IBS since 7th grade, now going into college and the IBS is the worst it's ever been

by Anonymous
(US)

I first got IBS in 7th grade. I had many friends and was out all the time with them. I began staying home because I couldn't handle the thought of being out and having the IBS symptoms in front of my friends. I thought my life was ending and I became very depressed with the thought of never being able to go out with my friends and missing out on all their fun times. School was a whole other story. I went in late most of the days because of my anxiety of what might happen if I am in school and have to deal with the IBS. I went to the nurse all the time to get out of the stressful classroom. My mom had to write a note to the nurse to not give me a hard time if I came in too much since I had so many stomach problems. I went to a specialist at least 2 times a month and did tests to figure out what they could do to cure me. I went on amatryptelin and it seemed to work for some time. My IBS is always on and off. I can go 4 months with no problems at all, and then it will come back for up to a year. This past year I thought maybe it was the anxiety that was triggering the IBS. I went on an anti-depressant for anxiety and all it did was make me sleepy so I went off of that. I went back to the doctor and he put me on lomotil which slows down your system, preventing diarrhea. It didn't work so he put me on a higher dosage, which I am still on now. It doesn't seem to be working at all. I've been on so many different prescribed medicines from my doctors but none of them seem to work at all.
I am unable to go out with my friends and even family because I can never enjoy myself. I am constantly uncomfortable with either abdominal pain or having to go to the bathroom where ever I am. I am very social and my friends are always planning trips to go on and adventurous things to do, and while I should be excited about it all, instead I dread whatever we do because I know I would rather be at home in bed with the pain than trapped somewhere I've never been. My boyfriend invited me to go to the Island "Saint Martin" with his family, which is probably the coolest experience I have been offered. I declined the invitation because I knew the IBS would be at its worst since I will be so far away from home, not with my family, and trapped at an island that I know nothing about.
I've cut out so many foods from my diet because I'll end up in the bathroom whenever I eat a food that bothers my stomach. I no longer eat when my friends and I go out to dinner and everyone thinks I'm on some crazy diet, when the fact is that every time I eat a meal I end up with stomach pains. I used to never have problems at home because I feel comfortable at home, but lately the IBS is even causing problems when I'm just relaxed in my house. I've tried everything to fix this but it will not go away. I've lost all faith in the doctors because it has been 5 years and they still can't find anything to help my IBS.
I am going into my freshman year of college in the Fall, and I am scared out of my mind. I asked for a single dorm room because I am afraid that if I have a roommate, I will not be able to lie in my room alone while the pain is causing me to double over in my bed. The dorm rooms share one bathroom, so it will be extremely embarrassing having to go to the bathroom so many times and everyone will know. I purposely picked a school that is only about an hour and a half away from home so that if my IBS gets too bad, I can just come home for the weekend and feel comfortable again. My college is a big party school so I am also scared of going out at night with friends and not being able to last the whole night because of my anxiety with the IBS. My biggest fear is if the IBS prevents me from getting my education and having a normal college experience.

If anyone has any suggestions such as types of food that calms their system, tips on how to deal with this, prescriptions that help diarrhea, or anything else that might help me with my situation