Shows
Bowel MomentsMeet Stephanie L.!Send us a textThis week Alicia and guest co-host Stacey Calabro talk to Stephanie LaFlamme! Stephanie takes us on an extraordinary journey through simultaneous health battles that would challenge anyone to their core. In late 2020, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, but it wasn't until 2023 that her health challenges truly escalated. Stephanie discovered a breast lump that led to a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer—all while her IBD symptoms were spiraling out of control.From multiple hospitalizations to living with an ostomy, from chemotherapy to a double mastectomy, Stephanie's story reveals the physical an...2025-03-1257 minBowel MomentsRe-Meet Robin & Alicia- What's New and What's Next for BMs!Send us a textThis week we reflect on the journey since launching Bowel Moments in August 2021, sharing our personal updates and the lessons we've learned along the way. We reminisce about the podcast's beginnings as a concept born out of a love of podcasts and how it evolved into a heartfelt platform for the IBD community, featuring memorable interactions with guests. We open up about our own journeys, revealing more than just the polished elevator pitches we've rehearsed over the years. As we look to the future, we discuss plans for expanding our reach...2025-01-1543 minBowel MomentsMeet Alicia A.!Send us a textThis week Alicia was joined by guest host and former guest, Hannah Cramer and they interviewed Alicia Aiello! Alicia A. is the President of Girls With Guts which is a nonprofit organization supporting and empowering women living with IBD and with ostomies. We talked to her all about her IBD journey and how that lead her to Girls With Guts. We discussed how her background in videography and visual arts helped her to bring some awareness to their work and how she eventually transitioned to become their President. We discussed some of their...2024-10-0548 minBowel MomentsMeet Jordan M.!Send us a textThis week Alicia was joined by guest host and past guest, Derek Dodson! They interviewed Jordan B. McConnell! Jordan is a Air Force veteran, IT professional, father and husband who also lives with Crohn's disease! We talked to him about being diagnosed as a young teen and how his disease was presented to his family and how he was able to join the military and how that affected his ability to continue in his military career. Jordan is also the creator and one of the hosts of the Crohn's Veteran podcast and lifestyle b...2024-02-0758 minBowel MomentsMeet Alex B.!Send us a textThis week we had the pleasure of getting to know Alex Boyd! Alex was diagnosed with UC when she was 26 years old when she thought she had caught a stomach bug that had gotten very aggressive. It was only 2 weeks after her diagnosis that she was advised to have her colon removed and to start her J-Pouch surgery process. We talked to her about the dramatic way that she was introduced to our community and how she worked with her medical team to make this decision. We talk to her about the issues...2023-11-0851 minBowel MomentsMeet Adam F. - Author of "Up & Adam: A Patient's Experience on Winning with IBD"Send us a textThis week we spoke to Adam Finkelstein! Adam was diagnosed with UC when he was just 2 years old. We talk to him about what it was like growing up with UC and dealing with it as a child. We spoke about how his experiences with the medical system prompted his interest in writing a children's book for other kids with IBD called "Up and Adam: A Patient's Experience on Winning with IBD." Also how it sparked his interest in becoming a physician and especially a surgeon. Finally we talked about Adam's experience as...2023-11-0139 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Alyse Bedell!Send us a text*** Warning: This episode discusses sexuality, sexual health and sexual trauma and may not be appropriate for all audiences.*** This week we spoke to Dr. Alyse Bedell! Dr. Bedell specializes in psychogastroenterology and is a sexual health counselor at the University of Chicago IBD Center. She has specialized training and knowledge in how stress, anxiety and depression can affect digestive health. Dr. Bedell works with patients struggling with a range of gastrointestinal conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease. and using her expertise to help her patients cope with their condition and improve their gastrointestinal s...2023-10-2556 minBowel MomentsMeet Derek D.!Send us a text***This episode includes discussions about suicide and suicidal ideation and may not be appropriate for some people.**** This week we had a really deep conversation with our friend Derek Dodson! Derek has been living with Crohn's disease for 40 years and so we talk to him about what it was like to live with Crohn's before there were any good treatment options, what it was like being a teenager on steroids, and what is has been like to see so much scientific and treatment advances. We discussed his family history with IBD including his g...2023-10-1856 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Edward Barnes!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Dr. Edward L. Barnes! Dr. Barnes is a gastroenterologist and clinical investigator dedicated to improving the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Barnes is also the 2021 Sherman Emerging Leader Prize Recipient. He has a particular interest in improving outcomes for patients with inflammatory bowel disease who require a colectomy and an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Patients with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis may experience significant complications after surgery, including the development of new inflammatory conditions of the pouch. Dr. B...2023-10-1152 minBowel MomentsMeet Myisha!Send us a textThis week we talked to Myisha Malone-King! Myisha is the brains and moderator behind the Facebook group Game of Crohn's n Chronic Illness! The goal of this group is to offer support and knowledgeable information about inflammatory bowel disease and to inspire others to not be afraid or hide because of a chronic illness. We talk to her about what discussions happen on the page and how it's helped her to support and educate other people living with IBD. We discuss her diagnosis process and how her Crohn's affected her pregnancies and how...2023-10-0456 minBowel MomentsMeet Marita Kametas, MSN, APN, FNP-BC, CMSRN, COCN!