Living

I have always hated taking pills. Even when I was little, I avoided taking aspirin or all-in-one cold relievers like the plague, spitting them out after my mother had given...

Like many other people living with IBS, my symptoms started in quite a subtle way. Every night, after dinner, I felt like I was 6 months pregnant. I was so...

Have plans to go to your favorite restaurant? CANCELED! How about a nice long walk at the local park CANCELED! Well, then let's go to your brother's college graduation and...

When you are living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), visits with healthcare providers can take up a lot of your time and energy. Because there is no definitive test for...

I hate having a colonoscopy. Let me be more specific. I hate the prep work for a colonoscopy. I mean, why in the world do we need to drink a...

As IBS sufferers, we often talk about the physical symptoms of the illness. The urgency, the cramps, the painful bloating – they're terrible. But there's so much more to it...

My IBS is not always triggered unexpectedly. Admittedly, there have been more than a couple of times when I have poked the IBS bear on purpose, knowing good and well...

As I've mentioned in previous articles, I take IBGard when I absolutely know I'm headed into where I'll need it. Honestly, I probably don't take it enough. But, every time...

I was diagnosed with IBS almost 20 years ago. It was back before they labeled different types, but I have IBS-M. I have always had a mixed bag of symptoms...

I would like to preface this article with a sort of disclaimer: this article is purely meant for humor. IBS of all kinds is a very painful, often debilitating condition...

I’ve recently come across a new phenomenon in my IBS journey: middle-of-the-night flares. Waking up at 4 am to go to the bathroom is not fun. It’s been one of...

If forced to choose between hot and cold, I'll always choose cold. You can always put more on, and who doesn't love a warm blanket? That's my standard response to...

I have been what most people call a "dance mom" for almost 8 years. In those 7 years, we have had tons of ups and downs. We started with one...

What are your biggest IBS triggers? We all have our own triggers when it comes to flare-ups or a particularly bad bout of bloating. In my day-to-day experience with IBS...

My daughter, I may be biased, but she is awesome. She amazes me every day and makes me do my best to be a better person—a little background on us...

A few weeks ago, I received the bad news that would alter my life for the next little while. I have been in high-stress mode ever since, trying to get...

For years when doctors would tell me stress could be a big factor in my IBS-D, I always said no way. I have had IBS for as long as I...

It's a blessing for sure to be able to renovate a home. In my case, my boyfriend and I are renovating our apartment, and although, thankfully, even with things going...

When it comes to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) trigger foods, we are all different. That is why so many healthcare providers recommend a food journal or diary. By tracking what...

In the first years of my IBS journey, my diet was mostly based on lists and recommendations I found on the internet. And those helped a lot. However, as time...