Looking for support
#97540 - 08/11/04 02:28 PM
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I'm 33 and went back to school a few years ago and just graduated with my first degree. I haven't worked full time since 2001. I've worked from home and part time work since then. I got a job offer and the job starts on Monday. It is a really good opportunity, but I am scared. Primarily because of my IBS and how bad I feel sometimes. When you are at home you don't have to worry about too many visits to the throne or bloating and gas. If I have pain, I hook up the heating pad and sip my tea and relax. The afternoons are my worst time with my symptoms and I know I am going to have plenty of uncomfortable afternoons. So how do IBS people deal with work.
By the way, I will be commuting 40 minutes one way. No running home for lunch... stuck there all day! Yuck. As you can tell, I am very excited. lol
Well, hopefully I will get some words of wisdom.
Amy
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Congratulations on the new job! That's great!!
Is it an office job, where you can make yourself tea and keep snacks in your desk?
Did you know they have adhesive self heating pads now? I've worn them to work or put them on at work as needed. Here's a picture. This one's cheaper but you need to wear something you can stick it to:
This one just wraps around and closes with velcro:
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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I don't have any words of wisdom for you, I'm afraid - I work from home now. But there are lots of folks on here who DO manage it, and I'm sure they'll have all kinds of tips for you.  I really just wanted to say hi and welcome, because I don't think I did that yet!
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Hi Amy,
I understand how you feel. My situation is just the opposite, though. I was working and now I'm only working on a very limited pt time basis. But....when I was working I always carried my meds to work with me. Took Imodium for D and Phazyme for gas. Sometimes, when I was really busy I didn't even have time to think about my tummy. It was kinda like a headache...it's just there.
Be sure to take your meds with you and maybe try to eat safe foods for a few days before you start. If there's nothing there safe to eat take something from home. Maybe you will have a lunch room so you can put your feet up and relax with the heating pad during lunch.
I hope everything turns out OK for you. I know you must be anxious.
Barbie
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Oh, I'm sure I will be a walking drugstore. lol I am very anxious. Thanks for your advice! I wish I could keep just working my part time jobs, but the money just isn't there. This new job is a really good opportunity!
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It is an office job. I've thought about trying those pads. Didn't have to here, but now I guess I should buy some. I've bought a big tote so that I can carry all my tea, snacks, meds and heating pads. I'm also trying to figure out how I can use my loose peppermint and fennel to make large batches of tea for a thermos. I guess I could buy several tea balls and a kettle, but I'm wondering about the tea ball to water ratio.
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Have you thought of puting the loose tea in a coffee filter (one of the one designed for a large drip coffee pot) and tying it with some string. That way you could use as much tea as you needed without having to buy more tea balls. As for the water to tea ratio, figure out how much tea do you generally use for one cup, then figure out how many cups are in the thermos. If you mess up the ratio the first time, you can always try again.
Meg
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That is a really great idea!! Thanks for your input. I will definitely be trying that this weekend.
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So how do IBS people deal with work..........I've had IBS for most of my working life (15 years or so). I can tell you it's TOUGH  . My bad time is in the morning and let me tell you there are many a mornings that I've gotten up, taken a shower, had what feels like 900 BM's and then went to work feeling like crap. But I do it and the only thing that helps me is that I know that by the afternoon my symptoms will be pretty much gone. I would love to just crawl back into bed, put the heating pad on and just lay there and "woah is me". But I can't. I too am one of those people that HAS to work to live the lifestyle that we created for ourselves. I can tell you though that if I stayed home and didn't have to make myself get up and get moving, I'd lay around all day on a bad IBS day and get nothing done. I don't want to offend any stay home moms by no means (cause I can honestly say that staying home with my kids is a harder job than my office job). But if I had the opportunity to stay home I can guarantee you that I would get nothing done on the days that I had bad IBS. I think you just fall into that mode when you don't have anywhere to go or anywhere to be. It would be easy to do.
I have an neighbor who stays home who has IBS along with other issues and if she's had a bad IBS night before or morning she will lay on that couch ALL day until her kids get home from school  ! Because she can. She has no job or reason to have to get off the couch. Now that's just her and again, I'm not saying all stay at home moms can do this (her kids are old enough and both go to elementary school). She will complain that she was SO sick and could not do anything. I on the other hand felt the same way she did when she got up but I went to work. I think sometimes going to work actually helps me to feel better. It takes my mind off my IBS. (Of course I have free reign of a potty too which helps).
Now for you Amy, since your bad times are in the afternoon I would naturally eat non IBS trigger lunches everyday, keep your tea handy and just keep your mind set too that it will pass and hopefully for you the evenings are when you are symptom free. You can do it. It takes some learning how to cope but believe me, in the end, I think it's for the best to keep the mind off the IBS and what better to do that with......WORK! Good luck.
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~~~Lisa~~~
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Amy,
Congratulations on the new job. I make sure that I always have peppermint caps, SFS, tea and immodium with me when I am at work. At first the people I work with thought I was crazy but they are now used to me and my stomach. I always bring my lunch and it is always something safe. I also keep fat free saltines and applesause at work.
There are days when I feel bad but most of the time I am busy and I don't think about my stomach. I used to work 10-4 and I would have plenty of time to eat breakfast and relax before leaving for work. Now I work earlier and I take my breakfast with me and eat at work.
Once you get into a routine and have the safety of all your meds, etc. you will be fine. Most of the time just knowing that I have what I need in case my tummy starts hurting is enough for me to feel pretty good.
Good Luck!
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Janey
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