Hey Everyone, Colin here to tell you about something that i have not even mentioned on our blog but is a daily struggle for both myself and Anna and other extended family members.
When i was 15 i suddenly became very anxious as when i was in class i was constantly thinking about needing to go to the toilet. i would feel that it was embarrassing raising my hand asking the teacher if i could go to the toilet and i would be constantly fearing the teacher saying no, you can wait.
With my GCSE's fast approaching i felt like i needed to try and sort something as i just could not face being sat in an exam for a couple of hours knowing i could not go to the toilet. It was at this point i went to the doctors after my mum said it was the only option. The doctor confirmed i was suffering from from a nervous condition and wrote to the school asking that i be given special dispensation during my examinations.
I have to say the School were very good, my form tutor called me in to a private meeting and said that she had spoken to each of my teachers and they were all fully aware of the situation. it was then decided that if i felt ok on the day of the exam i would go into the normal hall and the adjudicators would be aware that if i needed to leave to use the toilet then this was acceptable. My form tutor also said if i didn't feel right before an examination i was to speak to a teacher and i would be able to take the exam in a separate room and leave that room at any time to use the toilet. It was also made clear to me that the school had spoken to the examination boards and i would not lose any time at all if i needed to use the toilet as this time would be added on to the end.
As it happened each examination came and went and because of the peace of mind i didn't once have to leave the examination hall, in fact i took every single exam in the main hall with everybody else.
The doctor did give me some tablets, i cant remember what they were but i started them about 4 weeks before the exams and i have to say they made me feel a lot worse, i found i was better off without them.
Anyway, it turns out i am a sufferer from a very common condition, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I have to say this wasn't confirmed for many years after my GCSE's and if it had been it maybe would have made my college and working life better as it could have been somewhat controlled.
So what is IBS? Well on the +NHS Choices Website it is described in the following way;
"Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, long-term condition of the digestive system. It can cause bouts of stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and/or constipation.
The symptoms vary between individuals and affect some people more severely than others. They tend to come and go in periods lasting a few days to a few months at a time, often during times of stress or after eating certain foods."
It is said to affect about 20% of the population and most people start with the condition when they are in their twenties, which twice as many women suffering from the condition as men.
Different people will suffer with different symptoms with IBS, but the main symptoms among sufferers are;
- Abdominal Stomach pain and Cramping
- A change in Bowel habits - Diarrhea / Constipation
- Swelling / Bloating of the stomach
- Excessive Wind
- Needing to urgently go to the toilet
- A lack of Energy
- Feeling Nauseous
- Backache
So what is it like for me living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Quite simply - Frustrating.
Everything you should look forward too is completely over ridden with dread, fear, embarrassment and anger. Let me give you some examples.
Going on Holiday - you spend the whole week before going away slowly winding yourself up thinking about the Journey. Take our Holiday to Whinfell Forest that we talked about yesterday on the blog as an example, i know where it is, i know what to expect when i am there but still the journey there was horrific, even though it was only just over 2 hours in the car on the motorway.
Going for a Meal Out - i find myself trying to stick to the same restaurants as i know the layout and as odd as it sounds i know how many toilets there are and where they are. I also know what foods i should be ok with on their menus.
IBS can make you feel lonely, silly, pathetic, panicky, anxious, distressed, sweaty and stupid all in one go - and it doesn't matter how many times you try and tell yourself your being silly and you will be fine, you just cannot shake it off.
People will say to you, oh your just being silly, oh its just physiological, oh your an adult just hold on etc and what people who don't suffer from IBS realise is that you don't need them to say these things as you are saying those exact same things to yourself.
i haven't done this post looking for any kind of sympathy or any kind of attention seeking, i have done it because it is a condition that people are afraid to admit they have and afraid to talk about and it is a condition that people simply don't understand
My only hope is that if people read this who don't have the condition they slightly understand what is happening to the sufferer too and if people are reading this who do have the condition that they can relate to it.
Speak Soon, Colin
