Brit Haines is an associate editor at Verywell Health, focusing on bridging the gap between search engine optimization (SEO)and editorial. She loves taking long walks with her dog, which has also helped her manage her symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

“You need to change your diet.” A phrase I knew all too well. My newgastroenterologist(GI specialist) made it seem so simple. “Everyone hasirritable bowel syndrome. It’s just a sensitive stomach.”

To me, IBS is so much more than a “sensitive stomach.” It’s something I’ve struggled with my entire life, and although my doctor had IBS suspicions since at least 2020, it went undiagnosed until 2023. I was 33 years old when I was diagnosed with mixed-type IBS (IBS-M), which is when you experience both diarrhea and constipation.

IBS is something that disrupts my life, forcing me to cancel plans, miss work, experience intense pain, urinate constantly, manage mental health struggles, and closely watch everything I put into my body.

After receiving myIBS diagnosis, I came to terms with the fact that there is no way to cure the condition permanently. However, I’ve learned valuable lessons on managing the symptoms so I can enjoy life the way I am meant to.

Lesson 1: Don’t Consider Your Diagnosis a Solution

After my diagnosis, I felt a sense of relief but quickly realized the journey was just beginning.

The diagnostic process helped me start to make the changes I needed to feel better. For example, in the early days, I:

Lesson 2: You Will Likely Never Be Symptom-Free, But You Will Have Symptom-Free Moments

When symptoms inevitably arise, my best advice is to listen to your body and manage them the best you can. Everyone with IBS is different, so you must learn what works for you. I have a plan for various symptoms, which include:

Some symptoms are beyond the gut. My plan of action includes:

How Long Does IBS Last?

Lesson 3: Uncover Your Nonfood Triggers and Learn How to Manage Them

Unfortunately, IBS causes you to miss out. I’ve had to miss all types of social gatherings and work events because something triggered my IBS. One time, I even got alternating diarrhea and constipation from cough syrup, and my common cold quickly turned into a nightmare.

For me, triggers are not always food-related, and nonfood triggers can be tricky to manage. Here are a few tips I’ve used to navigate my nonfood triggers:

With IBS, new triggers arise, and symptom management may need to pivot. I had to learn to go with the . . . flow and work to find solutions.

Lesson 4: Be Willing to Evolve

With IBS, things change periodically. New triggers arise, and symptom management may need to pivot. What works once may not work the next time. I had to learn to go with the trial-and-error flow and keep working to find solutions.

Accepting that what works for me today may not work tomorrow is tough, but it’s important in my lifelong management of IBS.

The ways I’ve evolved in my IBS journey so far include:

Lesson 5: Celebrate Small Wins

What I learned was difficult and took time, but I came out on the other side with a new appreciation for my condition.

I started to see the benefits, like how altering my diet and exercising more would keep me fit and healthy for the rest of my life or how I could leverage the brain-gut connection to my advantage using a combination of grounding exercises, dark chocolate, and music.

Learning to manage my IBS taught me how to constantly pivot, not be afraid to try new things, allow embarrassment to fade without a second thought, and give myself immense self-compassion. These are lessons that I’ve even applied to other areas of my life.

IBS became a blessing in disguise, and suddenly, my new way of life looks much brighter.

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