Irish pharmacist praises people for talking about their bowel movements online

An Irish pharmacist is praising people for talking about their bowel movements online to raise awareness about Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 

The Fabulous Pharmacist, otherwise known as Laura Dowling, is encouraging people to speak about their bowel issues throughout April for IBS Awareness Month. 

One in five people in Ireland and 700 million worldwide reportedly suffer from the common condition, with women twice as likely to suffer from it as men. 

Women with IBS are also estimated to be at significantly higher risk of undergoing a hysterectomy. 

According to Laura, symptoms of IBS - including recurrent and chronic diarrhea, constipation or both - are stigmatised and misunderstood and can significantly impact the quality of life for many patients. 

The signs, she says, used to be too embarrassing for people to even mention, but now they're all over social media including apps like TikTok. 

She said, "It is great to see people willing to talk about their bowel movements. In addition to normalising a bodily function that everyone has, this trend is helping people become aware of common digestive issues such as diarrhoea, constipation and bloating and encouraging people to take more interest in their own gut health.

"IBS is a complex and debilitating condition for which there is no known cause. However, people often ignore the signs.”

She is encouraging people to talk to friends and family to reduce stress - which is a known trigger for flare-ups - and have a wider discussion about gut health. 

IBS can also be flared by menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, and endometriosis