# Same Time Every Day



## Nervous Nelly (Apr 10, 2013)

Hello everybody! I'm new to this forum, and I joined because I'm so lost and I just don't know what to do anymore, nobody without IBS understands. I was diagnosed about 7 months ago, and I have IBS-D with nausea, gas, bloating, vommiting, and cramps. Every day for almost a year now I wake up feeling terrible with all my symptoms. After eating it gets a little better, and it also gets better in the afternoon. The biggest problem I have is with this one class at school. For some reason, I have high anxiety going to this class (sometimes even with a panic attack) and my symptoms are always a problem for me. I usually end up either going home or sitting through it nervously sweating and shaking. My symptoms usually go away when theres about 30 minutes left of class and I feel completely fine, even stupid for letting it bother me so much. There's no rational reason for me to feel this nervous since I've told the teacher (she is not understanding about it at all) and I have accomadations in place. On the days I don't have this class, I feel way better. Even thinking about going to this class keeps me up at night, because I think about how bad my symptoms will be. I'm on 15 mg of lexapro and on 1mg of xanax, and that has helped a lot with the nausea and vommiting. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem? Any advice?







By the way, dropping the class isn't a good option because that would mean getting an F in it for the semester.


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## Swartacus (Apr 12, 2013)

my issues with IBS are very much like yours but a bit different. For me like you it's always always always my first block class that gets me. I go in there every day thinking about how and when I'm going to get to the bathroom that day. This has been happening to me everyday for about the last 3 months ever since I was diagnosed with IBS. My teacher doesn't know that I have IBS but she does now that I have to use the bathroom and random times during her class. She lets me exit the room whenever I need to but I'm always thinking what my classmates think about it which is my biggest issue. I know how much this sucks . When the only thing that you can think of when you're going to school is that class and how you hate and despise every day that you have to attend. This class is also my algebra class and is what I consider my most important class. I had decent grades in the class every since I was diagnosed with IBS and they just kept dropping and dropping and dropping. It's just impossible to focus in class when you're having an IBS attack every single day of every single week of every single month at the same exact time. Honestly I'm still mightily struggling with it and it brings me down in every aspect of my life. The only comfort that I can give you is that there someone else out there and I'm sure tons of other people out there who are going through the same exact thing as you every day.


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## Nervous Nelly (Apr 10, 2013)

Wow, thank you so much for writing that. We are in the exact same boat; my grade is slowly dropping and I can't even enjoy time with my friends. Its comforting knowing that somebody else goes through the same thing. I just wish there was something we can do, because I'm terrified it will keep happening in a new class each year.


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## Swartacus (Apr 12, 2013)

One thing that helped me in school especially was talking to my nurse. She was the first one who suggested to me that I might have irritable bowel syndrome and she arranged me being allowed to use the bathroom when I needed to in my classes. If you haven't already I would definitely and talk to your nurse, she'll know what you're going through and make an arrangement with your teachers if you need to. I know how frustrating it can be with friends though. Whenever I'm out and about I'm always worrying about what's going to happen. Try having them over your house when you can that way it's less conspicuous if you get and IBS attack as it is your house. Its hard, its so hard to go through this and it sucks that this has to happen to people like us bit if we have to live with it may as well make the best of it.


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## Nervous Nelly (Apr 10, 2013)

Okay thanks. I have it in place so I can leave class to go to the restroom whenever I need to, and a private room for testing. It doesn't help with the embarassment of leaving all the time or the fear of an attack, but at least its something. How often do you usually miss school because of an IBS flare up?


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## Swartacus (Apr 12, 2013)

I missed the most during February, somewhere around 8 or 9 days I think. I've learned to deal with it a bit better though just because I learned how hard it was to catch up in class when I missed a lot of class. As of now I haven't missed a day for two weeks. What you're dealing with does sound a lot worse then my stuff.

If you want to talk more at all my emails [email protected] anyone else reading this who wants to talk can hit me with an email too.


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