Nicola Pollard: Life with IBS

Nicola spoke to The IBS Network about the life with IBS.

My bowel habits changed too, and I noticed an increase in gas, (enough said!). I’m a theatre director, but I also have a couple of other side lines – one of which is a Tour Guide at Shakespeare’s Globe. I remember when I’d finished one seven-hour shift, I was in so much pain I could barely get myself back to the staff room. I also remember stumbling through the front door after a Zumba class, crying because of the intense pain in my abdomen.

I also had a scan of my pelvic area, and blood and urine tests, all of which showed nothing nasty in my body. Eventually, I heard from my GP that it was probably IBS. This was February 2020, just before I went away for a hugely significant directing job. At that point, the timing felt awful. I couldn’t deal with this new diagnosis while rehearsing and living away from home. Then, of course, Covid came along, and the tour was cancelled. All my work dried up in a matter of days and I had all the time in the world to get to grips with my IBS.

Through this, and tracking potential triggers, I identified my problematic foods as: lactose, orange juice, chilli, onion and garlic (how original), paprika, high levels of saturated fats and microwaved or heavily processed foods (there’s a science in there somewhere, but I don’t yet know what it is). I seem to have a very sensitive gut, as I can’t manage my problem foods in any form or quantity. I’ve known about my intolerance to caffeine since 2014, so yes, I have become one of those people ordering an oat-milk, decaf latte!

A few days into my food diary, I also started daily yoga. Have I kept that up since work has re-started? Err, no. But I have a few IBS-specific yoga moves that I do when I can feel the pain starting, or at the start of what could be a difficult day.

One of my main challenges is lunch, both at home and when at work. Because of my intolerances, I can’t grab a sandwich, as onion or garlic are in practically everything. If I’m away for work, I have to plan for the next day more so than I did before. Eating out is trickier now too, which also makes me anxious. I did have to leave one pizza/pasta chain restaurant as they said garlic was in pretty much all of their dishes. 

My partner and I went to three weddings in the summer, cue anxiety, but two of them couldn’t have been better in their catering for me. My local Chinese take-away is brilliant at catering for me too — I thought my days of a Chinese take-away were over.

In some ways, IBS has made me healthier. I’ve also found, through mentioning it in conversation, that a number of my friends have IBS too, and some of us have shared resources and insights, or are just able to empathise with each other. 

It’s not been easy or quick to get to this stage, but it’s been worth it. I still get pain sometimes, and my lunches at work can be very dull. But I’m much more aware of what to do or not do. And — major milestone — recently, I went to my first Zumba class in two years! I completed the class, walked in through my front door and did a little happy dance. By the time you read this, I’ll have been to another. If I can Zumba, I know I’m managing my IBS.

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