And it really, really winds me up because it's not just wrong, and I'll explain why in a bit, but it's also harmful. If you've ever heard IBS is a bullshit diagnosis, this one's few. Every few weeks I see posts and people on social saying things like IBS is a cop-out diagnosis or IBS isn't real, IBS is fake, and it really, really winds me up because it's not just wrong, and I'll explain why in a bit, but it's also harmful. And that kind of talk blocks people from getting the diagnosis, support, and treatment they actually need. And that's why it winds me up. Now I get why messages like these hook people in because you're struggling with IBS and every test you've had comes back normal. So it's easy to think, hang on, maybe IBS isn't real. But these people saying things like IBS is fake, or it's just the label doctors use when they don't know what's wrong, are basically showing a serious lack of understanding of how medicine works. And actually, you could argue their lack of genuine care for the people they're claiming to be helping. And they're planting doubt in people who are already struggling, exhausted, and desperate for answers. And I don't think that's fair, so that's why I think they're in the wrong. And that doubt leads to delay, wasting months, sometimes years, chasing more tests, alternative diagnoses, and getting second opinions, and maybe using unproven so-called fixes that they've seen online instead of getting the real evidence-based help that's already available. And it drives you mad because that kind of talk doesn't help anyone. It just keeps people stuck, spiraling down rabbit holes, doubting their diagnosis, and searching for something that isn't actually missing. So in today's episode, I want to set the record straight and explain simply what IBS actually is, why it's not a fake diagnosis, why it's recognised across the world, and how to stop the endless testing and doubt cycle so you can finally get your life back. So, for those of you who don't know who I am, I'm Charlie Jean or CJ for short, and I'm a UK registered dietitian, the men's IBS and Performance Specialist with a master's in sports nutrition, and I'm a qualified cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist as well. I've spent about seven years working in the UK's NHS, the National Health Service, where I've helped well over four and a half thousand people with IBS. And for the past six years, I've specialized in helping men like you go from chaos to control with their IBS. So let's get into it. So, number one, the big misunderstandum disease versus illness. So true, IBS isn't a disease, but that doesn't make it fake or meaningless. IBS used to be called a functional gastrointestinal disorder, meaning that there's a problem with how the gut works, hence functional gut disorder. But there's no physical damage or anything. But science and our understanding of IBS have moved on, thankfully, and it now comes under the term disorder of gut-brain interaction or DGBI for sure, as defined by the Rome 4 criteria and zoomed to be Rome 5. But this term still doesn't mean that there's any visible damage, it just means that we've got a greater understanding of how IBS and other DGBIs, so disorder of the gut-brain interaction, how they actually work. So there's a key difference. So disease means there's a clear structural or biochemical abnormality that can be seen or measured, like inflammation, ulcers, tumours, infection, and illness is the liver experience like pain, urgency, fatigue, how it feels day to day. So IBS stands for irritable bowel syndrome and not to be confused with IBD, inflammatory bowel disease, which includes conditions like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, because a lot of people think these are just different names for the same condition, but they're totally different. Although, yes, they can have similar symptoms like diarrhea, wind, and bloating, for example, but IBD, inflammatory bowel disease, causes physical damage to the gut. And I've previously worked with hundreds and hundreds of people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis when I worked in the NHS, and some of them have unfortunately had to have part of their bowel removed because of the damage caused by their condition. So IBS is a syndrome, which simply means a recognized pattern or collection of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together, which is exactly what IBS, a specific recognized pattern of symptoms, just without the visible damage. But that doesn't mean that every person with IBS will have the exact set of symptoms, because some will have diarrhea and bloatin', some will have constipation, but the key symptom is the tummy pain. And also another point to mention just because different people's experience of IBS is different from the next man's also doesn't mean that IBS is a bullshit diagnosis. But what it does mean is that what works for one person won't necessarily work for another. So, yes, scope scans and blood tests can look normal, but that doesn't mean nothing is wrong. And as Dr. Drossman and Joanna Ruddy explain in their book, Gut Feelings, this is where people who don't understand IBS properly get it wrong and think of visible disease as real, and they totally dismiss conditions like IBS where there isn't any physical or structural damage, and they see them as being less legitimate. And it's as if people with GGBIs or mental health conditions, even, don't have the right to say that they feel unwell, and it's like it's like if there's no visible damage, then you must be making it up, and that's what the real bullshit is. IBS is real, very real, and it can have a huge impact on people's lives and the people around them, their family as well. It can affect them as well. You probably know for yourself, and it affects what you eat, your relationships, your sex life, social life, mood, confidence, career, and everything in between. So call an IBS bullshit because it's not a disease is like saying conditions such as depression, migraine, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia aren't real because you can't see them on a scan. And that's not insight, that's ignorance. So number two, what IBS is. So I've explained that IBS is a DGBI, which basically means that your gut and your brain are constantly talking to each other, but in IBS, that communication channel has some interference, if you like, it's gone a bit haywire. So the messages are coming through scrambled. And at the moment, the exact cause of IBS isn't yet fully understood, but research shows various factors can play a role. Like the gut can move too fast or too slow, leading to diarrhea, constipation, or