Do you have symptoms like gas, bloating, cramping, constipation, or diarrhea? And have you been to your doctor or health practitioner and they ignored you or said it’s in your head or basically made you feel unheard?
If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been there. I’ve had doctors basically ignore me or treat me as if I was lying (which is ridiculous)! Why would you or I waste money to go to a doctor if something wasn’t really wrong? And usually by the time anyone goes to the doctor, they’ve been experiencing these symptoms several months or longer. That’s one reason why I work with clients who have these same symptoms. I understand and know what it’s like to be ignored. And I don’t want anyone feeling like that.
These symptoms are grouped together and called IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It is real. IBS is a functional digestive disorder that causes symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
What makes it tricky is that nothing shows up on initial tests doctors often do — so it often gets brushed off as anxiety, stress, or even ‘just your age.’
But here’s the truth: IBS is real. It’s not in your head. And while stress may play a role, there are also physical, hormonal, and lifestyle factors involved.”
Why it affects women over 40 more often
In our 40s and beyond, our hormones begin to shift — especially estrogen and progesterone as we’ve discussed in prior posts. These changes affect how our gut functions by leading to:
- Slower digestion (slow motility)
- More sensitivity to certain foods
- Increased bloating or irregularity
- Decreased stomach acid or enzymes
Plus, let’s be real — many of us are juggling careers, family, aging parents, and changes in our own bodies with more stress. All of this impacts our gut.
The Gut-Hormone Connection
Did you know your gut has its own nervous system, often called the ‘second brain’?
Hormones like estrogen and progesterone influence your gut’s rhythm, inflammation levels, and even how you respond to stress. So when those hormones shift, your digestion often changes too. Did you notice any changes when you turned 40?
And your gut microbiome, both the beneficial bacteria that help with digestion and immunity as well as any harmful bacteria, is sensitive to those shifts as well. That’s why IBS often flares during perimenopause and menopause.
Are There Any Tests to Diagnosis IBS?
If you’re having any GI issues, your doctor will usually recommend a colonoscopy first to visualize the colon. This helps rule out if your have other problems such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease including Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis. If those tests are negative, there are blood tests that identify anitbodies associated with post-infectious IBS including IBSchek and IBS-Smart. They are not a definitive diagnosis nor 100% reliable. An upper GI endoscopy can be used to biopsy tissue to check for Celiac Disease. There are also blood tests to check for Celiac Disease, too.
Other blood tests can check for digestive enzymes such as lactose intolerance tests.
There are stool tests to determine if you have any infections, viruses, parasites, or abnormal bacteria. In addition, there’s a fecal calprotectin test which measures a protein in the stool indicating inflammation. This can help differentiate between IBS and IBD.
In addition, imaging studies can help visualize the lining of the colon or abdomen or small intestine including a barium enema and CT Scan. And there are scans to check your gallbladder functioning which may be causing your symptoms.
And this is controversial with some practitioners, but there is a breath test for bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine called SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. This test may help you and your practitioner identify if you have excessive amounts of bacteria in the small intestine which may be causing symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, or stomach pain.
As you can see, there are numerous tests, but you may have to find more holistic or functional or integrative practitioners who will order some tests. Many conventional doctors are limited by insurance and simply cannot order them.
What Can You Do to Support Your Gut Today?
Here are things you can start doing to support your digestion today:
🥗 Track your triggers. Keep a food and symptom journal. This is one strategy that helps you figure out what is going on – it’s not random. There are root causes. And this is one task I do on a deeper level with clients.
🍽️ Try a gentle elimination or low-FODMAP approach. Some women are sensitive to garlic, onions, or dairy and don’t even know it. Have you noticed one food or a category of foods you’re more sensitive to now?
💧 Hydrate and move daily. Even light walking helps digestion. And drinking water throughout the day (but not a lot during meals) can help your digestion, too.
🌿 Manage stress. Deep breathing, prayer, journaling, and sleep make a difference in reduction of stress which may help reduce your IBS symptoms.
👩⚕️ Find the right practitioner. If your doctor or practitioner isn’t listening to you, find another one who will. Remember, they are supposed to be working for you. So if they’re not, then fire them and find one who will!
🙏 And don’t forget spiritual health — leaning into your faith during difficult health journeys brings peace even when you’re still figuring things out.
I want you to know — you are not crazy, and you are not alone. IBS is hard, but healing and relief are possible. You need to find a practitioner who believes in you and will listen to you. And you also need to take the right steps to help figure out the root causes and reduce the symptoms. It will take time, but it is possible.
If this resonated with you and you’d like one-on-one help from a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Practitioner who has IBS and has walked this same journey and helped others, too, reach out to me. You can click here to schedule a free 20-minute consult. We can work as a team with your doctor or other practitioner to help you get on the right track to feeling better. So just reach out. – Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC
