Living With IBS? Tap This Support Group to Live Better!

In my quest to understand Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a common digestive condition, I came across The IBS Self Help and Support Group , the largest online self-help health site for those living with IBS.



I spent many hours on the IBS site ever since I began my role at Revolution Health nearly a year ago in an effort to learn more about IBS--and even more importantly--to understand how IBS impacts the lives of those who are coping with it every day.

What I found here was a community of support, of kindness, education, learning, empathy, compassion and insight, at times sprinkled with humor; a place where frustrations and sadness are shared along with the good days when the pain isn't so bad and life is enjoyable. I found tips, advice and insight on everything you could imagine having to do with living with IBS including medications, treatment options, alternative therapies, exercise and diet.

If you don't have IBS you may not realize just how vital an online support group is to those who are coping with IBS. We all know how embarrassing it is to talk about our occasional tummy troubles--most of us keep our gas, bloating and other digestive woes to ourselves. But for the millions who suffer with IBS, suffering in silence can ruin lives.

Here's what one person with IBS said about the IBS Self Help & Support Group:

"It's drastic. The symptoms are sometimes constant. There's diarrhea and abdominal pain or constipation and bloating. I can't commit to anything too far in advance or anything that is regularly occurring. It greatly affects my life and I'm grateful that there is someone to turn to for support and information."

"... this group represents the real voice of the IBS sufferer, in a professional and dignified manner."

Tim and Nicole: Living and Laughing With IBS

My two favorite IBS bloggers, Tim Phelan (Romance, Riches, Restrooms) and Nicole Thomas, (Life in A Bathroom) are active in this IBS online support community and are inspirational and positive role models. You'll love their blogs! They both have such a great sense of humor--see for yourself!

Tim's got a book out too, Romance, Riches and Restrooms. It's fabulously funny and educational.

The IBS Self Help and Support Group formed in 1987 and established itself as a support and advocate group for IBS Sufferers. The group's founder and president, Jeffrey Roberts, is a respected voice of the IBS community and has testified before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) several times on behalf of IBS patients.

What will you find? Access to bulletin and chat boards, blogs, news and articles, videos and podcasts, book list and store, medication listings, testing, diagnosis and treatment, research study listings, penpals and support groups.

IBS Chat: GET Real Life Stories and Solutions


If you want support information in book-form--IBS Chat contains the best and most commonly asked questions (with answers). I've read much of the book and I will say it offers a wealth of practical strategies for managing symptoms, information about treatment options, and insight into the impact IBS can have on someone's life.

Just like you'll find on the IBS group's website, IBS Chat is filled with advice, support, and reassurance. You'll be blown away with how much help and info you'll find within these pages and online at the IBS Self Help & Support Group.

Let me know what you think!

By the way, the IBS Self Help and Support Group is featured this week in Revolution Health's Online Health Fair, along with other leading organizations like the National Foundation For Celiac Awareness, the Society for Women's Health Research and the American Kidney Fund.