Bowel Moments – Details, episodes & analysis

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Want a clear, human guide to modern IBD care without the jargon? We’re joined by Janette Villalon, a physician assistant at UC Irvine’s IBD Center, who brings a front-line view of what truly helps patients: personalized therapy choices, honest safety talk, and practical plans that fit real life. She traces the evolution from a handful of anti-TNFs to a wider toolkit—anti-integrins, IL-12/23 and IL-23 inhibitors, JAK inhibitors, and S1P modulators—and explains how we match treatments to goals like fast relief, fewer side effects, and coverage of extraintestinal issues such as arthritis, uveitis, and psoriasis.

We dig into how APPs power the day-to-day of IBD clinics, from education to monitoring and rapid access, and how the GHAPP Conference and national societies elevated advanced practice training. Janette breaks down when clinical trials make sense, why strict inclusion criteria matter, and how logistics can steer decisions when someone is very sick. She demystifies biosimilars, outlining FDA standards that support confident switches when insurance demands it, and shares how she helps patients balance infusions, injections, or pills against travel, work, and adherence.

For those planning a family, Janette offers timely guidance: aim for clinical and endoscopic remission three to six months before conception, continue pregnancy-safe maintenance therapy, and discuss starting low-dose aspirin at 12 to 16 weeks to lower preeclampsia risk, coordinated with maternal-fetal medicine.

Looking ahead, we explore precision medicine and AI—predictive markers, microbiome insights, and smarter monitoring that could reduce trial-and-error and catch flares early. The throughline is empowerment: ask questions, read, return for follow-ups, and shape your care around your life. We close with community resources from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and a shout-out to Camp Oasis for young patients.

If this conversation helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—what’s the one topic you want us to go deeper on next?

Links: 

• Gastroenterology & Hepatology Advanced Practice Providers (GHAPP) organization 
• Camp Oasis- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation USA
• IBD Medication Guide- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation USA
• Pregnancy & IBD video- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation USA

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A boxer in training. A terrifying spiral of symptoms. A life-saving surgery that changed everything. Jose Torres joins us to share how ulcerative colitis pulled him out of the ring and propelled him into purpose—building community, advancing equity, and living well with a J‑pouch in a city that isn’t designed for urgent needs.

We trace Jose’s path from misdiagnosis in Brooklyn to specialized care in Manhattan and the brutal logistics of public transit without bathrooms. He opens up about the cultural currents in his Mexican and Puerto Rican family—why speaking up took time, why steroids raised tough questions, and how food traditions collided with new IBD realities. The story turns on resilience: a colectomy and J‑pouch, early pouchitis, iron infusions, and then a decade of medication-free stability supported by smart nutrition, consistent exercise, and honest attention to mental health.

Jose also brings us inside the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation—from literally ringing the office doorbell to roles in advancement, business development, and DEI leadership. We talk about real lived experience, research into disparities, and why culturally fluent care changes outcomes. Along the way, he shares practical tactics for managing frequency, a nudge toward pelvic floor physical therapy, and a grounded philosophy: don’t chase perfection, cultivate accountability and hope.

If stories of grit, culture, and community help you feel less alone with IBD, this one’s for you. Cheers!

Links: 

• Camp Oasis- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation USA
• Camp Purple- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation New Zealand
• About IBD podcast with Amber Tresca episode- "IBD in the Hispanic Community with Dr. Oriana Damas"

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When you're battling inflammatory bowel disease, the wounds aren't always visible. Beyond the physical symptoms lies a reality many patients face but few discuss openly – the psychological impact of medical trauma.

Dr. Christina Jagielski, clinical health psychologist at Michigan Medicine, brings her expertise to this powerful conversation about trauma-informed care in the IBD community. With surprising candor, she reveals how she discovered that approximately half of gastroenterologists avoid screening for trauma history – not because they don't care, but because they feel unprepared to respond appropriately to what patients might share.

Through Robin's emotional personal story of emergency room panic attacks and medical gaslighting, we witness firsthand how past medical experiences shape current healthcare interactions. The conversation dives deep into practical strategies for both patients and providers: how to communicate triggers without reliving trauma, why certain medical settings feel unsafe, and what small changes can make enormous differences in patient comfort.

Dr. Jagielski challenges the longstanding approach of selective trauma screening based on gender or diagnosis, advocating instead for universal trauma-informed care. "People living with IBD are so much more than their labs and test results," she reminds us, emphasizing that acknowledging patients' lived experiences is just as crucial as treating their physical symptoms.

Whether you're a patient who's experienced medical trauma, a healthcare provider seeking to create safer spaces, or someone supporting a loved one with IBD, this episode offers transformative insights into healing the hidden psychological wounds of chronic illness. Listen now to start breaking down the barriers between physical and psychological care in the IBD journey.

Links: 

• Dr. Christina Jagielski
• "Had a Traumatic Medical Experience? Don't Ignore it"- article in Psychology Today by Dr. Tiffany Taft
• Journal Article on Medical Gaslighting- Dr. Jagielski, Dr. Taft, and Dr. Fuss

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This week we really enjoyed hearing Will Awve's story! We talked about his diagnosis with UC in college and how that affected his college experience. We discussed him trying basically all medication options to try to control his UC, his bouts with C. Diff,  and then his eventual decision to go through J-Pouch surgery. We also had a chance to talk about how your mental health and how you mentally position your disease affects your attitude and resilience. And finally we talk about how UC can create some interesting, uncomfortable, and possibly even dangerous situations when out in the wilderness. 

