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"May 19th is World IBD Day.
IBD stands for inflammatory bowel disease, and is about as fun as it sounds. Specifically, it includes the Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Two - permanent - conditions for which there is no known medical cure that works for certain, no proper known cause, and very little support for the people suffering from it, as it's "rude" or even "taboo" to suffer from something, that means you might have to spend a lot of time on (or near) a toilet. Imagine having to explain to your class mates, that you have no energy, because you're loosing both blood and pretty much everything you eat every day, with no time to really get that energy back. Oh, and you need to stay within one minutes walk of an unoccupied toilet to feel comfortable. That's what it's like to have an IBD when the disease is bad. And for those that are really unlucky, this is every day, every week and every month of the year.
IBD usually hits young people between age 15 and 35, but can also hit children or older people. 1 in 200 people in the US are estimated to suffer from it. If you all do the math, it means that there statistically are Aywas users suffering from this as well. So wear the little hair clip for support the people that might be too shy - or even embarrassed - to explain about their unique daily challenges."
This item will stock in Trash for Treasure until 11:59pm May 26th.
Posted by Eve
(#2775) on Mon May 18, 2015 11:52pm
- Mojave
(#3109)
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Posted on: Wed May 20, 2015 2:27am
;___; This actually makes me want to cry.
While I don't have Chrohn's or IBD, I do have IBS. On top of that, I've recently developed some new problem that leaves me in excruciating pain after I eat, regardless of what I eat. I went to the ER two months ago thinking my appendix burst, but they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Since I don't have insurance for another month, I've had to turn to cheaper options than prescriptions (thank you Colorado for legalizing weed, oh my gods) to be able to eat. Despite that, even if I 'medicate' until I can't feel the pain, I still can't eat much, my guts swell and become hard to the touch, and I have lost a lot of weight really fast. Whatever is wrong with me also works hand-in-hand with my IBS (they're seriously best of friends, fml). So relieving myself is excruciating and takes twice as long as before- both for what I eat to make it thru my intestines and to get out of me. So while I don't have the two conditions this ribbon is /meant/ for, I still appreciate any kind of support for gastrointestinal/GI diseases and disorders.
So thanks, Aywas! :)
- Gwennafran
(#22320)
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Posted on: Wed May 20, 2015 3:05am
I never expected this many people to share their stories. This is both heart breaking and touching, and I'm so happy I made this little hair clip ribbon (which obviously isn't nearly as important as people getting to share their stories here).
I wish you all the best, and hope you'll all find ways to live a relatively normal and pain-free life.
I'm really sorry I didn't include IBS and all the related diseases. Spoken as the person making this awareness item, you all totally should feel included here as well. Both IBS patients and others with related illnesses.
I looked it up, and April is IBS Awareness Month (I couldn't find a specific awareness day), and as far as I can tell, your ribbon is a light grey-blue.
If someone at some point wants to do a small IBS T4T item, I'd be happy to provide the art. ;)
---
PS: My left banner Aywas add right now is a Danish one for a toilet. "Toilet! Get inspiration and expert advice for building your bathroom". It's kinda funny...
- Queenie
(#62131)
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Posted on: Wed May 20, 2015 2:23pm
I know it's not the quite the same, but I suffer from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and I have many of the same systems. Some days it can be tough to get through classes when you know, you've just got to go. Awesome way to spread awareness! As far as the bullying issue, I haven't had that fortunately, but for me it makes it a little less embarrassing to just say I have a small bladder, so I'd suggest saying that if people around you are giving you problems. Good luck IBD/IBSers :P
- Aemort
(#63484)
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Posted on: Thu May 21, 2015 6:32pm
Do you think Lupus awareness would be possible? I know that the day for it has passed, but May is still Lupus awareness month.
- Hikari Elric
(#51009)
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Posted on: Mon May 25, 2015 2:08am
Mojave (#3109) Try asking about Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (also called SMA) ... it's not considered to be very common so it's not really something they think about until they rule out every single other possibility and maybe not even then... but the pain to the point of thinking your appendix burst when you eat and rapid weight loss sound like the SMA. I've got it according to my doctors, but my pain shows up on the left side, and it's this stupidly sharp pain that only slightly gets better if i curl into a ball... not fun. They'll usually want to do all the bowel related tests they can think of before they consider IBS or SMA or anything like it.. but after a process of elimination they did a test where they have you not eat for like 4-8 hours or whatever then drink some mildly radioactive stuff (I've had to do two different ones, one with iodine and one with barium) and then they x-ray or whatever your bowels and watch the stuff go down your throat and follow the path to the stomach and bowels and stuff and look for a narrowing in the "third portion of the duodenum". SMA Syndrome can cause abdominal distension which gets worse when you eat, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains (the IBS can also cause those), weight loss etc... it varies person to person. It's kinda a long shot but it might be worth having them look into.
Posted on: Tue May 19, 2015 11:28pm
I had something similar to this when I was 14, I can't imagine what it's like living with it permanently. I hope you get rest and comfort!