Embarrassing but important question

[Mr Violin]

Hi...debated asking this but it is important for me to know. How accessible are restrooms to you as grad students throughout your day? Also, during an average day how many hours are there where it would be inappropriate (or awkward) to get up and use the restroom (thinking along the lines of seeing clients)? I read the thread on how long a typical day is (10-12 hours) and it was slightly daunting for me.

I have IBS-D and manage fine as an undergrad because I can get by without eating all day but my days are short (6 hours of class + 2 in the morning to make sure I make it to class). I manage to keep my grades up (3.6) and remain fairly sociable so right now it is no sweat. I know though that come grad school time I will NEED to eat during the day. It just isn't doable to go 12-14 hours without food while doing research, seeing clients, and doing well in classes (not to mention being social). Which without getting into detail is why I was wondering how accessible restrooms are throughout a typical day. Food + me = bad sometimes thats all I will say.

Sorry for such a personal post. I am trying to be purely objective here without sounding like a complete weirdo and felt it was necessary to explain a little bit.

I am especially interested in students who answer that have practicum experience.

Thanks!

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[erg923]

When you gotta go you gotta go dude. I really dont think you'll have a problem. If it is really that bad, maybe advise your professor, without the details. The only way i see it being a problem is in the middle of standardized testing/evals.

 

[Mr Violin]

shweeeeeeet thank you both!

 

[PinkSoil]

I can only sympathize, as a sufferer of that, myself. All I can say is adjust your diet and carry Immodium! It is very important to eat when you have IBS, but don't eat things during the work day that will trigger you. For breakfast, stick to some oatmeal, non-sugary cereal, or a banana. For lunch, eat lightly. Maybe a turkey sandwich or something. When I was first diagnosed with it, my gastro doc told me to eat five or six mini-meals per day-- it is not good if you are going hours without eating anything. That makes the first thing that you finally do put into your system, that much harder on your stomach. Excercise and drink tons of water. And also be aware of the stress/anxiety/IBS cycle. Take care of yourself.

 

[Mr Violin]

I can only sympathize, as a sufferer of that, myself. All I can say is adjust your diet and carry Immodium! It is very important to eat when you have IBS, but don't eat things during the work day that will trigger you. For breakfast, stick to some oatmeal, non-sugary cereal, or a banana. For lunch, eat lightly. Maybe a turkey sandwich or something. When I was first diagnosed with it, my gastro doc told me to eat five or six mini-meals per day-- it is not good if you are going hours without eating anything. That makes the first thing that you finally do put into your system, that much harder on your stomach. Excercise and drink tons of water. And also be aware of the stress/anxiety/IBS cycle. Take care of yourself.

Hehe that totally sounds like my regimen! The way I pop Immodium you would think the loperamide was crossing my blood-brain-barrier! My breakfast is oatmeal as well about 2-3 hours before class (with peppermint tea..try it if you haven't). Thanks for the mini-meal suggestion I will definitely experiment with that! I exercise pretty regularly too and that along with everything else really does help manage symptoms. I guess I just got a little freaked out when I heard about the 12 hour days but I will try taking a bite of food every 20 minutes LOL thats what I call a mini-mini-mini meal! Sometimes though, as I am sure you are aware, there seems to be nothin' one can do to prevent all symptoms. I am sorry you have to deal with this too!

If you don't mind me asking, are you, were you, or do you plan to be in grad school (clinical or non)? I guess maybe it would be nice to know that I wouldn't be the only grad student with this, assuming I get in of couse (probably sounds selfish though ).

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I have the great combo D&C IBS which means I'm like, supercool. It took over my life for about five years and now it's sort of under control. (My secret is acupuncture, don't know if you've tried it)

That said, there are still times when I get sick. In fact just tonight I missed a seminar that my mom paid $400 for us to go to. Sitting in the bathroom of a convention centre is not exactly my idea of a fun time. But then again I have my first committee meeting tomorrow night so the trigger is obvious.

I'm going to go against the grain and say that grad school is actually harder than undergrad in terms of bathroom use. Maybe it's just my program, but getting up in the middle of class is considered a no-no and I actually had a prof take me aside and tell me I was being unprofessional when I did it once. However, nobody's going to stop me from leaving if I'm sick.

