It took me more pain (both mental and physical) then I have ever encountered to learn what I learned to get to this point, and I figure if what I know now can save someone from what i went through i should tell the world. I have listed steps to getting your life back. Trust me they work. Don't Give UP!1. TELL YOUR FAMILY! My first mistake was isolating myself and hiding my pain which only served to make me more depressed. Yes it's super embarrasing to tell, but after telling, I felt 1000 pounds lighter. My mom has provided me with so much support that if it weren't for her I would probably be dead by now. 2. MAKE IT A POINT THAT YOU NEED HELP FROM YOUR FAMILY, THAT YOU ARE JUST A TEEN AND CAN'T DO IT YOURSELF. My familiy didn't believe me at first, they though I was making it up to skip school, so one night i sat them down and told them everything, all the pain i'd had and how much I NEEDED help from professionals. Don't take any #### from anybody that tells you that its " ALL IN YOUR HEAD" I almost went crazy after hearing that a hundred times. ITS NOT!3. Make appointments withA) Therapist if you have panic attacks mine taught me numerous nonmedication methods to deal with panic attacks.B)Psychiatrist in order to get antidepressants and antianxiety drugs. I reccomend Paxil and Clonazepan. C)Gastrologist to prescribe medication to help with IBS symptoms and to make sure what you have is IBS. I reccomend asking about Hyoscyamine, an antispasmatic.D)School Counselor in order to get have your situation understood. Mine gave me a special permanent pass that allows me to go to the bathroom at anytime. My teachers know my problem and let me sit near a door so i can slip out of the classroom without asking and without anybody noticing. E)504 Plan- this plan is in all public schools. it is for people with medical conditions that might hinder them taking tests, such as standardized tests, AP exams, SATs, ect. With it, I can take long tests in a private room with a bathroom nearby. Ask your counselor about it.4) CHANGE YOUR DIET! This is what really saved me. It turned my life around because it has almost completely stopped my symptoms and pain. I ordered a book from this website called IBS SELF HELP BOOK. The book and it's sister book the IBS COOKBOOK, taught me a diet of no fat, dairy, red meat, caffeine, ect. that has completely stopped my symptoms and pain. While this diet may seem insane, the book explains it all, and while it's not exactly fun to not be able to eat what i want who the heck cares if it means not having to sit in the bathroom for 3 hours in pain? Changing your diet is extremely important in controlling the symptoms of IBS. The Self Help Book was extremely helpful also. These two books probably saved my life, written by a almost 30 year veteran of IBS. It explains almost everything you'll ever want to know and has more helpful advice than you could ever want. IT's MY BIBLE. I can't stress the importance of a diet change!5) TELL A FEW EXTREMELY CLOSE FRIENDS i told my best friend because after rejecting her offer to go out on a Friday night for the billionth time she wanted to know if I hated her. I then explained to her, with some embarrasment, that I simply had a medical problem that made my stomach hurt and that made it not possible for me to go out sometimes. She could tell from my face that it was serious and she was completely supportive and didn't ask questions. I now have someone that I can confide in and i can truly say that she is one of my rocks. You don't have to go into the gory details of diarrea and constipation, just say gastrointestinal medical condition and stop there. Now almost all my friends know that I eat a wierd diet because i have a "screwy stomach" but none of them bug me about it and having them know makes me feel better.So these are my steps to getting. IBS is hard but it can and will get better! You just have to take the initiative. GOOD LUCK! If you have ANY questions email me at Neonkiwi###msn.com I just wanted to put in links for the books i recommended, The Cookbook link is http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/156...ritablbowelsyn/ It is called EATING FOR IBS By HEATHER VAN VOROUS The SELF HELP BOOK link is http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/156...ritablbowelsyn/ Titled, The First Year, IBS it is also by HEATHER VAN VOROUS These books will answer all questions, and give tons of advice. TRY THEM!


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