#ibs asks

[trinecomics]

IBS be like Guy: heyy sup u wanna come over?? me: can’t sorry im poopin Guy: pooping is not an all day event ??? me: hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha :D god i wish that were true

Never underestimate the bowels of an IBS sufferer. 

[trinecomics]

I love your comics! 1/2🐙 My question is, I've gone to the doctor before about my gut issues (i get Very triggered over stress and certain vegetables especially), but since I've been cutting foods out of my diet already (gluten, mostly) the worst of my symptoms have gone away. They're still there, though, and do affect my life. I was wondering if you know/think there's any benefit to pushing for a diagnosis since my doctors mostly just shrug when i bring up my issues bc i'm already handling them

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. 

I hope this helps!

[trinecomics]

Hey! I know it's a weird question to ask but... does IBS make you want to pee a lot? I get this a lot, espacially during flare ups. I also get fatigued during flare ups and sometimes very sleepy like I haven't rested.

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!

I’ve also noticed I have a very small bladder, and have to pee a lot more often than other people. But it might have to do with how much water you drink or maybe it’s an IBS thing? I’m not sure. 

[trinecomics]

My IBS pains have me doing breathing exercises like when I was in labor. I’ve been stuck on the toilet for hours now. Your comics are keeping me going tho so thank you so much!!!

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.

I’m glad my comics are helping! I’m sorry I haven’t been uploading, I’m just super unmotivated and slumped with school. Do you guys know what could get my passion for drawing going again?

[trinecomics]

Me, a dumbass: oo this should be a safe food ibs: guess again, BITCH

This is so relatable. Apparently if I eat salad three days in a row I almost always flare up. I can’t eat salads and a lot of vegetables too often, which you’d think a tummy would like.

[trinecomics]

I think the hardest thing to explain to people about IBS sometimes is how inconsistent it is, like sometimes I can eat certain goods just fine, other times not so much... and that just throws people off idk...

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). 

And trigger foods change over time too. I went on a FODMAPS diet a long time ago for my IBS, and still my mom insists I can’t eat garlic. It’s really annoying since I correct her at least five times a month.

[trinecomics]

Hi, I have been sick for three years and recently started dating this guy I met on tinder. He knows about my illness but I am nervous about relationships while being ill. Any tip for navigating with new relationships while being ill and managing the anxiety that you aren’t enough because you aren’t able bodied?

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.

If someone says that you are not enough or won’t love you because you’re sick, which is something you can’t control, then they’re terrible and not worth being with. If you have a mentality like that then you won’t be anxious that you’re not enough… because you are.

[trinecomics]

reading your comics and blog really helped while i was waiting for a diagnosis and worrying about what this illness meant. i’m diagnosed and on medication now and i generally am functional and happy. it made me realise how much it had been affecting my life (and i don’t even think my experience is/has been half as bad as some people’s!). but i still love your comics and i think what you do is really awesome. you helped me to feel okay with your openness and compassion, so thank you 💖

Thank you so much for this kind message. I’m always happy to hear that my openness about my illness, when IBS is typically embarrassing, helps people to feel more comfortable with their own IBS and less ashamed about it. I think everyone with IBS get’s over that hurdle in one point in their life :)