That said, it all depends on the environment. My current practicum is in a youth correctional facility and the secretary knows that if I plop a kid in front of her and run to the bathroom, she has to babysit for two seconds.

I truly believe that Imodium should adopt that credit card slogan: Don't leave home without it!

A lot of it is stress management. Easier said than done, I completely understand!

As the previous noter said, bananas are excellent (as well as white bread and peppermint tea).

Best of luck, I feel your pain (literally).

Thank GOD someone had the guts to ask this question. I remember being in high school telling everyone that I was missing class 'cause I was "sick" and then everyone thought I had the plague or something.

(I'm clinical, by the way)

 

[Ollie123]

Maybe it's just my program, but getting up in the middle of class is considered a no-no and I actually had a prof take me aside and tell me I was being unprofessional when I did it once.

Seriously? I think this is your program...I have a REALLY hard time picturing any faculty member I've ever met doing that.

Sheesh....I'd take a dump on his shoes and then let him decide which he thinks is more "professional". I don't think I've had anyone try and tell me whether or not I could use the bathroom since middle school. Even in high school most teachers just let us get up and walk out, you just had to grab a "hall pass" on the way (god, hall passes, that takes me back...).

OP - chances are it won't be a problem. Obviously if you are doing a timed assessment or research protocol you can't exactly hit "pause" in the middle and expect it to be valid. For the most part though, you can work around things like that.

 

[erg923]

This is just her program. I had the same reaction when I read it. None of my professors have ever reacted that way either. Actually, it becomes a running joke when we have a department pizza party, and EVERYONE gets up during class to....um....get rid of the cheap pizza. This isn't high school, where Father Delaney had to grant me my hall pass before I could take a wizz. Good lord.....

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Haha well then maybe the OP should be inspired by the fact that if someone with IBS can survive in my program, we can survive anywhere.

 

[Mr Violin]

RayneeDeigh: eeeek! alternating must be tough to deal with :/ I am so sorry to hear that. You are my new hero though, it is awesome that you went for grad school and are managing in your program despite your IBS (quit makin' me look like a chicken you are the one with the guts!). I haven't tried acupuncture (I will look into that!), I did try these hypnosis tapes built specifically for IBS but to no avail. I think my problem is I need to be more open-minded to treatment options. Thanks a bunch for sharing your experiences and I appreciate your view on the toughness of grad school versus undergrad for dealing with IBS! I expected as much! Now I have another thing I can prepare for in advance once I go! I am lovin' this forum!

Oh man high school days....I missed so much due to my IBS that I had to go to court and was sentenced to do x hours of community service! I ended up going to college through running start when I was 16 because it didn't have mandatory attendance. One thing IBS makes you great at: finding loopholes

Hope you don't mind if I ask you a question or two later if I can think of anything else important regarding this topic!

 

[Mr Violin]

Haha well then maybe the OP should be inspired by the fact that if someone with IBS can survive in my program, we can survive anywhere.

haha definitely inspired!

 

[RayneeDeigh]

RayneeDeigh: eeeek! alternating must be tough to deal with :/ I am so sorry to hear that. You are my new hero though, it is awesome that you went for grad school and are managing in your program despite your IBS (quit makin' me look like a chicken you are the one with the guts!). I haven't tried acupuncture (I will look into that!), I did try these hypnosis tapes built specifically for IBS but to no avail. I think my problem is I need to be more open-minded to treatment options. Thanks a bunch for sharing your experiences and I appreciate your view on the toughness of grad school versus undergrad for dealing with IBS! I expected as much! Now I have another thing I can prepare for in advance once I go! I am lovin' this forum!

Acupuncture basically saved me from a life as a hermit. I was a total skeptic but the pain relief was almost instant. For a while I had to go every morning before class but within weeks I was able to go less and less and now I have an annual appointment. I tell everyone with IBS to try it. It can't make it worse, anyway!

