It all started when I was fourteen and suffered from severe pain in my abdomen that just wouldn’t let up. After a few tests, I was diagnosed with bowel incontinence. I was overwhelmed with emotions, feeling scared and intimidated; I had never heard of such a thing before.
At first, I was too embarrassed to talk to anyone about it, and I was so scared of how others would think of me. I would worry that my peers would find out and make fun of me, so I pushed myself to keep it a secret. I was so ashamed and tried to mask my symptoms, but it was becoming more and more difficult.
However, I eventually realized that keeping it a secret was not helping me and I reached out to my mom. I remember being in tears, but she was so understanding and showed me that I didn’t need to be ashamed. She was the one that showed me that I could still do the things I loved, despite the incontinence.
After talking to my mom, I knew that I needed to take action and get help if I wanted any chance of improving my situation. I started researching about bowel incontinence and soon found a great doctor who specialized in treating it.
Through following the treatments and advice from my doctor, I slowly but surely began to regain control over my bowel movements and I was slowly gaining my confidence back. And, over time, I started to feel the hope that I could live like a normal person, even with incontinence.
I’m now a few years out of my diagnosis and I feel so thankful to have been able to overcome it. I no longer feel intimidated or ashamed and I’m finding more and more ways to lead a normal and healthy life. I’m proud to say that I’m in full recovery and that I’m able to do the things I love with confidence.