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Thursday, 2 April 2026

IBS Awareness - Living with IBS

April is IBS Awareness Month.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common digestive conditions. Around 1 in 5 adults in the UK have IBS. 


What is IBS and it’s symptoms?

IBS is defined by belly pain such as cramps as well as wind, bloating and distension along with a change in bowel habits and changes to stools. Other symptoms include fatigue, nausea , backache and bladder problems. 1 in 3 people have IBS-C the C being constipation and another 1 in 3 have IBS-D with D being diarrhoea. Others with IBS might experience IBS-M which is a mix of experiencing both constipation and diarrhoea. Symptoms can be present daily for some people but for others symptoms can come and go over weeks or months. Symptoms can also alter over time. Symptoms often ease after a bowel movement. Symptoms can be unpredictable which can be challenging for some people.


Treatments for IBS

  • Healthy eating and IBS dietary management 
  • Identifying foods that trigger symptoms
  • FODMAP diet
  • Probiotics
  • Medication 
  • Gut-specific behavioural treatments 

My experience of living with IBS

I’ve had IBS for many many years now. I feel that despite how common IBS is because IBS can be quite an embarrassing condition to have we don’t talk about it enough, especially for people to understand what it’s like to live with it and just how disabling it can really be. This means that IBS lacks awareness and understanding. People often think that IBS is just have bad belly cramps but there is so much more to living with IBS than that. The pain in your abdomen can be so intense that all I want to do is curl up in bed with my heat pad and moving makes the pain worse. Going to the loo with IBS is such an ordeal too and something I often dread. There’s also following my FODMAP diet to manage my IBS so there’s certain foods I can’t have or can have a little of; if I were to eat these foods it would result in my IBS flaring up. Clothing is also something that can be difficult when you have IBS. When I’m feeling bloated and uncomfortable I just want to wear something comfortable as tight clothing like jeans aren’t comfortable. I often actually wear maternity jeans, not really because of my IBS; mainly because they’re more comfortable to wear as a wheelchair user and as someone with a catheter but they’re also really comfortable when I am feeling bloated and uncomfortable. There are also extra costs to having IBS. Many people with disabilities and chronic illnesses face extra costs to buy things to help them manage their condition*.

There are many times when I’m in the bathroom or in bed hugging my heat pad to my stomach in severe pain because of my IBS. I also take medication to help with my symptoms which help. 

I also went on the low FODMAP diet a few years ago which really helped me identify my food triggers and now following the low FODMAP diet with the foods I can eat fine or a little of really has made a difference. I’d recommend the low FODMAP diet to anyone with IBS, you just have to start it under the guidance of a dietician so you’d have to ask for a referral from your GP or gastroenterologist. 

I personally like to do a lot of things alongside medication so as well as my heat pad and diet I drink plenty of fluids and I also find some herbal teas like mint tea, and I have a special digestive tea blend I drink as well to help settle my symptoms too.

Some of my symptoms can be quite difficult to live with. I find the belly cramps really painful. It doesn’t help that my Ehlers-Danlos also causes problems with my digestive system. Some symptoms are quite embarrassing so they can be hard to talk about and get help from medical professionals to sort them out so sometimes I’ve lived with symptoms for a long time before I’ve gotten help for them.

IBS is just a condition that I’ve learnt to live with. I get periods where it flares up and then I get times where it’s manageable. For me my IBS is often experienced as IBS-C so as well as medication to manage the cramps I’m prescribed laxatives which I take when needed. I also find having a healthy diet with foods that are good for digestive system help too alongside staying hydrated.

At the moment I am having some problems complicated by my Ehlers-Danlos so I’m waiting to see the gastrointestinal consultant and go from there if any tests are needed to investigate etc.

* Read about Scope’s ‘Disability Price Tag’ on extra costs here.


Things I find help my IBS

  • Heat pads or microwave Warmies
  • Portable single use heat pads that I can take out with me
  • Wype* toilet paper gel - you just apply it to toilet paper, wipe yourself clean and pop it down the toilet - it’s much more environmentally friendly than toilet wipes
  • Medication both prescribed and what you can get over the counter 
    • Boot’s ‘IBS Cramps Relief’ (same medication as Buscopan)
    • Boot’s ’IBS Wind & Bloating Relief’ medication
  • Carrying a ‘Can’t Wait’ card in my purse to show that I need access to a toilet or Changing Places
  • Keeping a RADAR key on me wherever I go - this gives me access to more public disabled toilets and Changing Places 
  • Herbal teas
  • Some yoga movements can help with my cramps - I can do these laid in bed



Resources

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