Patient Videos

Module 1: Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Amy’s story: How did you find out you had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and how was it diagnosed?

Amy describes the symptoms and experiences she had leading up to her diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She says understanding and accepting she had IBS was a lengthy journey, as she sought help from many healthcare providers to address her ongoing symptoms (episodes of abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea) and had many tests. Finally knowing her diagnosis gave her hope and relief.

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Amy’s story: What advice do you have for others on their journey with IBS?

Amy shares advice for others who are on their journey with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She encourages others to become their own advocate and emphasizes the importance of finding healthcare providers you feel comfortable with to be part of your support team. She says there will be challenges and it will take time, but you can get your quality of life back.

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Lisa’s story: How did you find out you had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and how was it diagnosed?

Lisa describes the experiences, symptoms, and delays she had leading up to her diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). She talks about the challenges of finding personalized recommendations at the beginning of her diagnosis, and the frustrations of having to go it alone. She also discusses her gluten intolerance, testing for celiac disease, challenges with prescription medications, and how she manages her IBS through nutrition and diet.

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Lisa's story: What advice do you have for others on their journey with IBS?

Lisa shares advice for others who are on their journey with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Her key message is to give yourself grace and take one day at a time. She also talks about the importance of sharing what you are going through with your support team, which can help lessen anxiety as you navigate the day-to-day management of IBS.

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Module 2: Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Amy's story: What diagnostic tests did you have for IBS? What was your experience like?

Amy discusses the range of diagnostic tests she had leading up to her diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She also talks about her experiences and some of the frustrations she had on the journey towards her diagnosis.

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Amy's story: What has been the biggest challenge for you with your IBS?

Amy discusses what her biggest challenges have been living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She talks about her personal challenges, picking the right food to eat and adjusting her diet accordingly, and the overall impact on her quality of life.

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Lisa's story: What was your IBS diagnosis journey like?

Lisa discusses some of the experiences she had during her irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnosis journey. She discusses the challenges of finding guidance at the beginning of her diagnosis. Looking back, she wishes she's had a team in place that could have provided her with personalized guidance.

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Module 3: Managing and Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Amy’s story: What successes and challenges have you had with managing and treating your IBS?

Amy describes the successes and challenges she has experienced with managing and treating her irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some of the challenges she faced were acknowledging she had IBS and finding the right healthcare support team. Getting through these challenges enabled her to manage her IBS successfully.

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Lisa's story: What successes and challenges have you had with managing and treating your IBS?

Lisa discusses the successes and challenges she has had with the management of her irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She talks about the successes she has had with the FODMAP diet and her experiences with the elimination and reintroduction of foods. Lisa also discusses the limitations of her diet due to her gluten intolerance and allergies to plant-based proteins and shares that she is concerned about the long-term effects of her restricted diet.

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Lisa's story: What has been the biggest challenge for you with your IBS?

Lisa describes the biggest challenge she has had living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She is not able to take over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medications due to her allergies, so she manages her irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) through nutrition, carefully picking the right foods to eat and the right times to eat. She discusses with Dr. Shapiro how her restrictive diet runs the risk of disordered eating as she tries her best to avoid food-related triggers and manage symptoms and quality of life.

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