[Tamgirl21]

I don't know, maybe its just me but I get like majorily nervous when I'm in a quiet classroom. I am starting college again in January and I'm thinking about this now!! For some reason, when I'm in a quiet classroom I feel like everyone can hear my stomach growling. Even if I'm not hungry my stomach will sometimes growl. I always sit in the back of the class but the new school I'm going to has very small classes and its making me panic a little. I don't know what to do!! Has this happend to anyone else?

 

[Kristoffer]

Tamgirl,Boy, do I feel ya! Quiet classrooms are horrible! I sit in the back usually too. . .but my stomach really doesn't care! And it doesn't matter if I am really hungry, just ate, or anywhere in between. Plus, worrying about it doesn't help! It sucks too, because alot of time it doesn't seem to just be my stomach growling, but gas in the intestines somewhere, so the sounds are lower, and I always think people are thinking that I am farting! Horrible. The worst is, I am a law clerk while I am finishing law school, so often times I have to be in a courtroom. They are so much quieter than a classroom. Nothing more embarassing than sitting in a quiet, serious courtroom and having your stomach going crazy! So I definitely feel you, and I wish I could tell you how to deal with it, but I really have no clue! If you figure something out, let me know!Kris

 

[methical]

i could relate to the fear of a quiet classroom myself...especially if it's small and private, and especially if my system seems fragile on a given day...i coped with it in high school becuz my ibs hadn't really surfaced yet (just gas & some pain), but in college, it eventually got bad enough that i started feeling panicky and having a couple of panic attacks...as of now, i'm dropped out to tackle my ibs, but i plan on returning once this is under control...i know many people, esp. on this bboard, who have had similar fears with classrooms. it's an environment where you're surrounded by your peers and you need to really focus on what's on the blackboard, which of course could be difficult with ibs and the anxiety related to it. many people cope with "safe foods" a little before class if hunger is the problem, or immodium if D is the problem. anti-depressants/anti-anxiety pills seem to work for others...still others just cope and sit in the back or by the door...it really depends, but you should really try to find a way to manage it, or at the least don't drive yourself insane worrying about it, this will only make it much, much worse...meth

 

[EntyEnt]

I can totally relate also. The worst for me were always classes in the morning as it was either eat and have bathroom problems or not eat and be really hungry and worry about others hearing my stomach all morning long. Not to mention how hard it is to concentrate on class with an empty stomach. I guess it was better then running to the bathroom every 5 minutes though right? Now if I am ever in class (well more like meeting or insanely boring training session now) I just kinda laugh about it, but back then (hehe I say it like it was decades ago, although it was only 4 years or so) I could totally relate.Kyle

 

[NZChick]

I totally relate! Oh my gosh, thank God I'm not the only one! I REALLY want to start a degree or diploma but University classes, especially quiet exmas are my worst fear (even more than dying). I find what helps me a bit is to rationalise the fear to "who cares if people laugh/stare/point/ostracise/shoot me.." This helped with the diarrhea. Hypnosis and relaxation seem to be the only thing available for this ordeal. Do you guys find that when you are really engrossed with something and totally forgetting about it that it lessens? Maybe the only thing to do is to just say "excuse my tummy, it always does this, I can't do anything about it" and people seem to be more understanding. Isn't it absurd that a rumble can be so frigtening?!

 

[EntyEnt]

It is. It drives me nuts! I find a lot that when I am involved in something such as really involved in a project or whatever, especially at work where I know the bathroom is just around the corner I dont nearly have the same ammount of problems I do other times. It is very annoying and for the longest time I thought it was all in my head. Maybe it is?Kyle

 

[TryingToDeal]

ok i thought i was the only one who had this fear my stomach always growls in class and because if i eat i get really sick i have to go without eating and it always seems to want to growl during exams or very quiet times and i wonder do the people think i am passing gas? i know that is what they think and id never do that! but they don't know that they don't get it you know...sometimes it makes me hot and i start to sweat when it think its about to growl how do i stop it?

 

[Tamgirl21]

Trying to Deal, here is a similar thread that I found that had some great idea's!!!!!!

http://www.ibsgroup.org/cgi-local/ubbcgi/u...f=1&t=023010&p=

 

[fiona26]

I know exactly how you feel!! My classes are really small this year like only about 6 people and we all sit round a table so its really embarassing when my stomach suddenly makes these srtange growling noises. coz its such a small class i can`t pretend its someone else so I just sit there with my face going all red.The worst is when im just sitting there and my stomach makes this really tiny sound, so that no one can hear but its enough to know that im in trouble. then i start to panic and i sweat and I keep looking at my watch all the time.This is kinda stupid but ive even put my watch 5 minutes behind so that ill look at it and think oh 10 minutes to the bell and then remeber its only five lol. Its weird but little things like that seem to help.Anyone else get that?

 

[Phaedrus]

I know that this thread is so old that no one will probably see this, but I am posting anyway. I went through five years of University with this very same problem. It is amazing the little psychological strategies that you can come up with that help a little. I always made sure that if I could, that I got a seat nearest the door and preferably at the back. Just knowing I could get to the bathroom without the whole class watching me eased the symptoms. I always carried peppermints or something to exams because the fear of my stomach in a quiet room made me too nervous to eat (even more than the exam itself). Even a watch that "ticks" so that I had another sound to focus on helped. Do what ever you can to make it through - its a struggle, but an education is so important. And you know what, after all those exams, I can't remember one time that my stomach embarrassed me (it did, but big embarrassments fade in significance in time). Best of luck Tamgirl21.

 

[Tamgirl21]

Hey thanks Phaedrus

 

[Kitty19HasIBS]

school started and well by my second and fourth class my stomach is growling pretty loudly ive even started to eat before school not helping..eat before my 3rd and 4th class doesnt help either hate it

 

[gasprob]

i start school tommorrow and i'm pretty scared. I sit in the back of the class always so I have to get there early. I have a bad smelly gas problem so I can't really eat anything. I drink pepperiment tea but then my gas smells like pepperiment and I have bad body odor. PLease help me and I'll pray for you guys.

 

[Kitty19HasIBS]

I went to school with a girl who had horrible body odor. We could never understand it. Come to find out she had a skin problem and after seeing a doctor he was able to treat it. Body odor usually signals a problem.

 

[Hellofromfuture]

Hey guys. Here is the comment fro. The future. I.e. 2022. I have dealt with this craziness through my school and uni and it was so draining. I had to convince myself not to drop out and cried my eyes out every time I came back home after full day at the class. Now I am an adult, and I worm and believe me sometimes I experience the same stuff all over again but this time as a 37 year old. Frequent toilet visits, trying bot to eat immodium, anxiety pills and all that shit just to survive a day in the class (I am now a teacher myself). Pathetic... but also I am proud I push through as it would have been so much easier to give up. Best of luck folks.