Gastro Girl

We’re thrilled to feature Erica, a young teen who bravely shares her patient journey on this episode. Erica was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease when she was 7 years old, and she along with her Mom, Nicole, share some real-life insights from the family perspective when a child is living with a chronic digestive health condition. Erica also shares her personal experience at Camp Oasis, a summer sleep-away camp developed by The Crohn’s...

We’re excited to shine a light on the wonderful work The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation is doing with Camp Oasis, a summer sleep-away camp designed for kids living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Joining us on this episode are Becky Johnson Rescola, the Vice President of Education & Community Engagement at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, as well as Pediatric Gastroenterologist Dr. Steven Steiner, who is the Medical Director ...

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) is increasingly recognized as a major cause of swallowing difficulties in children and adults. It affects about one in 2,000 people. But the differences in EoE presentation and outcomes by ethnicity and race remain understudied. Dr Evan Dellon from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill is here to explain EoE and discuss the recent findings of a study he co-aut...

After lowering the screening age for colorectal cancer to 45, gastroenterologists are sounding the alarm that more and more younger people are showing signs of colorectal cancer. In this episode, Dr. Benjamin Levy from the University of Chicago shares his expertise on the theories and research underway to determine what’s causing younger individuals to develop cancerous polyps in their colon, ways to ease patie...

Lynch syndrome is a hereditary form of colorectal cancer. It is estimated that 1 in 279 people in the United States have this genetic predisposition but over 90% those people don’t even know it. Today’s guest, patient advocate Dave Dubin, was one of those people when he was first diagnosed with cancer at age 29. Dave is a 3x cancer survivor and has since started a non-profit foundation, Alive and Kick’n, (www.aliveandkickn.org/) to...

If you or a loved one are living with IBS, you don’t want to miss this episode! GI Psychologist Dr. Megan Riehl and Registered Dietitian Kate Scarlata introduce their new book, Mind Your Gut: The Science-based, Whole-body Guide to Living Well with IBS. Teaming together for the ultimate multidisciplinary approach to understanding GI conditions like IBS, Megan and Kate explain what readers can expect from the book, offer...

The biliary tract (or biliary system) includes the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. They work together to make, store and secrete bile, which is an important role in our digestive system. But what are the signs and symptoms that something is wrong? Doctor Navine Nasser-Ghodsi, a Gastroenterologist at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts joins us with some vital insight. She explains the role of the biliary tract,...

Many people consume probiotic-containing foods to strengthen or revitalize their gut flora and potentially reduce gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and bloating. But do these foods actually contain the strains and amounts of good bacteria that is expected from what is printed on the label? We welcome Dr. Sabine Hazan, a gastroenterologist and microbiome expert from Ventura, CA, to discuss her findings from a recent study she prese...

While many people look forward to Super Bowl Sunday as a time to party with friends and family, for those living with gastrointestinal symptoms, like difficulty swallowing, or a condition like Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), food-centric social events can bring high anxiety. In this episode one of our favorite Registered Dietitians, Beth Rosen, joins us with some insights on EoE, including symptoms that could b...

Are you or a loved one experiencing recurring bouts of nausea and vomiting?  Are you struggling to figure out why you or a loved one feel good one day, and then have a period of time where food just doesn’t stay down? Gastroenterologist Dr. Matt Hoscheit of the Cleveland Clinic joins us on this episode to share his expertise on cyclic vomiting syndrome. He provides insight on possible causes; warning signs; and when patients should...

Upper- and lower-gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are highly prevalent among athletes during exercise (especially endurance athletes) and can negatively impact performance. In severe cases it can pose health risks too. So what’s really going on in our guts when we’re exercising at a high-intensity level? We asked Drew Triplett, DO from Dayton Gastroenterology to join the show and help explain exercise-induced GI distress. As a marath...

The holiday season has a special place in many people’s hearts as we gather with loved ones and celebrate time-honored traditions. Of course, many of those traditions may involve food, and if you’re managing a chronic GI condition, those traditions may be a little tricky. That’s why we’ve invited back one of our favorite Registered Dietitians, Emily Haller, to offer some tips on navigating holiday meals while l...

Living with an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis can be a challenging journey for patients. But more and more patient advocates are willing to share their stories and connect with online communities for support. One of our recent favorites is Better Bellies By Molly. Molly joins us to share her experience with ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and why she decided to take her ...

What does a doctor really mean when they ask a patient “are you feeling better”? We asked! In this special compilation episode brought to you by Ardelyx, we gathered a group of healthcare providers across the multidisciplinary spectrum to break down what signs they look for when assessing if a patient is improving with their IBS-C diagnosis. From symptom relief and management, to quality of life, these providers share ...

When a doctor asks you “are you feeling better”, what goes through your mind? How do you answer that question as a patient dealing with a chronic health condition? Is there a difference between what a doctor is looking for in an answer, and how a patient answers? We asked some of our previous patient advocate guests in this special compilation episode brought to you by Ardelyx, and the answers may surprise you. You may even relate ...

Patients have told us they often feel lonely when they or a loved one has been diagnosed with a chronic gastrointestinal condition, such as an eosinophilic disorder like eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We invited Mary Jo Strobel, the Executive Director of The American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (Apfed), to help address this major patient and caregiver stressor: “Where can I go for support and resources and connect with ...

Patients with chronic GI health conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often have complex treatment plans that require multiple medications. They may also have other health conditions like heart, kidney or liver disease that require several medications in addition to the medications prescribed by their gastroenterologist. In this episode Gastroenterologist Dr. Tauseef Ali and Clinical Pharmacists Carrie Breed...

If you (or a loved one) are going off to college and worried about managing IBS-C symptoms away from home, you don’t want to miss this episode with nurse practitioners Kimberly Kearns from Duly Health and Care in Illinois, and Christina Hanson from South Denver Gastroenterology. Together they have decades of experience helping college-aged patients navigate and adjust to college life while managing chronic GI h...

In this episode we address the recent media focus on the pros and cons of popular weight loss drugs with guest expert Dr. Pichamol Jirapinyo from Brigham & Women’s Hospital. As a gastroenterologist who specializes in bariatric endoscopy and works closely with patients struggling with obesity, Dr. Jirapinyo shares her experience with treating her patients with weight loss medications such as semaglutide. We discuss your most pressin...