# Learning to drive.



## mike-123 (Nov 20, 2011)

First of all, hello everyone. I have just signed up after deciding that IBS is really starting to interfear with my life and I am in need of your wisdom.I have IBS-D which started at about age 14 (I am now 19), I have had blood tests and an endoscopy to diagnose me and I take loperamide to help control things.90% of the time on a normal day for me (currently work from home, not too social anymore







) I am not too bad at all. Most of the time my stools are softer than what is considered "normal", but on what I would consider a normal day, I will just have the 1 bowel movement in the morning and be fine for the rest of the day. On a slightly worse day, I might have a bad spell in the morning (mabye 2 and abit more soft then before) and be fine for the rest of the day. On a medium day, I might have a morning bad spell and mabye 1 or 2 more bowel movements during the rest of the day. On a bad day, My stool will be pretty much liquid and abit more often again. And on a really bad day, It would be like a bad day but accompanied by some tummy cramps/pains.I also suffer from an anxiety problem, which is were most of the problems start for me and it creates a vicious circle. I find that when I am in the position of not being able to go to the toilet easily such as in the car and traveling mainly (exams when I was at school was also a problem), It fires it up rather bad and sometimes quite suddenly. Luckily I have never had an accident, but I have had some close calls. This has caused me to make some terrible decisions such as not going on to college after I finished school and it has really started to ruin my social life. It has also made me delay on things like learning to drive which is killing me inside the most. I am a huge car fan and have been for a long time. Living in the countryside, I used to race cars around fields with my friends but now they have moved onto the roads and I fear driving lessons knowing that my anxiety and IBS are going to make it a misery for me.It has come to the time that I NEED to learn to drive. Working from home at the moment as I live out in the middle of nowhere (with no public transport), I want a proper job were I can earn a better amount of regular money. I have saved up enough over the past year or 2 to be able to pay for lessons and a car (aswell as paying for my expensive mountain biking hobby







) but I have been stalling for about 3 months as I know my IBS is going to make it a terrible experience. Loperamide does help slightly, but not enough to give me confidence to do these things.Anyone in or has been in a similar position? I have been thinking about doing a semi-intensive driving course when I build up the courage (hopefully from advice on here), as I think fewer, longer lessons would be alot better for my condition then lots of short ones. I am sure the driving instructer will be abit forgiving if we need to pull over so I can use the toilet, but it is the practical test that worries me most. I don't know what they would do if a toilet stop was needed.Like I said, it has to stop ruining my life this much now and I thought an online forum would be the best place to turn. Any help or experince stories of IBS-D with or without anxiety issues and learning to drive would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

You need to get your anxiety under control.. and I mean with a therapist not just meds. If you have driven before... I would think you would have more confidence. And saying you know beforehand how much anxiety you will have is a self fulfilling prophecy! Your thinking needs some serious work! Get some help from a mental health professional hon.


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## degrassi (Jun 10, 2003)

I understand your worry. I took my drivers training a few years ago after waiting until I was 23 to finally do it. I can tell you thinking about it is much worse then actually doing it. I took a drivers training course that was 10hrs in class(1x/week for 3 weeks)and 15hrs in car. There were lots of times to choose from so I just booked everything for nights as I usually feel a bit better in the evenings. I took imodium and did everything the day of to help my stomach be ok that evening. During the class part you were able to get up and leave if needed, there were also scheduled breaks. The in car stuff was 2-3 hour drives. I also booked it for at night and they went fine. I just did the same thing with taking imodium and watching what I ate the day of. The driving test was a little worse as I was nervous. I ended up failing my first time as I didn't "yield enough" which was an automatic fail. The test itself is really short, maybe 30-45mins. Its really not that hard just take things slow and pay attention. I recommend booking it for a sunday afternoon when the roads are less busy. Also I found practicing a lot helped. I drove around my neighbourhood a LOT just to get comfortable in the car. The more comfortable I was the less I was nervous, which lessened my stomach. Just try to stay calm. Worrying makes IBS worse. Its not as scary as you think and being able to drive is awesome!


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## mike-123 (Nov 20, 2011)

I know my anxiety needs work, that is a work in progress. My fears have nothing to do with driving itself, that doesn't worry me one bit. My problem is that if I am not somewhere that I can quickly and easily get to the toilet and were I could potentially have an accident and cause massive embarrasment(travelling and being in a car for example), I get nervous/anxious which triggers the symptoms I worry about getting. It's a vicous circle and I am sure people on here have the same or similar issues.Solving this issue with my mental state will obviously take time and it is something that hopefully will be done to help or put a stop to my problems, but I just want to get my driving liscence as quick as possible. What I am after is tips, techiques, stories about how people with the same or similar issue as me got around it and how/if the driving instructer and examiner understand the circumstances and were abit forgiving for the occasional stop. I would obviously be on my loperamide and book my lessons and tests for later in the day so that it has time to kick in and so I avoid my morning troubles (like you degrassi).I will be contacting the driving instructer I choose to go with to explain my condition and see what he/she has to say about it, but advice and tips from people who are or have been in my position is what I am asking for. A long term fix will be after, thanks anyway BQ.


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## cw_2009 (Apr 10, 2005)

Hi i learnt to drive a few years ago... i had the same worries you have.I would get up early and take some imodium... i found once i was in the car and had plenty of things to learn i would forget about the toilet issue.I was learning to drive for over a year.. and i didnt have to ask to use the toilet at all... The only good thing is when you start learning to drive you are usually close to your home so u can always ask to go back and use the toilet.. I used to think well if i need to go to the toilet i could go here here or here.. Its the best thing i ever did learning to drive.. Tbh i dont know what i would do now if i didnt drive.Good Luck!


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## mike-123 (Nov 20, 2011)

cw_2009 said:


> Hi i learnt to drive a few years ago... i had the same worries you have.I would get up early and take some imodium... i found once i was in the car and had plenty of things to learn i would forget about the toilet issue.I was learning to drive for over a year.. and i didnt have to ask to use the toilet at all... The only good thing is when you start learning to drive you are usually close to your home so u can always ask to go back and use the toilet.. I used to think well if i need to go to the toilet i could go here here or here.. Its the best thing i ever did learning to drive.. Tbh i dont know what i would do now if i didnt drive.Good Luck!


Thanks.I'm hoping that I will be the same way, forgetting about it by being too occupied with driving. I am abit like that at parties sometimes, have abit of a bad tummy at the beggining and forgetting all about it and being absolutly fine for the rest of the night. This is the main reason I was longer, intensive courses. Then it could be likely I have some issues at the beggining of the lessons and then forget all about them. I think it might be better to waste a couple of minuites of fewer, longer lessons then missing a few minuites of lots of 1 hour long lessons.Haha, yeh I'm in the position were I can do bugger all because I can't drive. I don't want to be held back anymore.


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## cw_2009 (Apr 10, 2005)

You should go for it then... 


mike-123 said:


> Thanks.I'm hoping that I will be the same way, forgetting about it by being too occupied with driving. I am abit like that at parties sometimes, have abit of a bad tummy at the beggining and forgetting all about it and being absolutly fine for the rest of the night. This is the main reason I was longer, intensive courses. Then it could be likely I have some issues at the beggining of the lessons and then forget all about them. I think it might be better to waste a couple of minuites of fewer, longer lessons then missing a few minuites of lots of 1 hour long lessons.Haha, yeh I'm in the position were I can do bugger all because I can't drive. I don't want to be held back anymore.


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## degrassi (Jun 10, 2003)

I also found that once the lessons started I was too distracted to worry about being nervous about my stomach. I also explained to my instructor that I may need a bathroom break. He was totally fine with it and thankfully i never needed it. Just do as much to prepare as you can(diet, meds, calming exercises) and then just do it. You're in a car, not locked in a prison cell. If you need to stop to use the bathroom you are allowed. Or if you are sick that day just reschedule.


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## mike-123 (Nov 20, 2011)

I am finally going through with it now and I have my theory test just 1 week away. Exams were a big issue with my when I was at school but knowing I could just put my hand up and go made that not too much of an issue, just very uncomfortable and embarrasing. But with the theory test, it is all timed on an automated system on computers. Will I fail or get disqualified from the test if I do need to go? I will be taking my Loperamide but as some of you may agree on, it isn't a temp cure. I am sure they have seen loads of people with the same problems but it doesn't stop me worrying about it.I will be contacting the test center and explaining my circumstances to see what they say, but has anyone here had past experiences with needing a toilet break during a driving theory test? And even with the practical test to calm my nerves for when that comes around.Thanks.


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## Sammierae (Feb 4, 2012)

Hey I know exactly how you feel.I have been suffering from severe IBS for a few years now. I am eighteen, and until last year it was so bad that most days I had to just lay in bed. It can be so miserable that you don't want to do anything. It was taking such a toll on my mind, it got to the point I was getting depressed.. I am starting to get it under control slowly but surely, and it starts with your way of thinking! I am SUCH a worrier! I am going to school two hours away from home, and when I would go home to visit I have to drive two hours straight with only one or two exits that had a bathroom. I get so nervous that I am going to need to go to the bathroom or throw up that it makes me SO SICK. Your mind and your gut were formed at the same time in your mothers womb and they are so connected! I have a very strong mind, and my gastroenterologist told me that I need to mentally calm myself down. Honestly, that sounded like a load of #### to me, and it was really hard to do for awhile because you don't believe yourself! It wont happen right away, but if you work on it, you can talk yourself down from your anxiety and it will help you TONS! At first to deal with it, I had to cover all my bases.. It might sound silly, but I would make sure that I sat on a towel and I had something to throw up in while I was driving lol and I never actually threw up, but just knowing that if I throw up or mess myself that it wont be the end of the world. Just having my bases covered eased my stomach so much for that drive and pretty soon I knew that I would be ok and I didn't have to do that anymore. Let your driving instructor know and I PROMISE you that they will be empathetic and you will do fine! I thought that there was nothing that could every help me, but my mom got me an amazing book and through exercise and avoiding certain foods I am slowly getting better. Now, it's not that I'm cured, but am learning to manage my life with IBS and you can too







It's so comforting having people that are going through the same thing as you are. Remember, your mind is SOOOO powerful and it can be your greatest enemy or your best friend through this, you just have to learn to control it! If you ever need to talk or anything email me! [email protected]







I will keep you in my thoughts and prayersGood luck!


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## jennym (Feb 7, 2012)

I too am thinking of learning to drive soon. As much as the worry of needing the toilet during a lesson or test and the stress that learning something new can bring, think of the long term freedom that being able to drive will bring and focus on that. Currently if I am on the bus, every person who gets on I am shouting at in my head to get on and pay faster so that I can get to somewhere that I will know there is a toilet near.Seeing as my symptoms, like many other peoples are brought on by this fear of not knowing where the toilet is, use having your own car, which you can stop whenever you need and go as quickly as you need to as the main motivation to drive. Use IBS as your motivation!


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