I have been suffering from IBS for 30 years since the age of 12. Although IBS has minimal impact on my working life, I find it disrupts my self-confidence and social life particularly. This leaves me feeling excluded and disappointed that I can't go out as much as I'd like to and this can have a knock-on effect on my relationships. I feel anxious that a potential partner may be put off by the IBS.

Trying to organise holidays is also really difficult as I have to make sure I am prepared for IBS attacks when away from home. My symptoms include nausea, bloating, pain and spasms, constipation and diarrhoea. These can vary in degree depending on my stress levels and whether I stick to a regimented diet. I have tried a mixture of traditional and alternative methods to ease my symptoms when they do flare up and find that Buscopan IBS Relief works well at reducing abdominal pain.

I have done a lot of reading and research since being diagnosed with IBS and have found this very helpful.

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I began suffering from IBS in 2003 and it immediately had a profound impact on my life. I completely withdrew from social activities and suffered from severe abdominal pain, which almost prevented me from completing my degree at university. Luckily my boyfriend was very supportive and believed in my condition, which helped me get through it. He made me feel that I wasn't alone.

I have since discovered that I have a dairy and poultry intolerance, which makes my symptoms worse, so I steer clear of these foods now and it makes such a difference to the way I feel.

There are a variety of ways I manage my symptoms, which include nausea, constipation and abdominal pain, but these symptoms are no longer as frequent or severe. Buscopan IBS Relief is particularly effective at relieving abdominal cramps and spasms and helps me get on with my life.

Now I can enjoy going out and socialising with friends, and put myself first instead of my condition.

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When I was fifteen I was admitted to hospital with a suspected appendicitis after suffering from severe stomach cramps; doctors later diagnosed my condition as IBS.

Now twenty-four, I suffer painful attacks almost every week consisting of bloating, constipation, severe cramping, and sickness. The attacks can range in severity, but even mild pain causes a great deal of disruption to my life, for I always fear that it may develop into a severe IBS attack.

I find a hot water bottle can be comforting when I get stomach cramps, but for me, the most effective treatment is medication that specifically deals with the pain.

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I have been an IBS sufferer for five years and experience a severe attack at least twice a month. Because I work in a fairly pressurised environment the attacks are usually brought on by stress and certain 'easy' foods like takeaways and chocolate.

When I suffer attacks, my stomach swells up and the sharp pain in my abdomen can be unbearable. I never feel ‘myself’, so I can be moody and self-conscious. I'm usually a very sociable person, but when I'm bloated and in pain I don't want to see anyone. The way I've learnt to deal with it is through modifying my diet and avoiding stressful situations.

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Approximately 10 days every month I experience an IBS attack of cramping, bloating and constipation/diarrhoea. These attacks are both painful and embarrassing, often triggered by my menstrual cycle and particular foods. When I experience severe symptoms of IBS I feel sick, depressed, unattractive, introverted and lethargic. I can't face going out, talking or even eating, these symptoms cause a huge obstacle in my daily life. Although I know there is no magic solution to this problem, I have found a number of ways to ease it. I now watch what I eat, restricting foods I know will aggravate the condition; I also take medication, which is an effective way to ease the cramps and relieve the abdominal pain.

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