I was diagnosed with IBS after a bowel scan last year and it is certainly worse when I have my period. I also keep a food diary so I know what triggers an attack. I also take an Imodium Plus before I eat a meal out, just in case, and it does work. I am an anxious person anyway and I think that it is generally accepted that anxiety can affect the stomach. The worst thing about IBS is being far away from a toilet and I had an attack while travelling on the tube home from work once. I was lucky in that the staff at the station were sympathetic and I got to the toilet in time. I think that if you find yourself in such a situation, be honest with people and they will understand. You have to learn to live with it and let's face it there are people out there with a lot worse health issues. IBS isn't life-threatening, just inconvenient.

I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 17; I am now 32. I have also always suffered with anxiety, which I have found definitely has an effect on my IBS symptoms. It comes and goes, and I have been able to recognize certain triggers, for example, when my period is due, I have diarrhea and cramps. If I drink tea or coffee, I immediately have to use the bathroom, etc. My symptoms cycle through constipation and diarrhea alternately, and the pain is usually in my back or on one or other side of my abdomen, sometimes dull and nauseating, sometimes sharp. Heat pads help. At first I was given Colofac, but I don't use them now. I occasionally take peppermint oil capsules, but to be honest, I don't find anything does the job very well. I prefer to avoid known triggers if possible and deal with the symptoms. Exercise helps too; I walk a lot these days. IBS is very unpleasant but can be coped with. The longer you have it, the better you get to know yourself and your own symptoms and triggers, because everyone is different.

Though it seems I have always had these symptoms, it seems my first clue was when my doctor was doing a quick rectal exam and told me I had a spastic colon. Years later, I went to a gastroenterologist because I was having a lot of pain in my intestines. From my described symptoms, it was determined I had IBS but was also given a colonoscopy. Nothing was found with the exception of inflammation in my large intestine, which he thought could have occurred because of the prep. When he was performing the colonoscopy and got to that area, it was very painful and made me clearly say "ouch" out loud to him. I was prescribed Nulev, which allows me to have about five minutes to get to the bathroom: a fantastic emergency drug, just great. Other than that, no other tests have been performed.

I was diagnosed with IBS after many visits to doctor and hospital colonoscopy.

I was diagnosed after experiencing a period of diarrhea and a lot of pain and discomfort in the stomach. I was afraid to go anywhere as on several occasions I had accidents. I had all sorts of tests and a bowel scan. I was advised by a family member to try ginger. I started eating small pieces through the day and found it relieve a lot of the discomfort and slowed the urgency. I would easily eat a packet every day for a few months and symptoms eased. I have slowed my intake and watched what I eat in -- particular avoiding creamy and fatty foods.

In hindsight I realized that IBS started in my late teens but at the time I certainly didn't even know IBS existed. I was pretty insecure at the time and suffered from what we today call anxiety. Anxiety wasn't an option in my family it was more of a 'don't be wimp, get over it and you'll be fine, just do it.' approach. Plus I grew up in a family where you wouldn't stay home or go to a doctor unless you had a high fever or were severely bleeding, so I never considered consulting a doctor. It was just what it was. Eventually I must have gained more confidence and the anxiety and IBS subsided. A few years ago I went through a lot of stress and turmoil in my private life and all of a sudden IBS was back. I thought celiac, lactose, menstrual cycle but so I changed my diet and it didn't work. Some days I would just double over in pain even though I had only eaten the good stuff. And finally I went to a doctor who apart from the normal IBS examinations also asked me a lot of questions that were related to what was going on in my life. Once he was sure I had IBS he referred me on to the Australian IBS Centre on The Sunshine Coast Queensland. I must say the results are mind-blowing. Not only am I free from IBS but I also don't have that nasty anxiety anymore. It only took me 5 sessions to get over it, they are awesome and I really don't know where I would be without them.