When IBS Humble Checks You: Listening to Your Gut and Advocating for Your Health
Have you ever gone through a stretch where you have not had a flare-up in a while, and that little voice in your head starts whispering:
“You must be cured!”
“You must be cured!”
And then, suddenly, you are eating anything and everything you know probably isn't the best idea… only to send yourself straight into a full-blown flare-up.
Yep. This was me.
The “I’ll Be Fine” Food Spiral
Long story short, I had multiple days of eating foods I already knew could cause problems for me. Honestly, any outsider watching the situation unfold probably could have predicted exactly how it was going to end.
Sure enough, after about three days of what I lovingly refer to as my “trip around the cuisine carousel,” it all caught up with me.
The abdominal cramping started first. Then bloating. Then loss of appetite. And finally, the biggest red flag of all: black stools.
At that point, I knew I needed to call my doctor immediately.
Sometimes Knowing Better Doesn’t Mean We Always Do Better
I will openly admit something important here: just because someone works in healthcare or understands nutrition does not mean they stop being human.
Sometimes we convince ourselves we can “get away with it.” Sometimes we want to feel normal for a few days. Sometimes instant gratification wins.
I thought it was important to share this personal experience because I know many people living with IBS or digestive disorders can probably relate to this cycle.
You feel good for a while, so you test the waters a little… then a little more… and before you know it, your gut reminds you exactly why those boundaries existed in the first place.
Learning My Trigger Foods
Over the years—especially after having my daughter—I have learned there are certain foods my body simply does not tolerate well.
For me, excess whole nuts and seeds can be problematic. Raw cruciferous vegetables like cabbage can trigger symptoms, as can certain carbonated beverages, especially sparkling waters.
And worst of all?
Whole-kernel corn.
As someone who grew up on a Midwest farm, not being able to fully enjoy corn on the cob feels genuinely tragic.
The Flare-Up That Finally Caught Up to Me
Here is how this particular flare unfolded.
First, I went to a cookout and had grilled corn on the cob. Just one.
The next day? Another cookout. This time, there was street corn. Naturally, I thought:
“One more will be fine.”
“One more will be fine.”
Spoiler alert: it was not fine.
Then came the yogurt with nut-and-seed granola. And finally, the cabbage-based salad at lunch.
That was the breaking point.
That night I barely slept because of the pain and discomfort. The next morning, I noticed black stools—something that can indicate bleeding higher in the gastrointestinal tract.
Working in healthcare, I knew this was not something to ignore.
The Importance of Gut Health Advocacy
One of the biggest lessons from this experience was recognizing the importance of advocating for your own health—even when you are tempted to minimize symptoms or delay care.
I had already been putting off seeing a gastroenterologist because, honestly, denial can feel easier sometimes.
But this flare-up became the catalyst that finally pushed me to schedule the appointment.
For individuals living with IBS or chronic digestive symptoms, self-advocacy matters. Sometimes people normalize severe symptoms for so long that they stop recognizing when something deserves medical attention.
Some important situations where you should contact a healthcare provider include:
- Black or tarry stools
- Blood in the stool
- Unintentional weight loss
- Persistent abdominal pain
- Ongoing vomiting
- Difficulty swallowing
- Severe changes in bowel habits
- Symptoms that interfere significantly with daily life
Keeping a symptom journal can also be incredibly helpful when preparing for medical appointments. Tracking foods, stress levels, bowel patterns, medications, and symptom severity may help identify patterns and give healthcare providers clearer information.
The Emotional Side of Digestive Disorders
The not-so-funny part of all of this was the emotional aspect.
I was frustrated with myself for giving in to the “instant gratification monster.” I knew better. I teach people about these things. And yet, I still ignored what my body had been telling me for years.
Living with digestive disorders often involves this complicated emotional balancing act between wanting freedom and needing boundaries.
There is grief in realizing certain foods may never fully agree with your body. There is frustration when symptoms interrupt routines, social events, travel plans, or training schedules.
I am currently training for a marathon, so having to scale back running for several days felt especially difficult. Every step felt like my stomach was rebelling against me.
But honestly, this experience was also humbling in an important way.
Listening to Your Body Is Not Weakness
One of the biggest lessons IBS teaches many people is that feeling well is usually not random.
Often, we feel better because we are consistently doing the things that support our health:
- Managing stress
- Sleeping adequately
- Staying hydrated
- Moving our bodies
- Respecting trigger foods
- Following treatment plans
- Listening to our symptoms early
When we stop doing those things, our bodies often let us know pretty quickly.
The Bottom Line
This flare-up reminded me that digestive health is rarely about perfection—it is about awareness, consistency, and learning to work with your body instead of against it.
It also reinforced how important medical self-advocacy can be. Ignoring symptoms, delaying appointments, or normalizing severe digestive issues may sometimes delay care that could improve quality of life.
Thankfully, I recovered fairly quickly and am back to marathon training. I was very fortunate that this flare-up was not more severe.
Hopefully, my experience helps remind someone else to listen to their body a little earlier than I did.
And if you are currently working through identifying your own food triggers and digestive patterns, know that you are definitely not alone.
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Comments
Aubrea Burchfield
07/07/2022 at 09:44 AM
I appreciate your candid approach the topic and feel that it adds even more validity to your blogs. Thanks for sharing!
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