By Laura Mumby, 23, UK
My story started a very long time ago. In fact, I've had bowel issues since I was a child. I was one of those strange children who wouldn't go to the bathroom for a few days and then all hell would break loose. It really hurt. I remember being quite upset and my mum coming to help me. Without being too crude, she did check my movements for me - I assume that she'll have been looking for blood etc at the time, basically what I do now!
Things never really improved with age. I've grown to be a person who struggles with gluten, meat and lactose. Am I the only one who seems to be irritated by meat? I can only guess that the larger protein molecules that make up meat and gluten are causing the irritation. And I clearly lack the enzymes to digest lactose. It's incredibly expensive and ever so slightly annoying.
I envy people who can go out for a nice family dinner. Unless I want a salad, there is nothing for me. My problems vary, depending on the irritant and how stressed I am. If I eat foods containing gluten, I often become bloated and constipated with a horrendous pain along my lower abdomen and side. If I am stressed or have too much soluble fiber, or even lactose, I am running straight to the bathroom. Sometimes I debate putting up a shelf next to my toilet so I can rest my laptop on it... Maybe watch a video on Youtube!
Being a young person never helped my cause. I had doctors accuse me of making things up or having it all in my head. Just because I am young, doesn't mean I am invisible! Things changed in 2014 though.. I collapsed at work in the June and in August my mum was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer. And with that, I marched back to the doctors and they finally listened. I was given a referral to the colorectal team in my nearby hospital.
I've had a few tests... Two doctors have 'had a poke around'… One blood test (which wasn't done correctly may I add - if you're being tested for coeliac disease, please ensure you have been eating products containing gluten for at least six weeks), and finally a colonoscopy.
Thankfully, it wasn't cancer and it wasn't IBD like the doctors thought it could be. I was diagnosed with IBS on January 2nd, 2015. After all that, I've not had much help from doctors etc. A lot of them don't actually know what to do. I was prescribed antispasmodics coated in lactose AFTER telling them I was intolerant. And after a serious constipation issue this year, I was prescribed lactulose, which shouldn't be given to any patient with IBS.
In the grand scheme of things, I feel lucky. My mum has colostomy bags for life now. I can use a toilet. I have all of my bowels. My mum lost a great percentage of hers. I just have to be careful with what I eat and drink, try not to become too stressed and ensure I know where the nearest toilet is.
It’s not the life sentence I once considered it to be. And with the help of nice people, social media and organisations like the IBS Network, I am managing pretty well.
Now, time to get my sweet potato out of the oven…