Irritable bowel syndrome comes up a lot in medical journals. Your doctor has probably mentioned it to you once or twice when you’ve complained of digestive discomfort. People who don’t have IBS can think it’s not really a big deal—that it’s akin to seasonal allergies and those who have it can just pop some over-the-counter medication and go on about their day. But IBS can consume a person’s life. Because of the very nature of the syndrome (it’s not exactly the most glamorous topic) people who suffer from IBS don’t usually talk about it. But considering that between 24 and 45 million people in the United States suffer from it, and two out of three of whom are women, there is a good chance that individuals in your circle of friends have some degree of IBS. Here are struggles only people with IBS understand.
Dating someone new is complicated
Sleeping over at a new boyfriend’s house is an experience filled with land mines. You wish you didn’t have to explain why you spend so much time in the bathroom, and you wish you could just hop out of bed and have the heavy brunch he wants to make you. But you don’t get to have any mystery in your relationships.
