in a relationship with ibs - it's complicated

If there's anything you're taking away from the visit to my blog, let it be this: IBS fucking sucks. And so does every other chronic illness. Whether you're suffering from IBS, IBD, anxiety, depression or any other condition it really doesn't matter. We all go through similar shit every day and try to keep going anyways. You're probably recovering from a major flare up right now roaming the blogs and forums (at least that's what I do when I'm curled up in bed in pain) looking for someone who kinda gets you. Well, here it goes. My askbox is open 24/7 and I'll reply to everyone who needs to let off some steam about this bullshit we have to face when everyone around us is just healthy as if it was the most natural thing to be.

[ibsfighters-blog]

Im 36 had IBS-D for 3 yrs and its hell and nothing works

yeah i know that feel.. you need to hang in there and not give up until you find something.. don't shy away from alternative treatments, therapy, meditation etc. if only to deal with the stress that ibs is causing..

[ibsfighters-blog]

Tips for traveling on a plane with IBS-D? Thx

haha um. good luck? no just kidding. i always try to get an aisle seat so if i have to jump up and go to the bathroom i won't have to ask five people to ask to get up for me. i find plane travelling actually a lot less stressful than car trips. there are bathrooms everywhere in the airports even on the gates and then there are bathrooms *on* the plane as well. also it's not so unusual to get frowned upon for being in the lavatory forever since people get sick on planes and stuff so you could be doing all kinds of things in there. also you don't have to worry about hearing what's going on in there because the plane is so loud that you can only barely hear it yourself.  i would definitely try to avoid eating the food because it is usually cold or quickly heated up and makes me stomach upset. 

definitely pack some immodium and if that's what you do, take some before you leave home.

[ibsfighters-blog]

Is it normal to lose your appetite when you have IBS? -thanks

yeah i think so, happened to me at least. once you realize that food gives you symptoms you kind of don't want to put it inside your body anymore. 

[ibsfighters-blog]

Hey, saw you on here for the first time in a while and just wanted to say I hope you're doing well. Hope you've had a good Christmas, too, despite our struggle! X

thanks you too :)

[ibsfighters-blog]

how to you live with these ibs symptoms that never go away. It a living nightmare from which there is no escape. I want it to end!!!

idk man. at some point (after having tried most of the treatmeants both physical and mental) you'll just have to adjust to it. find a job that both makes you happy and doesn't stress you out ibs wise, find friends who are supportive and understanding, find a therapist that helps you deal with it better (because it *is* something that requires coping techniques) and still don't give up hope that at some point it might get better, because there are a lot of people reporting that it got better when their life situation changed after a couple of years or when they found a new treatment. i wish you all the best xoxo (especially round christmas time when everyone's eating their cookies and we just sit there thinking "i want this. but i will suffer"

[la-grande-follia]

Nerdfighters: is anyone else out there 24, single, dragging through the end of a really disappointing grad program, unemployed, wondering how the fuck adulthood works and what you’re going to do with that arts degree, struggling off and on with depression, missing your parents who live stupidly...

[ibsfighters-blog]

I can absolutely relate.

[ibsfighters-blog]

Literally don't know how I'm gonna have a boyfriend and stay over his house with fucking ibs UGH it's controlling my life :---(

well i think it would definitely help if you were honest about it and just told him what the problem was. i know that can be embarrassing as hell but it's also good to see how he reacts, if he really cares about you. apart from that i would just try to eat "safe" foods that give the least symptoms and maybe the first few times of staying there just taking the meds that help (for me thats a fuckload of immodium) to take the edge of..

[ibsfighters-blog]

3 love your blog, sending my love to you

aww thanks bb. sending love back, i hope you're doing well :)

[worldaccordingtolupus]

1. The one that tops it is ’but you don’t look sick.’ 96% of chronic illness and disability is invisible. People expect sick people to look a certain way, and if they don’t, they do not believe the person is chronically ill.

