Many things led me to share this audio space with you on Healing Her IBS. My name is Erin Maillo, I am a health coach, a mother and educator. And, I have struggled with IBS for 6 years, especially just after the birth of my son in 2017.
Did your IBS start with a specific event like that?
Today, I can thank the Universe and my personal journey in saying that I am almost entirely healed from IBS.
When I do have recurring issues, I have a tried-and-true set of emotional and physical practices that get me back to feeling better quickly.
But it wasn’t always this way. Five years ago, I was in the thick of the worst recurring IBS flareups.
Maybe you’ve been through that? Maybe you are going through that right now?
I’m honored to share my story with you, and as I do, see if it resonates for you.
Physical Trauma and Stress Launched My IBS
At the age of 37, I went through the traumatic birth of my son. It completely caught me off guard in so many ways. I had planned the entire birth experience for having my son at home, envisioning him coming into the world at our home.
I was ill prepared for the emergency C -section that I had. I was in tremendous pain leading up to the surgery. When the doctors cut me open, I really thought that I was dying.
Then, when I woke up the following day, I was in even more pain and I felt emotionally destroyed. On top of that, I was responsible for a newborn, who was in the NICU with low blood sugar.
There was little time to process this experience and recover from the trauma when I had a sick baby to care for. Everyone else was just so excited about my new baby. They didn’t consider what I might need or that I was in rough shape, I was not able to consider what I needed either.
For the following months, I was a physical and spiritual mess. I felt I had no choice but to just keep moving forward.
I was really good at putting my head down and getting through pain, because that’s just what we do, right? That’s just what we had to do.
And that’s part of the IBS personality. Yes, there are character traits associated with this chronic illness.
I didn’t realize how bad things had gotten inside my gut when IBS kicked in full blast. I’d had a few issues before but nothing on the scale!
Symptoms would start with anything I ate and last for hours. Usually, I’d only be able to eat about half of the meal but my stomach was dramatically bloated after every meal along with pain that I never could have imagined.
At that point, I was so afraid. I didn’t know what was wrong with me.
Have you been there too? It’s a really scary. And the fear actually makes the symptoms worse.
Before I was diagnosed with IBS, I spent 3 nights in the emergency room, I was worried I had an appendicitis, or cancer, or some other serious thing that was causing this much abdominal pain.
I saw lots of doctors. They ran all the tests and told me nothing was wrong. It seems that all the women I’ve talked to who have IBS have had this same experience.
Desperate for a solution to my pain, I tried:
- Acupuncturists
- Holistic doctors
- GI specialists
- Therapy
- Books
- Endless Google research
All the while, I was trying to find ways to afford it all.
In the end, no one had the answers put together in the way I needed.
And that’s a real problem for women with IBS … the suffering alone in silence.
I now recognize that so many of these resources gave me a little piece towards health, but in my pain and confusion at the time, I could have used a thinking partner and guide to put it all together.
Furious at IBS
I no longer blame anyone or anything for failing to heal my IBS, but at the time of my worst symptoms, I was totally furious!
When a syndrome this debilitating affects so many women, isn’t there a more clear approach to help them?!!!
That made me angry. And, that’s one reason why I decided to start this podcast and my business Healing Her IBS helping women with IBS who are sick of being sick reduce triggers, zap flareups, find peace and get their lives back.
When I think back on that woman — who was me — who was in so much pain and searching for answers, angry and alone and grasping at straws … it inspired me to share my experience and what has worked for me with you.
I want you to feel seen, heard and understood. And more than that, I want you to have hope. There is a way to live with this syndrome.
My healing journey eventually led me to change careers and train to be a health coach. Now, I am walking side by side with other women who have IBS.
Subscribe to Healing Her IBS so you don’t miss helpful nuggets in every episode. We will build a community together to support and lean on one another.
And, if you’re inspired to work privately with me, learn more about how we can soothe the savage IBS beast together and we’ll talk.
Stay tuned for the next installment of Healing Her IBS!