Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: how do you get people to understand?

It's not easy to have someone else try and understand what you are going through. And b/c IBS is so different for each of us it's hard to have the perfect explanation. My grandma was the hardest to have understand. She thought that I should still eat everything, but just a little at a time. Have a forkful, it's not going to hurt you! But it did. And then I became food phobic and still am to some degree.
Remember when you were little and you would ask your mom to explain something and she did it in a way you would understand. You have to do the same with your mom. Mom, if I'm having a bad IBS day, I'm not comfortable going out b/c I don't wanna be imbarrassed if I have an attack in public. Or, I'm sorry, but I'm not able to eat what is set out when we're out at a friends, do you think they will mind me bringing along some IBS friendly snacks. I do it all the time. We're off to a barbecue, I pack a chicken breast, sealed in tin foil to avoid cross contamination and say that I would prefer they cook that instead of a burger. It is a long process - for me 12 years and counting and still people don't get it, but it's getting better.

Good luck!!

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Cassandra

Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.

IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up!

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