Oh man high school days....I missed so much due to my IBS that I had to go to court and was sentenced to do x hours of community service! I ended up going to college through running start when I was 16 because it didn't have mandatory attendance. One thing IBS makes you great at: finding loopholes

Haha I hear ya! I remember my mom dragging me into school for meetings with my teachers so I could explain why I was never in class. I was so embarrassed and then one of my teachers told me he had a colostomy so I felt better (and a little weirded out by the self-disclosure, haha) But there were definitely moments where I wondered if I'd have to be home schooled.

Hope you don't mind if I ask you a question or two later if I can think of anything else important regarding this topic!

Of course not. Send me a message anytime, I'm always up for a poop pep talk.

Oh! One thing I learned early on was that you should always make sure one person in your cohort knows you have IBS. I got lucky and someone else in my cohort has a similar problem so we act as each others backups. If I'm gonna be late for class I text her and she pulls the prof aside before class to explain that I'm sick and will be there ASAP and I do the same for her. That way while you're feeling like crap you don't have to worry about having to answer questions later.

 

[Mr Violin]

Oh! One thing I learned early on was that you should always make sure one person in your cohort knows you have IBS. I got lucky and someone else in my cohort has a similar problem so we act as each others backups. If I'm gonna be late for class I text her and she pulls the prof aside before class to explain that I'm sick and will be there ASAP and I do the same for her. That way while you're feeling like crap you don't have to worry about having to answer questions later.

Ohhhh that is a great idea! Is the professor-pulling-aside-thing more out of respect/professionalism or does the professor actually not start class until you arrive? I would feel kind of weird walking in to the latter. What would happen if you showed up late and didn't warn your prof?

 

[JockNerd]

Maybe it's just my program, but getting up in the middle of class is considered a no-no and I actually had a prof take me aside and tell me I was being unprofessional when I did it once. However, nobody's going to stop me from leaving if I'm sick.

Oh geez. RD, I'm more convinced than ever that you need to drop your ridiculous program and come down here.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Ohhhh that is a great idea! Is the professor-pulling-aside-thing more out of respect/professionalism or does the professor actually not start class until you arrive? I would feel kind of weird walking in to the latter. What would happen if you showed up late and didn't warn your prof?

Oh class would go on without you, don't worry. The prof might say something like "hey has anybody seen _____ yet today?" but I doubt it.

Oh geez. RD, I'm more convinced than ever that you need to drop your ridiculous program and come down here.

Haha tell me that AFTER my committee meeting tonight. Not looking forward to the 8-hour drive back to the land where people have no common sense.

 

[cara susanna]

I recommend soluble fiber supplements for IBS sufferers, speaking as someone who has it as well; though I have IBS-C so my problems are different. Benefiber is my favorite. Peppermint capsules are also amazing.

Check out helpforibs.com for other suggestions.

And I'm applying to programs this fall, so you can count me as another prospective clinical student who has it.

 

[Mr Violin]

whoa! I am suprised by the number of people responding who also have IBS. I guess I really should start believing those up to 20% estimates I see around.

Question: to disclose or not to disclose your IBS to the programs you wish to attend come interview time? Face-to-face I am very private about it and rarely reveal that I have IBS. I don't like people feeling obligated to treat me different or make exceptions for me but then again I don't want to feel like I am lying to the people in the program I am interviewing for(assuming I can get some interviews!!). Tough call but my gut (pun pun pun) reaction would be to just not mention it at all.

Anyone do or plan to do anything different than just that?

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I didn't tell, still haven't, and hope to never have to. When there has been a problem I've just explained that I was having a medical issue and could produce a doctor's note if they needed me to.

I'm really private about it and I think the only people in my "real" life who I've talked about it with are my best friend and my ex, both of whom have the same issues.

As a side note, I just drove 8 hours to get back to school for my committee meeting and was reminded of how awful having IBS on road trips can actually be, haha.

Oh and another side note, I actually got a book about the psychological explanations for IBS while at APA in San Francisco. It may actually be ironic that so many of us Psychology people have IBS.

 

[Mr Violin]

As a side note, I just drove 8 hours to get back to school for my committee meeting and was reminded of how awful having IBS on road trips can actually be, haha.


Oh and another side note, I actually got a book about the psychological explanations for IBS while at APA in San Francisco. It may actually be ironic that so many of us Psychology people have IBS.