Links: 

• Take Action on access to medical nutrition- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
• A blog about hiking and camping with IBD- Girls with Guts
• An interesting blog with tips about hiking with UC- **this blogger is not known to us- any advice and information is the author's. :)

Interested in being a guest? Email Robin at robin@bowelmomentspod.com or Alicia at alicia@bowelmomentspod.com or both! Cheers!

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This week we had such a great conversation with Joshua Samudre! Joshua is a medical student living with UC and so we talked to him about what it's like to study medicine while also a consumer of medicine. We talked to him about moving across the country and reestablishing yourself and your care. We talked to him about advocacy volunteer and volunteering at Camp Oasis and we had some good laughs about bidets, how mean kids can be, getting old and technology, and his unusual "fun fact" that he shared with us. Also- lots of shout outs to Grady Stewart! Be sure to check out his episode too! 

Links: 

• Advocacy volunteer opportunities- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
• Camp Oasis- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 
• Grady Stewart's Bowel Moments Episode

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Welcome to our second Research Roundup episode! We brought back Dr. Sunanda Kane- Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic and Dr. Lukasz Kwapisz- Assistant Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine to talk to us about the latest in what's happening in IBD research. We talked about new medications, biosimilars, diet research, and more. 

Links: 

• Mayo Clinic on Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis: Strategies to Manage IBD and Take Charge of Your Life- Dr. Kane's new book! 
• Diet and Nutrition Research Updates- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 

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This week we had a great chat with Dr. Sabina Ali! Dr. Ali is a pediatric gastroenterologist and the  medical director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. She also happens to be living with IBD herself. We talked to her about her special interest in quality of care research and involvement with ImproveCareNow. We also discussed caring for very young children with IBD, the importance of having a great care team, diets and IBD, and her involvement with the South Asian IBD Alliance. 

Links: 

• Information for Parents, Kids, and Teens- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 
• Support Groups for Parents, Kids, and Teens- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 
• ImproveCareNow
• Diet and Nutrition- ImproveCareNow

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This week we spoke to Matthew Kasabian! Matt told us about being diagnosed with IBD in college and  how isolated it made him feel. He talked about how he saw all his friends out living their young, fun lives on social media and how frustrated he felt but also how he used these feelings of isolation and frustration to motivate him to seek out new treatments and new healthcare providers. We talked to him about the holistic diet he tried, we discussed his J-Pouch surgery and how living with an ostomy during that process helped him heal and gave him his life back, we talked about his healthy lifestyle of eating well and working out (with a few High Noons and other drinks incorporated), and about job hunting while going through the J-Pouch surgery process. Finally we talked to him about how he stays so positive and what an incredible impact an ostomy nurse named Andrew had on his life and his recovery. 

Links: 

• Ostomy support and resource- United Ostomy Association 
• What is C.Diff and how is it treated? - Mayo Clinic
• IBD and Body Image- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation - Campus Connection 
• Nutrition Tips for IBD- UCSF Health 

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This week we tried something new! We let our friend Stacey Collins guest host the show! Stacey is a Registered Dietitian who specializes in IBD and our guest this week is Neha Shah who is also a Registered Dietitian who specializes in IBD. In addition to being a RD, Neha is also also a certified nutrition support clinician (CNSC), credentialed by the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification, a certified health education specialist (CHES), credentialed by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing, and holds a  Master’s in Public Health.  She is in private practice but also is integrated into the IBD Center at UCSF.  Beyond caring for her patients, she continues to provide lectures to healthcare providers, supervise nutrition interns, give community talks, author articles, and plan research studies with the medical teams. Neha is a powerhouse and a light. 

They had such an interesting peer-to-peer conversation on diets and IBD, the cultural aspects of diet and how to navigate that with IBD,  learning "cultural humility" and how to work with people from other cultures, and so much more. Robin and I really enjoyed eavesdropping on their conversation and I know you'll be just as fascinated. 

Links: 

• South Asian IBD Alliance- Neha is on the board and super active with SAIA! 
• Nutrition and IBD info- UCSF health 
• Diet and Nutrition Info- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 
• Diet and Nutrition Info- Crohn's Colitis Canada

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This is week we had such a fun conversation with Wendy Kovich! Wendy was diagnosed with Crohn's in her 20's very shortly after she married and it's been quite the roller coaster since. We talked to her about navigating through treatment options and surgeries, working with her healthcare team to get pregnant, dealing with a fistula, and what it's been like to raise her twins while having very active disease. We spent a lot of time talking about her decision to move from a J-Pouch to a permanent ostomy, what it took for her to emotionally make this decision, the team it took to do the surgery and to repair her fistula, how she learned from Instagram Influencers on how to care for her ostomy, and how much she loves her "Barbie Butt." We also laughed so hard about how her "white coat syndrome" manifests itself.  

We loved talking with Wendy and we definitely feel like we have a new best friend. 

Links: 

• Pregnancy and IBD Factsheet- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation  
• Pregnancy & IBD info- GI Society - Canadian Society of Intestinal Research
• Fertility and IBD- Crohn's & Colitis Canada
• Some great blogs about pregnancy and IBD- Lights, Camera, Crohn's - Natalie Hayden 
• United Ostomy Association
• Wendy loves and referred to Gaylyn Henderson who runs Gutless and Glamorous! 
• GREAT Resources for moms with IBD- IBD Moms
• Complications and Extraintestinal Manifestations info- Crohn's & Colitis Canada

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