HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

New and frustrated :(

Support Forums
>
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/5/2007 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with acid reflux and IBS about 10 years ago, and haven't had a major flare up since I got it under control then. However, I am going on two months now with extreme nausea, diarrhea and general crampy stomach. My regular doctor did blood work and said everything was normal, and has in general been very unsupportive. I have an appointment with a GI in two weeks (the soonest they could see me) but I am struggling in the meantime. I wake up every morning feeling sick and am late to work because I'm in the bathroom.

How do you all manage to function on a daily basis if you're in the midst of a flare up? :(
Posted 2/5/2007 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
When my guts are bothering me, I first tend to put off eating breakfast for as long as possible--oftentimes not eating something until 11 or so.

Some people also try to wake up earlier so as to have time to do the bathroom thing and get through the worst of it before work. It also gives you time to take an imodium, anti-spasmodic or whatever it is that you use, and gives it time to kick in before work.

Is it possible that you could arrange to go into work an hour later and stay an hour later? Then you could continue to get up at the same time, and still have that extra time to get fixed. Make sure you tell them that you are having bowel problems in the mornings and that's why you've been running late, and why it might be a good thing to go ahead and make it a point to come in later. That way you have it on the record that you have an illness, which means they can't fire you under FMLA--not, at least, until you've racked up more than like 8 full work weeks worth of time in a year.
Posted 2/24/2007 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with Keriamon. I know it can be embarassing, but be honest with your employer. Can your doctor give a note? Maybe you can work something out for mornings when you have attacks. Documententation is really important, especially for job security. What are your eating habits? Have you tried eating lighter more easily digestable food a night? Maybe then the mornings would not be so hard. Also, try not to eat any later than you have to. That should help some to. I think we all worry about our jobs and functioning normally. I worry about that a lot myself. I too am waiting for my first visit with the GI. He could not see me until the middle of March. Are you taking anything to help with symptoms? Activia yogurt and Digestive Advantage seem to help a lot for some people. There are also medications out there that can help with the pain. I wish you luck. You are in my thoughts.
Posted 2/24/2007 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! Did your situation ever bring back bad memories of when I was working and dealing with gut issues. :-) The only way I could function was to get up at 5:00 a.m. to allow for bathroom time, and eat NOTHING during the work day. I relied totally on hard candies just to have some kind of energy to make it through the day. I did this for a good 5 years, and it was horrible, but I survived it. It amazes me what the human body can tolerate and still keep going.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply