Canceling Appointments Because of IBS

Just recently, I had to cancel an appointment last minute due to my Crohn’s Disease and IBS flaring up. As we all know, flares can onset out of nowhere. One minute you feel great; the next, you are curled up in the fetal with abdominal pain and constant trips to the bathroom. This is just our reality. And it can be hard for business owners and anyone, in general, to understand that this is out of our control.

Last-minute cancellations

Unfortunately, not long ago, I flared recently out of nowhere and had to cancel an appointment last-minute. My appointment was on a Thursday at 10 a.m., but the appointment was about 5 hours long. The problem is, when I woke up that morning, I was flaring. There was no way I could sit in a chair for 5 hours feeling the way I was feeling.

So embarrassingly, I had to give the news the morning of that I would not be able to attend my 10 a.m. appointment and the owner was furious. She did not take it well, and it was a very uncomfortable conversation. It was upsetting to her that I had waited so last minute, which was out of my control.

Tips to avoid cancelations due to IBS

So in lieu of this experience, I’d like to share some tips to help others avoid this:

Be honest about your condition before making your appointment.

In my opinion, I would disclose your condition to the owner. Hence, they understand that if you cancel last minute due to your health, they will understand and not take it personally or think you don’t respect their business. You don’t have to go into detail, but you can say that you have a medical condition that onsets quickly and ask if they could work with you regarding their cancellation policy.  Most of the time, they work with you.

Make sure you read the cancellation policy.

In my city, cancellation policies are pretty intense. People don’t like you to waste their time and cancel last minute, which is completely understandable. But this can be very tricky to navigate for anyone with a complicated medical condition. Be sure to read the policy and talk to the business owner to see if they will be willing to work with you since you have a medical condition and canceling last minute is more likely in your case.

Know that your deposit will be forfeited.

I’ve noticed that it is now standard (at least in my city) for your deposit to be forfeited in case of a last-minute cancellation, which in my opinion, is fair.  Just be sure to know what percentage the business is asking as a deposit, and make sure you are okay with it being lost.

How about you? Have you ever had to cancel an appointment last minute due to symptoms? Do you have any tips on how to navigate that situation better? Share below, we love to hear your perspective.