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Marita Kametas, MSN, APN, FNP-BC, CMSRN, COCN! Marita is an Advanced Practice Provider Leader, IBD APN, and Ostomy Specialist in the IBD Center at the University of Chicago. We talked to her about all things ostomy! We discussed how providers can speak to patients about all of their treatment options including surgery and ostomies and how that language can really help to make patients feel more comfortable and in control. We talked about how she helps patients prepare for surgery and to deal with ostomies after surgery. We...2023-09-2747 minBowel MomentsMeet Julia G-P!Send us a text***Warning that this episode includes an open discussion about sexuality and may not be suitable for all audiences.***This week we talked to the lovely Julia Gaspare-Pruchnicki! Julia is a medical student that was initially diagnosed with UC when she was 9 years old. She went on to have a colectomy and J-Pouch when she was 10 years old. After struggling with pouchitis and fistulas, Julia's diagnosis was changed to Crohn's disease. We talk to her about the treatments she's tried for her fistulizing disease including clinical trials with stem cells. We discussed the...2023-09-2055 minBowel MomentsMeet Aaron B.!Send us a textThis week we spoke to IBD and Rare Disease advocate, Aaron Blocker! Aaron lives with Crohn's disease as well as an ultra-rare disease called Hypophosphatasia. We talked to him about managing both illnesses and coordinating his care. We talked to him about how he set up his very popular and informative Facebook community called Support for Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis and how he monitors this page to keep the conversations informative, supportive, and as accurate as possible. We also talked to him about his degree in biomedical research and how he uses it to...2023-09-1341 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Meredith Craven!Send us a textThis week we had such an interesting and fun conversation with Dr. Meredith Craven! Dr. Craven is a licensed health psychologist and she's the Director of GI Health Psychology in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stanford Health. We spent quite a bit of time talking about gut directed hypnotherapy and other brain-gut behavioral health techniques. We also had a really interesting discussion about Dr. Craven's research and work on health disparities and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We also talked about her interest in and practice of yoga and how she's...2023-09-0656 minBowel MomentsWhat's EMDR Like As a Patient with Hannah C.Send us a textThis week we brought back friend of the show and former guest, Hannah Cramer! Hannah and Robin have both been using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help them with their medical trauma. EMDR is a psychotherapeutic technique used to help people process and recover from trauma and problematic traumatic memories that may interfere with life. They've found EMDR to be incredibly helpful and very quick to alleviate some really significant anxiety and trauma associated with their disease and with their experiences with the medical system. We discussed how the process has w...2023-08-3052 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. David Choi!Send us a textThis week we had such an informative conversation with Dr. David Choi! Dr. Choi is a Specialty Clinical Pharmacist and the Associate Director of the IBD Center at UChicago. We talked to him about his role as part of the IBD care team and how he plays an important part in patient advocacy and in getting the patient the treatment they and their provider think is best. We discussed his research in pharmacist-initiated interventions and prior authorizations and in other insurance issues in patient care and what they learned from this work. We...2023-08-2355 minBowel MomentsMeet Nicole and Luke!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Nicole and Luke Pavlin! Nicole is living with Crohn's disease and Luke is her husband and care partner. We talked about the process for her to get diagnosed and the unusual birth defect she has that complicated her case. We talked about her ongoing struggles with food anxiety and medical trauma and how the GRITT- IBD program and staff have helped her cope. We talked to her about how her Dietitian and her mental health team have worked together to help her. We talked about her participation in...2023-08-1656 minBowel MomentsMeet Nir S.!Send us a textThis week we talked to Nir Salomon! Nir is the Founder and Director of the Integrative Gastroenterology unit at Sheba Medical Center in Israel. He's also the Co-Founder and Head of R&D at Evinature. Nir has done research for more than a decade on neutraceuticals for the treatment of IBD. We talked to him about his training in this area, what neutraceuticals are and how they and other types of integrative medicines are used in IBD care. We talked to him about how he chose the items that he decided to research...2023-08-0944 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Mike Dolinger!Send us a textThis week we talked to Dr. Michael Dolinger! Dr. Dolinger is an Assistance Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine and Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital. Dr. Dolinger leads the Henry and Elaine Kaufman intestinal ultrasound program at the Susan and Leonard Feinstein Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, the first of its kind in the United States. We talked to him all about intestinal ultrasound and how revolutionary it is as a noninvasive tool to monitor disease activity and treatment response. It's seriously super cool and we had such an interesting...2023-08-0254 minBowel MomentsMeet Lori P.!Send us a textThis week we talked to Lori Plung! Lori has been living with Crohn's disease for more than 40 years and she has been living as fully and as well as possible. She's now been diagnosed with short gut syndrome and so we talk to her about what that is, what it's like, and how she uses TPN to optimize her nutrition and hydration. We also talked to her about how she came to leading a support group in partnership with UPMC and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation and how that changed during Covid. We spoke...2023-07-2657 minBowel MomentsMeet Kishore!Send us a textThis week we met Kishore Pardasani! Kishore was diagnosed with UC when he was in college and struggled to find the right treatment for his disease. Eventually he decided to manage his disease through a permanent ostomy. As he was learning to navigate life with an ostomy he was underwhelmed by the tool available to help him track his supplies, measure his output, and manage his ostomy. That lead him to develop an app called OstoBuddy! OstoBuddy worked well for him and so he decided he needed to offer it to others living...2023-07-1957 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Abdul Elkadri!Send us a textThis week Alicia had a guest host! She was joined by friend of the show and past guest- Lauren Erbach Barnfield and they spoke to Dr. Abdul Aziz Elkadri! Dr. Elkadri is an Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin where he specializes in pediatric IBD. We talked to Dr. Elkadri about his personal connecting to IBD, how he inadvertently chose GI as his specialty and why he prefers treating kids. We also talked to him about receiving his medical training in Lebanon and how that created some hurdles to him practicing...2023-07-1249 minBowel MomentsMeet Sharan K.!