IBS Tales Home > Read The Tales > Sad Tales: Teenagers with IBS-C Page Three
sad tales: teenagers with ibs-c page three
The tale of...Emily (November 2005)
Hello, I'm Emily and I'm 13. I have been suffering with IBS since age nine, and I was really colicky when I was little. I have been hurting from the horrible, fatty, nasty, icky, and disgusting foods today. Another reason is I have tons of stress, I need to learn how to relax. I get stressed over such little things, like my little brother says he's allergic to bees, and I keep saying he isn't, he says he is, and it's stressful.
I sometimes get really scared to leave the house because I don't want to hurt at school. But crying to stay home makes my IBS worse, which makes it hurt more, then I don't want to live. I have had suicidal thoughts before but that's over with now I'm off Regulan and taking my Prozac.
E-mail Emily: [email protected]
The tale of...Sandra (21 November 2005)
I am 14 years old and am believed to be suffering from IBS. I don't have a proper diagnosis just yet but I'm going to the doctor for testing soon. My parents noticed that my bowel habits weren't like most people's when I was a toddler. They also noticed that I had many, many stomach aches.
I first went to the doctor at age four and several times after that from about ages four to eight. When I was six they finally thought that they knew what was wrong. They diagnosed me to be lactose intolerant and sent me on my way. Well, after a few months it was clear that I wasn't. My symptoms only became worse with the new medication.
The poor doctor became frustrated and took me off the medication, then sent me to a specialist. I was about seven when I went to the specialist. They said that I was simply impacted and blamed my diet, and that because I was young, I probably just ignored the urges to go. The doctors simply dismissed me with a few enemas and insisted that it was all in my head. I don't believe it.
I get severe stomach pains almost every day. I'm almost always bloated. When I was younger, I was always at the school nurse after lunch crying because of stomach pains, but no-one ever believed me so I gave up on their help. Almost my entire life I have been constipated, except occasionally when I'll get really bad diarrhea and cramping.
I miss school a lot and it's so embarrassing when I do go because I'll suddenly need to run to the bathroom (although school rules don't let you go during class) or I'll suddenly double over in pain. People will tend to stare at me because my stomach makes strange, audible noises at random times and it tends to hurt too.
The sudden, frequent urges for a toilet have caused me to become claustrophobic too for fear that if I don't have easy access to a bathroom that I'll get embarrassed. I get teased about this a lot, even by my own brother, and teachers yell at me a lot because I'm late for class because of an urge.
Only my mom seems to get that I'm in constant pain and she's agreed to start taking me back to the doctors and tell them that all of my symptoms point to IBS, although my doctor doesn't believe in IBS. I'm really sorry for anyone else who has it and I hope that at least you didn't have it since birth like I did. Best of luck to all.
E-mail Sandra: [email protected]
The tale of...Sophie (November 2005)
I'm 13 and I've been suffering from IBS for a long time now, and this website's really made me feel a lot better to know I'm not the only one who no-one believes! I'm really sorry about everyone else, but can I ask any of the girls if your periods have stopped or like cut down in the space of a year? I've had four periods, that's not normal I don't think.
Anyways I'm in my third year of high school and I hate it. I hate going to the toilet about four times every lesson, and a lesson lasts for 50 minutes. I become hot very quickly when I panic, and our school uniform is really hot, we have to wear shirts, jumpers and blazers and we are not allowed two take them off under any circumstances.
My dad and mum don't believe what I say because I have so much time off school, and the school is getting pretty pissed off with it too now, but I can't help myself. It doesn't help when my doctor doesn't believe in IBS, it's awful! Thanks everyone, I hope you get better.
E-mail Sophie: [email protected]
The tale of...Kate (17 July 2006)
I am 14 years old and I have had IBS all of my life. My IBS is not easily treatable, I can take meds over and over but it never goes away! When I was a baby my mom kept telling the doctors that I had extreme constipation and they said 'Oh, she just won't go because she thinks that it is nasty'. (Ha ha...I would go if I could.)
I have learned a lot about my IBS, and a lot about my spells (witch sometimes include vomiting!) but most of all I have learned that you can't go to a regular doctor, they will just say that you complain too much, you have to go to a specialist. I have also been wanting to take Zelnorm ever since it came out, but I have again and again been told that I am too young. But there is another great medicine that I can take that really helps, it is called Miralax, it works wonders!
The tale of...Tim (July 2006)
I'm 18 in a few months time, and since having IBS I've seen myself deteriorate very fast. The first time I got constipated it was so bad I had to go to the hospital (where I work) to have suppositories put up me, embarrassing seeing as I worked with the people that helped me. It was so painful, it felt like I had years full of waste inside of me that needed to come out but wouldn't. I was given strong painkillers and anti-sickness tablets to help with me being sick every time I strained on the toilet.
When I went home, I went to bed and forgot all about that day. I was going regularly to the toilet but I wasn't going much and it was painful. I always left the toilet weaker and more fragile than when I went in. Then my second attack came, worse than my first. I hadn't been for a week and now my cramps were to a maximum. I had no energy to go back to the hospital again. I had no choice either. Off I went and had the same treatment as before. I had an interview in a few weeks time for a job I really wanted but how could I do a job when I get sudden attacks of IBS?
I'm scared of taking tablets, I'm scared of everything, even going out of the house. I don't know how to deal with it anymore, it's embarrassing to me. And I have no idea why this has happened to me, why don't any of my friends who eat sweets all day long have this problem?
E-mail Tim: [email protected]