The Student Room Group

Irritable Bowel Syndrome + UCAT

Hi I'd like to know if anyone has IBS and sat the UCAT
I spoke on email and they said they'd lean to UCATSA not the UCATSEN or UCATSENSA which would better suit my needs

Problem is one attack in there and that's my year finished one wrong abdominal cramp or flinch and I won't be able to concentrate and my application dies before it started

They say for toilet breaks we only allow 5m when I clearly stated I'm in the toilet for 20-30m a time sometimes twice in 2h so the least that could be done were to give 25% extra time to compensate
I've tried yoga and exercise and it works for about 3m until glug glug and I get a sharp abdominal cramp

I'm going to phone my doctor tomorrow and see if they can persuade them with my medical records because these rules are discriminating against people with gastrointestinal disorders or even other problems

Sorry for the rant just wanted to know if anyone was in this position and if it worked out?
Have you tried taking Buscopan and Loperamide? I find taking them both works extremely well. This was after years of it slowly getting worse and worse that I was scared to even go out. It took a bit of experimenting to get the doses right. I get it on prescription as well.
Don't really suffer the cramps, but toilet time, tell me about it.
Reply 3
Thanks for your reply Buscopan worked a miracle for 1d then slowly lost it's effect it'll help me pass a movement but will not help the symptoms
Reply 4
Original post by random_matt
Don't really suffer the cramps, but toilet time, tell me about it.

My cramps are pretty much where if I sit down too long when I get up my anus feels like it's the centre of gravity and I feel heavy can barely walk properly in those moments.
Toilet breaks are the worst I have to be near a bathroom everytime I eat because I need the toilet straight away and if I don't go within 20m my boxers are covered in anal mucus I hope you get well soon though :smile:
Original post by Anonymous
My cramps are pretty much where if I sit down too long when I get up my anus feels like it's the centre of gravity and I feel heavy can barely walk properly in those moments.
Toilet breaks are the worst I have to be near a bathroom everytime I eat because I need the toilet straight away and if I don't go within 20m my boxers are covered in anal mucus I hope you get well soon though :smile:

I'm the opposite, I'll be lucky to go twice a week. It's a chronic condition, just have to live with it.
Original post by Anonymous
Thanks for your reply Buscopan worked a miracle for 1d then slowly lost it's effect it'll help me pass a movement but will not help the symptoms


That's why you should take loperamide with the Buscopan. Try it out. Take 3x 2mg capsules in the morning, followed by 2x 30 mins before lunch, 2x before dinner and 1x before bed. Try it for a few days. What it does is slow down digestion so it gives time for more water to to be pulled into the body which makes you a lot less loose. Stops it going straight through you. I have the problem that when I eat, I immediately need the bathroom. This has been a life saver.
Just to add to my above comment: I learned about this when I took like twice as much as this for a few days and didn't go to the toilet once for a few days due to constipation. So I started playing around with doses and this is what I find helps me get through the day and be in the middle. I may take more if I'm in anxious situations or places I know I must try not to. But this is only one offs. You're best getting the 99p ones, rather that spending £4 for immodium. Exact same thing. But try 6-8 a day and experiment with doses. I've already discussed with numerous docs and 16mg (8 X 2mg) is fine long term, and going higher as one offs won't have any lasting effects.
Bro maybe take the test at home bc with me, familiar environments help a MILLION bc IBS is also a mental issue as much as it is a GI tract issue. If I’m at home my brain knows I can do whatever, like even **** my self and I’ll be okay bc it’s my house so this mental security may help you. Pop two imodiums and other meds these guys suggested but obviously read instructions don’t maybe mix and match and do mocks at home to figure out how ur body deals with it. Definitely take up the UCATSEN if they are saying you’re eligible. But you’ll need to figure out how to control this because in medicine you won’t have time for personalised toilet breaks and medicine is a massively stressful career (as you must know) so use the summer to seriously figure out a support plan for yourself. Good luck man
Reply 9
Original post by random_matt
I'm the opposite, I'll be lucky to go twice a week. It's a chronic condition, just have to live with it.

It's always going in circles one day I'll think, yes I'm totally fine...... attack happens
I AM NOT FINE
I'm fine ...... attack happens
I'm not fine
It's mental torture everyday
I'm sorry 2 times a week must be really painful
I get it's chronic but I feel like the arrangements for these kind of things are underplayed you get people with anxiety who get 25% ET yet when a person who has anxiety because IBS they're like nope we can give rest breaks 5m long and use medication
Original post by Anonymous
Bro maybe take the test at home bc with me, familiar environments help a MILLION bc IBS is also a mental issue as much as it is a GI tract issue. If I’m at home my brain knows I can do whatever, like even **** my self and I’ll be okay bc it’s my house so this mental security may help you. Pop two imodiums and other meds these guys suggested but obviously read instructions don’t maybe mix and match and do mocks at home to figure out how ur body deals with it. Definitely take up the UCATSEN if they are saying you’re eligible. But you’ll need to figure out how to control this because in medicine you won’t have time for personalised toilet breaks and medicine is a massively stressful career (as you must know) so use the summer to seriously figure out a support plan for yourself. Good luck man

Thanks so much for your reply is it even possible to take at home this year given how it's all moved back to test centres
I'm actually planning to go into dentistry and I'm hoping my symptoms aren't this bad 5 years from now
Currently I use mebeverine(2-3 day)/buscopan(8 day)/omezaprole(1-2)
Original post by Anonymous
Thanks so much for your reply is it even possible to take at home this year given how it's all moved back to test centres
I'm actually planning to go into dentistry and I'm hoping my symptoms aren't this bad 5 years from now
Currently I use mebeverine(2-3 day)/buscopan(8 day)/omezaprole(1-2)

I went to check and I didn’t realise it’s all test centre now :/ I’ll try give you some tips below bc you’ll have to brave this!

In this situation I’d probably suggest you take an afternoon or evening test slot as IBS is worse in the morning, plus if it’s in the afternoon you have time to take the meds and analyse how ur gut is feeling eat the right foods and sort out toilet visits before u get to the centre. My anxiety is much worse if I’m low on sleep (leading to an IBS attack) so take this opportunity to get the full eight hours. Keep some meds with you just as a placebo to your brain that there are the meds there if you need them (this usually calms me down). For added safety maybe have a parent or someone you trust in the waiting room or just outside the centre, it doesn’t help but it’s just placebo to your brain that if anything DOES happen you have support around you. Definitely let the receptionist know about your situation so again it’s added mental security. I’ve found IBS is majorly a mental game of tricking yourself. Just tell yourself that you have to get through the two hours for your career, during the test you’ll obviously be distracted and have high adrenaline which will really slow down any GI tract activity. You may have a cramp, you may not, you’ve just got to pray the chance of it not happening is larger than the change it does. Plus, if you get through this situation your brain will feel much more confident in other situations thinking ‘if I braved the ucat then I can do this too’ etc and you’ll improve slowly in a few months and years.

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