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Sharan K.! Sharan lives in the UK and is the creator of the Crohn's Babble Instagram account as well as the Director of Digital Engagement at the South Asian IBD Alliance! We spoke to her about getting diagnosed and navigating her Crohn's in the UK's healthcare system. We talked to her about how challenging the system could be at times being of South Asian descent because of language barriers and lack of understanding around how the diet information may translate to her family's cuisine. We talked to her...2023-07-0551 minBowel MomentsMeet Barbara C- mother of Hannah C.!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Barbara Cramer! Barbara has 2 children living with Crohn's disease. You met her daughter Hannah in episode 13 and this week you'll get to hear Barbara's side of some of Hannah's stories and experiences. Barbara's children were diagnosed at different ages- one as a teen and one has an adult- and have vastly different styles in how they cope with their disease. We talk to her about how she's handled these vastly different ways and how she's helped both of her children navigate this new world. We talked to her...2023-06-2844 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Brad Pasternak!Send us a textThis week we talk to Dr. Brad Pasternak! Dr. Pasternak is the Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Phoenix Children's Hospital. We talked to him about how his UC influenced his choice to go into pediatric gastroenterology and how he's coped with his disease. We talked to him about his medical training in Israel and the differences between the Israeli and American medical system. We talked to him about his research and how doing basic science research helped him realize how much he loves patient care and developing deep relationships with...2023-06-2143 minBowel MomentsMeet Mara S.!Send us a textThis week we had an entertaining conversation with Mara Shapiro! Mara was diagnosed with Crohn's disease fairly recently but has struggled with GI symptoms for quite some time. Her Crohn's was diagnosed after she was dealing with debilitating iron insufficiency. We talked to her about receiving iron infusions and how she's learned to read her labs to better know what's happening with her iron levels. We also talked to her about her chronic C Diff infections and using Fecal Microbiota Transplant to deal with it. It was quite the story and I think...2023-06-1456 minBowel MomentsMeet Beth M.!Send us a textThis week we had quite the conversation with Beth Meals. Beth was diagnosed with UC but also with Endometriosis and POTS. We talked to her about struggling with all of these medical conditions when she was younger and growing up and about how her family dismissed and minimized her health conditions. We also talked about her trying to find the right healthcare providers who would explore these symptoms and help her get the right diagnoses and treatments. We talked to her about how this led to hear not trusting her body and how...2023-06-0755 minBowel MomentsResearch Roundup #4- Dr. Bincy Abraham & Dr. Jami KinnucanSend us a textThis week we brought back Dr. Bincy Abraham- Distinguished Professor and Director of the Underwood Center- Fondren IBD Program at Houston Methodist and Dr. Jami Kinnucan- Senior Associate Consultant in the Section on Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic in Florida. We talked to them about their recent trip to the Digestive Disease Week conference. They mentioned the themes that noted in the conference in advances in diagnostic tools, new medications, and information on diets and IBD. We learned a lot from them and had major FOMO that we didn't get to attend...2023-05-3148 minBowel MomentsMeet Ken C.!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Ken Carpenter! Ken is the producer and host of Athlete 1 podcast and was diagnosed with UC when he was 46 years old. Since he's been diagnosed he has had a pretty wild ride finding the right treatment and the right provider but has been so fortunate to have his wife be his partner in this process. We discussed all of the health conditions that he's faced and how his community rallied around him. We talked about his love of all things sports including coaching baseball for many years and...2023-05-2441 minBowel MomentsMeet- Amanda D.!Send us a textThis week we spoke to Amanda Dinkelman! Amanda is living with Crohn's disease but she doesn't let that stop her from being active and keeping fit. She credits getting out and moving her body with helping her cope with her disease and has even taken on a new challenge of powerlifting! We talk to her about training after a bowel resection and being very ill, how to trust your body, and how she keeps her body fueled. We also had a long conversation about the importance of finding a healthcare provider that's your t...2023-05-1746 minBowel MomentsMeet Natalie H.!Send us a textThis week we had so much fun getting to know Natalie Hayden! You probably know her from her very popular blog- Lights, Camera, Crohn's: An Unobstructed View- and her Instagram account! Natalie is a journalist and worked as an on-air reporter for 3 different TV stations and was also the host of Wakeup Wisconsin all while coping with Crohn's disease. We talked to her about what it was like to work in such a public field while coping with her disease and figuring out the right treatment. We talked to her about when she...2023-05-1056 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Neil Nandi!Send us a text*** Warning- This episode discusses sexuality and contains sexual content and may not be suitable for all audiences.****This week we had a really fun conversation with Dr. Neil Nandi! Dr. Nandi is an Associate Professor and Gastroenterologist with the University of Pennsylvania. We discussed his personal connection to IBD and how that shaped his career. We also talked about his role as the Director of Patient Outreach and Advocacy for the South Asian IBD Alliance and how the got involved with that organization. We spent a lot of time talking about how...2023-05-0352 minBowel MomentsMeet Madhura B.!Send us a textThis week we had the absolute pleasure to get to know Madhura Balasubramaniam! Madhura is a Ph.D. student in Chennai, India and she is also the Director of Patient Outreach and Advocacy for the South Asian IBD Alliance (SAIA)! She was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2019 after struggling with her health for many years. She and her doctor decided to utilize a feeding tube to help her manage her disease and so we talked about her choice to do this and how it was received by her family and community. We talked...2023-04-2654 min
