I really need some advice, hope someone can help!

[HannahQ]

HI, I'm a 16 year old student, and I've recently been diagnosed with IBS. I'm on Mebeverine, which helps but with the pressures of school and my drained immune system I seem to pick up every bug and I'm off school a lot. I've just recovered from chicken pox, and now my IBS is really getting me down. It's so embarrassing and i'm really struggling. I don't know what to do. I've tried writing a food diary, and I've found pastas a bad idea, but its got to the point were I don't want to leave the house for the fear of being bad. I fell i'm letting my family down and I don't know how to get through it. I'm behind in work so I'm getting really stressed and that's not helping any, and I'm really emotional and tired a lot which means I often sleep as soon as I get home. If anyone can help me I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

[HannahQ]

Thanks for this, just I'm struggling, enough crap has already happened in my life and this just tops it off. Thanks for the advice, spoke to a councillor today but shes only in once a week so have to wait for consultation. Hopefully she'll be able to help me mentally. Thanks x

[dforret]

ahh bless im 43 and been diagnosed with i.b.s since 98 i take mebrevine same as u and i also take lopermide and now i take codeine which helps i cant go far as when i want the toilet

i cannot hold it and it winds me up only just come to terms with the disease its horrible

[Ankyspon]

Hello Hannah

My best advice is to see your GP and chat about all your issues. Book a double appointment so you have plenty of time and don't be rushed.

Please never struggle on your own as there is always help around. Talking is the best cure and don't forget to include your family in this.

Thinking of you - Mike

[PatV]

and you're not being bad, you will overcome this. When you believe you can, you will find help of all kinds. Plan one day at a time ! All good advice above.

[kiwimiwi]

I got IBS around 15-16, while at school studying. I had a combo of constipation and diarrhoea which became full blown diarrhoea at 18. I found the lack of energy so bad and like yourself, noticed I was catching everything around and my grades were slipping. I felt so crap because I had other medical problems on top of this and was having a pretty poopy time mentally. I realise now in hindsight that my worrying about my symptoms was actually making my symptoms worse, it was sort of like the stress and anxiety of worrying drained me.

I know it's hard to think positive with a chronic condition but you aren't letting anyone down, it's not something you have brought upon yourself! I was referred by my GP for talking therapy with a counsellor, just to sit with someone for an hour and tell all my worries to and I found it really helpful. She gave me stress management and emotional management and I was able to let go of a lot of the anxiety and stress that was exacerbating my symptoms. By this time, my GP had referred me to a hospital for a barrage of tests to make sure they gave me the right medications to control my system and I'm now on quite a few (they're all listed in my blog post). I figured out my symptoms do relate somewhat to the foods I eat and while I don't cut out any particular food group I avoid certain trigger foods. It took a long time to work out what these were though! It sounds odd but I feel lucky because my mum also suffers with IBS as does my aunt (her sister) so I was able to relate to them.

I'm 25 now and it took me a while to get there but I'm at uni now in my third year of four, still with the persistent pain and diarrhoea but my outlook is completely different. I'm writing this today from home because I had a particularly bad day today, I should be in lectures! They let me take off days and work from home and I just take each day one at a time because I can't gauge how I'll feel the next day, unless I've eaten something that doesn't agree with me! It's still hard to not feel crap and feel sorry for myself but I try not to let my body rule my mind and do what I want to do!

Kiwi xx

[HannahQ in reply to kiwimiwi]

Thanks kiwi this has helped, I've realised that I need to learn to live with it but some days it's hard. Schools the big problem although they know, its hard if I need a day off because my attendance is so low. Reading your post has made me realise that I do have prospect for the future it's just finding what's better for me so thank you x

[truckyboy]

hi i feel for you i got ibs after food poising over xmas last year in eygpt i have been given peppermint capsules and mabverine dont think they work really also i was put on amitrptyline a mild anti deppesent but it gave me a dry mouth and blurred vison has im a hgv driver i stopped taking it i know how u feel people saying cut wheat or milk out i have tried those and its not them ive had blood tests stool samples enscoptmy coloscopy they didnt find anything the best advice i can say is a foos dairy really everyone is differnt i suffer from constant pain and find if i stay away from salad chips and fried food and deffo larger i used to drink 8pints i cant now maybe 4 if im brave but what im trying to say there is hope i notice if im happy the pain subsides somewhat and i have started taking aloe vera juice ive only taken it for a day but i feel much much better its amazing all the meds could never do it but it really works i got it from tescos i have peppermint tea and i also avoid sugers now that seems to help im of for a ct scan next the docs been good really i get deppressed feeeling ill all the time and im been prescribed some other anti deppressents but hopefully i will crack what makes me illl i try not eat late say after 7 and cycling going to the gym walking ectnl really do help! chin up ok

[JulieWhiting1994]

It is not your fault. It just happened. I have just been diagnosed with IBS age 20 and it is embarrassing. I don't like talking about it really. I have been taking mebeverine for 3 days nearly and symptoms aren't as bad already. Are you changing your diet at all?

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