The 5 Biggest Reasons IBS Can Keep You From Working

IBS is one of those quiet illnesses that can ruin your life. Often misunderstood by those who do not suffer from it, IBS can lead to pain and embarrassment. Unfortunately, severe cases of IBS can also prevent you from working. Below are five reasons why IBS might keep you from being able to work.

The Bad Days

Almost every job requires that employees are able to work on every scheduled day. While most jobs do provide a small number of "sick days", those who suffer from IBS might find themselves unable to come in far more often than their peers. When an individual with IBS has a particularly tough day with his or her symptoms, he or she may not even be able to leave home. This makes it difficult to establish a good attendance record at work.

Lengthy Breaks

When a person with IBS needs to take a break, that break can take a longer than average time. It is safe to say that the average break period of a sufferer of IBS can be both painful and lengthy. This means that jobs that only provide five or fifteen minute breaks are almost impossible for those with IBS, and that jobs that require an individual to forgo breaks on a regular basis are simply not an option. If one has IBS, that condition has to become one of the focal points of that person's life.

Emergencies

If a job requires an individual to stay at his or her post until a scheduled break, IBS sufferers need not apply. An IBS attack can happen quickly, and the sufferer must run to the bathroom regardless of what else is going on. As such, many individuals who suffer from the condition are unable to seek out jobs that require a lengthy stay in one position and often cannot function in professional fields that require long periods of time without a break.

Pain and Discomfort

Even when one is not in the middle of an attack, IBS can cause a significant amount of pain and discomfort. This pain can make it difficult to deal with clients and co-workers and make concentrating on complex tasks impossible. This makes it very hard for some with IBS to work in customer service fields and to deal with tasks that require precise attention to detail. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done about this side effect of IBS.

Complications

There are even worst-case scenarios that can cause complications from IBS. These complications can lead to significant amounts of missed work and even hospitalization. Most who suffer from IBS will never have to deal with this kind of emergency, but the fact that the possibility exists may keep some individuals from working at jobs where keeping a tight schedule is required.

If you have IBS, you may not be able to work. If you have found this to be the case, you can contact a disability attorney in Tacoma or a city near you and begin the process of filing for Social Security disability benefits. IBS can impact your life in a negative way. You deserve help to make sure that you still have the best quality of life possible when dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.