# IBS & FRIENDS



## Tamera (Apr 18, 2004)

Hi everyone, I'm just wondering if everyone's friends here know that you have IBS and how do they deal with it? I told my friends before but they always forget so I just don't say it anymore and say I just have stomach problems. Who knows maybe one of my friends has it too because she always says her stomach hurts after she eats and I'm like me too sometimes and she said we probably have a disorder. IBS sucks.


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## ziggystardust00 (Aug 10, 2003)

My 'home' friends know, but my uni ones don't. I have a wheat intolerance so I use that as a cover for IBS here at uni!! They know something's up but I never come out with it directly as I don't know what they'd think!!My friends from school I've told basically everything too as I was on holiday with them a few weeks after I got diagnosed and told them outright. One of them also had had similar problems that's how we got onto the subject.I might tell my uni friends eventually but for the mo a 'stomach problem' or 'digestive disorder' is enough of an explanation!!sorry for waffling on!!xx


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## kocanez (Jun 22, 2004)

ive found it really tough to have a social life bc i feel sick for hours after a meal, and i need to eat...already lost 20 pounds due to this damn ibs/gastroparesis, and i was thin to begin with....was really tough this past year bc it was my first year of college--this is when i first started getting ibs symptoms--made it hard to have a social life. am feeling so weak/nauseaus all the time now that im considering taking a semester or even a year off until i have my digestive problems under control--i dont think my body can handle lots of studying, walking around campus, etc etc...anyone else finding their life put on hold due to this disease???


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## Paiger81 (Jun 22, 2004)

None of my friends know about my disease, but I ususally find the nearest bathroom as soon as I go someplace new. They think I "pee a lot" but don't know the extent of it.My live-in boyfriend knows. I don't really discuss it with him, though he does remind me to take my meds.


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## miranda (Apr 16, 2004)

I find it really troubling to tell friends as well and also my boss at my summer jobs. I've told one friend who is in medical school but I haven't even told my family since I was away at school. My mother would just freek out and overreact anyways.I use the basic "digestive problems" or try and change the subject quickly...yeah it really gets me down sometimes b/c i spend so much energy portraying myself as normal. When I get home i just collaspe on the couch cuz i'm just so worn out from being around ppl....


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## Emma333 (Jun 17, 2004)

Most of my good friends know and anyone else thinks I just have stomach problems. But my good friends know and remind me to take medicine or warn me about certain foods and definitely tease me all the time. It helps me to laugh and that makes me feel better for sure. I don't have to hide anything with them and that lowers my anxiety and makes the whole situation a lot easier. I know it's hard to talk about, but if you have really good friends, I suggest telling them because that's what friends are for! The less you have to worry about it, the easier the IBS will be.


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## spellBMX (Jul 30, 2004)

Only 1 of my friends knows what I have, the others know that my stomach is screwed but they don't know about ibs...And it sucks, a few weeks ago I cooked this delicious dinner for them, I ate it and 1 hour later cramps.... I wasn't at home, so I was trying to hang on in there but I couldn't, I started getting dizzy and got f*ckin scared... finally I made up my mind and decided to go to the bathroom. It was horrible, smell and ...I had to leave and go home, I felt so embarassed.I hate you ibs.


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## Kristen (Aug 11, 2004)

My friends all know, but I don't think they know what it was (one of my roommates last year, by the end of the year, still thought I had something wrong with my bladder. Knowing that it's irritable BOWEL syndrome. She's the one who's pre-med ). My boyfriend knows everything, though. He's been wonderful through all of this. I can complain about everything to him and he worries about me, but doesn't think it's gross. I usually just tell people I have stomach problems, but some of them have thought it was all in my head and I've had to give them IBS so they understand that I've seen doctors. They, for the most part, think it's pain. I'm content with them thinking it, though


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## lisa_webby (Jun 10, 2002)

Most of my close friends know and are fine with it. Letting them know makes it so much easier on me, 'cause they don't bug me with questions when I sprint to a bathroom or refuse food/drink at parties or whatever. It was SUCH a relief telling people in college so that I didn't have to keep thinking up excuses for not going to things, not drinking (alcohol = massive stomach pains), etc. Sometimes I just say I have a "chronic digestive disorder," because saying the word "bowel" isn't very much fun. A few of my friends already knew other people (siblings or significant others) with IBS, which was cool to hear!- sailaway


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## LindafromNZ (Aug 17, 2004)

Since I told my friends and family I feel much better and with less stress there are less symptoms and attacks!







I told my new boyfriend too and he has been pretty cool so far. His Dad died of colon cancer so talking about the bowel and colon are not taboo or funny to him. Try to tell the ppl close to you and give them the "what is IBS" brochure (see first post in this forum) if you find it hard to explain yourself.


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## rarr (Nov 2, 2003)

I feel the same way as so many of you...I am starting my third year of university and the major IBS problems started in my first year...I always figured that I could do something to make it just go away, but I have come to realize that it is much easier to tell the people that are close to you..it lessens the stress and worrying and makes a huge different in symptoms. I still have a major problem w/ anxiety esp. w/ this 1st week of school, all of the partying, drinking, new classes, etc.. but it is so nice to hear that there are others out there that choose not to drink or eat whatever may trigger an attack..just wanted you to know that I'm proud of you all b/c it is very hard to say no to drinks when everyone seems to buy rounds of shots or to pizza when the class provides it for everyone and everybody asks why you aren't eating..it can get pretty hard.we can hang in there tho'.


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