IBS Healthcare from a GI Provider's Point of View

Within the functional space of IBS, doctors visits tend to be really tense, and they tend to be filled with more negativity than positivity for patients and their experiences.One really big point of concern within the IBS community is the the relationship between GI provider and patient when dealing with digestive disorders like IBS and IBD. Getting help seems like a massive task, and accessing professional help and expert resources seems more impossible than winning the lottery.

In today's episode, my guest Jennifer Fijor, is a nurse practitioner who works in the GI space and is passionate about breaking down barriers between patients and gut specialists.

During our conversation Jennifer shares why there might have been tense relationships in the past with certain providers, some ways that you can advocate for better care yourself and how to best prepare for appointments to get the most out of your time.

In this episode, we cover:

• Getting into gastroenterology and digestive disease as a nurse practitioner
• Why do patients have such poor experience with healthcare providers?
• The barriers of limited facetime and tight schedules
• Advocating for better care and how to talk about symptoms
• Finding alternative providers and help
• When to ask for referrals and the role diet plays
• Ensuring communication between different providers

What if you could develop skills to help manage IBS symptoms in only 10 minutes per day? Today's episode is sponsored by Mahana Therapeutics, who has made cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) more accessible through their app, Mahana IBS. This is a new app that offers evidence-based CBT to reduce the severity of IBS symptoms - until the end of June 2022 this is available at no-cost for eligible patients. Get started now and download the app at mahanatx.com/TheGutShow.

About our guest: Jennifer Fijor MSN, RN, FNP-BC is originally from Chicago, and moved out to Seattle approximately four years ago. The mountains, hiking, and activities brought her to the Pacific Northwest, and she is completely in love with it. She has been in G.I. for nearly 14 years, and started as a G.I. tech, continued to work as a G.I. nurse, then parlayed that into a nurse practitioner role. She has always been in love with G.I. for some strange reason, and she thinks it's because everyone in G.I. has a very odd sense of humor and she fits right in. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok at @gutgalz She also has an IBS journal which can be helpful for patients who struggle with IBS and would like to discuss symptoms with their providers. Link: https://amzn.to/3rQBs0u Join The GUT Community: The Facebook group for those with IBS and digestive health conditions to connect, encourage one another, and dive deeper into the topics we cover on The Gut Show. Join here: facebook.com/groups/thegutcommunity Connect with Erin & the Gutivate team IG: @erinjudge.rd or @gutivate Website: www.gutivate.com Schedule a consult: bit.ly/jnwconsultcall FREE: IBS Fundamentals Mini Course https://www.ibsmastermethod.com/ibs-fundamentals-sign-up Start taking control of your IBS with the MASTER Method Foundations Course bit.ly/mmfoundations Track your symptoms & understand your body better My Gut Journal is a 90 day gut tracker to build awareness in your mind & body. Get yours at www.gutivate.com/store/mygutjournal