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It Hurts
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Frequently, there is no seeming rhyme nor reason as to when the pain will hit. This makes it very disruptive to all of the other aspects of one’s life, e.g. work, family obligations, and leisure activities.
2It’s EmbarrassingThe fact that IBS affects the process of digestive elimination, symptoms can be humiliating. It is a very different thing to tell others that you suffer from migraine headaches, diabetes or asthma, as opposed to telling people that you have are in pain from constipation or have a need to run to the bathroom for diarrhea urgency. People are very understanding when a person with diabetes needs to be on a special diet or that a person with a migraine may need to lie down in a dark room. The stigma associated with digestive symptoms can make it excruciatingly embarrassing for a person to need to be in a bathroom for extended periods of time (not to mention worrying about smells!)
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It’s EmbarrassingThe fact that IBS affects the process of digestive elimination, symptoms can be humiliating. It is a very different thing to tell others that you suffer from migraine headaches, diabetes or asthma, as opposed to telling people that you have are in pain from constipation or have a need to run to the bathroom for diarrhea urgency. People are very understanding when a person with diabetes needs to be on a special diet or that a person with a migraine may need to lie down in a dark room. The stigma associated with digestive symptoms can make it excruciatingly embarrassing for a person to need to be in a bathroom for extended periods of time (not to mention worrying about smells!)
It’s Embarrassing
The fact that IBS affects the process of digestive elimination, symptoms can be humiliating. It is a very different thing to tell others that you suffer from migraine headaches, diabetes or asthma, as opposed to telling people that you have are in pain from constipation or have a need to run to the bathroom for diarrhea urgency. People are very understanding when a person with diabetes needs to be on a special diet or that a person with a migraine may need to lie down in a dark room. The stigma associated with digestive symptoms can make it excruciatingly embarrassing for a person to need to be in a bathroom for extended periods of time (not to mention worrying about smells!)
3You Miss out on ThingsThe disruptive and unpredictable nature of IBS symptoms puts a significant cramp on one’s ability to participate in life activities. IBS causes people to have to miss work, cancel outings and miss out on social gatherings. Making future plans, which can be a source of excitement and positive anticipation for most people, can fill a person with IBS with dread. “How will I manage that?”, “How will I feel?”, and “I could never commit to something like that.”, are common thoughts for people who cannot count on their bodies to feel well. Any person with IBS can tell you how much of life they have missed because they were stuck in a bathroom or stuck at home dealing with disabling symptoms.
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You Miss out on ThingsThe disruptive and unpredictable nature of IBS symptoms puts a significant cramp on one’s ability to participate in life activities. IBS causes people to have to miss work, cancel outings and miss out on social gatherings. Making future plans, which can be a source of excitement and positive anticipation for most people, can fill a person with IBS with dread. “How will I manage that?”, “How will I feel?”, and “I could never commit to something like that.”, are common thoughts for people who cannot count on their bodies to feel well. Any person with IBS can tell you how much of life they have missed because they were stuck in a bathroom or stuck at home dealing with disabling symptoms.
You Miss out on Things
The disruptive and unpredictable nature of IBS symptoms puts a significant cramp on one’s ability to participate in life activities. IBS causes people to have to miss work, cancel outings and miss out on social gatherings. Making future plans, which can be a source of excitement and positive anticipation for most people, can fill a person with IBS with dread. “How will I manage that?”, “How will I feel?”, and “I could never commit to something like that.”, are common thoughts for people who cannot count on their bodies to feel well. Any person with IBS can tell you how much of life they have missed because they were stuck in a bathroom or stuck at home dealing with disabling symptoms.
4You Can’t Eat Like Everyone ElsePeople who don’t have IBS can enjoy food without worry. They don’t have to be concerned that they will pay royally for eating something that they shouldn’t have. They don’t have to worry that the simple act of eating will trigger bloating, abdominal cramps or diarrhea urgency. People with IBS have to be concerned about when they eat, what they eat, and how they eat. Previously loved foods may now be off-limits. Often people with IBS skip meals altogether so as to not get sick. Many avoid eating out socially - it is just not worth the risk.
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You Can’t Eat Like Everyone ElsePeople who don’t have IBS can enjoy food without worry. They don’t have to be concerned that they will pay royally for eating something that they shouldn’t have. They don’t have to worry that the simple act of eating will trigger bloating, abdominal cramps or diarrhea urgency. People with IBS have to be concerned about when they eat, what they eat, and how they eat. Previously loved foods may now be off-limits. Often people with IBS skip meals altogether so as to not get sick. Many avoid eating out socially - it is just not worth the risk.
You Can’t Eat Like Everyone Else
People who don’t have IBS can enjoy food without worry. They don’t have to be concerned that they will pay royally for eating something that they shouldn’t have. They don’t have to worry that the simple act of eating will trigger bloating, abdominal cramps or diarrhea urgency. People with IBS have to be concerned about when they eat, what they eat, and how they eat. Previously loved foods may now be off-limits. Often people with IBS skip meals altogether so as to not get sick. Many avoid eating out socially - it is just not worth the risk.
5Your Healthcare Provider Doesn’t Know What to Do With YouMost healthcare providers go into the medical field because they want to help people to get better. IBS presents a challenge to even the most well-meaning of healthcare providers because effective treatment options for IBS are so limited. Healthcare provider can provide reassurance that a more serious disorder has not been missed, perhaps prescribe an antispasmodic or other form of IBS medication, but are not, as of yet, able to offer a firm plan for a cure. This limitation can be so disheartening to a person who is feeling so ill and who looks to their healthcare providers for answers, yet comes away without any solid sense of relief.
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Your Healthcare Provider Doesn’t Know What to Do With YouMost healthcare providers go into the medical field because they want to help people to get better. IBS presents a challenge to even the most well-meaning of healthcare providers because effective treatment options for IBS are so limited. Healthcare provider can provide reassurance that a more serious disorder has not been missed, perhaps prescribe an antispasmodic or other form of IBS medication, but are not, as of yet, able to offer a firm plan for a cure. This limitation can be so disheartening to a person who is feeling so ill and who looks to their healthcare providers for answers, yet comes away without any solid sense of relief.
Your Healthcare Provider Doesn’t Know What to Do With You
Most healthcare providers go into the medical field because they want to help people to get better. IBS presents a challenge to even the most well-meaning of healthcare providers because effective treatment options for IBS are so limited. Healthcare provider can provide reassurance that a more serious disorder has not been missed, perhaps prescribe an antispasmodic or other form of IBS medication, but are not, as of yet, able to offer a firm plan for a cure. This limitation can be so disheartening to a person who is feeling so ill and who looks to their healthcare providers for answers, yet comes away without any solid sense of relief.
6You Can’t Buy the Clothes You WantAlthough fashion limitations could be viewed as a minor annoyance, it can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life. People who have IBS often have to choose clothing with flexible waistlines to accommodate severebloating and distension. Many people with IBS only wear dark pants in case ofbathroom accidents. (Thongs are of course, simply out of the question for a woman with IBS.) Since our culture does place a large emphasis on physical appearance, such limitations can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem.
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You Can’t Buy the Clothes You WantAlthough fashion limitations could be viewed as a minor annoyance, it can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life. People who have IBS often have to choose clothing with flexible waistlines to accommodate severebloating and distension. Many people with IBS only wear dark pants in case ofbathroom accidents. (Thongs are of course, simply out of the question for a woman with IBS.) Since our culture does place a large emphasis on physical appearance, such limitations can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem.
You Can’t Buy the Clothes You Want
Although fashion limitations could be viewed as a minor annoyance, it can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life. People who have IBS often have to choose clothing with flexible waistlines to accommodate severebloating and distension. Many people with IBS only wear dark pants in case ofbathroom accidents. (Thongs are of course, simply out of the question for a woman with IBS.) Since our culture does place a large emphasis on physical appearance, such limitations can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem.
7Everyone Has a Theory as to What You Need to Do to Get BetterUnlike other health problems where people would never dream of expressing unearned expertise, IBS for some reason seems to be seen as open territory. Here are some things that people with IBS hear all too often:“All you need to do is relax. You are just too stressed.““You need tostop eating gluten. My friend stopped eating gluten and her IBS got better right away.““You need to get a new healthcare provider. Obviously, the one you have is not helping you.““It’s all in your head. Just don’t think about it and you will be fine.”
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Everyone Has a Theory as to What You Need to Do to Get BetterUnlike other health problems where people would never dream of expressing unearned expertise, IBS for some reason seems to be seen as open territory. Here are some things that people with IBS hear all too often:“All you need to do is relax. You are just too stressed.““You need tostop eating gluten. My friend stopped eating gluten and her IBS got better right away.““You need to get a new healthcare provider. Obviously, the one you have is not helping you.““It’s all in your head. Just don’t think about it and you will be fine.”
