“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about, it’s only IBS.” Sound familiar? In the UK, IBS will affect 10-20% of people.

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is the term that is currently used by health professionals to explain symptoms such as searing abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation and swelling of the stomach.

The reason the Northern Quota is launching Let’s Talk About IBS to get a IBS for the NHS to patients with IBS as they are; patients in need. To not simply shoot down and belittle the condition by classifying it ‘only IBS’.

The NHS needs more options for people who have been diagnosed with IBS. Not to be told to just ‘change their diet’.

On the surface of IBS, it is easy to see why care professionals will just tell patients to ‘shake it off’. But IBS is stressful, isolating and incredibly lonely.

Poo is a taboo; we’re not supposed to talk about it. By societies standards, one cannot explain to someone they do not know why they are hunched over in pain 24/7, why they need to know where the nearest toilet it as all times and why they simply cannot have that glass of wine.

Vocal isolation leads to physical isolation, which can lead to worse. People who suffer with IBS are twice as likely to suffer with some sort of anxiety disorder within their lifetime.

The cycle of IBS is ruthless. The symptoms of IBS can cause stress and anxiety and IBS can be trigged by both of these. More often than not, people who suffer with IBS suffer with anxiety and depression.

Sign the petition to help:

- NHS have more options from the NHS, including reference to IBS Self Care Programme provided by the IBS network.
- Better education for health care professionals to pass on to patients who have been diagnosed
- A consideration for the patient in that it is incredibly likely that their mental health may be affected in some way
- To make it okay to talk about IBS #breakthepootaboo
 Use #breakthepootaboo to support the change on Twitter

Find out more at letstalkaboutIBS.wordpress.com

 

Sources: 

https://www.theibsnetwork.org/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/pages/symptoms.aspx

https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs