I have IBS which has ruled my life since I was around 13. Sometimes the cramps are so uncomfortable and debilitating I can’t even get out of bed. It seems whatever I eat, it triggers a reaction somehow.
I feel like my bowel is poisoning the rest of my body. My skin is awful, my hair is falling out, I constantly have dark circles under my eyes, I just generally feel fatigued all the time. If I could have a replacement bowel operation I would gladly do it.
I’ve tried loads of different diets (FODMAP, elimination diets, dairy/gluten/soya free etc) and none of them seem to ease the symptoms to a great extent.
I’m in my late twenties and I feel at least twice my age. It makes me really sad that I can’t go out with friends without worrying about what I’m going to eat, whether my stomach is going to embarrass me. I’ve declined so many nights out because it would have meant I’d need to stay over at someone’s house and there’s no way I’m going to subject people to my, quite frankly, rancid (and audible) bowel movements.
Stress and anxiety makes it 100 times worse. If I’ve got a meeting or training day at work, guaranteed I’ll be in and out of the toilet all day. Sometime I will have between 15 and 20 bowel movements in a day. Other times I won’t have a bowel movement for a week. I just can’t predict it. I won’t go into too much detail but recently I got caught short while on a walk and had to go behind a bush - and it wasn’t for a number one.
I feel disgusting and dirty. I can’t eat a normal healthy diet with lots of fibre etc because so much of the veg and pulses etc that I love give me such bad IBS symptoms that I can’t leave the house. It makes socialising and eating out a really depressing, anxiety inducing experience. I have to eat white bread/rice/pasta because the wholewheat versions make me bad. But the white versions make me feel puffy and gross in their own right.
I’ve been thinking about seeing a nutritionist/dietician for a while but I am very mindful of the cost. I don’t earn much and it feels like a luxury. Do you think this would be of benefit to me? I honestly don’t know where to start. I’ve suffered with this condition for years and it’s stopped me from doing so many things. I’m sat in bed just crying about how much I’ve missed out on because of my stupid stomach. It’s sensitive to everything. Even if I travel three hours away (still in the UK) and drink the local water; that’s enough to set me off.
I’m so angry with my body. I’ve had so much time off work. I feel like it’s failing me. I shouldn’t be like this at my age. I know I should count myself lucky because so many people suffer with much worse conditions but IBS is limiting my life and I don’t know where to turn.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Has anyone else successfully got their IBS under control?