is chronic ibs a disability?

ladyjessy

I would like to know is chronic ibs a disability

Sam_Alumni

I suppose it depends in what sense you mean disability?  I have friends with IBS and it certainly is very difficult for them, but if you mean in the sense of being able to apply for PIP or disability benefits, I would think you would find it really difficult to claim those. (But I'm no expert on benefits!)

I have IBD and no colon, I have a permanent ostomy bag and was turned down for PIP.  The difficulty with IBD and IBS is that you have times of flare and remission therefore it's tough to show that on a day to day basis, how your illness affects you.

Do you have IBS? Have you seen the IBS Network? They are a support group for IBS.

I found this on the government site about the definitions of disability.

Main elements of the definition of disability

The Act defines a disabled person as a person with a disability. A person has a disability for the purposes of the Act if he or she has a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities

This means that, in general:
• the person must have an impairment that is either physical or mental (see paragraphs
• the impairment must have adverse effects which are substantial
• the substantial adverse effects must be long-term and
• the long-term substantial adverse effects must be effects on normal day-to-day activities

All of the factors above must be considered when determining whether a person is disabled.

the_velvet_girl

I have a relative with IBS and I think it is a disability. Her bowel seems to swing between constipated and my relative having severe abdominal pain and then loose bowel movements which have caused my relative to soil herself on a train. My relative used to get PIP as the pain and incontinence forced her to be house bound but PIP wasn't awarded at the last review as my relative has started to go out if her bowel is settled. She only goes out a maximum of once a month for two hours!

Nystagmite

I was told by someone it wasn't. But it seems to be the whole "I can manage perfectly fine. Why can't you?"