Oh my goodness I hear ya there. I have to board an airplane in a couple months and I am already dreading it! I told myself if I have an attack on the plane and the restoom is in use already I will throw myself out and hope I land on a haystack, hehe kidding.

IBS is still explained as solely psychological by some people? I thought that was ruled out? Or is the book on psychological factors contributing to IBS? Either way it sounds interesting let me know if it is any good I may want to check it out.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Oh my goodness I hear ya there. I have to board an airplane in a couple months and I am already dreading it! I told myself if I have an attack on the plane and the restoom is in use already I will throw myself out and hope I land on a haystack, hehe kidding.

Everytime I have to fly I think "hmm, this could potentially be a horrible situation" and then nothing bad ever happens. It might just be because I love planes, but I'll cross my fingers that it works out for you too.

IBS is still explained as solely psychological by some people? I thought that was ruled out? Or is the book on psychological factors contributing to IBS? Either way it sounds interesting let me know if it is any good I may want to check it out.

I actually have no idea whether the book tries to fully explain IBS or just explain how psychological factors might contribute as I've been too lazy to read the book. Once I actually do I'll get back to you.

 

[Ollie123]

I can't come up with any reason to disclose it during interviews. If you ARE asking for special accomodations than its a somewhat different matter, but if you're not I don't see any reason they should know or even care. Again, its not like you're going to be spending 12 straight hours in an OR or something, in which case bathroom use would be a larger concern. In the scope of what it takes to succeed in graduate school, I would hazard a guess that bowel regularity is pretty far down the list.

Well, unless you are applying to RD's program, where one needs to ask permission to go to the potty.

Seriously, can we just adopt you into one of our programs?

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Well, unless you are applying to RD's program, where one needs to ask permission to go to the potty.

Seriously, can we just adopt you into one of our programs?

You crack me up. The program officially stopped sucking today though because my committee members were wonderful and passed me through without any fuss at all. I guess as long as I get along with the four people in charge of my future I'm good (as long as I don't have to like, go to the bathroom in the middle of my defense or something 'cause I'd probably need a court order first).

The potty thing reminded me of a bumper sticker I have that says "I'm only speeding because I really need to poop"

 

[cara susanna]

My brother-in-law, a doctor, said that IBS is often accompanied by a psychiatric condition. Hurray.

 

[Cosmo75]

I have Crohn's (a cousin to IBS I suppose ) and haven't had any issues with my program. It's pretty well controlled most of the time, so having to bolt from class has only happened a handful of times. I eventually told some professors. I also told my advisor within the first few weeks of school, just in case there was a problem. She was very supportive.

Since I teach I have a plan in place for if I ever had to excuse myself mid lecture - I simply would. There's nothing you can do when that feeling hits you. If it becomes a repeat experience, I would end class early based on my not feeling well.

As for seeing clients, I've never (knock on wood) had to get up in the middle of a session. But my plan would be the same. If it became clear I couldn't finish the session, I'd have to explain.

I'm pretty open about my condition, though I don't open broadcast it either. When I interviewed for internships, I didn't disclose. I never mentioned it in my personal statement either, even though it was a big factor in why I decided to return to grad school in psychology.

As for the psychological component, there is a cycle as others have mentioned. CBT works very well to help with some of the social and emotional components of IBS, as does relaxation training and gut-directed hypnotherapy. There's a guy at UNC who developed a treatment protocol (Oli Palsson). He has a website:

www.ibshypnosis.com

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Cosmo, you are my hero for doing grad school with Crohn's. I can't even imagine!

 

[cara susanna]

No kidding. I seriously admire that.

I've read about how hypnosis can help IBS, but I don't want to try it. Implanted memories and the power of suggestibility scare me.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I've tried hypnosis and meditation, both of which made it worse. Ironically I've never been able to sit through a full meditation without suddenly becoming sick.

But I've heard it works for some people so maybe I'm just odd.

 

[Mr Violin]

I am excited about the new possibilities of cannabinoids in the gut. I'm hopefully waiting for some company to create something of an alteration of the cannabinoids so they don't cross the blood-brain-barrier but still bind to receptors in the gut somehow.
http://www.dpf.org/docUploads/cannabinoids_gastro.pdf

Scroll down halfway and it has a small overview of some research with cannabinoids and IBS (it has a little info on Crohn's but it is all anecdotal)

And here is something in a little more depth.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1574910

I think it's nice to know that gastro problems are still being looked at from a variety of angles and that there is hope!