both. The gut nerves can become extrasensitive, and they call it hypersensitivity. So normal movements like your gut stretching can feel uncomfortable or even painful. The community of bugs that live in the gut, the gut microbota, they can shift. And studies have shown differences between people with and without IBS, but more research is needed into this as well. Stress, anxiety, poor sleep, and overload can turn up the volume on the gut brain access, that two-way communication between the gut and the brain. And just to be clear, as I said before, IBS isn't an inflammatory disease because some people are saying, oh yeah, IBS is inflammation, stress and bacteria, but IBS isn't an inflammatory disease. Yeah, there might be some low-level inflammation, but it's nowhere near the level seen in active Crohn's disease, for example. And this is another key difference between IBS and IBD, actually. So in IBS, your inflammatory markers in your blood and poo tests, things like CRP, C reactive protein, CRP, or fecal cal protectin, should be normal. And if they're raised, it usually points to something else going on, like an infection or an overlapping condition like Crohn's disease, for example. And actually, I've worked with people in this situation who have got Crohn's disease as well as IBS. And then sometimes IBS develops after a severe bout of a tummy bug. And I've known loads of soldiers where this has been the case, and they've had bad DMV, so diarrhea and vomiting when they've been on ops and on exercises, and then they've later gone on to develop IBS, and this is known as post-infectious IBS. So these people saying IBS is just inflammation. Well, that's not true. Inflammation isn't a classic feature or marker of IBS. Otherwise, it would be in all the recent medical guidelines and recommendations, but it's not. So IBS isn't inflammation. Um, so yes, your test can come back normal, but you can still have very real symptoms, as you know from your own experiences with IBS. So that cycle of test after test, because you're in pain, feel like you've tried everything and nothing seems to work, that often leads nowhere. Because the problem isn't structural, it's functional. It's a problem with how the gut and the brain are interacting. And the more you chase physical proof and don't find it, the more powerless and stress you can feel. And that stress, frustration, anger, even can make symptoms worse, which can then make you feel worse emotionally. And then you're stuck in a horrible vicious cycle of the symptoms being triggered by your mental state and your mental state triggering your symptoms. And that's where good evidence-based care makes a difference. Not more tests, but the right explanations, the right strategies, and the right support from qualified professionals, not wannabe experts or influencers who haven't really got a clue. And number three, the irony about labels. And then there's the it's just the label argument. IBS isn't some lazy label doctors slap on when they can't be bothered or they don't really know what's wrong with you. Every diagnosis in medicine is technically a label. So, like I mentioned, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, asthma, they're all labels. They're all names that describe a recognized pattern of symptoms, test results, and underlying mechanisms. That's how medicine works. Naming things accurately, and yeah, names have changed. Like IBS has been called lots of things in the past, like spastic colon and stuff, but then with more knowledge and understanding and science developing, the name has changed. Or how it's classified has changed, like functional gut disorder to now being disorder of gut-brain interaction. So things have changed, but that's how medicine works. It's a label. The difference is that medical labels are grounded in research and international consensus, not someone's personal theories or social media opinions. And if someone dismisses IBS because it's just a label, what they're really doing is dismissing medicine itself. And that usually comes down to them not understanding how structured evidence-based diagnosis and treatment actually work. And of course, language matters, it matters how you use the label. So saying, for example, he's a diabetic, you're labeling him and reducing the person to a condition. Whereas if you said he has diabetes, that recognises that he's more than just that diagnosis. The same with IBS. You're not your IBS, you're not IBS, you're a person who has IBS and you can learn to manage it effectively. And the Rome 4 criteria define IBS and its subtypes, so IBS C, so constipation, IBSD, diarrhea, so diarrhea, predominant, IBSM, mixed, which is basically someone suffers with diarrhea and constipation, and then IBSU, which you can't categorize the symptoms into one of those three categories. So they don't fall neatly into the constipation, diarrhea, or the mixed classifications. So the Rome 4 criteria, they've got clear symptom-based criteria such as tummy pain and a change in bowel habits, and these criteria are internationally recognised criteria used by clinicians, researchers, and educators worldwide. So, no, it's not a vague or made-up label, it's a rigorously defined medical condition. Number four, the global reality check. So IBS isn't a maybe diagnosis, it is recognized and managed worldwide through rigorous evidence-based frameworks. And every major gastroenterology body across the globe recognises IBS as a disorder of gut-brain interaction and provides structured diagnostic and treatment guidance. And gastroenterology means the medical specialty that focuses on the gut and the digestive system. For example, the Rome Foundation, like I just mentioned, sets the international gold standard for defining IBS and it's used in research, like mentioned, medical education and clinical diagnosis worldwide. The NICE here in the UK, along with the British Society of Gastroenterology, they emphasise a positive clinical diagnosis based on clear criteria, not endless investigations and exclusion tests. The American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroassociation say the same, rule out red flags for obvious reasons, then move straight into management using diet, lifestyle, medication, mind-body therapies when appropriate. The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology mirrors this approach, evidence-based, stepwise, and focused on improving quality of life, which is obviously important. And then across Asia, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology and the new 2025 Soul Consensus both recognise IBS as a DGBI defined by the Rome criteria with stepwise bio-psychosocial management