I'm 20 and have suffered with IBS for the last 5 years. At the time I thought I was hit with a bout of food poisoning, but it never went away! My doctor admitted I was the worst case he'd ever seen and despite trying a load of medication nothing seemed to help. I also had a year of CBT which I dont think really helped, he sent me back to the doctors saying I had the right state of mind and that it was just a medical problem..
At my worse I would be literally running to the toilet about 6-10 times a day, i'd never stayed at a friends house (wouldnt even go.) I'd have to be up atleast 2 hours before leaving the house. Even getting a lift into college with somebody I knew would send me into a panic. Horrible horrible horrible it was controlling my life, it really got to me and I was on anti depressents for a while, which also did nothing. Ended up crying in pain over it atleast once a week, definitely the worst pain ive ever felt.
I started symprove about 9 months ago. Currently on the half maintenance dose, it has without a doubt changed my life. I currently go to university, which is stressful in itself, and work in a supermarket on checkouts (where i have no access to toilets for 3-4 hours at a time!!!!!) Some days i manage to get up, go to the toilet once and just leave. Thats it. To a non IBS person this might not sound very impressive but to me it is! I've even been to work without taking any medication, stayed at my boyfriends house and been on holiday with him. (sharing a hotel room would of been a no no no no no before). I think it'll still always be on my mind, and i'll always have medication in my pocket, but things are improving, i've made so much progress this last year. I don't think twice about going out to dinner, or seeing my friends anymore.
Sure i still have bad days, I still can't eat a whole heep of food but the frequency of bad days is dramatically less. Its made day to day living a lot easier and I cant recommend it enough.