Thanks everyone for your input in this thread! I feel much more confident now and ready to rock and roll once I get into a program.

 

[Cosmo75]

Cosmo, you are my hero for doing grad school with Crohn's. I can't even imagine!

Thanks. It's a beast but if it's under control you can basically eat/do whatever you would if you didn't have it. I think in a way I'm in a better position than those with IBS because there are actually medications that work most of the time. The IBS meds just aren't as good or as numerous. Stress is certainly an exacerbating factor, so I try to keep as mellow as possible

 

[almostPsyd]

I attend a very large profesional school of psychology and am in my fourth year. I spoke to student services and recieved ADA accomodations for my crohns, pretty much I am allowed to use the restroom as many times as I need during class, and profs are supposed to excuse me for arriving late to class if I've been stuck in the bathroom for a while.
You always have profs who are not understanding (read:Jerks) but for the most part they are very considerate.
Hope this helps.

 

[tresofbass]

I thought it was important to bring up the fact that you generally can also get accommodations through the disability services at your university. My S/O has bad IBS and with a doctor's written diagnosis, you can get the accommodations you need and there's not anything anyone can legally say about it.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I thought it was important to bring up the fact that you generally can also get accommodations through the disability services at your university. My S/O has bad IBS and with a doctor's written diagnosis, you can get the accommodations you need and there's not anything anyone can legally say about it.

Can I ask what kind of accommodations she was able to get?

 

[NeuroNeuro]

I don't really have any advice/experience since I'm starting grad school in a few weeks, but I have IBS-C and just want to chime in that it sucks I guess my problem isn't usually as urgent (unless I accidentally OD on my meds...), but it is still very painful and uncomfortable. I usually get up like 2 hours before I have to be anywhere so I can take my meds, wait 30 minutes, eat breakfast, and get things movin' so I can be comfortable throughout the day. If for some reason I can't have my morning routine I feel nauseated, lightheaded, and horrible all day. I also just try to eat small amounts during the day because my stomach bloats like a balloon if I eat something "bad" or with too much volume. I hate being ruled by my digestion! But I've managed to make it pretty normal and people don't really know about it and it doesn't interfere with my daily life too too much. Good luck to all of you guys, I'm hoping it won't be a huge deal for me when I start grad school in 2 weeks (AHHH!). I totally notice stress as a huge factor, so I am going to really try to keep calm, though I am a pretty high stress person. I've tried acupuncture and it might have helped a tad, nothing too drastic though. Exercise and getting lots of sleep also make a big difference, anything to keep me sane!

 

[parto123]

whoa! I am suprised by the number of people responding who also have IBS.

Id guess that this is because there is a huge rate of ibs/crones/ stomach issues in the Ashkenazi (European jews) community, and most on this board, as well as in psychology in general, are Ashkenazi.

 

[Cosmo75]

Id guess that this is because there is a huge rate of ibs/crones/ stomach issues in the Ashkenazi (European jews) community, and most on this board, as well as in psychology in general, are Ashkenazi.

That's a bit of a broad generalization, and not entirely correct. First, it's IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) not IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) that's more prevalent in Ashkenazi jews. Also, while IBD was historically higher among certain ethnic groups, it has since become much more widely diagnosed in the U.S. Depending on the study you read, prevalence rates are pretty much equal among Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics.

Oh, and I'm not Jewish

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I think I jinxed myself by saying I felt fine. I've been sick for about a month straight now and am about to see my doctor in an hour. Even acupuncture hasn't helped (I've gone three times already in the past 2 weeks). If this doesn't let up I have no idea if I'm even going to be able to start classes in the Fall.

Sorry just had to vent. I'm getting a little depressed about it.

 

[cara susanna]

Id guess that this is because there is a huge rate of ibs/crones/ stomach issues in the Ashkenazi (European jews) community, and most on this board, as well as in psychology in general, are Ashkenazi.