WeInfuse's PodcastEpisode 56: How to Advocate for Infusion Patients with Alicia Barron, LGSWIn this episode, we talk with Alicia Barron, LGSW. Alicia is a social worker with a rich background in healthcare, non-profits, advocacy, and even podcasting about Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She’s currently the Executive Director for Infusion Access Foundation and we are so excited to have her on the show. She shares great information about advocacy for our patients (on topics like step therapy), health equity, how we can empower patients, and how we can use the #ShareYourChair campaign to make our infusion centers more approachable and patient friendly. Learn more about Infusion Access Foundation at https://www.infusionaccessfoundation.org...2023-04-2440 minBowel MomentsMeet Abbe F.!Send us a textThis week we talked to Robin's long-time friend, Abbe Feitelberg! Abbe is an attorney who is living with Crohn's disease. When she isn’t working, she is usually traveling, cycling, or finding time for fun no matter what that looks like. Abbe has lived with Crohn’s since the age of 17, getting through college and law school without a proper diagnosis and many difficult days. Following her diagnosis, Abbe went through multiple courses of ineffective treatment, several hospital stays, and some very scary days. But Abbe kept fighting and is proud to live each...2023-04-1942 minBowel MomentsMeet Laura Manning, MPH, RDN, CDN!Send us a textThis week we had such a great conversation with Laura Manning, MPH, RDN, CDN! Laura is a registered dietitian that works with the IBD team at the Susan and Leonard Feinstein Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center. We talked to her about her interesting and unique career before she became a dietitian and why she switched. We talked about nutrition therapy for people living with Crohn's disease and her research on scurvy and IBD. We discussed nutritional supplements and their safety and also how to introduce foods back into your d...2023-04-1242 minBowel MomentsMeet Tommy H.!Send us a textThis week we talked to Tommy Hazelton! Tommy was diagnosed with UC back in the late 1990's and went through a period where his disease was not well controlled. He was working as a musician and a performer and we talked about how he was able to be up on stage while symptomatic. We talked about the unusual and intriguing things he credits as helping him into remission and to maintaining symptom remission. We discussed his involvement in a support group and in volunteering as a counselor at Camp Oasis. We also talked a...2023-04-0541 minBowel MomentsMeet Traci Beebe, RN!Send us a textThis week we talked to Traci Beebe! Traci is the Director of Nursing and Clinical Practice at The Permanente Medical Group and she also happens to be Robin's sister! Traci was in nursing school when Robin was diagnosed with IBD and we talked to her about what that was like. We also talked to her about her experience with pain management clinics and pain and IBD. We discussed how and why pain management is so complicated and misunderstood in IBD and what we can do to change that. We also talked about the...2023-03-2940 minBowel MomentsMeet Kajal P.!Send us a textThis week we talk to Kajal Patel! Kajal is a 3rd year medical student originally diagnosed with UC but when she started to develop fistulas, her diagnosis was changed to Crohn's. We spoke to her about advocacy and a group she co-founded on campus for medical students with chronic illness. We talked about how she copies with everything that comes with IBD and school like setting up a 504 plan when you're an adolescent and registering with your college or university's office of disability services (even if you're in remission.) We discussed developing a...2023-03-2233 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Alessandro Fichera- Colorectal Surgeon!Send us a textThis week we talked to Dr. Alessandro Fichera! Dr. Fichera is the Division Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and the Surgery Safety and Quality Officer since July 2020. His clinical and research interest include colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. We talked to him about the different types of surgeries for IBD including robotically assisted surgery. We talked a lot about J-Pouch surgeries and optimizing outcomes for patients. We discussed how he addresses sexuality with his patients when it may be affected by a surgery. Finally we...2023-03-1552 minBowel MomentsMeet Jackie Z.!Send us a textThis week Robin had a fan girl moment while we talked to Jackie Zimmerman! Jackie is one of the founders of Girls with Guts and was one of the OG IBD bloggers with her blog called "Blood, Poop, & Tears." Robin was a big fan of her blog and got a lot of information and support from it when she was originally diagnosed. We talked to her about creating community for women with IBD, living with both UC and Multiple Sclerosis, coordinating her care, building and running a business while living with IBD and...2023-03-0857 minBowel MomentsMeet Francesca F.!Send us a textThis week we talked to Francesca Ferraro! Francesca was diagnosed with UC in 2019 and just had the first part of a J-Pouch surgery in January 2023. She has been absolutely loving life with her ostomy and talks a lot about the pros and cons of continuing with the next round of the J-Pouch process. She told us how her ostomy has improved her quality of life, decreased her anxiety, and has allowed her to go out and live the life she felt had been significantly compromised by her UC. We also talked about making...2023-03-0154 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Jeremy Adler!Send us a textThis week we had a great conversation with Dr. Jeremy Adler! Dr. Adler is the Director of the Pediatric IBD Program at CS Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan. We talked to him about his research interests in quality of care improvements, health disparities and IBD, and the Covid vaccine and its effectiveness with children with IBD. We also talked to him about the medications used to treat children with IBD and his work leading the BISCUIT Study which looks at why