I totally agree with your comments.It is an irony that you need to become ill to realise how ill you are all the time. I had what I thought was a bad cold the end of last week and no IBS symptons. I work wednesday to Saturday and usually by Friday/Saturday I am suffering from bloating/wind/runs etc. Must be the added stress of work that triggers my IBS? Sunday morning I work up with a swollen glands and a temperature, which is still not down. Again, no IBS. However, I haven’t had any of my intolerant foods for nearly 3 weeks now and nothing greasy/high in fat for ten days. So, that could also be helping. I guess I won’t know the true cause until my bug clears up.

I tell you what I find really infuriating though. My family and colleagues know I suffer from IBS, and that my day to day life can be a misery. Yet it takes a bad cold for anyone to show they care. Why is that? Probably, like backache for example, you can’t see the obvious signs of illness with IBS. If it’s a regular occurence, perhaps they don’t really believe you? Perhaps they think your exaggerating?

It was only last year that I finally allowed myself to acknowledge the fact I had IBS. I just wish other people would acknowledge the fact too! Or am I being too self-centred? Ellie