What steps have you taken on your IBS journey that you are proud of?

I had IBS from birth. When I was a year old I was the same birth weight. I now understand that this was largely attributed to the stress and anxiety my mother was coping with. She was diagnosed with severe Bipolar which affected her all her life. I feel I started with a very poor gut biome. I was kept alive on goats milk and rice gruel. During my life I was a very high achiever, people pleaser and perfectionist. I always had a significant level of anxiety. My IBS lasted for most of my life until in 2019 I had a FMT which for me was not successful, mostly due to my unresolved anxiety. I was then was diagnosed with SIBO. My SIBO doctor had treated my SIBO with herbal supplements and I was clear of SIBO. However I still had IBS with chronic diarrhoea. Her suggestion was to see what was going on in my mind and to try hypnotherapy. Which was very successful for me and the hypnotherapist gave mw the book by Dr Joe Dispenza 'Breaking the Habit of Being Myself'. The rest is history and I embraced the 'work ' and meditation of Dr Joe Dispenza.
My 7 Steps to Heal were.
1. Create balance in my life. Using the Wheel of Life.
2. I then created a Vision of the life I wanted to live free from IBS. One where I could feel the emotion of that Vision. I set no time limit it took me 4 years to change. I set up a yearly Vision then 3 month goals and weekly goals.
3. I really worked on managing my stress and anxiety. Using the work and meditation of Dr Joe Dispenza and the Dr Joe group support.
4. I modified my diet. Using the books of Lee Holmes 'Heal your gut' and Dr Michael Mosley the 'Clever guts diet'. I also decided to go gluten free.
5. FMT (this was not successful as I had not addressed the chronic anxiety I was experiencing).
6. SIBO testing positive and then treated with antimicrobial herbs supplements.
7. The power of the mind to heal the body. The work and meditation of Dr Joe Dispenza.
I did not understand I was living in a chronic state of survival. This meant my digestion was constantly shut down. Also if you are living in a anxious stressed state this affect the balance of the good bad bacteria in the microbiome. Along the way I also healed myself from optical rosacea. Which was a wonderful side benefit.
I am not a medical professional and I have seen so many specialist and doctors with many tests and the only two positive results were for SIBO and in my many colonoscopies where I had pre-cancerous polyps removed.
How I healed myself was to do my own research. I just kept searching until I found the solution for myself.
I only changed and healed when I took back my power and the responsibility for my health. I would say I was no 95% IBS symptom free. It is only very rarely maybe twice a year and only for a day or to. It is only when I have not managed my stress well. I don't even think about IBS. I now live the life now I truly desired.
Believe in yourself it is possible. Linda Payne 🦉❤️