#ibsasks

I actually use a heating pad now. I think I’ve been using one for a bit more than 1 year now, maybe 2? They are very helpful, and portable in the way that you don’t have to ask for hot water if you know there will be a plug nearby.

I’ve never tried the stick on ones though. That’s a great idea for when I’m traveling, since its hard to use a heating pad or hot water bottle in an airport or car. 

2/2🐙 Like, i no longer have stabbing pains in my left side or days long constipation since I’ve cut out gluten, but i can still get very very bloated/gassy and sometimes it seems completely random! I’m finishing school soon so that’ll alleviate some of the stress but i hate feeling like i have to figure this out mostly on my own

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I feel like a lot of IBS sufferers also just have to figure it out themselves. I know I did. Doctors can sometimes be very unhelpful. The thing is though, the only way to know for sure if you have IBS instead of Chrones is if you get a colonoscopy. Chrones is something you should check for, because it actually damages the intestines, where as with IBS, nothing is technically physically wrong in the way nothing is damaged. 

I got one done because my mom pressured me into it, and it wasn’t great or fun in anyway. I would not have done it if it weren’t for my mom’s inability to understand me. Do what you think is best for your body. 

Taking medications, and trying the FODMAPS diet might help you further. FODMAPS cuts out specific food, especially certain vegetables from your diet. Record everything in a food diary to help find what specific vegetables bother you, this might help you more. That diet taught me that onions cause me a great deal of gas and bloating, so I don’t eat them anymore. I don’t use it anymore because I found what works for my tummy now. 

I also suggest getting your own gastroenterologist, a GI Tract specialist. They will take your IBS seriously and help you more than any regular doctor could. 

IBS can cause fatigue, especially during flare ups, so it makes sense. After all, your body is going under a lot of stress at those times, which is tiring!

Can IBS cramps be as bad as labor pains? I wouldn’t know but sometimes I’m in so much pain I wonder how it could be any worse.

That’s very true! It’s also annoying when people start policing you for eating a trigger food/ junk food every once in a while. I’m not suppose to eat gluten, but I’m also not just going to never eat a donut for the rest of my life. It’s ok to cheat sometimes, even if it’s just a bite or two, because you’re not always going to get sick (and even so, that’s your choice). 

Sick and Dating

Being sick while being in a relationship has it’s hurdles, but as long as you communicate, are honest, and open, then everything should work out fine. I have like seven illnesses and I’m still with my able-bodied boyfriend after three years. Just make sure you let them know how you feel and why you can’t or don’t want to do something because you’re feeling ill. They should understand. So it’s not anything to be super nervous about, it’s just another aspect of being sick that you will just have to deal with. I think it might actually be easier than other relationships, because that person is someone you trust and can be very open with, even with gritty details.