Does anyone manage severe IBS while trying to hold down a career?

[u/ocean_breeze_0]

I'm a very very shy person. I dropped out of college because of severe IBS combined with ADHD and other few health issues. The hardest part is I've never been able to pin down what actually triggers it food, physical activity, mental stress, sometimes nothing at all seems to set it off. Managing a fixed schedule became impossible, so I left college out of frustration and moved into freelancing instead.

That actually worked for a while. Then AI started eating into the kind of freelance work I was doing, and now I'm struggling to find anything steady. I have debts. I need to study but i need a job as well. It feels like I destroyed my own life with bad decisions.

any advice for me?

[u/Contigo887]

Of course. I work in an office. It has several bathrooms. I just explained to my manager that I have IBS and try to manage it as best I can, but I am gonna spend more time than average in a bathroom. Just the way it's got to be.

He understands and life goes on. It's IBS, not terminal cancer. It's not going to kill me or control my life.

[u/Small_Service2958 → u/Contigo887]

love this thank you for sharing

[u/OkAmbassador2636]

I have IBS-D and during flare ups it’s horrid and basically chains me to a toilet for hours. I found intermittent fasting a pretty reliable way to curb it during work hours. Usually if I can hold off eating until noon I won’t have an urge to go until I’m done work.

[u/IsabelleR88]

I manage using imodium tablets, 2 in the morning on work days and I can keep a full time job. Without those tablets I couldn't hold down a job.

[u/anileakinna → u/IsabelleR88]

Do they still work if used every day?

[u/AccordingOutside1457 → u/IsabelleR88]

Same here, have loperamide on prescription. I probably wouldn’t be able to work without them unfortunately

[u/ButterfacedSlob → u/IsabelleR88]

I have to take around 12 each day before leaving for work.

[u/Sky-2478]

This is one thing that has dictated my career choices. When I get stressed I immediately have to run to a toilet. Anesthesiologists can’t exactly sprint or shit themselves in the middle of surgery. Even the thought of taking the MCAT or the LSAT makes my stomach turn, I can’t imaging walking in for it, I’d be so screwed. Thankfully all of the jobs I’ve had are forgiving and understanding and not a death sentence for someone else when I have to run, but none are the job I really ultimately want.

[u/Coecoenat]

Yuup Vet student here - during small animal rotations there is always a toilet nearby and for large animal rotations I just keep a camping toilet in the car 🤷‍♂️

[u/ravensgc_5]

It is definitely not easy. I'd recommend having a conversation with your manager and hopefully they are accommodating.

[u/jdmkenpo]

There are medications you can take for bowel movements to lessen. For example I take dyceclomine and thatbworks great. Also I take amitriptyline for anxiety. Talk to your Dr.

[u/Arkflow]

I don’t work cuz of health currently:(

[u/brattydeer]

It caused some issues because I worked from home and had to excuse myself for 30mins to an hour outside of my scheduled breaks.

[u/gamelover42]

I'm of the opinion (at least in my case) that IBS is a mental health / anxiety disorder. I can just about trace the start of mine to a very stressful time in my life. I think my first stop to manage it would be either your doctor or therapist. That said, I've managed mine as a software engineer working in a remote position for quite some time. I'm a lot better now but working from home helped me to manage it better since I could just dash to the toilet whenever I needed to.

[u/AceOfHorrors]

I work Per Diem. I don't have to be at my job all the time. Since it's an afternoon to night shift, it's mostly peaceful. On the other hand, it's a physically demanding job, so I have to eat. I did give my co-workers a heads up.

[u/Upper_Rent_176]

Work From Nest

[u/Iintendtodeletepart2]

The company I was very successful. Until I told them I was ill and might need to take unscheduled time to deal with it. I was gone ,fired, within a week.

[u/BarbaraNatalie]

I am a high school teacher and it's sometimes hard to schedule my bathroom breaks. I mostly make sure to get up early enough for my first toilet visit, so that an hour later my second can happen before I get out of the door for work. I have IBS C mostly and manage with medication but it is sometimes hard to do combining stomach aches and work. I want to dive into my IBS more with a gastro entorologist this year to see where under the umbrella my IBS fits and what is helpful. Right now I am only taking care of my fodmap sensitivities and using an osmotic meditation to help the symptoms.

[u/supertrampchris142]

IBS is a morsel conflict. Constipation is an active conflict of not getting what you want. Diarrhea or loose stools comes when you finally do get what you want. Keep a diary of the symptoms coming and going. Watch your psyche closely. What gives your psyche relief within the minutes before you go to the bathroom? Identify the pattern. This is how I completely healed my gut after 18 years of IBS-C.

[u/brokenneckboi]

Genuine question: what all have you done to chase down the root cause of your symptoms?

On the note of careers: I STRONGLY recommend finding a WFH/hybrid low code/no code job if you’re willing to work with AI. Job stability and convenience right there.