Hi I'm newFirst year UBC student, looking to major in computer scienceI don't know for SURE that I have IBS, but I certainly have all the symptoms and for years I put this off hoping i'll eventually 'grow' out of it IE puberty because this is really not something I wish to even talk to my parents about. Heck I just spent an hour looking up the symptoms and diagnostics - while I'm being optimistic and hope that it isn't cancer or anything - it seems everything diagnostic will be a pain in the ass... Another incentive not to go to the doctor.When I am really nervous, for example, public speaking or a really big test (or when I have to go to the doctor, and I went to the doctor a lot, juvenile anklelosing sponklelitis or something spelled that way, in short, arthritis), I find that it is most helpful to have a restroom within 30 second distance. Other times some days I may actually feel okay while others is filled with D and bad case of gas (like now). I don't drink coffee or tea, but I found that I have a really bad reaction to coke or pepsi so these days I avoid them - but it's become such a daily occurance that some days I still just drink them because heck, it won't make much of a difference anyhow. I am going to try to stop drinking milk/avoid dairy products for a week and eat the rest like I always do and see what happens. D or whatever else would usually come in minutes after ingestion of a meal, or sometimes triggered by coke or air conditioning in shopping centers.I definitely have lots of stress going on and chronic fatigue too, which has caused me to be disinterested in everything and prefer to be a couch potatoe (on that note, I don't do that much excercise, but University means I'll walk at least an hour a day now).Since another month with IBS will be, well, another month, should I go see a doctor immediately (I know thats the best thing to do)? Would I be able to avoid all those um, uncomfortable tests (even if they do hit me on the head with a frying pan and then do it...) given my symptoms? Preparations for those tests etc will be tough on me cause I want to stay in school and all, too. I will make it a priority to see the doctor after I talk to my parents about this, but I've been reading that there are a few medicines available that made a life difference for some - any over the counter drugs I shoudl try before I have the time to visit the hospital?As for why I waited years to come out about this. One already mentioned that I just thought I can live with it and it will go away (and after reading the IBS self help site I'm not sure it ever will), so now I guess I must do something about it (preferably something in a pill form...).Also I do have hormone imbalance (left breast growing) which I should go see the doctor anyway
Arthritis and IBS, wow,I'm in deep ****.I know most of you probably had it worse than me, so I guess we understand each other on this... I'm far more comfortable behind a computer locked in my own dorm, but even typing this is... well... I hope you all understand, and if you are wondering how I am coping with my symptoms up until now - I hold it.Hi, I'm Mac_Bug, and I have IBS (at least I hope I do at this stage, anything else could potentially be worse)...

