It was a lovely summer's day at my best friend's house, a planned two day sleep over to celebrate the epitome of my youth. That's when IBS decided to gatecrash and turn the 2 day fun of madness to one day of resting in my friend's bed for the night. Damn it, you're not supposed to sleep at sleepovers!

That's right, instead of realizing it at home, or somewhere where I could leave without felling bad or get home from quickly, my IBS decided to come at night when I couldn't go home. From then on, from 15 to about 17 I've dealt with this thing. And I haven't found a cure. But I think I've figured out that IBS stands for Inevitably Bad Social life.

I've tried all sorts of things and it hasn't worked. I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy to find out I'm lactose intolerant. Allergic in cases of milk and cream. So I cut it out from my life... to no relief. I'd been seeing a gastroenterologist and naturopath, both concluding I had IBS (IBS-A) as well as the lactose intolerance. The naturopath said I wasn't great with gluten, rye, oats, wheat and barley either but the gastroenterologist said I was in the clear for that. I tried cutting it out anyway. Still pain.

The only thing I haven't tried is the psychological section of treatment. But I really don't see anything in hypnotism, and I'm sure I'd get stressed out more just thinking of spending my single mother's two-job hared earned cash on something like that.

It ruined my school studies. I was in year eleven, aspiring to be a chemist when IBS interrupted to the point of my chemistry grades going from an A... to a C... then finally to a E... My first failed subject. My worst report card ever. I could kiss goodbye to getting a TER with my attendance. Right now I am doing four subjects at school and electronic engineering at TAFE, and it's fun! ...But I almost missed a class today thanks to IBS. I ended up missing high school because I was too sick.

When I go back to school, my friends wonder where I've been. I can't really say 'the toilet and I became best friends and we read books together while you're working your butt off here'. Though they are existent, I use my other illnesses as an excuse. I have to go to the doctors so often, and I have nothing to talk to them apart from my illnesses, I bet they're sick of it when they listen.

I have told a few friends about it, but they don't talk about it. The best friend that I mentioned doesn't mention the IBS, she thinks my other illnesses do the evil deed because I keep on using them as excuses. My sister says she care but all she does is insult me about it when it comes down to it and calls me a liar. My ever so elusive father thinks it's curable for some reason.

At least now I'm so used to abdominal pain that period pains feel like a tickle. Plus I got a build in toilet searcher. It's a cool- IBS gang thing.

I've tried every type of diet and supplementary of the rainbow, so aside from that, does anyone recommend anything? It's starting to get bad again, and I don't to lose to IT (which should be called Irritating Bowel Syndrome instead).

Thanks for reading and I hope you all get better yourselves, because this is one illness that no one understands unless they are affected by it.

By: Gazillion_Guts