Can you help? Looking for case-studies

[IBSNetwork]

Hello, I am writing about IBS for a national women’s magazine and am looking for a woman who is happy to go public about IBS and how she has learned to cope and who has not previously been interviewed in national media. We always check quotes back with interviewees so there are no nasty surprises! If you are interested would you email me at [e-mail]

Posted by The IBS Network

[dallygal]

Coping means dealing with something successfully!!!! Read these posts!!! I am fed up to read in Women's magazines about how they have successfully coped with IBS via the York test or sending a hair to see if they have food intolerances!!! Why don't you speak to the medical doctors about this illness and approach the experts eg Prof. Whorwell who is a leading name in research into IBS and print an accurate and realistic article of this debillitating and non curable illness!!!

[binks in reply to dallygal]

I second that!! I agree entirely.

[Trekkiegirl]

Yes, please make sure you cover the fact that the symptoms can be more debilitating than something "serious", and have a profound impact on lifestyle and confidence. Some people can't even work. IBS so often gets dismissed as "it's all in your head" or "it's not serious". Don't go down this road and end up putting more judgemental rubbish out there into the public eye!!

[Mgieckhayes in reply to Trekkiegirl]

You are absolutely correct

[tansy-ann8]

Totally wrecked my life, had to sell my business and still suffering. I would be very interested to know about the alleged link between IBS, Asthma and PND. Apparently there is a link but none of the Consultants that I have seen have ever mentioned it, nor have GPs. I agree with the other posts - debilitating is not a strong enough word - this illness wrecks lives and families. All we want is help to feel well again!

[Cimmy]

I agree with all of the above, this illness is brushed aside as "only IBS ", my life has change dramatically since being diagnosed, I was viberant, out going, had a good job, enjoyed life, now I'm not working anymore because the effect of IBS made this impossible, I have a poor quality of life, and I sick of being sick, doctors don't have time for you, they sigh when you make an appointment, I've seen my doctor more in the last 4 years, he's fed up, I'm fed up and our dr patient relationship is in tatters. Sorry about the rant, just wish people would understand how debilitating this illness is

[binks in reply to Cimmy]

I keep agreeing!! I'm 54, very capable and fairly intelligent I think - this illness makes me feel pathetic and inadequate for all the reasons you all mention. We are done with reading about the "success" stories - I question a great deal when I read them. The nature of IBS is it's ability to change over time, to flare up and improve again, and to become "resistant" to all the strategies, diet changes, meds and probiotics which we initially think are a solution for us.It is quite honestly a nightmare and ruins every aspect of our lives. One day they will discover definitively that this is not caused by anxiety, stress, or in our heads.

[Hidden]

Oh how very right all the previous posts are about this 'thing' called IBS! The only true success story for me would be a two-parter consisting of:

a) the discovery of the REAL cause(s) of the symptoms and b) dedicated medication/treatment that cures it forever.

It's such a Cinderella illness and yet, I heard someone say on Radio 4 quite recently, that it had reached epidemic proportions in this country. It needs a monumental amount of proper research, but all the time medics are out there saying most, if not all, of it's in our minds, no pharmaceutical company is going to get behind it properly.

Perhaps we should organise a march on Parliament or something... imagine that, there'd have to be portaloos all along the route!!!

[Chocobella]

Hello. I agree with the previous replies, however, I would be happy to discuss my experiences. I can't say that I'm successfully coping but I can discuss the impact it has had on my life and the struggle I go through on a daily basis to get by. This impact of this illness should not be minimised, people need to know the truth.

[xsnorkelx]

I don't think anyone understands what having "IBS" is like until they've been through it. I never feel normal, am constantly tired and my stomach never feels "right" even though off my own back I cut out a couple of problem food groups and would say I'm 99% better than I was. Doctors just don't seem interested in getting to the root cause of symptoms so every time I went the discussion would go along the lines if " try these tablets". Never once did my doctor suggest a change in diet, just pushed tablets on me and a battery of tests which show my system is normal. It's not I know that I'm not crazy and I wish an answer could be found. I can say it completely ruined my life for well over a year, my greatest wish now is that more money is spent on research to get to the bottom of it and no more people have to suffer this hell!