Can IBS Ever Let Me Be On Time?
Isn’t it awful when you have to be somewhere at a certain time, and your IBS symptoms kick into high gear just as you are about to leave the door? I know you can relate. And why is it that symptoms seem to be most rampant in the mornings? Try making it to work on time consistently—that is tough to do with this diagnosis. But will this ever let up? Will IBS ever let me be on time?
Managing IBS and time
Sadly, I think the answer is: not really. Definitely, for any morning appointments and getting to work in the morning, planning is essential in order to make it on time. Thankfully, I now work from home, which has been a God-send, as I don’t have to deal with the morning rush. But when I worked a 9-5, getting into work on time was a struggle.
I often needed to wake up about 3 hours before I needed to be in the office. This was the only way that I would be able to make it and even do so, and I was often 5-10 minutes late. On a bad day, a little later.
And forget about making a morning appointment. That is just something I try to avoid all together. I believe the last time I had to go through this was seeing my Gynecologist at 9 am. Boy, was that a mission. I was a nervous wreck. I had to end up using the restroom at the office, and it was just something I will never put myself through again.
But let’s face it, we can avoid morning appointments and events until we can’t. Until there is a situation where we have to show up. So what do we do then? Well, here are some tips I have come up with over the years.
Make sure dinner is nothing but safe foods
What you eat for dinner the night before greatly affects how your morning will go. So the night before your appointment, only eat your safe foods. Do not ever try a new food or give in to a tempting trigger food. Your morning will go much smoother by following this tip.
Wake up early
Like I mentioned above, to make it to work on time, I would wake up three hours before I needed to leave my house. Time is helpful. The more time you have the less your symptoms act up because there is no rush. Also, with time, you can make sure you can visit the restroom at ease and not panic because you will be late.
Have safe foods for breakfast or fast completely
We are all different. Some IBS patients prefer fasting in the morning if they have to be somewhere, and then eating after the event is over. If that works for you, then go for it. For me personally, I need something light in my stomach but it must be a safe food, or else forget about being somewhere on time. So be smart about your breakfast if you choose to have it.
Don’t rush and plan everything
Overall, if you are rushing in the morning, symptoms will have a laugh and make things worse. Nervousness and anxiousness trigger IBS. So if you have everything planned in the morning, even down to what you are wearing and what route you will take driving, then your IBS will thank you. So plan, plan, plan.
How about you? What tips do you have to get somewhere on time? Share below.
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