Episode 1: The Unseen Effects of IBS

We are back for season 2 with a new name and fresh content! This episode will break down the basics of what IBS actually is and the unseen effects those with IBS are living with every single day.

The goal of this episode is that you will listen and realize you’re not alone in your struggles with IBS or that you’ll hear these words and have a better understanding of what those in your life with IBS are going through.

You can check out the podcast on iTunes here, Spotify here, and on YouTube here! Below is a full transcript of the episode if you prefer to read through it or want notes.

Don’t forget to connect to others in The GUT Community, a Facebook group for those with IBS and digestive disorders to support one another and dive deeper into each episode together.

Welcome to season two of the podcast. If you know us from season one, you may have already noticed a few changes, the biggest one being our name. So we were formerly The Happy Gut Podcast. But now we are The Gut Show. The reason for the change is simple. We want to be very clear about why we exist in the podcast and the YouTube world. We are here to share stories, resources and improve knowledge on all things gut health. We are passionate about empowering those living with digestive disorders, like IBS, to get clear guidance, find control over their symptoms, and feel confident in their bodies again. So if that sounds like something that you want more of in your life, you're in the right place.

In this episode, we are going to talk about the unseen effects of IBS and digestive disorders. If you know my story, then you know that I was personally diagnosed with IBS as a child, I didn't get a lot of guidance or support over my symptoms until I found myself in my studies to become a dietitian about 10 years later. I lived through middle school, puberty, high school, and even some of college, the hardest years of my life, going through this dark place of confusion and mystery.

With what was going on in my body, I didn't know what was normal, and then the other changes that were happening with puberty and growing up, I didn't know where those overlapped. And I didn't know what other people who were, you know, my age were experiencing, which led to me feeling uncomfortable in my body. It led to me feeling like I wasn't at home, in the body I had, and I was very insecure. And felt just kind of defeated in myself.

This insecurity followed me through high school, but really hit me hard whenever I was in college, because I was also experiencing some of the insecurities of you know, failing in my classes for the first time in my life and the loss of what had been comfortable with, you know, my entire childhood and then going out on my own, you know, I was going through those changes, too. And so the insecurities began to overlap and kind of collide with each other. Thankfully, for me, that was also whenever I decided that I was going to become a dietitian. I switched my major from pre med to nutrition, and I began to learn about what IBS actually is. I began to learn about digestion and I began to realize that a lot of what I had experienced was not normal to everyone, but was normal for those who did have IBS.

So there was something wrong. And it was normal for those who have IBS. I began to actually understand what was going on in my body a bit more. And I began to actually find relief. That took me about five years, and I will talk more about that in episode 2, but I wanted to share some of that backstory, because as we are starting this season, and as we get into this topic of the unseen effect of IBS, I want you to know where it's coming from, and it's coming from my own story and the experience I had to live through, and now that I help so many women push through and fight through.

So if you have IBS or another digestive disorder and you've felt like your body is broken, if you feel like nobody understands what you're going through, like maybe it's all in your head somehow, then you know what I get it, I was there. And I would have given anything to hear that what I felt and experienced during those hard moments in my journey was shared by others. That I wasn't alone, that I wasn't crazy, and that I wasn't making it all up and that is why I am here. That is why we are having this conversation.

IBS is a functional gut brain disorder, meaning that there are changes to the function of the gut, but there are no structural abnormalities or damage done through an inflammatory or auto immune response. An inflammatory response we see with IBD, Crohn's and colitis, and auto immune response might be from like celiac disease, but for IBS and a lot of our functional gut disorders, there's just changes to the function, there's not that structural abnormality or that inflammatory or autoimmune response.

Because of that the diagnosis for IBS is typically made once other conditions are ruled out. So we rule out other conditions first, instead of clearly identifying IBS through a single test. There are some tests that are coming out that might be helpful for this in the future. But for now, this way of diagnosing IBS can actually feel uncertain. And that means that those with IBS may not trust that the answers they got from their doctor are accurate.

Many times those with IBS are told that there's nothing wrong with them by their family members, and even their providers. The tests are all clear, everything is negative, everything is fine. And they should be happy that it's not serious. I actually had a client tell me, she was she was getting some extra testing done. And, you know, the worst case scenario in her head was that it is cancer. When the tests came back, they told her, “you should be happy, it's not cancer and it's not that serious. It's just IBS.” And she, being really vulnerable and opening up. said, “you know, what, I kind of wish it would have been cancer instead. And the reason why I said that was because I would have known for sure, at least there would have been a treatment plan available.” All she wanted to hear was that there was something wrong and that she wasn't just making it up. A lot of providers miss this.

