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13 with ibs

Posted , 4 users are following.

Dobie101
Dobie101

I am 13 years old, and have just recently been diagnosed with ibs. At first they thought I was diabetic, and then celiac and lactose and tolerant, but they finally came to the conclusion that I have ibs. It's been a really hard year trying to cope with it, and I feel like I am not getting any better at this. I am scared, because they said I will have it for the rest of my life, and I don't want to go through this. I am too young! I have been trying to avoid the foods that triggers it, but it is so hard! When your at a sleepover, and there is pizza, pop, chips chocolate and other things, and you can't have any! It's crazy. Eventually I will give into my craving and eat. I will sometimes get a hankering for something that I know I shouldn't have, and then spend hours on the toilet beating myself up, and wondering why I ate that! Another thing I can't have is red meat, or deep fried foods! Now my whole family has to give up foods they love just for me. It's hard putting that burden on them. I am young! I shouldn't be worrying about these things.

Any advice?......

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • sally104
    sally104

    Posted

    Hi Dobie

    13 is really young to have this diagnosis but try not to panic; a lifetime is a very long time and for lots of people IBS 'waxes and wanes', (comes and goes). For lots of people, it isn't just foods that affect their condition, but stress too, and at your age you will be experiencing lots of stress. Your body is changing and going through massive hormonal ups and downs, school, friends, and lots of other things will be affecting you. You may well find that things will settle down in a few years time.

    It is really difficult to keep to a limited diet, it just shows how much your family love you that they have given up some foodstuffs to join you, but please don't feel guilty about that; not only will they probably benefit from the exclusions but they are doing it because they love you......I'm sure if one of them was poorly and couldn't eat something, you would do exactly the same!

    If you do occassionally cheat, don't worry too much; Gluten really affects me, but I LOVE warm fresh bread. Sometimes I can't resist it, or we go to someone's house and they serve up a meal with gluten in it, and I don't want to be rude. Well I know that gluten gives me the trots and bottom burps big time, so I eat foods which bung me up when I get home (for me that's rice and bananas), it seems to sort out the worst of it!

    The other thing you could do is ask your Mum, big sister (or the men but they don't seem so good at these things), whether you could have a go at making some of the things you love using ingredients that you are allowed to eat. I make a mean chocolate cake without Gluten or sugar (I use a mix of flaxseed, rice flour, and Cornelius, and substitute honey for sugar (and I hate honey))! There are loads of really easy recipes for brownies, fudge, toffee and other sweets, home made burgers are easy.....it's quite interesting what you can make! You could also ask at school if you can make your food using ingredients you can eat....

    Seriously, IBS is horrid, but it's not the end of the world......My youngest daughter would swap with you any day; she has a condition where her digestive system just doesn't work at all she just has terrible belly ache!

    Anyway, try not to worry about the 'forever', just worry about today, and it will get easier; promise!

  • girivar
    girivar

    Posted

    Hello,

    As i see your problem you don't have to worry so much about food ,as you said you have a diabetic you just maintain your diet and sometime you can eat fried food b'coz if you are taking any insulin therapy or any antidiabietic tablet than it wont harm you to eat sometimes pizza and some fried stuff.

    You just have to add 30 min exercise in your daily routine and drink 2-3 liters of water daily.i hope this will help you out.

    Take care

    Dr.Girivar

  • Ian-h
    Ian-h

    Posted

    Hi.

    My Mrs suffers from IBS. We were advised to try to try drinking Aloe Vera gel. It has made a big improvement on her symptoms. If you would like some more info on this let me know.

  • Dobie101
    Dobie101

    Posted

    Thank you sally104 ,and I know what you mean about stress adding to it! I diddnt really think about it before. Its really hard to diet, and keep up with it, but i have been managing it a lot better. I will try to exchange ingredients for the foods, we have done that before, but i guess we just sorta got lazy with it. like I said. Really hard to keep a diet.

    Thanks, and your words of wisdom have helped me get through this. take care,

    dobie101

  • Dobie101
    Dobie101

    Posted

    girivar,

    um I said i wasn't diabetic, but thanks for the suggestions anyways.... I exercise mostly everyday, and drink a lot of water for my age.

    dobie101

  • Dobie101
    Dobie101

    Posted

    lan-h,

    hello, lan-h, Im not too sure aloe vera gel is what i would want to try, but thanks anyways. Im glad it works for your mrs though! take care,

    Dobie101

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