# College Coop going back to school



## livinfachrist (Mar 8, 2009)

Hi, I am a college student who is cooping and in about a week I will be leaving my coop and going back to school. I have experienced everything from Diarrhea, Constipation, and Constant gas. I do not know what else to do. I have seen a doctor (GI) who has diagnosed me with IBS. No specific kind just IBS. I do not know which one some days I will not go to the bathroom at all and then somedays I will go every half hour. The hardest part about all of this is that I do not know what to do as far as school. I do not know whether I should stay in school or whether I should just drop out. This is a very serious issue because sometimes my attacks are so bad that people will not even stand around me. I need to figure out what to do with my school. I know some people here on this site are going to school and some are not. However I do not even know what to eat anymore. I would like to know what you guys think about my situation because every time I try to explain it to someone who does not have IBS, its like talking to a Brick wall. Also if I do quit school I will be giving up my coop which I have already planned to go back to the quarter after I go to school. I feel like all the hard work that have put into my coops and into my school would be wasted. I guess you shoul also know that I have only two more years left in school.Sorry this message was not more organized.Thanks for reading.


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## jwhite9 (Mar 16, 2009)

Hey, I have the same "type" of IBS as you- very crazy symptoms and was also diagnosed a little less than a year ago. I am 21 and a junior in college, and I can encourage you not to drop out. IBS is manageable, even though somedays it seems like the pain will never end. What I had to do was get support from my family, and they helped me read books, look up info online, and get info from their doctors about IBS and I ended up finding out a lot of information about my diet and IBS. For there I started cutting things out of my diet and introducing new supplements and have learned what I can and cannot eat, and what medications work for which symptoms. There are still days where I cannot control what is going on in my body, but the more you know, they more you can manage. Being a college student, I understand when you say "I can't talk to someone who doesn't have IBS" because it's hard to explain and does not make sense. But with the support of my family and doing my own research, I have been able to live with my IBS and am now studying abroad in Italy for the semester, so no, you do not have to drop out of school! Also, don't be afraid to be open with your professors: we are living with a medical condition, and many of my professors understand if I need to leave class because I am "sick". Hope this helps.


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