Exams + crohns.. trying not to stress!! - advice please

[Danceruk]

Hi guys

Any fantastic tips/hints would be fab

I had to drop out of uni due to my crohns being so bad, now I am studying again(alongside working full time), I have my exam coming up shortly... I knew the stress would trigger a flare, now 8 weeks had a flare- Gastro says I am no longer flaring... so just need to calm down and try to get back to normal

Still having a lot of D .. living on my Ensure, slowly trying to reintroduce some foods, trying to eat 1 thing a day..

question 1 is - How to deal with stress without flaring, am keeping organised, taking breaks etc- but its hard to concentrate right now (on my 15th bog trip..sitting at a desk isnt all that appealing!)

2nd question - Dealing with things during the exam

I have an extra 30 minutes for toilet breaks - its a 4 hour exam. Taking my bag with pants, nappy cream, wipes, painkillers etc. Will have a female invidulator to look after me etc

Wondering if there is anything I have forgotten that could make it more comfortable??

Thanks so much guys

 

[Rebecca85]

You could keep revision materials (e.g. flashcards) in the bathroom so you can go over things and test yourself while you go!

The night before the exam, do something that you enjoy, have an early night, eat safe foods.

In the exam, though I didn't have to deal with Crohn's when I was studying, I always started each question by scribbling down bullet points of what I wanted to cover in my answer. I would then number each bullet point so I knew what order I wanted to cover them in. This technique might help you to find your place quickly after you've been to the toilet.

In the exam, while you are in the toilet, you can be thinking about the next bullet point, rehearsing different ways of phrasing things, etc, so when you are back at your desk you have the next paragraph in your head ready to write.

Don't forget to bring plenty of water, and you might want a snack or two, I know I find it hard to concentrate when I'm hungry!

Good luck with your exam!

 

[Danceruk]

Thank you hun.. yeah my law textbooks live in the toilet LOL

Yeah I havent sat an exam for so long, just a bit daunting, going ever 20 minutes at the mo to loo.. just hoping it slows down!!! fingers crossed, got 5 weeks to go

Will take water and boiled sweets with me, have an Ensure in the morning

Thanks hun

 

[cally]

Exams are tough enough to get through without having to worry about feeling ill! It sounds like you've figured out lots of good strategies for dealing with external situations (you have already made arrangements for accommodations during the exam, which is great!). I guess all I have to offer are my suggestions that help me with dealing with the internal (mental & emotional) stresses that come with studying or taking a test. (I'm a first year medical student now).

Last January I sat through four of my undergrad finals despite fevers and pain from an abscess the size of an orange. (Shortly after exam period, the doctors found the abscess and took it out!). The worst part about taking an exam while ill for me is frequently getting distracted from the test.

I think you've gotten some great tips from Rebecca about jotting down notes so you can easily find your place - other than that, just tell yourself that *it's okay* to take a break to go to the toilet. I've found that if you get yourself worried and worked up about having to avoid the bathroom as much as possible for 4 hours, it will add to your stress and just make you need to bathroom even worse! It's better to take a break every 20 minutes if you need it so that the time you spend on your exam is fully focused on the exam itself, not on the rumblies. Give yourself permission to take breaks.

I think it also helped me to get through my finals to know that I had confidence in my good time management. It sounds like you are getting very good at keeping yourself organized and at planning ahead - so you should walk into that exam confident that you will have the organization/time management skills to knock that test out of the park despite the inevitable interruptions of bathroom breaks. Taking practice exams (if available) under real test-like conditions is one of my key confidence boosters before actually sitting for the real thing. You'll see that you can actually do it (potty breaks included), and during test day you'll feel less stressed out.

If you find that stress is making your symptoms worse, my final suggestion would be to try informal meditation. I was really skeptical about it at first (I think I viewed it as a waste of time), but when I'm really stressed I just close my eyes for 30 seconds (or more) and remind myself of why I am here studying and how this stress fits into the big picture of life. Oftentimes my immediate reactions to stress are wildly disproportionate to the actual impact the stress-trigger (like a test) has on my life! Make yourself aware of any tension you're holding in your muscles (I always tense up my shoulders and face when I get overly stressed), and make a conscious effort to release that tension. Focus on the relief you feel from releasing that tension, and tell yourself that everything is going to be okay. I sometimes use this technique during actual tests too if I find that the time pressure is making me feel anxious. (I did SO MUCH this on the MCAT - the standardized, 5-hour test to get into medical school!)

Test taking with Crohn's is something that definitely gets easier with time as you come to know what your body needs and you come to trust that your mind will get you through the hurdles just fine.

 

[Mekonin]

I just want to say thanks to all the fantastic people on this forum, you keep amazing me all the time with your words of wisdom and unconditional support.