Living with IBS

This is a bit of a ramble, but I thought it might be good to get some ideas down on what its like to live with IBS:

For some people IBS is a aberration that comes and goes after some incident. Sometimes it can last for 1 year and can be very upsetting and unsettling. For others, like me, its been something that developed over time and peaked in moment of exhaustion and an inability to cope that sent you spiralling off to the doctors defeated and exhausted. The truly unfortunate have had it since they can remember. Its apart of their life now.

IBS is stressful, anxiety and stress inducing, demoralising. It effects so many people and yet to date they don't know why... perhaps because there appears to be different causes for different people. Our guts are this sensitive organism that works endlessly to keep a whole human being going, to keep us alive, to keep us healthy. No wonder its so sensitive and in the end it keeps us running to the bathroom with diarrhoea, gas or constipation, or all three, in droves!

IBS is frustrating, humiliating and its takes so much from you. Time with family and friends, beautiful occasions. I still cant go to the theatre without my system telling me that I have gas (my biggest problem) and being uncomfortable the whole time! I have seen the Russian Ballet prancing with a beauty unmatched by anything I have ever seen, but I squirmed through the whole thing desperate for the interval. Holidays away can leave you a mess for days afterwards as your body tries to deal with all the crap that you put into your body. Things that were seemingly harmless have you running around Putt Putt golf like you have ants in your pants.

Its slightly ruinous to us and yet, there we have no real answers.. well not that they can really tell us. Our incredible complex body just doesn't like something at that time and is sending you to hell or the stresses of life have you sweating over the bowl in new and horrific ways. We can take medication, change our diet, change our life. There is no quick fix though hence so many of us continue in the cycle of discomfort and agitation.

Living with IBS is difficult. Its exhaustion and it really takes it out of you. Fear of IBS creates IBS!!!! Its just that frustrating.

So when you have someone in your life that has this.. have a think about how much it takes from them, how low it makes them feel and how much energy it takes just to get up everyday. Its a huge challenge and a massive achievement when its conquered. Not that I have yet... but I have hope : )