Go Get Your Health and Feel Good

Let’s be real for a minute: these holidays are BRUTAL on our regular routine. If you’re a solid stick-to-the-schedule kind of gal like I am, this wreaks havoc on more than sneaking in your morning shower; the holidays are a definitive one-two punch to your diet. For some, this is a grab-the-antacid annoyance, for others of us, it’s a mess. For those of us that are solidly in the mess category, I write this post on behalf of the “IBS in America” survey, commissioned by the American Gastroenterological Association.

You see, I know too well the struggle to sort through the symptoms of IBS. In my early adulthood years, my first roommate and very best friend was agonized by IBS. I sat up many sleepness nights, sorted through many painful tears, and woed many woes over what could possibly be causing such acute pain, despite no clear diagnosis from any doctor over the source of the very real trouble. It was a challenging, seemingly impossible time and it was HARD.

Fast forward several months and many doctor appointments later, and we finally met up with IBS diagnosis. We may have arrived at this diagnosis sooner, had there been more general awareness of IBS and its challenges. Regardless, healthily moving through life is a far more regular experience now that diagnosis has been given and treatment established.

My friend’s experience isn’t unique. While the holidays tend to be a time we are all out of sorts with our diet and subsequent digestive health, IBS is year-round. Nearly 35 million Americans suffer from IBS, and have abdominal pain and discomfort, including constipation or diarrhea, throughout the year.

And my friend’s struggle to meet up with an appropriate diagnosis is also not unique. Many sufferers are hesitant to discuss symptoms with their doctors: the “IBS in America” survey found that 67% of IBS sufferers responding to the survey reported experiencing abdominal and bowel symptoms for more than a year before talking with a doctor, while 11% wait a decade or more.

Why such a hesitancy to discuss with their doctors? It’s an awkward thing to talk about! So, going to your doctor is often mistakenly seen as a last resort. 77% of sufferers reported that they tried on average more than three over-the-counter (OTC) treatments, but few reported being “very satisfied” with these products. While this stuff is HARD to talk about, the good news is that nearly 65% report they are satisfied with the care they receive once talking to a doctor. The point? Go talk to your doctor!

If you can relate to the recurring pain of abdominal and bowel symptoms, make it resolution of the holiday season and new year to take care of your GI health and break the ineffective cycle of self-helping. Speak up early, completely and often with your doctor. And get inspiration and help from others by joining the discussion with the #IBSinAmerica hashtag.

*****While all experiences and opinions are my own, this post is sponsored by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), which commissioned the “IBS in America” survey, the most comprehensive IBS survey of both patients and physicians ever conducted, polling more than 3,200 sufferers and 300 physicians to better understand this condition, with the financial support of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Allergan plc. For full survey results, visit http://bit.ly/1LwtDgp.*****

First image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:39732103, copyright:atholpady

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Meredith

Meredith blogs at The Mom of the Year, where she dedicatedly earns her title one epic parenting fail at a time, offering quick, relatable laughs for fellow parents and all their empathizers. She has been part of several best-selling anthologies, featured on prominent sites such as Huffington Post, In the Powder Room and BlogHer, and loves her role as the Executive VP/Operations Manager of The BlogU Conference. When she's not breaking up fights over Legos and juice boxes, she remains fully committed to sharing a less serious look at the world of parenting.

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