Honey, take it from the voice of experience. Your ibs doesn't define you but it most certainly defines your life and your every day actions! But it is NOT something you can control! IBS is a horrible disease that gets in the way of our every day life; enjoying a meal with friends is not allowed because we either have to worry about "accidents" (IBS-D) or we take too long in the bathroom (IBS-C) and either way there are horrible cramps like no one knows anything about unless they have experienced the pain of IBS; you can't go to a movie or any other event for fear of an attack; you can't take long distance trips for fear of an attack; you start your day out feeling great then you have an attack and suddenly feel like crap; don't make plans ahead of time because you don't know how you're going to feel on any given day and then if you are able to make plans (at the last minute because you do feel halfway decent) all your friends already have plans; can't hold a job cos you spend so much time on the toilet on the days you do actually make it in to work; at times sex is even out cos you might have an accident. I could go on and on but my biggest suggestion is to pick more understanding people to have in your life. They are there..... you just have to be patient enough to find them.

Thanks