biologic treatments are discontinued in the treatment of kids...2023-02-2235 minBowel MomentsMeet Sam R.!Send us a textThis week we had such a great conversation with Sam Reid! Sam works in digital engagement and communications for an independent, nonpartisan policy institute in Washington D.C. Her Crohn's disease has had a big impact on her career and many of the issues that she works to improve such as drug pricing and barrier to care. We had a very interesting and passionate conversation about healthcare access and affordability. We also talked about how she sought connection via social media and the blogs and articles that she's written to help other people...2023-02-1559 minBowel MomentsResearch Roundup with Stacey Collins, RD and Josie McGarva- GI Psychologist- Crohn's & Colitis CongressSend us a textThis week friends of the show Stacey Collins, RD and Josie McGarva, GI Psychologist join us to recap the Crohn's & Colitis Congress. Congress is a conference for IBD HealthCare providers and researchers that's held by the American Gastroenterological Association and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. This conference focuses on the total care of people living with IBD from bench research to bedside and both Stacey and Josie presented about their research and work. We talked about what they spoke on, what they learned, what left them feeling hopeful both professionally and as patients with I...2023-02-0856 minBowel MomentsMeet Maurie J!Send us a textThis week we talked to Maurie Jhaveri! Maurie was diagnosed with Crohn's when she was 11 years old but she was not stranger to Crohn's. Her dad was also diagnosed when he was 11 and so she was already a bit familiar with it but obviously had many questions as she started to navigate it herself. She found great support, education, and comfort in the Child Life Specialist at her children's hospital (shout out to Brenda Sonnier!) and that lead her to choosing to study Child Life so that she could become that same source...2023-02-0149 minBowel MomentsMeet Kelly Issokson, RD!Send us a textThis week we talked to Kelly Issokson, RD! Kelly is the Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at the F. Widjaja Foundation Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, California. Kelly provides nutrition therapy to children and adults in the IBD Institute, the Nutrition & Integrative IBD Subspecialty Clinic. She is the Course Director and Apprenticeship Director of the newly minted Cedars-Sinai Advanced Dietary IBD Education and Training (DIET) Program. Her research focus is on the nutritional optimization of surgical patients with IBD. We talked to her about this new provider training program and why...2023-01-2545 minBowel MomentsMeet Erron J. Maxey!Send us a textThis week we talked to Erron J. Maxey! Erron is a retired International Professional Basketball Player and now a banker. He had his first Crohn's flare when he was traveling in Columbia for his job and that started a pretty wild ride to get diagnosed and to find him best treatment options. We talked to him about what it was like to live in many different countries while coping with his disease and what it was like to train and eat to compete at an elite level with Crohn's.. We also discussed how...2023-01-181h 00Bowel MomentsMeet Christine R.!Send us a textThis week we had the pleasure of talking to corporate executive, wife, mother, nonprofit board member, support group leader, author, and all around badass Christine Rich. And boy did we go all in on this conversation! We talked about mental health, body image, eating disorders, feeling safe or unsafe in your body, and so much more. We talked a lot about her book "Chronic" and how it was a very raw and important look at living with a chronic illness and hearing Christine's story. Links: Link to Christine's book "Chronic"Fi...2023-01-111h 09Bowel MomentsMeet Dr. Bhaskar Gurram!Send us a textWe're ringing in the new year with a great episode! This week we talk to Dr. Bhaskar Gurram! Dr. Gurram is a pediatric gastroenterologist specializing in IBD at Children's Medical Center Dallas and UT Southwestern. We talked to him about the genetics of IBD and what we know about it from the current research. We discussed Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) and it's role in treating C.Diff. We also discussed C.Diff in general and how to treat it as well as general health maintenance for people living with IBD (especially kids). Finally...2023-01-0450 minBowel MomentsMeet Dani E.!Send us a textWe had the pleasure of getting to know Dani Edelstein in this episode! We talked to her about being diagnosed when she was only 8 years old and what it was like for her as the child of a doctor to have to navigate the medical system on her own when she got to be an adult. We discussed how the language used around IBD care can create difficulty for folks living with it- for instance when healthcare providers say that a patient has "failed" their medication. Dani talks about how that lead to...2022-12-2844 minBowel MomentsMeet Lauren EB!Send us a textThis week we caught up with our friend Lauren Erbach Barnfield! We've both known Lauren for several years but have never heard her full IBD story so it was really great to hear it all. We talked about her participation in the PIANO study which is a study about women living with IBD and taking biologics while pregnant and what all that entailed. We talked to her about finding the right treatment for her Crohn's and who choosing a biologic is intimidating especially when you can find so many negative stories on the...2022-12-2157 minBowel MomentsMeet Will A.!Send us a textThis 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 d...2022-12-1456 minBowel MomentsMeet Joshua S.!Send us a textThis 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...2022-12-0750 minBowel MomentsResearch Roundup #2 with Dr. Sunanda Kane and Dr. Lukasz KwapiszSend us a textWelcome 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 Let's get social!!Foll...2022-11-301h 04Bowel MomentsMeet Dr. Sabina Ali!Send us a textThis 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: Inf...2022-11-2344 minBowel MomentsMeet Matt K.!Send us a textThis 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 p...2022-11-1653 minBowel MomentsMeet Registered Dietitian Neha Shah!Send us a textThis 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 p...2022-11-0948 minBowel MomentsMeet Wendy K.!Send us a textThis 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...2022-11-0252 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Tauseef Ali!Send us a textThis week we talked to Dr. Tauseef Ali! Dr. Ali is the medical executive director of Saints Digestive Institute and director of IBD clinical and research program at SSM Health Saint Anthony Hospital. