A teen in need...
#125909 - 11/28/04 06:13 PM
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Ravenndark
Reged: 11/28/04
Posts: 531
Loc: the internet
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Well, my doctor has just diagnosed me with IBS, and...I'm a little afraid.
I believe that I have had IBS for a while, but my recent stress from school (I mean huge stress), has brought out the full IBS attacks we all know. I get extremely severe cramping and I constantly feel like I have to 'go', even if I can't. My nausea was much worse before I was aware of this condition, but it sometimes returns in full force, without the slightest trigger (I don't have a glass of OJ in the morning anymore, that's for sure).
I'm vegan, I'm 15, I'm over-stressed, and I'm having a hard time adjusting to this new way of eating and living. I've just started taking these fiber pills (once a day...Prodium, I believe they are called), and this week I'm going to try two a day.
I believe the hardest part of this is when I try to plan things, going out with my boyfriend, with my friends, only to break the date because of too much pain.
I found this site to be a huge help, but I'm still having a really hard time, as I find this site more generated to adults.
Can anybody give me any tips? Do any of your children have IBS?
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Hi! I think most of us are adults (I'm 26) but that being said a lot of us suffered from IBS as teenagers. I did that's for sure. At the time I had no idea what was wrong with me. I just got sick a lot and usually had to cancel on my friends only 1/2 an hour before meeting them, or I would'nt go to eat out with them because it always made me feel worse. I'm glad you found this site though. I've been on my diet just under a week and although I'm still iffy a lot of the time, I can't believe what an improvement I've had. I still struggle with telling people what's wrong with me and have lost a few friends whom I didn't tell as they thought I wasn't interested in doing anything with them. I've opened up a little to those friends I have now and they are wonderful. If I ring to cancel at the last minute I explain why and they just say " okay, maybe next time". Keep up with the diet, it's helped so many people on these boards. I also found as a teenager that keeping a little box in my bag with Immodium and buscopan (an anti-spasmodic) helped. I'd take the anti-spasmodic half an hour before I left the house and have a couple with me in case I started feeling funny again. Hope some of this has been helpful, and there might be other teenagers here (I haven't been around that long) and just remember we're all here and we all understand perfectly what it's like so if you ever need to chat go right ahead.
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Amy
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I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time - but you definitely found the right place for advice and support! I know how stress from school can be one of the worst things for IBS. You sound like you are starting out on the right track and asking questions is always great! Do you have Heather's books? Getting on the diet is definitely one of the first big steps to feeling better. I hope this helps and it's great to have a new person! Welcome!
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I've only been diagnosed with this for two weeks and I've already lost two of three friends because of this, because I simply cannot eat with them at lunch anymore! But I plan on asking my doctor for an anti-spasmodic...I'm hoping it'll help!
Thank you!
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I haven't gotten the books, no, I'm still trying to get onto the diet, like you said! I just wish there was an instant method, so I could get on with my life! Though, that might just be my impatient self. 
Thank you for the welcome!
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wellcome raven dark to the ibs mssage board. we are all here to help you with questions on ibs. jasper
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ive had ibs for 8 years now. im learning alot on this web board. thanks again everyone
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Welcome to the boards - you'll meet the nicest people around here. I am taking an antispasmodic - Zelnorm. It has helped me 100%. Have only had one attack since starting it (and the diet). It was my fault though (eating to much raw cookie dough - lol). Read the website. Most of what you need to know - before you get the book is on here. Come back and ask as many questions as you need - we are all here for you.
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Lisa
IBS-C, pain predominant
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Welcome to the board! You have done well to find this web site so quickly! I am 35 and spent years trying different diets and different health approaches to my problem, but until now have had little success. The diet listed here is certainly worth trying. One thing I have learned is that everyone is different. What works for one, doesn't always work for everyone. However, this diet seems to more the exception as most people that suffer from IBS seem to get some relief. I've certainly noticed a difference and I've only gotten started on it recently!
I know how you feel about social situations. I just recently cancelled a first date due to my symptoms. It can be very frustrating at times, but bear with it as it does get better! You will find friends who are understanding and the good days will more than make up for the bad days! :-)
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Welcome, Isabel!
Like a lot of people on here, I'm an adult (29), but I've had IBS since I was a teenager - or younger! Looking back on it, I think I started having symptoms when I was 11 or 12, I just had no idea what was wrong with me, and our family doctor just kept dismissing it as "a virus". (Grrr!) Anyway, I can sympathize - school being a huge stress (there's few stresses bigger!), not being able to socialize, etc - been there!
My best advice is to hang in there - the diet does work, and once you get used to it (and it doesn't take *too* long), it's second nature and not at all weird. If you have any specific questions about anything, just ask - we all love to help. 
Welcome again!
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Hey there....welcome to the boards...I noticed you're in Canada like me!!
Just to let you know...there are a couple of antispasmodics in Canada that you can ask your doctor about...so get a pen.........got one? K....first one...Dicetel (didn't work for me but it does work for some people)....second one....Modulon (works AMAZING for me...gave me my life back!! But it also doesn't work for some people) It's all trial and error. Ask your doc about these!!
