Nusing school --- and IBS

Nursing Students General Students

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I start an accelerated nursing program this fall. I'm not really nervous about passing the classes and what not- I'm a hard-worker and I'll do what it takes. The thing I am pretty terrified of though is my IBS. I had a GI infection for like a year and a half before they figured out what it was and by the time they did, it had already wreaked havoc on my system. Now, I have IBS-D which is severe. I'm on the strongest medications for it and I've tried every diet/food elimination thing out there. I *usually* have my symptoms in check though I have pain every day, almost all day. This past year I've worked full-time and gone to school full-time and I believe only had to leave work maybe 4-5 times because of this but recently things have been acting up more. Basically- when I get sick it's pretty much incapacitating- like doubled-over type pain. When it flares, it's not a fast process- usually last several hours and is very painful so it's not like I can just "hold it" or get through the day. So, after providing way too much information, I was hoping to get some advice. Can anyone relate to this or gotten through school with this? This is something people generally talk about or share. I'm worried about getting through my clinical hours and classes. Guess I just wanted to know if I was alone in this or if anyone has any advice? It's sad the one thing that scared me the most about becoming a nurse was my stomach. Thank you so much!

Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
Thank you everyone! Sorry it took me so log to write back again. I appreciate the advice and it's nice to know I'm not alone! I think my biggest fear is doing the med-surg. rotation. I can just see myself standing there mid-surgery and have my stomach act up. Nothing like having an awkward moment in front of a room full of people :blink: :banghead:. Who knows--- it may not even be like that. I honestly have no idea what clinical rotations entail so I'm probably imagining worst case scenarios. Thanks again all!

Um med surg...doesn't mean you will be in a surgical case. And if you were you would be off to the side observing...so you just ask somebody how you exit and exit knowing you may not be able to go back in. You may never see inside an operating room in nursing school. Med surg is just a type of floor and the types of cases.

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Thank you for clarifying that! Like I said I have no idea what clinicals really involve--- our school doesn't really provide much information. Maybe that's just common knowledge and I don't know it- I feel like I'm kind of in the dark on things. I don't know any other nursing students who are ahead of me so I don't know what the schedule is, what classes/clinicals are like, etc. I'm just kind of going off what I "imagine" things are/mean versus what they really are. It actually makes me feel a lot better knowing that I'll most likely just be able to leave like that.

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Thanks for the tips. I have IBS too.

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I have IBS and UC. I was dx with UC in 2010 when I had a horrible flare (debilitating arthralgia, erythema nodosum and extreme weight loss). I was at the end of my 1st year of RN school and had to drop out. I was embarrassed to talk to my instructors about it then. I just started LPN school yesterday and my instructor already knows that if I am seen running off during class that it is for a bathroom break. I am in remission now but still have issues with urgency. I may have missed this, but are you on any medications for the urgency? I am on hyoscyamine .0325 mg per day and .0175 PRN and it helps with my colon spasms and keeps my urgency issues less of a problem. You may want to talk with your doctor about that.

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Tell your clinical instructors and your school about it before it becomes an issue. If they do not know, then they will not be able to work with you. Also, you may need to get a waiver from your doctor if it is that bad. I would really get it documented before an incident happens. What if you have issues during a test?

I also think you would have to make decisions about what you do. I mean, issues happen. I've had to literally run to the bathroom after helping transport a patient to the ICU because of the food I ate. If you are doing a surgery rotation, make sure it is something they will allow you to leave during it. If it is something major, they may not. Especially with implants.

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Thank you everyone for your responses!

kjrobinette- I'm so sorry to hear you had to drop out but I'm glad that you're back at it now! This stomach stuff can really do a number on your life sometimes. Right now I'm on Lotronex, Questran & a low-dose of amitriptyline at night for the pain. I don't usually have a lot of issues with urgency per say. It's more that a stomach ache will hit out of nowhere with no real rhyme or reason and it will just ache, cramp and worsen until I can finally get it to go away. They put me on hyoscyamine before and it didn't really do anything. That was before they figured out the infection though so it may be worth another look. Right now, if I have a major issue, I will dissolve 0.25 mg of lorazepam under my tongue and it *usually* settles things down to a more manageable level for a little while at least.

green34: My school starts on Monday and I plan to meet with each of my professors/instructors individually within the first week. I hate having that awkward conversation but I've had to do it with a couple of employers so at least I know the gist of it. They gave us information about the disability services and I was going to talk to them as well- like you said, it's better to deal with it beforehand then wait until it's a major problem. I've never had issues during an exam but *knock on wood* there's a first time for everything I guess. :)

My plan right now is just to be extremely careful about what I'm eating, particularly during clinical days and to take it one day at a time. If I stress myself out to much (which I do all the time lol) then it only makes things worse. It helps a lot to know that I'm not the only one dealing with these issues and that other people have gotten through it.

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Sometimes a food you eat can cause an immune response! The body tries to eliminate the toxin and can cause diarrhea. Examples are gluten, lactose, and fructose. There are others too. Sometimes tests for these allergies are not accurate. A natural doctor can help you determine the cause through diets. He will give you a strict diet and slowly introduce new foods. I know people who have done this. If I were you, I'd try probiotics and peppermint teas. I also like chamomile tea for soothing the stomach. Just try to eat and drink healthy! We can't always be perfect though;) I wish you the best!

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