models, which means basically treatment that looks at the whole person, so your mind, body, and lifestyle because they all play a part. And globally, the World Gastroenterology Associate Organization provides IBS guidelines that are translated into multiple languages to support countries at every level of healthcare development. So we ensure IBS isn't made up. It isn't one doctor's opinion or one country's idea or one label used to fob people off. It's globally recognised, research-backed medical condition taught in every medical and health science university, including dietetics. I studied it when I went to uni and obviously helped loads of people with it in the NHS. And it's backed by decades of data around the world. So when someone online says IBS isn't real, it really freaking winds me up. And they're effectively saying every major medical body university and gastroenterology department on the planet is wrong. That's a huge claim from them saying, you know, they're going against all of that. That's huge. And that's from people who've probably never even opened a clinical guideline or even a medical book in their lives or read anything to do with anatomy and physiology, medicine, IBS, nutrition. And importantly, when people say IBS isn't real, they're not just dismissing science, they're dismissing the millions of people around the world living with IBS and other DGBIs, disorders of gut brain interaction. They're also dismissing every other condition that doesn't show up neatly on a scan or a blood test. Things like migraine, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, PTSD, depression, anxiety, all of them very real and all capable of causing significant suffering. And people deserve recognition of that suffering with or without a visible marker. Number five, what actually helps. So once you've got a clear, confident diagnosis from your doctor, not self-diagnosing or from someone online on socials or anything, the good news is there are proven evidence-based ways to get back in control. And they work when they're done properly and with the right support. So many times people have said, Oh yeah, I've tried that myself before, it doesn't work. And then when you've gone through it with them and you've supported them and given them the right information and guidance and worked with them closely, oh funny enough, it's worked. So it's when it's done properly and with the right support, and having the right support can make all the difference. And I'm not going to go into loads of uh treatment options here and do a deep dive on that because this episode is about setting the record straight that IBS is real. You know it's real, you live with it every day. So the problem isn't that IBS doesn't exist, the problem is that too many people are being pulled in the wrong direction by unqualified advice online, and that pulls good people like you away from real help and keeping them stuck longer than they need to be. And I that's just wrong. So if you've got IBS, don't waste your time chasing quick fixes or self-styled gurus. Don't blame yourself for looking everywhere for answers. You know, you've been trying to fix a real and it's a complex problem. But the truth is the right help isn't in another test or unproven tests and like these intolerance tests that you can get online or some online trend or fad diet. It's with qualified professionals who understand IBS and can help you get back control. And it's working with them closely and them working in your best interests. And I don't see these people that are saying IBS is fake or IBS is a bullshit diagnosis as working in your best interests. I think they're blocking you and they're being unhelpful. So, number six, quick myth busters. So let's bust a few myths before we wrap up. So if tests are normal, nothing's wrong. That's wrong. IBS affects how the gut works, not how it looks. IBS is inflammation. Nope. Like I mentioned before, it's not an inflammatory disease like Crohn's or colitis. You need more tests to be sure. After red flags are excluded, so things like checking for blood in your poo, unintentional weight loss, or waking in the night with diarrhoea, those kind of things are red flags. And understandably, the doctor working in your best interest wants to exclude them and wants to make sure there's nothing else going on. So chasing more tests rarely helps. So once they've done a full assessment with you and they've covered everything, they've assessed your symptoms and checked you for other stuff, and depending on your age, you might need to have other test investigations and depending on your family history. But once they've done all that and they've given you a confident diagnosis, just focus on managing your IBS, not proven that it is IBS or that it isn't IBS. But obviously, if your symptoms change, so after you've got IBS, if your symptoms change or you experience new symptoms, then you need to go back to your doctor because there could be something else going on this time. It might be nothing, it might be something, but it's always good to get checked out. Dietary changes or therapy won't help. Well, done properly, they can help, but don't expect a silver bullet or one size fits all. So instead, get expert guidance that's tailored to you because that's where it makes a real difference. So to wrap up then, so IBS is real, it's recognized across the world, it's taught in medical and health science universities, and it's backed by decades of solid research. So the only bullshit here is the misinformation that keeps good people like you doubting themselves and delaying you from getting the right help. So if you've been second guessing your diagnosis because of what you've seen online, just stop. Go back to your GP, your gastroenterologist, get a confident diagnosis if you haven't already, and work with qualified professionals who actually understand IBS. You don't need miracle cures or unproven tests. You need a clear plan, the right support, and consistent action. You can't just sit back and do nothing. You've actually got to put things into place. Because when you understand IBS and you manage it properly, and there are, you know, there is help out there to help you manage it properly, life gets a whole lot easier and better for you. And that's what I want for you, which is why I share all this with you because I want to help you and I want to help you avoid making mistakes and falling into the trap of going to these people who obviously have no clue what they're on about. So thanks for listening. And I hope you found it helpful. Please share it with someone else who might also benefit from hearing this as well. And I'll catch you next time.