Hi Caroline,
That's great news! Good on you! It sounds like a great opportunity and your boss sounds really understanding which is a huge help. It also sounds like you're not stuck in a room with loads of people so you can be pretty discreet about the old loo situation! I think it will probably do you good to have something like this to focus on, I dont know about you but I find that although you feel safer knowing you can just stay at home the whole time you just spend obsessing over every little movement your tum makes. At least if you can get out and about and have something to distract you it makes you feel just that little bit more normal (not to say that I dont spend a fair amount of time thinking about my bowels whilst I'm at work - hence writing this message whilst I should be working - oops).
Personally I developed IBS about 4 years ago, just before my last year at uni after a weird virus that was going around where I just felt sick non-stop for 3 weeks, lovely. Since then my tummy seemed to well wake up as if from a deep sleep, I would get a really sensitive stomach really easily and I was noticing that after I ate certain meals I would have to rush to the loo with crippling pains and explosive sh*ts! Over the years it continued on this vain, essentially on a day to day basis though I felt generally ok, it was definitely a problem but one I could just about handle.
However..about 2 months ago I got struck down with what I believe was a bug (as my brother had the same thing) suffering from spontaneous runs, spasms, no appetite, just generally feeling extremely feeble, vulnerable and in pain. I couldnt get through a day at work and I was so scared. Since then, I can at least say that things have improved, I am following Heather's diet and I can go about my daily life without dropping dead. Nevertheless I still have daily pain/discomfort, a whole host of symtpoms and really just long to be back to 'normal' (which wasnt great anyway). It's certaintly true that you dont know what you've got till its gone.
My god, I've just realised how much I have rambled, I do apologise. I just find that it is something that I have to carry around with me all the time, think about pretty much all of the time and no one around me really gets it. Yes they can sympathise but after the first 100 complaints they usually lose interest, unfortunatelty I cant.
On a lighter note, it has been great to find these boards and see that I'm not the only one suffering as it is a very lonely illness. I think just having support from others can help you keep your chin up and try and draw on the positives.
Anyhoo, that's a bit about me (probably a bit too much!) so hope I havent sent you to sleep.
Again congrats on the job and hope to chat with you (or any other poor souls who've got this far reading this post) soon! Laura x
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