IBS at Work - Limiting Your Potential and Productivity?

If you have IBS and you also have a job, then you know what pain it can take to combine the two. IBS is a chronic disease with a variety of symptoms, including pain, changes in dehydration, mucus, bloating, tension, nausea, fatigue and more, according to the criteria of Rome II.1 If you are not a sufferer, of course you can easily imagine how that would be. it can cause you to miss out on your potential peak at work. In a 2009 study by Ringstrom et al, the author asserted, based on a review of the so-called works, 'many IBS patients experience symptoms and negative affect in everyday life & # 39; .2 For most sufferers, living with fully - and at the top of your performance in the workplace - must seem like an impossible dream. How can IBS sufferers overcome symptoms to actually do their job?

From personal experience, I think the first and most important step is to choose your career, and then your specific job, with extreme care. Some careers, and some jobs, will only be more challenging, and less adaptable to chronic conditions, than others. Perhaps the next most important thing is to make sure a) you get your doctor's advice about your condition, and then b) you act on it!

Once in the workplace of your choice, you need to consider your options if your situation requires more rest than usual, perhaps a bit less trust from your coworkers and with odd attendance disruptions. Applying this in my college days, I personally found that it was necessary to create 'imperfections'. as a student by putting in more hours. I may have missed the odd class and needed frequent breaks due to IBS symptoms and fatigue. However, I made this decision by considering myself regularly 'on duty'. for learning. If I wake up and don't 'rest', I'm on duty! And finally it paid off when I graduated with honors. Life is so unfair, and sometimes you just have to do less and work harder!

Over time, you may find adjustments and adjustments in your lifestyle that work for you and help you manage your symptoms. This may be related to nutrition or exercise, relaxation techniques, counseling or whatever works for you. Anything that helps is good, despite the psychosomatic component! If so, you may want to let your friends work on these tips and practices, so they can encourage you to maintain good practice if they see you slipping.

Finally, if you have a chronic condition, then it's a known quantity that you just have to work with. Don't let that stop you - throw everything you have and work hard to succeed!

1. Tresca, A.J. http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/ibs/a/romecriteria.ht. 2003.

2. Gisela and Magnus Simren. "Development of educational interventions for patients with Irritable Bowel Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - a pilot study." BMC Gastroenterology 9 (February 2009): 10+.

Copyright Ollie Hicks, 2009.

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