[Guest]

how does ibs affect the quality of your life?tom

 

[atrain]

ponder suicide daily, am in college and suddenly what was about to be the best times of my life turned into a life of hell 3 months into my freshman year. want my old life back

 

[atrain]

ponder suicide daily, am in college and suddenly what was about to be the best times of my life turned into a life of hell 3 months into my freshman year. want my old life back

 

[Katydid]

The extent to which IBS has affected my life and that of my family has yet to be measured. I know the affect it had on my family, since my children were small when it first started. They're now 18 and 23. We never had a family vacation, and I had to miss some of their events in school, band, scouting, etc. They've never really known me as I was before I got IBS. How I loved to take drives and go places. Their lives had to fit into how much I was able to do with them and for them. My spouse has had to be the sole provider, basically the whole time, and he's done a wonderful job--but, it's done it's damage in that area too. I haven't been able to go out and do things with him like other couples can. And I know there's been resentment on his part that I haven't been able to do more to help financially. The effect IBS will have on our lives in the future seems pretty black and white (unless we win the lottery, or have some rich relative we don't know about). You can't put away a nest egg when there's only one income, raising two kids, paying a mortgage off and having medical bills. Especially when you have a factory job and no 401K. Even if I was cured tomorrow, how do you make up for l8 years that you couldn't bring in a regular paycheck? You can't. The silver lining to this IBS cloud is that I believe it has made me look at life differently. I appreciate things I probably never would have before. I have more sympathy for people than apathy. And I feel that in the long run, I'll be stronger because of it. I've learned to never give up hope, and not to let the little things get me down.

 

[Katydid]

The extent to which IBS has affected my life and that of my family has yet to be measured. I know the affect it had on my family, since my children were small when it first started. They're now 18 and 23. We never had a family vacation, and I had to miss some of their events in school, band, scouting, etc. They've never really known me as I was before I got IBS. How I loved to take drives and go places. Their lives had to fit into how much I was able to do with them and for them. My spouse has had to be the sole provider, basically the whole time, and he's done a wonderful job--but, it's done it's damage in that area too. I haven't been able to go out and do things with him like other couples can. And I know there's been resentment on his part that I haven't been able to do more to help financially. The effect IBS will have on our lives in the future seems pretty black and white (unless we win the lottery, or have some rich relative we don't know about). You can't put away a nest egg when there's only one income, raising two kids, paying a mortgage off and having medical bills. Especially when you have a factory job and no 401K. Even if I was cured tomorrow, how do you make up for l8 years that you couldn't bring in a regular paycheck? You can't. The silver lining to this IBS cloud is that I believe it has made me look at life differently. I appreciate things I probably never would have before. I have more sympathy for people than apathy. And I feel that in the long run, I'll be stronger because of it. I've learned to never give up hope, and not to let the little things get me down.

 

[Guest]

atrain and Katydid (and others). It would be great right now if you could communicate this to the FDA - look in the lotronex and zelnorm forums of the bb for the websites for those action grops and there should be a listing of email addresses at the FDA to send your stories to. This is an issue they are considering right now.tom

 

[Guest]

atrain and Katydid (and others). It would be great right now if you could communicate this to the FDA - look in the lotronex and zelnorm forums of the bb for the websites for those action grops and there should be a listing of email addresses at the FDA to send your stories to. This is an issue they are considering right now.tom

 

[Guest]

HIYES its true [katydid], no matter if we have a cure tommorow for ibs , the years lost , by sitting at home and missing out on my inportant social events, etc. They are never coming back.But as u said it teaches us to see at life at a slower pace, most of our lives we are running and worried about this and that, but as Patch Adams said "Illiness is Gods way of telling us to slow down"so lets slow down, evalute our life and look at the brighter side, though initially it take a lot of mental strenght.so hope we are the ones who can change the quality of life either way.reagrds - naval

 

[Guest]

HIYES its true [katydid], no matter if we have a cure tommorow for ibs , the years lost , by sitting at home and missing out on my inportant social events, etc. They are never coming back.But as u said it teaches us to see at life at a slower pace, most of our lives we are running and worried about this and that, but as Patch Adams said "Illiness is Gods way of telling us to slow down"so lets slow down, evalute our life and look at the brighter side, though initially it take a lot of mental strenght.so hope we are the ones who can change the quality of life either way.reagrds - naval

 

[angelm0m1]

Katydid, Oh my gosh when I read your post it was as if I was reading words I would have written right down to the 18 years. Our similarities are almost spooky.

