I'm a 56 year old man who has suffered from IBS since the age of 20. These past few years it has been getting steadily worse.
My main symptom is pain which can be extremely severe. Lately I've also been suffering daily attacks of proctalgia fugax- just to make my miserable existence infinitely worse. I take Pregabalin for the gut pain on an as needed basis. It does help sometimes, but I can't take it every day as it's quite constipating which makes my symptoms worse. I've tried hypnotherapy, but it was so difficult for me to relax enough to benefit from the treatment. I suffer from social and generalised anxiety which I've been told is most likely a contributing factor. The whole thing is driving me almost crazy. I know stress can exacerbate the symptoms, but it's this terrible affliction which is causing most of the stress! I often wish I could just die as there seems to be no escape from this frightful pain.
I feel that no one understands. It's like a waking nightmare; a living Hell.