2. You need to...

[ibsfighters-blog]

I just wanted to let you all know that this Blog is not abandoned. I still check my notifications for new followers, reblogs and messages. Which means you can still contact me if you feel the need to but I'm not going to actively blog anymore.

I still suffer from the same symptoms with the only difference that my anxiety has gotten worse and was confirmed by a professional. I have spent two months in a clinic for psychosomatic diseases which was a big step for me, in regards of acknowledging the psychological side of my illness. It has not lessened my ibs but it was a good experience still, since I met a lot of fellow sick people and learned how to deal with my situation in a better.way.

The doctors also said that there is a chance my ibs will get better as therapy continues. I have recently moved and restarted classes and met new people. All of that has been very stressful and my anxiety and stomach have been all over the place. I hope it'll get calmer soon. Therapy two times a week is definitely a big source of support and strenght and I would recommend it greatly to anyone suffering from ibs or any chronic disease who can afford it (i know its crazy expensive). A life situation like ours is very hard and and requires some tools to be able to regain a decent quality of life.

I have to make a run for the bathroom now, I wish everyone all the best and as always am here if anyone wants to talk gross things, indigestion, depression, anxiety and other lovely matters.

[ibsfighters-blog]

My ibs and depression has gotten so bad I don't want to live anymore.

Believe me anon, been there. I know it's fucking hard and some days I don't know why I'm doing it anymore. For me it's always been my family and the people I love that I'm still here. And the knowledge that even if I've been sick for years, there have always been good days. Not many, but they were there. Maybe don't think so much about how your illness is affecting your life as a whole just think that even if today is fucking horrible, there'll soon be another day when your stomach is doing rather okay and you have a positive experience of some sort. Just take it day by day.

[ibsblows-blog-blog]

I have a pretty severe form of IBS-D & i dont know anyone personally who is previously gone through it or is currently dealing with ibs. So any support is hugely appreciated.

I am curious to know how many people on tumblr are dealing with ibs specifically ibs-d?

[ibsproblems]

I have…

[myzombiebowels]

I have IBS-d too… I get such painful intestinal cramps they make me weak in the legs, I get cold sweats, nausea… It’s so bad I’m scared of leaving my house in case I get a flare up on the street or wherever I’m at. IBS-d controls my life completely.

[gutrebellyon]

Mine is so severe they have no idea what to do with my at the hospital. I don’t want a worse diagnosis but feel like maybe then they would take my pain more seriously and give me meds that actually work. IBS-D is exhausting!

[ibsfighters-blog]

yep same. housebound, explosive diarrhea, anxiety that is the life

[foughttobecomeher]

Goodness gracious I want a week in a body that is healthy and free and lets me run wild and feel beautiful and carefree and be crazy and reckless and do things that other 20 year olds do.

I want to go drink and have regrets. I want dance and play with boys that make me feel dangerous and sexy.

I want to be able to do anything, be anything, feel anything other than constant pain.

[oldbrittieslifeasiknowit]

Find spoonies from around the world.

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[illnessessuck]

What doesn’t kill you makes you out of spoons for a week.

[ibsfighters-blog]

What does it feel like to be a young adult, who has a tight grip on their future and energy to work for achieving your dreams? I only know what it feels like to be trapped in a body, too sick to become anything, but not sick enough to torture myself with my own dreams.

[marisacarroll-deactivated202409]

“The reason people don’t go for help is because there is still stigma. People don’t talk about mental illnesses the way they do other illnesses.” [Maria Bamford] launches into impressions of people talking about physical maladies the way they talk about depression: “Apparently Steve has cancer. It’s like, fuck off! We all have cancer.” “I was dating this chick all this time and she let me know she’s been wearing contact lenses. I said whoa, do what you need to do but I don’t believe in all that Western medicine shit. If you wanna see like other people it’s all about attitude. You gotta want it.”

I wrote about Maria Bamford, Mike White, and kicking the stigma surrounding mental illness at Splitsider. (via marisacarroll)