Umm... I'm a German/Austrian-descended Catholic.

 

[scienceisbeauty]

I think I jinxed myself by saying I felt fine. I've been sick for about a month straight now and am about to see my doctor in an hour. Even acupuncture hasn't helped (I've gone three times already in the past 2 weeks). If this doesn't let up I have no idea if I'm even going to be able to start classes in the Fall.

Sorry just had to vent. I'm getting a little depressed about it.

(HUG) That's sad. I was telling my mom about how other people have 'things' too (cause I have MS) and that they do fine in grad school, so she shouldn't worry about me.
She said she knows someone at work that has IBS and she thinks you guys are really brave.
Sorry things haven't been well RD. I don't have IBS so I can't say I know what you feel, but still... sorry things aren't going well that's very sad. I HOPE THINGS GET BETTER! *sending luck*

 

[Mr Violin]

I think I jinxed myself by saying I felt fine. I've been sick for about a month straight now and am about to see my doctor in an hour. Even acupuncture hasn't helped (I've gone three times already in the past 2 weeks). If this doesn't let up I have no idea if I'm even going to be able to start classes in the Fall.

Sorry just had to vent. I'm getting a little depressed about it.

you may have already tried this but I recently started taking some acidophilus probiotics and have noticed a reduction in symptoms lately after being on them for a week or two. Hope it helps for IBS-A also! Sorry to hear things aren't going well and good luck.

 

[Mr Violin]

I don't really have any advice/experience since I'm starting grad school in a few weeks, but I have IBS-C and just want to chime in that it sucks I guess my problem isn't usually as urgent (unless I accidentally OD on my meds...), but it is still very painful and uncomfortable. I usually get up like 2 hours before I have to be anywhere so I can take my meds, wait 30 minutes, eat breakfast, and get things movin' so I can be comfortable throughout the day. If for some reason I can't have my morning routine I feel nauseated, lightheaded, and horrible all day. I also just try to eat small amounts during the day because my stomach bloats like a balloon if I eat something "bad" or with too much volume. I hate being ruled by my digestion! But I've managed to make it pretty normal and people don't really know about it and it doesn't interfere with my daily life too too much. Good luck to all of you guys, I'm hoping it won't be a huge deal for me when I start grad school in 2 weeks (AHHH!). I totally notice stress as a huge factor, so I am going to really try to keep calm, though I am a pretty high stress person. I've tried acupuncture and it might have helped a tad, nothing too drastic though. Exercise and getting lots of sleep also make a big difference, anything to keep me sane!

I hear ya there! Hope everything goes well for you once you start.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Thanks guys!

I saw my doc and she advised me to quit clerkship and take more time to myself. Yeah I'll get right on that.

I think the acupuncture last night may have finally helped a little bit. I did take your advice Mr. Violin and bought some yogurt with acidophilus in it. I tried it about seven years ago and it did nothing but I'd be willing to try crack cocaine if someone told me it would help.

I did sit down for a meeting with my clerkship supervisor today and talked to him about it and he told me to take however much time I need in the mornings to feel better and come in to work at noon if I need to (or not at all).

Now why on earth can't we perfect intestinal transplants?

 

[Cosmo75]

Just an FYI, the research shows that the only bacteria that really seems to work (they did at least one RTC) is bifidus infantis, not acidophilus. Not that acidophilus will hurt, but bifidus is what actually held up to some scientific inquiry.

There's this new stuff out called Align, which was in the trial. I think it's OTC, but I'm not sure.

They do have intestinal transplants But usually reserved for folks who've had enough surgeries that they don't have much left and will die without it.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Obviously this isn't a viable option for longterm management, but what I found really helpful on a recent road trip was benzodiazepines. My doctor refuses to prescribe them for me 'cause she thinks it's too "aggressive" a measure but when my mom suggested I take one of hers while I was in some pretty severe pain last week everything went away for about six hours. So for any of you IBS people who are facing plane rides soon and are worried about it, talk to your doctor about a short-term supply of Lorazepam (or I think Xanax might be less potent a drug). I just wish I could drive with it as I'm currently freaking out about driving 8 hours to get back to school in 3 weeks.