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma in the Digestive Disease and Nutrition section and adjunct faculty at Oklahoma State University. Additionally he's a board member and lead for professional outreach and education for the South Asian IBD Alliance. We talk to him about establishing an IBD Center of Excellence, we talk to h...2022-10-2649 minBowel MomentsMeet Jason W.!Send us a textThis week we had a great conversation with our friend Jason Wild! We talked to him quite a bit about how he found a community of people living with IBD through Camp Oasis and how he's evolved from a counselor to a "Leader in Training" lead to a Camp Director. You can tell how much he loves camp and loves the community he's formed through it. We also talk to him about his use of medical cannabis to treat his UC and how he worked with his gastroenterologist to move to this option...2022-10-1945 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Claire Hamnett- Pelvic Floor Physical TherapistSend us a textUPDATE: Since this recording, Dr. Hamnett has launched her own practice, Spruce Physical Therapy! You can find her on IG and TikTok @Spruce.pt. We hope you'll check her out if you are in NYC! This week we shared a Rowdy Mermaid and had such an interesting conversation with Dr. Claire Hamnett! Dr. Hamnett is a pelvic floor physical therapist at Solstice Physiotherapy in New York City and she has a special interest in working with people living with IBD. We talk to her about how pelvic floor PT can...2022-10-1255 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Jeanne Tung!Send us a textThis week we talked to Dr. Jeanne Tung! Dr. Tung is the Director of the Center for Pediatric IBD at OU Health. We talked to her helping kids transition and transfer to adult IBD care and we talk to her about her involvement in ImproveCareNow which is a collaborative made up of pediatric IBD patients, parents, and healthcare providers that works to (big surprise) improve care for kids living with IBD. We also talk to her about helping parents with kids with IBD to let go and allow their kids to start to t...2022-10-0550 minBowel MomentsIt's Robin and Stacey's 1 Year J-Pouch-iversary!Send us a textThis week we bring back Stacey Collins, RDN to celebrate(?) jpouch-iversaries. We talked about what Stacey and I have learned and what's been happening in our lives. We shared some tips and some of the not-so-pretty aspects of recovery to give you a better understanding of what to expect if you're discussing j-pouch surgery with your GI. Alicia decided to keep in some of the stuff she usually cuts, so please excuse the entire minute of just us laughing at the beginning. We do actually get down to business. Cheers!2022-09-2855 minBowel MomentsMeet Ben and Katie!Send us a textThis week we talk to Ben and Katie Portier. We talk to them about navigating Ben's IBD from dating to married life, from flares to hospital stays, to surgery, and life with an ostomy. We talk about anxiety, body image, managing relationships, and being social. We discuss finding support for yourself and offering support to others. We hope you enjoy - Cheers!Let's get social!!Follow us on Instagram!Follow us on Facebook!Follow us on Twitter!- Living with a permanent ostomy - UOAA...2022-09-2158 minBowel MomentsMeet Dewey!Send us a textThis week we talked to self-described "IBD Dinosaur" Dewey Thom! Dewey has been living with IBD for more than 40 years and has lived quite a bit of that time with a J-Pouch. We talked to him a lot about the importance of finding a community of people who understand IBD. We talk about his accidental participation in a support group and his subsequent role as a volunteer facilitator for the group. He reminisced about his memorable time as a counselor for a camp with kids with IBD and what an amazing experience camp...2022-09-1449 minBowel MomentsMeet Courtney Robert, LCSW!Send us a textThis week we talk to Courtney Robert, LCSW! Courtney is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist for the IBD Center at GI Alliance in Baton Rouge, LA! We talked to her about the IBD Center that they're building that provides a holistic approach to IBD care. We discuss trauma in IBD and the therapeutic technique called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It's a really fascinating and really effective technique to help people with trauma and post traumatic stress. We also talked about gut-directed hypnotherapy and guided imagery. We learned a lot...2022-09-0752 minBowel MomentsMeet Tina of Own Your Crohn's Fame!Send us a textWe were so excited to talk to Tina Aswani Omprakash this week! Tina is a powerhouse in our community and we loved hearing her IBD story and all of the awesome things she's been working on- and despite the super-sized episode, we just scratched the surface! We talked to her about her very complicated Crohn's and her other autoimmune conditions. We talked about her family history of IBD and how her culture shaped her disease journey and eventually motivated her to speak out via her popular blog called "Own Your Crohn's." After she s...2022-08-311h 13Bowel MomentsBonus Episode! BMs 1st Anniversary!Send us a textWe can hardly believe it but 1 year ago we published the first episode of Bowel Moments! Robin and I took this opportunity to reflect back on the last year, to talk about what we've learned, and to discuss how much we've loved working on this podcast. We hope that you've enjoyed the last year and that you'll join us for all our upcoming episodes too. Please find us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to follow along with the fun! Thanks to our sponsor- Romanwell!Follow us on Instagram!2022-08-2523 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Jami A. KinnucanSend us a textThis week we talk to Dr. Jami A. Kinnucan! Dr. Kinnucan is a Senior Associate Consultant at Mayo Clinic in Florida (or as she calls it- the Sandy Mayo) and she is an IBD specialist. She has a special interest in and researches cannabis and IBD and so we spend a lot of time hearing all about the limited research available and on the importance of talking to your doctor about cannabis use. It was really interesting to hear about the research that's been done but there's still so much to learn. 