The Rebel's Guide to IBS: Understanding Your Gut's Different Moods

Written By Lindsay Gamester, CNP

Let's talk about IBS like it actually shows up in real life, not just in medical textbooks.

Here's the no-BS guide to what's really going on with your gut:

The Four Faces of IBS: Because Your Gut Doesn't Play By the Rules

 

IBS-C: The Stubborn Standoff

  • Your gut's gone on strike. We're talking hard, lumpy poops that take forever to show up (25%+ of your bathroom visits)

  • Bonus fun: Your belly feels like a balloon, and the only relief comes after finally winning that bathroom battle

IBS-D: The Mad Dash

  • Your gut's in constant emergency mode. Loose, watery stools are your unwanted BFF (25%+ of visits)

  • Picture this: You've memorized every bathroom location within a 5-mile radius because... urgency

IBS-M: The Gut Chaos

  • Your bowels can't make up their mind. One day you're stuck, the next you're running

  • It's like your gut's playing ping-pong with both extremes (at least 25% of each type)

IBS-U: The Mystery Guest

  • Doesn't fit neatly into any box (because bodies are rebels like that)

  • Still causing havoc but following its own rulebook

When Do Doctors Call It IBS?

They're looking for belly pain at least once weekly over 3 months, plus two of these truth bombs:

  • Pooping changes the pain (better or worse)

  • Your bathroom schedule's gone rogue

  • Your poop's playing dress-up (changing form)

Remember: This isn't just about checking boxes on a medical form. It's about understanding what your rebellious gut is trying to tell you, so you can start working with it instead of against it.

Lindsay Gamester, CNP

As the founder of Gut Rebel Wellness, Lindsay Gamester helps neurodivergent humans break free from the gut-anxiety feedback loop. A Certified Nutritional Practitioner specializing in ADHD and IBS, she works with people who are done with elimination diets, wellness culture burnout, and the mental exhaustion of trying to eat "perfectly."

Supporting the Neurodivergent Gut™ through her IBS Rewired approach, Lindsay teaches you to work with your nervous system instead of fighting it, so you can make food choices without triggering anxiety spirals, digestive chaos, or what she calls Food Demand Burnout™. Because feeling good in your body shouldn't require restriction or perfection.

https://www.gutrebelwellness.com/
Previous

Understanding IBS: Beyond "It's Just Stress"
Next

The Hidden Connection: How Your Gut Impacts Your Hormones (And Vice Versa)