Since I was 16 years, over a period of 28 years, I have been diagnosed with IBS. I have tried a variety of diets, treatments, tests and fed up binge eating!!! The symptoms have fluctuated throughout my life with periods of relative calm to rushing into hospital with severe symptoms to only be diagnosed, once more, with IBS. Infact one Consultant told me "sorry you have IBS I am afraid it is not as sexy as cancer so we have very little research on it, eat more fibre!"
In 2012 things came to ahead my symptoms reach an all time high extreme reflux, back pain, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and flatulance to the point I stopped eating and lost 2 stone. The lack of nutrition then moved me into extreme fatigue, bowel problems and I stopped menstrating. This then effected my quality of life, work and mood swings. 'This cannot be IBS' so yet again I had all the tests this time a 5cm lump, which the consultant had never seen anything like before, was found in the wall of my stomach. This confirmed, in my mind, I did not have IBS!!!
In December 2012 I had an operation to remove the unusual lump and despite all the experts saying 'this will not cure your IBS' my mind was made up I was soon going to be pain free and be able to eat or drink anything I wanted. Unfortunatley, my world came crashing down once more when two weeks after my operation my symptoms reappeared with added vigor. So not only am I recovering from a stomach operation, have a poor appetite I also have all my IBS symptoms.
After a short period of mourning and a particular awful bout of IBS on New Years Eve I have now decided to once again take control and accept I have IBS. I have a doctors appointment to be recommended to a dietition to help me enjoy food again while being more precise on what foods I am less tolerent, I have joined this network to share my experience and raise the profile of IBS to help sufferers get expert help more readily so they do not feel their illness is insignificant. The generic term 'IBS' used by doctors requires to be followed with help and support for the individual because as we all know our triggers can be so different which often leaves us feel we are on our own. Roll on 2013!!!