I began having symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) around age 11
My favourite food, Caesar Salad was now off limits. I had discovered by trial and error, that garlic, onion and getting full were triggers and would result in a couple hours on a toilet in agonizing pain, cold sweats and near fainting. (I did faint once on the way to the toilet).
Going out to eat was near impossible.
Going to friends to eat was embarrassing.
Went to the doctors, tested for Crohns, Colitis and given the IBS diagnosis and was told I'd have to live with it. But they did give me a prescription that stated a side effect was more of the symptoms I already dealt with. So we opted out.
Next I tried an elimination diet (great, more food I couldn't eat) and probiotics from a naturopath, but symptoms returned promptly after the 6 weeks were up.
I felt defeated and was resigned to just live with it.