If you've been told that, too, know that you're definitely not alone. Many with IBS and functional gut disorders are told it's all in their head, and that they need to just stress less, drink water, eat healthier, whatever, you know, move their bodies. If you've had IBS, and you've been told this or you've had this experience, you may be having this flashback. Remember how defeating it felt to hear those words and hear those statements.

I've been there. And while it is true that there are no negative health effects of IBS, meaning there's no increased risk of colon cancer, there's no damage that's done to the body or to the gut, there's not an increase in inflammation, there's not an increased risk of death. There are very real negative effects.

From a quality of life standpoint, these effects can then translate to behaviors that do have a negative impact on health and well being. So let's pause for a moment and define what health actually means. The basic definition is the state of being free from illness or injury. As we learn more about what health truly means, the World Health Organization (WHO) has adapted a new definition that I also take on. And that is the state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. So with that health lens on, let's look at the unseen impact that IBS does have on a person's health.

A quality of life study showed that those with IBS would be willing to give up around 25% of their life in order to have a solution for their symptoms. Why would someone be willing to give up on an average 20 years of their life to be symptom free? If you have IBS, you might understand because IBS symptoms impact daily life and can create tension in relationships. For many of those that have IBS, there hasn't been a clear understanding of why they have symptoms and what's happening and what they can actually do for them. This can lead to poor control of symptoms. This can then lead to missed work or lower quality of work and focus at work, canceled plans so strained relationships and a decreased desire to leave their house.

When the symptoms are more controlled, there is still the fear that symptoms can be triggered, which then leads to the same result as poorly controlled IBS, less time at work, less time with friends or family, and less confidence trying new activities that they may have previously enjoyed. So the fear around the unpredictable nature of symptoms can also create distrust in and frustration with one's body. They may feel that their body is broken and their body is against them, and that that can lead to hate and shame towards the body. This may then lead to poor body image, self harm, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and depression.

Remember, think about that health lens of mental, social and physical well being. If the mental and social pieces are gone, so strained relationships, not really involved in community, missing out on maybe cultural and even religious activities that they want to be part of with their groups of people. And then if mental well being is off, so depression, anxiety, poor body image. And then physical health is also off, because you know, maybe there's disordered eating and eating disorders present. Wouldn't we say that those with IBS are actually at risk of negative health side effects?

When you think about the gut brain connection with IBS with all this in mind, it is also really fascinating, because we know that there's a link between IBS and depression, meaning those with IBS are more likely to experience depression. This means that strained relationships, less joy and daily activities and physically feeling weighed down can be due to the symptoms and they can also be due to the base core of IBS, which is that gut brain connection. There's two, I guess weights and sets of tension, that can be on the social wellbeing piece.

Based on on all of this that can be going on for someone with IBS, this is what you actually may not see whenever you see someone who is struggling: few friendships, strained sexual relationships, chronic fatigue and low energy, isolation, self doubt, fear foods and new activities, unhealthy coping strategies, body distrust and hate, decisions to not have a family, distrust in the medical system, disordered eating and eating disorders, among many more.

If you are dealing with IBS, or any kind of chronic illness or digestive disorder, or whatever it may that led you here: First, I want you to know that you are not alone. Second, I want you to know that just because others don't see it, it doesn't mean that the experiences that you've had are invalid. Your experiences are valid, they're very real. And they don't have to be explained through sight, or even through understanding. So it's okay.

I also want you to know that because of what has happened so far in your journey, however long that has been, there could be some trauma built up from these experiences. And a lot of times that trauma is what sticks with you even when the symptoms themselves might be gone. This is something I've seen in myself. This is something I also see with a lot of my clients as we work through IBS. That's why it's so important to make sure that we have good mental health care and mental health support to work through those traumatic experiences as we come across them. And as you begin to rebuild your life, as you begin to actually put yourself out there and get more confidence as you understand your condition and manage it well, then you may have to still overcome those hurdles of trauma. That's where having extra support is so important.

If any of this sounds like you, know what you're currently struggling with, I just know that you're not alone. Know that it's not your fault. It is not all in your head. I encourage you to keep fighting. It's tough, but keep fighting to find credible professionals and keep fighting to find what works for your body and how to get your life back. We do this in my business, and in my practice we do this through group and one to one coaching. If that sounds like something that you're interested in, you can always schedule a complimentary consult call and we'll we'll see if it's actually the right fit for you.

Thank you for so much for tuning in and kicking off season two with me. I want to hear your biggest takeaway from this episode, so comment on this post what you liked the most. For the rest of this season, we are going to dig deep into some of these nuances of digestive disorders, more personal stories and case studies. We're also going to talk about other areas of gut health including new research that is we are also going to talk about other areas of gut health including new research that is out and interviews with some professionals that you will love. So stay tuned. I see you. So I see you. I hear you. You are not alone. We are in this together. See you next week.