IBS + school
#297424 - 01/20/07 02:20 PM
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cacao
Reged: 01/19/07
Posts: 43
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hey, how did you guys manage IBS with school and everything? i will have to go to college in 2 years and probably won't be living at home. right now when im at home i still have such a hard time dealing with going out and just stepping out to go to school, constant BM urges but usually nothing comes out. i worry about how it would be in the future and i know that my college life would probably be close to nonexistant. how did you guys deal?
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If/Once you manage to stabilize, it won't be that bad. You will have to eat right, and it is possible.
Did you start the BTC diet? Try to stabilize before college so you have som experience with managing your diet and symptoms.
--J
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I think, when that time comes, just being informed will help you. Such as: do a couple run throughs of your day, figure out where the bathrooms are around campus, the nearest bathrooms to your classes, where the quickest way back to your dorm is. Sit in the back of the class, in case you have to have a quick exit. Ofcourse, being stable will help your confidence a lot too.
That's what would make me feel better.
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im trying to BTC but my parents pretty much make me take in meat like chicken and pork (stuff you get at restaurants)and veggies and fruit <.< because they think i'll be too weak without the meat and they believe i'd be even more C without the fiber from the veggies and fruit. i have a hard time translating and explaining to them about it.
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Yeah, I can see why they think that. But do they not see that you're in pain?
I suggest telling them the BTC diet is only temporary. Get a gentle laxative such as Magnesium Citrate to make sure you can still go during that period (magnesium is an element that is needed for the body to function properly, so taking mag citrate is actually good for you).
I hope you can get the message through to them. If they can agree to put you on the BTC diet for awhile and see how much less symptoms you have on it, you might not even have to convince them for other things because they will have seen how good Heather's advice is.
Are you a D? How can they be worried you will be too C then?
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The BTC diet should not be done for more than a few days. It is very temporary.
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im an A, but mostly C. they mostly think im not eating enough veggies, but i just told them what you suggested. thanks i'll see how it goes in the next few days
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sorry for all the questions, but i was wondering-- if i become stable does that mean my evacuations will feel complete and that i'll stop the constant urge to go? i wonder if the urges are due to my anxiety... i feel like i need to go but nothing comes out? it happens to you guys too right... thanks in advance for all the questions!
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My IBS began to set in right about your age (I'm assuming you're in your last year or two of high school?)
Anyway, yes, when you stabilize you should feel like you've completely evacuated most of the time and your symptoms will subside. I am a D and understand your feelings of urgency. Mine were always worse when I worried too much about my IBS. The anxiety would trigger cramps and urgent BMs. I eventually went on antidepressants/antianxiety medication to help me deal with the problem.
If your parents are worried about your getting enough fiber, you should point them to this site and educate them about the diet. Suggest that they buy you some acacia fiber! It took a lot of convincing on my part to get my parents to believe that what I was suffering from was real and not in my head and that diet would assist me greatly in dealing with my pain. I am sure that yours will come around eventually, too!
Ask as many questions as you need to! There are so many wonderful people on here who are always willing to help 
Good luck! And don't worry about school. I made it through 4 yrs of college and 3 of law school and now I'm in court or with clients about 80% of the time. I just started believing that I was not going to let IBS control my life, focused on stabilizing and enjoying myself. You will be fine!
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Oh, I see, you're mostly C...
Well, I am just C, I can't really give too much advice for A... there are some people here, who were initially A and turned C when getting on the diet (because of the less fiber initially, the time out your body needs).
So, basically, you should get a gentle laxative, such as Magnesium Citrate. Milk of Magnesia is less gentle and it tastes terrible too, so please try to find the citrate version. It's also sold online and in HFS's (not just pharmacies) as Natural Calm.
That will help you and your parents not freak out over you not getting enough IF.
About the urgency and inability to go, it might be caused by anxiety. I don't really know, since I've only seldom had D (I'm primarily C). I would understand it if it was anxiety, though, because right now you are not able to control your symptoms so you are stuck.
Hang in there and try to get on the BTC diet. Get acacia and magnesium citrate to help
a) cramping and pain (acacia)
b) constipation (acacia and magnesium citrate)
c) anxiety (magnesium)
I hope you can convince them. Keep us posted how it goes.
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It's certainly not easy, but the more knowledge you have, the more power, right? Once you get an understanding of what to eat safely, you'll feel more confident if you have a test or something afterwards. I would also suggest getting a doctor's note to give to your professors so they understand if you leave class or are late. People swear by the hypno here for anxiety. I'm doing it now and no real changes yet, but maybe they'll come soon. I'm not sure if your parents will invest in the cd's for you or if you have any of your own savings from a job. If not, when you do start working, you might want to consider them. And there is always immodium of course as preventative for those urges. It will put your mind at ease. Try not to worry right now. You have lots of time and should focus on enjoying these next two years of HS as best you can as you learn more about controlling your IBS. 
--------------------
Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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thank you all for your responses. my finals are finally over and i feel a bit more at ease and since i have the week off im going on btc.
haha i keep finding more questions to ask 
i was wondering if you guys have a ratio of SF to IF set... and how many grams of IF do you guys take? i know its different for each person but i want just want a rough idea
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If you read the soluble fiber supplement section on this site, it will explain how to start off slow on an IF and then increase as your body gets used to it. As for food, it seems we all have to find our own ratio. C people need more IF than d people. I am a d/a and I have let's say a cup of rice with a 1/2 cup broccoli or a smoothie with equal parts of banana and blueberries. I also adjust this according to how I'm feeling that day. If I feel like d is coming, I might not eat any IF. If I feel c/bloated, I might add more raisins into my oatmeal. Hope that gives you an idea.
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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I am generally OK with 50:50 (that is equal amounts of IF and SF), but I think I can actually go further towards the IF side if not destabilized.
TTry oatmeal in the morning, empty stomach, with water and you will know if 50:50 is OK for you (oatmeal is 50:50). If you want to know your ratio, you have to try first thing in the morning, because otherwise if you eat at noon, your reactions will be influenced by what you ate in the morning and so forth.
Some people on this board can't eat oatmeal (too much IF). I think they are mostly D, though. I am C.
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well i'm attempting BTC, but i messed up here and there because i'm impatient and im pretty impulsive when it comes to food. grab, shove, chew, swallow. (chocolate and some chicken <.<)
i've been eating pretty much plain food, white rice, white bread or oatmeal. i add grounded flax seeds to my oatmeal and i take activia yogurt though. i drink about 8 cups of water.
for these two days that ive tried the BTC and about half an hour after i eat the oatmeal with flax, i have a BM, but it feels incomplete? does that mean i should add more sf or if? or both? im currently on 1 tsp of acacia(started acacia before btc)... i think i might add another half tsp of acacia today...should i be adding? thanks!
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You should eliminate the Activia yogurt. it's still dairy and it can cause IBS problems.
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