Struggles Only IBS Sufferers Understand

[caption id="attachment_830989" align="alignleft" width="1068"] bigstockphoto.com/horizontal photograph of a young beautiful African American fashion model[/caption] Irritable bowel syndrome comes up a lot in medical journals. Your doctor has probably mentioned it to you once or twice when you’ve complained of digestive discomfort. People who don’t have IBS can think it’s not really a big deal—that it’s akin to seasonal allergies and those who have it can just pop some over-the-counter medication and go on about their day. But IBS can consume a person’s life. Because of the very nature of the syndrome (it’s not exactly the most glamorous topic) people who suffer from IBS don’t usually talk about it. But considering that between 24 and 45 million people in the United States suffer from it, and two out of three of whom are women, there is a good chance that individuals in your circle of friends have some degree of IBS. Here are struggles only people with IBS understand.   [caption id="attachment_711192" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Dating someone new is complicated

Sleeping over at a new boyfriend’s house is an experience filled with land mines. You wish you didn’t have to explain why you spend so much time in the bathroom, and you wish you could just hop out of bed and have the heavy brunch he wants to make you. But you don’t get to have any mystery in your relationships.       . [caption id="attachment_625902" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Early wake ups ruin everything

Your internal clock is extremely sensitive. If you have to get up at 5 in the morning for a flight, you just can’t go to the bathroom that day. And when you can’t go one day, it makes it harder to go the next day. It’s not that you aren’t a morning person or you like to sleep late—it’s that your bowels need proper rest to work. . [caption id="attachment_722629" align="alignleft" width="377"] Shutterstock[/caption]

Traveling can be a nightmare

Having to go to the bathroom fast because your train is leaving in ten minutes and being conscious of the long line for the airplane bathroom—these are some of your worst nightmares.             . [caption id="attachment_717498" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Thai food for a first date—HA!

Your date wants to take you somewhere adventurous like a Thai food restaurant or a Szechuan place. You want to be a good sport, but eating that food will ruin the night.             . [caption id="attachment_700825" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Things like camping and Coachella: NO

You aren’t being a Princess or a diva or high maintenance. You literally cannot just use porta potties all weekend. It doesn’t work that way for you.             . [caption id="attachment_708425" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You sneak your office into the bathroom

You try to low-key bring your laptop, coffee, phone, and phone charger into the bathroom. You’re going to be in there for a while, so you may as well get some work done.           . [caption id="attachment_719160" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You take calls on the toilet

You’ve taken serious business calls on the toilet. You’re a master at hitting the mute button at just the right times.             . [caption id="attachment_697524" align="alignleft" width="468"] Image: Shutterstock[/caption]

You tailor your wardrobe to it

High-waist pants that close tight around your tummy? Crop tops that show off your abdomen? Hah. Those are for other people. You never know when bloat will destroy your day, and you need clothes that accommodate it.             . [caption id="attachment_712463" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You really do need your own bathroom

You don’t have a problem sharing space. You’re not spoiled. But you truly need your own bathroom. You’re willing to pay the extra $200 in rent every month to have it.           . [caption id="attachment_623973" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You’ve spent a lot of time and money on doctors

You don’t even want to think about the thousands of dollars you’ve spent on doctors, trying to find out what’s wrong with you. All they ever said was you have IBS, and there’s really no cure.   . [caption id="attachment_607975" align="alignleft" width="419"] Shutterstock[/caption]

You’ve canceled plans because of it

You’ve canceled plans you were really looking forward to because your IBS acted up. Your friends think you’re a hypochondriac or you make too big of deal of “Just a little stomach ache.”           . [caption id="attachment_703373" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Coffee has to be timed out correctly

No, you can’t just try this famous Cappuccino place in the city at 4 pm. Coffee has some very special effects on you, and your friend doesn’t have time to wait while those effects take place.           . [caption id="attachment_611081" align="alignleft" width="423"] Corbis Images[/caption]

Everyone thinks they have the magic cure

Everyone thinks they know the one trick to cure your IBS. Have you tried this powder you mix into your water? Have you tried this probiotic? Have you tried cutting this out of your diet? Adding that? Yes, you have tried it all.         . [caption id="attachment_717085" align="alignleft" width="414"] Shutterstock[/caption]

New foods are a bit scary

You never quite know how your body will react to a brand new food, which makes trying them away from home (and away from your bathroom) scary.             . [caption id="attachment_699107" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Surprise visitors are not a good thing

You do not like it when people just pop by your apartment to say hello. Your apartment is your IBS sanctuary. For all they know, you just got the lighting right, did the perfect yoga pose, and had that tea that helps you go to the bathroom. And then somebody knocked on the damn door.         . [caption id="attachment_610381" align="alignleft" width="420"] Shutterstock.com[/caption]

You had a colonoscopy very young

Most people have their first colonoscopy at age 50, but not you! You had one when you were 20 years old. Preparing for and recovering from it is how you spent your Spring Break, sophomore year of college.           . [caption id="attachment_712175" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Your routine is so important

You don’t have OCD and you aren’t afraid to shake things up. Your intestines are a delicate ecosystem and they depend on your routine to function.               . [caption id="attachment_623268" align="alignleft" width="422"] Corbis Images[/caption]

You can’t be rushed out the door

You’re not one of those people who can just hop out of bed and walk out the door. You need at least an hour at home in the morning to see if your bowels have any business to take care of.           . [caption id="attachment_702725" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

People think you’re vain

Because you spend so much time in the bathroom. Yeah right—you wish you were in there doing your makeup. That sounds nice.               . [caption id="attachment_706468" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Exercise is complicated

You can’t really exercise unless you’ve gone to the bathroom that day and had a satisfactory bowel movement. Otherwise exercising can just, um, shake things up in a bad way. That’s why you can’t meet the girls for a beach power walk at 10 am on a Saturday.

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