 

[angelm0m1]

Katydid, Oh my gosh when I read your post it was as if I was reading words I would have written right down to the 18 years. Our similarities are almost spooky.

 

[Katydid]

Hello angelmOm1. I was wondering if you would be interested in e-mailing. From your post we have age and occupation in common also. I thought I'd ask before just going ahead and doing so. It would be nice to trade notes on our last 18 years, fears, tears and hopes. Post if you're interested.

 

[Katydid]

Hello angelmOm1. I was wondering if you would be interested in e-mailing. From your post we have age and occupation in common also. I thought I'd ask before just going ahead and doing so. It would be nice to trade notes on our last 18 years, fears, tears and hopes. Post if you're interested.

 

[Katydid]

I think this is a wonderful way for each of us to vent what has probably been hard for us to say to the people close to us. Not the physical aspects of IBS-we all know them to well, already. But the emotional. How it has affected the way we look at ourselves, our future and our relationships with others. trbell1 started this wonderful post, and maybe our experiences can do some good, not only for ourselves, but for the goal of getting the attention of the people that can truly help us get more normal lives back. I hope you all consider adding your own experiences.

 

[Katydid]

I think this is a wonderful way for each of us to vent what has probably been hard for us to say to the people close to us. Not the physical aspects of IBS-we all know them to well, already. But the emotional. How it has affected the way we look at ourselves, our future and our relationships with others. trbell1 started this wonderful post, and maybe our experiences can do some good, not only for ourselves, but for the goal of getting the attention of the people that can truly help us get more normal lives back. I hope you all consider adding your own experiences.

 

[GailSusan]

Tom, As you know, I'm active in the Zelnorm Action Group, but for the record here's a summary of the impact of IBS on my life:- Divorce (20 year marriage ended last year due in large part to my husband's inability to deal with my IBS)- Financial problems (no income, savings wiped out, no second income or inheritance, just have my house to sell, that's it)- Stellar career wiped out (8 years obtaining Ph.D. from Ivy League school, 10 years in career, now can't even work a part-time job)- No children (IBS since high school, too ill to have children)- No social life (basically housebound)Good news is that I'm engaged. Bad news is that the IBS is affecting this relationship, too. He's a saint, but this isn't much of a life for him.Praying for the Zelnorm.

 

[GailSusan]

Tom, As you know, I'm active in the Zelnorm Action Group, but for the record here's a summary of the impact of IBS on my life:- Divorce (20 year marriage ended last year due in large part to my husband's inability to deal with my IBS)- Financial problems (no income, savings wiped out, no second income or inheritance, just have my house to sell, that's it)- Stellar career wiped out (8 years obtaining Ph.D. from Ivy League school, 10 years in career, now can't even work a part-time job)- No children (IBS since high school, too ill to have children)- No social life (basically housebound)Good news is that I'm engaged. Bad news is that the IBS is affecting this relationship, too. He's a saint, but this isn't much of a life for him.Praying for the Zelnorm.

 

[angelm0m1]

Katydid, Sorry about not writing sooner. I'm going through a really tough time. My mom died unexpectedly and am trying to deal with it. If you are still interested, I would love for you to e-mail me. Take care.

 

[angelm0m1]

Katydid, Sorry about not writing sooner. I'm going through a really tough time. My mom died unexpectedly and am trying to deal with it. If you are still interested, I would love for you to e-mail me. Take care.

 

[Katydid]

I'm SO sorry about your mom. You have my deepest sympathy. My thoughts will be with you. I guess that is something ELSE we have in common. I lost dad four years ago while he was in hospital for a routine l-day hernia operation. Something went horribly wrong with his heart. I never got to say goodbye. You take your time dealing with this. I'll e-mail you, but not right away. You've got a lot of things to deal with right now, I know. The memories you have of your mother will help bring you through this with a little less pain-that's my hope for you. Take care.