Everyone Has a Theory as to What You Need to Do to Get Better
Unlike other health problems where people would never dream of expressing unearned expertise, IBS for some reason seems to be seen as open territory. Here are some things that people with IBS hear all too often:
8It Affects Your Work LifeDealing with an unpredictable digestive system can significantly impact on a person’s career choice. For some, this means not going into the desired career due to the inability to sit through school to get a degree. For others, it means not being able to do work that you love because you need to be near a bathroom or need to have the flexibility to take time off due to severe symptoms. Many people who have IBS avoid jobs that involve travel because the demands of such are too hard on the body. This may mean that IBS can have a very significant negative impact on a person’s finances.
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It Affects Your Work LifeDealing with an unpredictable digestive system can significantly impact on a person’s career choice. For some, this means not going into the desired career due to the inability to sit through school to get a degree. For others, it means not being able to do work that you love because you need to be near a bathroom or need to have the flexibility to take time off due to severe symptoms. Many people who have IBS avoid jobs that involve travel because the demands of such are too hard on the body. This may mean that IBS can have a very significant negative impact on a person’s finances.
It Affects Your Work Life
Dealing with an unpredictable digestive system can significantly impact on a person’s career choice. For some, this means not going into the desired career due to the inability to sit through school to get a degree. For others, it means not being able to do work that you love because you need to be near a bathroom or need to have the flexibility to take time off due to severe symptoms. Many people who have IBS avoid jobs that involve travel because the demands of such are too hard on the body. This may mean that IBS can have a very significant negative impact on a person’s finances.
9It Affects the People Who Love YouIBS does not only affect the person who has the disorder. Children lose time with a parent who needs to be alone to deal with symptoms. (At its extreme, children may be left alone for extended periods of time while a parent is stuck in a bathroom!). Significant others find themselves missing out on social opportunities. Everyone related to a person who has IBS knows that certain activities may be canceled at the last minute or never scheduled at all because the person who has IBS may not be able to participate.
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It Affects the People Who Love YouIBS does not only affect the person who has the disorder. Children lose time with a parent who needs to be alone to deal with symptoms. (At its extreme, children may be left alone for extended periods of time while a parent is stuck in a bathroom!). Significant others find themselves missing out on social opportunities. Everyone related to a person who has IBS knows that certain activities may be canceled at the last minute or never scheduled at all because the person who has IBS may not be able to participate.
It Affects the People Who Love You
IBS does not only affect the person who has the disorder. Children lose time with a parent who needs to be alone to deal with symptoms. (At its extreme, children may be left alone for extended periods of time while a parent is stuck in a bathroom!). Significant others find themselves missing out on social opportunities. Everyone related to a person who has IBS knows that certain activities may be canceled at the last minute or never scheduled at all because the person who has IBS may not be able to participate.
Frequently asked QuestionsWhat triggers an IBS flare-up?Eatingcertain foods(often dairy,fiber, spicy, or fatty foods), skipping meals or overeating, and strenuous physical activities are linked to irritable bowel syndrome and may bring on symptoms.Emotional stress and anxiety can also cause aflare-up.What medication can I take to stop IBS pain?Over-the-counter acetaminophen can help, but don’t use NSAIDs due to gastrointestinal side effects. Various prescription medications help different symptoms and types of IBS, including:Tricyclic antidepressantsAmitiza (lubiprostone)Linzess (linaclotide)Trulance (plecantide)Xifaxin (rifaximin)Lotronex (alosetron)
Frequently asked Questions
What triggers an IBS flare-up?
Eatingcertain foods(often dairy,fiber, spicy, or fatty foods), skipping meals or overeating, and strenuous physical activities are linked to irritable bowel syndrome and may bring on symptoms.Emotional stress and anxiety can also cause aflare-up.
What medication can I take to stop IBS pain?
Over-the-counter acetaminophen can help, but don’t use NSAIDs due to gastrointestinal side effects. Various prescription medications help different symptoms and types of IBS, including:
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients!World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771Lacy BE, Pimentel M, Brenner DM, et al.ACG clinical guideline: Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(1):17-44. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001036
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients!World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771Lacy BE, Pimentel M, Brenner DM, et al.ACG clinical guideline: Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(1):17-44. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001036
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients!World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771Lacy BE, Pimentel M, Brenner DM, et al.ACG clinical guideline: Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(1):17-44. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001036
Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients!World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771
Lacy BE, Pimentel M, Brenner DM, et al.ACG clinical guideline: Management of irritable bowel syndrome.Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(1):17-44. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001036
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