2022-08-2456 minBowel MomentsMeet Shawn L.!Send us a textThis week we talked to Shawn Luna! Shawn was diagnosed with UC as an adult and it was a big surprise since he hadn't had any symptoms of it when he was younger. We talked about how quickly his UC came on, how scary it was to get diagnosed, and his struggles with pain and fatigue and to get into remission which lead to him being steroid dependent. As part of this process, his original gastroenterologist "fired" him and referred him to a IBD specialist and we talked to him about the difference...2022-08-1745 minBowel MomentsMeet Megan S.!Send us a textThis week we talk to Megan Starshak! Megan was diagnosed with UC in high school and, while it compromised her ability to do some of her favorite activities for a while, it didn't prevent her from finding new ways to enjoy her life and even led to her meeting some new people affected by IBD. Megan has devoted much of her life to helping other people with IBD share their story, feel connected, and to feel a sense of community. She is one of the founders of the nonprofit The Great Bowel Movement...2022-08-1049 minBowel MomentsMeet Clayton!Send us a textThis week we talk to our friend Clayton Smith! Clayton is a self-described "autoimmune disease magnet" who lives with Crohn's, Celiac, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, a rare cardiac and soft tissue disease and who has also had 2 bouts with colon cancer. We talked to him about traveling to developing countries with IBD and how to prepare for that, we talk to him about rural vs. urban vs. tribal health systems, we talk about struggling with body image and mental health, we talk a lot about how running and getting involved in charity running events...2022-08-0355 minBowel MomentsMeet Sari!Send us a textThis week we shared an Earl Gray tea with Sari Grossman! Sari has a very unique case of Crohn's disease and she has a family history of Crohn's as well. We talk to her about growing up with Crohn's and also having a mother who is living with Crohn's. We discussed how she started navigating her own healthcare in her teens (with her Mom's coaching) and how and when she transitioned to an adult provider. We talked about her involvement with a club at her college for students living with IBD and how t...2022-07-2747 minBowel MomentsMeet JPouch Jasmine!Send us a textThis week week we interview Jasmine Bouche- AKA JPouch Jasmine! She's the first guest we've had on that neither Robin or Alicia knew already! It was so fun to get to know her and to hear her story of getting diagnosed in college, navigating the social scene and college experience while also navigating the healthcare system- and during a pandemic! We talked a lot about her decision to do the JPouch surgery, how she found connections and resources to help her cope, and about why she started her social media page focusing on...2022-07-2055 minBowel MomentsMeet Stacey C- The Deuce!Send us a textThis week we talk to Stacey Calabro who has decided that makes her "Stacey C- The Deuce." Stacey has been living with IBD since she was in high school. She's been a social worker, probation officer, and finally her IBD prompted her to go to nursing school. She's done travel nursing and had some fun adventures because of it including some brushes with celebrities! We talked to her about what it's like to travel so often with IBD and live somewhere with less accessible healthcare, we discuss how IBD affects her joints and...2022-07-1353 minBowel MomentsMeet Eitan!Send us a textThis week's episode was SO FUN! Robin and I got to record in the same room after not getting to meet up for more that 2.5 years! AND we had the joy of talking with Eitan Kling-Levine! Eitan is a young professional living with NYC and working in healthcare marketing. After growing up in the theater, he attended NYU for acting, and during senior year, got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This began a long road of intense sickness and treatment. After a year of complications and trying various therapies, he ultimately decided on having...2022-07-0644 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Tim Ritter!Send us a textThis week we talk to Dr. Tim Ritter- Senior Medical Director and lead for Clinical Trials at the GI Alliance. Dr. Ritter has been treating patients with IBD for more than 30 years and has a special interest in clinical trials. We talk to him about what's happening in the IBD research space, talking to patients about clinical trials, what patients can expect from participating in a trial, and bourbon. Links: Information on trials happening at GI AllianceInformation for patients on clinical trials- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Information on clinical trials for pati...2022-06-2947 minBowel MomentsMeet Nicole Williams, LPC!Send us a textThis week we talk to Nicole Williams- Licensed Professional Counselor! Nicole has more than 20 years of experience in providing therapy services and specializes in working with people living with chronic illness. We talk to her about the grief and loss wheel she developed to help her patients understand the emotions that can go along with being diagnosed and living with a chronic illness, we talk about self-advocacy and being the captain of your healthcare team, we talk about resources you can use if you're living with a chronic illness, and we talk about...2022-06-2257 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Tiffany Taft!Send us a textThis week we talked to Dr. Tiffany Taft! Dr. Taft founded Oak Park Behavioral Medicine in 2012 and serves in an administrative leadership role. She completed her doctoral degree at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and predoctoral internship at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. Dr. Taft helped launch the first integrated behavioral medicine service in gastroenterology in the United States at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she worked from 2009 to 2023. She is an internationally recognized expert in the psychosocial effects of chronic digestive diseases. Now as a “retired” Associate Professor, Dr...2022-06-1558 minBowel MomentsMeet Robin's Daughters- Logan & Baylee!Send us a textThis week we had extra special guests- we welcomed Robin's daughters- Logan and Baylee! We discussed what is was like to grown up with a mom with IBD, how that may or may not have shaped their career choices, how Robin's parenting and their close relationship has shaped the way they live their lives, and we also share some fun childhood memories. This was a fun and heartwarming episode to record- we hope you enjoy! Links: An interesting blog on parenting with Crohn's disease- CBCIBDMoms- a safe space to talk ab...2022-06-0845 minBowel MomentsMeet Registered Dietitian Brittany!Send us a textThis week we talk to Brittany Rogers (formerly Roman-Green)! Brittany is an IBD-focused registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and behavior change specialist. She's the the co-leader of the diet and nutrition national scientific advisory committee for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, the national leader of the Registered Dietitians in IBD practice group for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the founder of Romanwell. She also happens to live with ulcerative colitis! Brittany is a non-diet dietitian and believes in a health at every size (HAES) approach. She's passionate about her work and...2022-06-0148 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Smita M.- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist! - Episode 18Send us a textThis week we talk to Dr. Smita Mehta, PT, DPT, PRPC! Dr. Mehta is a pelvic floor physical therapist and part of a multidisciplinary team for IBD at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She clarified what pelvic floor PT is, how it can help people living with IBD, how to find your pelvic floor, and so much more. This conversation was absolutely fascinating and a revelation for both of us. And Dr. Mehta is so passionate about her work! In addition to her impressive resume on pelvic floor rehabilitation, she...2022-05-2556 minBowel MomentsMeet Kim K.! Episode 17Send us a textMeet Kim K! Alicia had to miss this recording so you'll hear an intimate conversation between long time friends Robin and Kim. Kim was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when she was very, very young and before there were really any treatments for kids. They spend a lot of time talking about raising kids while having IBD and how that may have helped their kids become more empathetic and understanding. They also talk about how IBD has impacted their relationships and how they cope with symptoms like brain fog and fatigue. And Kim and...2022-05-1852 minBowel MomentsResearch Roundup #1 with Dr. Anish Patel and Dr. Ashish S. PatelSend us a textThis week we're joined by a couple of our past guests- Dr. Anish Patel and Dr. Ashish S. Patel- to discuss what's new in IBD research and what's coming down the pipeline! We had a great discussion about biosimilars, predicting colectomy risk in kids diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, using ultrasounds to help track disease progression, precision medicine, and new therapeutics. We learned a lot, gained a lot of hope for better patient quality of life, bemoaned the healthcare system, had a lot of laughs, and realized that Anish might be trying to take...2022-05-111h 08Bowel MomentsMeet Dr. Sunanda Kane!- Episode 15Send us a textIn this episode you'll meet Dr. Sunanda V. Kane! Dr. Kane is a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; physician chair of the Mayo Clinic Quality Academy’s Fellow Subcommittee; and assistant chair of patient experience in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division of the Mayo Clinic. She has a special and passionate interest in women and IBD and so we spend a lot of time talking about fertility, hormones, pregnancy, and sexuality. We also talk about her upcoming book for patients on living well with IBD, being one of fe...2022-05-0442 minBowel MomentsMeet Josie M!- Episode 14Send us a textThis week we share a tequila cocktail with Josie McGarva! We talk about her Crohn's disease and her struggle with fistulas and abscesses. We also spend quite a bit of time talking about mental health and IBD and Josie's graduate work in health psychology. She's making great strides researching Post Traumatic Stress and IBD and health disparities and IBD. Very cool stuff and we're really excited. We also talked about how opening up about her disease and how getting an ostomy empowered her, gave her more freedom, and helped her connect with others...2022-04-2751 minBowel MomentsMeet Hannah C.! Episode 13Send us a textThis week we talk to Hannah Cramer! We talked a lot about surgeries, waking up with an unexpected ostomy, how the world could be more accessible for people living with ostomies, her challenging career and how her IBD influenced her career choice, and trauma and IBD. You won't want to miss this great conversation. We're convinced she's going to change the world. Links: SO much Ostomy info from the United Ostomy Association Info on ostomy parts and how to choose a supplier- United Ostomy Association Donate ostomy supplies...2022-04-2054 minBowel MomentsMeet Caroline P.! - Episode 12Send us a textThis week we talk to Caroline Perry on being diagnosed with Crohn's disease very young, growing up with IBD, and what is was like to have a sibling with IBD as well as one without IBD. We also talk about establishing boundaries when we you have IBD and also work in IBD research, how important it is to find people who really "get it", creative outlets for expressing feelings, and the importance of therapy (again- always). We share some laughs, some stories about bathroom emergencies, some sparkling water, and sadly Alicia drinks wine a...2022-04-1347 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Lukasz Kwapisz! Episode 11Send us a textIn this episode you meet Dr. Lukasz Kwapisz! Dr. Kwapisz is an Assistant Professor and IBD Specialist at the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. We discuss how he chose to specialize in IBD and his passion for treating our community, his special interest in pouch disorders, tests that your doctor orders and why, the importance of early interventions, his clinical trials experience versus real life treatment, how close we're getting to personalized medicine, and tequila. And how he's a regular medical commentator on Canadian TV! L...2022-04-0657 minBowel MomentsMeet Dr. Bincy Abraham!- Episode 10Send us a textIn this episode you meet Dr. Bincy P. Abraham! Dr. Abraham is a Distinguished Professor and Director of the Fondren Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at the Underwood Digestive Diseases Center at Houston Methodist Hospital. We discuss her career in GI, her research into probiotics and nanotechnology, women's hormones and IBD, how she chooses her healthcare partners and patient treatments, how sometimes being a GI is like playing video games, and her love of California Cabernets. Links: Bincy's journal article about NanotechnologyInformation on pregnancy and IBD from the Canadian Society of In...2021-10-2758 minBowel MomentsMeet Jodie! Episode 9Send us a textThis week we talk to Crohn's patient Jodie Delay who also has a brother and son with Crohn's. We discussed accepting and feeling all emotions, how empowering and exciting advocacy can be, and how you can choose to live joyfully even in the face of adversity (#ginandjoy). Jodie also gives us some parenting hacks and reminds us that just because you may have IBD, doesn't mean that you can't live out your "Impossibly Big Dreams." Links: Jodie is drinking Cold Smoke Sco...2021-10-2050 min