I just wish they'd make a really low-dose anxiolytic that didn't make you drowsy and wasn't addictive.

PS - I suppose since this is a public forum I really should say that I don't suggest anyone take medication that isn't prescribed to them.

 

[sicologia]

Having a legitimate reason to have to relieve oneself should not be a problem. You also have to remember that you are now entering a different caliber of school. It's not as though your professors won't believe you if you tell them.

 

[ProZackMI]

Hi...debated asking this but it is important for me to know. How accessible are restrooms to you as grad students throughout your day? Also, during an average day how many hours are there where it would be inappropriate (or awkward) to get up and use the restroom (thinking along the lines of seeing clients)? I read the thread on how long a typical day is (10-12 hours) and it was slightly daunting for me.

I have IBS-D and manage fine as an undergrad because I can get by without eating all day but my days are short (6 hours of class + 2 in the morning to make sure I make it to class). I manage to keep my grades up (3.6) and remain fairly sociable so right now it is no sweat. I know though that come grad school time I will NEED to eat during the day. It just isn't doable to go 12-14 hours without food while doing research, seeing clients, and doing well in classes (not to mention being social). Which without getting into detail is why I was wondering how accessible restrooms are throughout a typical day. Food + me = bad sometimes thats all I will say.

Sorry for such a personal post. I am trying to be purely objective here without sounding like a complete weirdo and felt it was necessary to explain a little bit.

I am especially interested in students who answer that have practicum experience.

Thanks!

A few quick thoughts. First, since you seem to be so disciplined with your eating schedule now, and seem to know your threshold, I don't think you'll have a problem in graduate school. The key to grad/med/law school is timing. That is, when you schedule your classes, make sure you never take two classes in a row (which can be 6+ hours), always space them out during the course of one day or during the week, while still getting your full credit load. In medical and law school, I had very little flexibility with scheduling required classes, but much more with electives. In graduate school, I had many more options in scheduling. It depends on your school and department (e.g., class offerings, size of classes, frequency of classes, etc.).

Once you schedule your classes, you'll find that most 3 hour classes allow for at least ONE break, sometimes more during class time, usually mid-way. As you are in graduate school, however, if you have to go, GO. You needn't ask. As long as you're courteous and do not interrupt others, you'll be fine.

Some tips to remember: always try to sit near the door. Always know where the bathroom is!

As much as I hate dispensing medical advice on a forum such as this, have you tried some natural remedies like ginger root and licorice? Try natural food stores like GNC or "BetterHealth" and look for some supplements that contain ginger and licorice; these have a calming effect on the intestines and have shown to be effective with IBD/IBS patients. Also, as nasty as this sounds, try chewing on fresh parsley. Bring some to class, wrapped in plastic, and chew on it with some fresh water or something to drink and it will help to settle your stomach. Foolproof? No. It does help for many people, however.

As a last resort, you could always tell your professor that you have a medical condition and need to frequently leave class. He/she may require a medical note if it is excessive. Most profs in graduate school will treat you like an adult, so don't worry so much!

Also, if you do have a medical reason and documentation by your physician, and your professor gives you flack about it, consult your school's ADA advisor or ombudsmen. Your request to use the facilities is not only reasonable, but supported by the ADA. No one should give you crap (excuse the pun) about a legitimate problem.

Good luck!
Zack

 

[ProZackMI]

Obviously this isn't a viable option for longterm management, but what I found really helpful on a recent road trip was benzodiazepines. My doctor refuses to prescribe them for me 'cause she thinks it's too "aggressive" a measure but when my mom suggested I take one of hers while I was in some pretty severe pain last week everything went away for about six hours. So for any of you IBS people who are facing plane rides soon and are worried about it, talk to your doctor about a short-term supply of Lorazepam (or I think Xanax might be less potent a drug). I just wish I could drive with it as I'm currently freaking out about driving 8 hours to get back to school in 3 weeks.

I just wish they'd make a really low-dose anxiolytic that didn't make you drowsy and wasn't addictive.

PS - I suppose since this is a public forum I really should say that I don't suggest anyone take medication that isn't prescribed to them.