So glad you found this site...you're on your way to feeling much better...I promise!! *HUGS*
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hi there and a big welcome..I was 15 when I was diagnosed...it was severe IBS C and though our symptoms are not the same..I totally understand where you are coming from (I am now 25 and have lived a fantastic life since diagnosis, despite it always being with me - I have spent two years working abroad, got a university degree, been travelling around the whole world for almost a year and now am beginning a masters degree, so don't worry, this does not have to ruin your life)...you are a very very lucky person to have found this site. I WISH I could have had such a site when I was diagnosed. And though some of the changes are not easy, and its more difficult to be spontaneous, please concentrate on the diet, keep a diary and make getting better a top priority....
Welcome welcome welcome!
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Feel the fear and do it anyway!
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Hello! I'm 17 and I've had IBS for about four years. I thought that only adults got IBS but then I read some other peoples' stories and realized that people of all ages get it.
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Isabel, you are lucky to have found this site so young! I have had IBS since 17 years old, and hadn't found this site until I was twenty, I am now twenty one.
Lucky for you that being vegan you already have alot of triggers out of the way, you just need to add in the solubles and be careful with the insolubles, and get rid of a couple of other triggers.
If you have any specific questions regarding your vegan diet in correlation to the IBS diet, just post it here or email me (it's in my profile), I eat a strict vegetarian diet myself and still follow the guidelines of this diet and have never been better.
Maybe try explaining to your friends on how seriously ill you are? They may think that you are just making excuses to not hang with them. Hopefully they will come around, I drifted away from almost, ok well all, of my friends from having IBS. But, now I am back on track, making friends, and going out places!
I even go out overnight now! 
It will get better, just follow the diet,and I hope to see you around more.
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-Sheri
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HI Isabel!
I know exactly how you feel. I had IBS when I was 17, I am now 47. BAck when I had my first attack, I didn't tell my parents about it, things were not going good in my home. My mom had "left" for about a week, my dad was pretty much a mess, and I was very sick. I was still going to school and suffering in silence. I did not have diahrea, it has been so long ago, I must have been more constipated than anything. The attacks came and went for years and years, I also suffered with trapped gas, not knowing what it was, thinking I had some type of ovary problems since most of the attacks came and went during my period. Anyway, that has been many years ago with many remissions.
Do you have family support? Have you been to a Dr? DId he subscribe you an anti-spasmodic? Something like, Levsin/Hysoscyamine, or you can take Peppermint Caps, many people use these to help with the cramping.
When used to have really bad attacks, I would take a warm shower, get in the bed with my heating pad and let my body rest while being very still.
HOpe this helped you Honey!! I will be around if you need to talk! gayla
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Hi!
I hope everyones experiences will help you. I am 30 and have been suffering from IBS and lactose intolerance for about 12yrs now. You will get overwhelmed at first with the diet. When I first started I thought I could only eat what was in the book. That is not the case it is a very individual thing. The book gets you started on the right track and it is up to you to form it to what works best for you. It would definatly benefit if you read the book first. It does't seem like you will ever be able to eat fast food or get a bag chips or eat cookies. Once you get yourself on track there will be things you will find that may not bother you but you must get regulated first. We have all went through alot of anxieties and panic attacks with our IBS. It is very important that you take care of yourself first and those people that don't understand are not very good friends to begin with.There are no dumb questions on this site. There is also some good recipes and tips on the recipe board and if you want to talk about anything at all there is the livingroom board all right here on it this site. Good luck and we are all here for you!
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Hi there!
I just wanted to poke my head in to say Hi and Welcome to the site. Most of the stuff I was gonna say, someone has already said! I think you've gotten some good advice so far, so I'll try not to ramble on for too long. 
I wanted to say that like lots of the other people here, I have had IBS since I was really young. I'm 22 now, and I can't remember a time when I DIDN'T have problems with my stomach. I remember getting a report card once saying that I had missed 45 days of school! Yeesh! Anyway, that being said, I know how absolutely hard it is to deal with IBS when you're younger and going to high school and wanting to do whatever you want, and not have to worry about fiber and 'trigger foods' and all that!
I am really sorry to hear that you've lost friends because of the IBS, but I say that if they took off just 'cause you couldn't make lunch because you weren't feeling well they weren't really awesome people anyway! I STILL have a friend who if I say I can't go out to, tries to give me massive guilt trips and acts like I am making up stomach problems just to inconvenience her! She's back in Canada, and I've lived in the UK for 2 years now but I can tell you that I am not going to take any of that so-and-so anymore! When you have a condition that is stress related (my IBS reacts more to stress than food even), people like that hanging around in your life are just making things worse and need to be talked to, given a second chance, and then chucked out if you ask me!
I know starting out the diet is hard, and I think it is especially hard for younger people (all my friends used to eat at McDonalds practically every other day in high school!), but it will SO be worth it! I think it gets way easier too, 'cause as you feel better you stop wanting the foods that you know'll just make you sick.
Good luck!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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