While there is research that shows that IBD has psychogenic components to it, recommending a pharmacological tx when you're not an MD or DO or PharmD is not appropriate. I agree, benzos have been effective with many of my IBD patients, but still, I don't think this is the appropriate forum to recommend meds when you don't know his medical hx, potential contraindications, etc. Benzos can be dangerous when mixed with certain drugs and can also be dangerous when driving long distances as they are anxiolytics. Be wary giving pharmacological advice on any forum in the future even if well-intended.

Zack

 

[RayneeDeigh]

While there is research that shows that IBD has psychogenic components to it, recommending a pharmacological tx when you're not an MD or DO or PharmD is not appropriate. I agree, benzos have been effective with many of my IBD patients, but still, I don't think this is the appropriate forum to recommend meds when you don't know his medical hx, potential contraindications, etc. Benzos can be dangerous when mixed with certain drugs and can also be dangerous when driving long distances as they are anxiolytics. Be wary giving pharmacological advice on any forum in the future even if well-intended.

Zack

a) I wasn't talking about IBD, in fact most of us haven't talked about IBD.
b) You don't think I know benzos are dangerous? I'm not a *****. Hence why I mentioned that if someone were interested in trying it for short-term things (such as flying, which is NOT fun with IBS) they should talk to their DOCTOR.

I also clearly said that Benzos are dangerous when driving. So how about instead of a misplaced lecture you read what I said again? Did I say that I drove on my road trip? I sure didn't.

 

[ProZackMI]

a) I wasn't talking about IBD, in fact most of us haven't talked about IBD.
b) You don't think I know benzos are dangerous? I'm not a *****. Hence why I mentioned that if someone were interested in trying it for short-term things (such as flying, which is NOT fun with IBS) they should talk to their DOCTOR.

I also clearly said that Benzos are dangerous when driving. So how about instead of a misplaced lecture you read what I said again? Did I say that I drove on my road trip? I sure didn't.

1) IBS/IBD - the same species and same basic animal. All of "US" were discussing this issue. Semantics.

2) I simply gave you a friendly caution to avoid discussing meds on a public forum. While you might not be a complete *****, they are indeed out there. In YOUR post, you mentioned you took your mom's Xanax. Some idiot might read this, say "what the hell!" and take one or more tablets and due to some unforeseen circumstance, has an adverse reaction and dies. So, yeah, it's NOT good to even suggest a name or dose of anything on this type of forum. YOU meant well, and I did read your post, but not all might understand it like you meant it. That's ALL I meant. Relax!

3) I hope you don't react to your clients this way. You are rather defensive and hostile. What's the real issue here? No one is judging you or implying anything. Calm down.

 

[cara susanna]

IBD is different from IBS because IBD actually causes damage to the bowel.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

1) IBS/IBD - the same species and same basic animal. All of "US" were discussing this issue. Semantics.

2) I simply gave you a friendly caution to avoid discussing meds on a public forum. While you might not be a complete *****, they are indeed out there. In YOUR post, you mentioned you took your mom's Xanax. Some idiot might read this, say "what the hell!" and take one or more tablets and due to some unforeseen circumstance, has an adverse reaction and dies. So, yeah, it's NOT good to even suggest a name or dose of anything on this type of forum. YOU meant well, and I did read your post, but not all might understand it like you meant it. That's ALL I meant. Relax!

3) I hope you don't react to your clients this way. You are rather defensive and hostile. What's the real issue here? No one is judging you or implying anything. Calm down.

They're absolutely NOT the same thing. IBD and IBS are completely different. Even symptoms are different, as IBD tends not to have the same kind of intestinal spasm as IBS does. Not only that but as Cara Susanna pointed out, IBD causes real damage to the intestines, can increase your risk for colon cancer and a whole host of other things. NOT the same thing as IBS at all. That's like saying a heart murmur and a heart attack are pretty much the same thing 'cause they both involve the heart.

I didn't say I took Xanax. I said Xanax is less potent than Lorazepam.

If you sift through these boards you will find about a million people who use the old "I hope you don't treat your clients like this" line. It's a pretty weak argument. One might say they hope you read client files more carefully than you've read my reply, but I'm sure that you do as a professional. So please, if we're being "friendly" extend the same courtesy to me and don't call my professional ability into question.