Who Blogs about IBS?

The Internet has opened up a whole new world for healthcare consumers. An enormous information imbalance has gradually decreased, giving patients opportunities to cross-check physician recommendations and ask better questions. Perhaps even more importantly, the Internet has provided new venues for support groups and healthcare consumers to join in on the conversation and share their experiences. 

Support groups are not a new phenomenon. The power of self-help groups was first demonstrated by alcoholics. Alcoholics Anonymous (founded in 1935) helped many of those considered hopeless, something that the medical establishment was not able to do.

Of course, there have been worries that the Internet might fuel hypochondriacs.  But even those critics admitted that "if a computer makes you sick, you can then use it to help you get better." 

Computer-mediated communication has added more power to emerging Health 2.0  due in large part to the fact that anonymity can enable discussion of very sensitive issues, and that remote communication helps people separated by great distances get together. Moreover, networking formats have supported information exchange in real time in addition to e-mail, and search engines have helped people identify relevant groups. 

What's next? Better personal health records, better search engines, and tools to interpret the wealth of information generated by dynamically-evolving networks that can mirror the subtle details of daily life.

Meanwhile, despite what some people think, blogging is alive and well; there were 10 blog posts by IBS sufferers in the last 7 days! 

Of course, willingness to converse depends on the nature of the conversation. Not too many people want to discuss their Irritable Bowel Syndrome on twitter or facebook, but there are constant streams of  related posts and constant conversation.

Today, we are announcing a new Irritable Bowel Blog and are listing existing blogs, some old and some recently updated.  We will try to keep you updated. You can also perform a google blog search (although it does not capture many recent blogs) or check the IBS Stories and IBS group blogs for current information.

Recently updated blogs:

Blog title	Author	Last post in March 2011	Last update
An Tobarin wordpress blog	An Tobairin	Irritable bowel syndrome	March 30, 2011
Irritable Bowel Syndrome @about.com	Barbara Bradley Bolen	FOODMAP diet chart	March 29, 2011
Gena's Blog (IBS group blogs)	Gena	I Want Pizaaaa	March 29, 2011
IBS-Life Blog	Sian, Rick and Kev	Ruled by the bowel?	March 28, 2011
ChrissyLynn's Blog (IBS group blogs)	ChrissyLynn	Not a happy camper	March 28, 2011
Shauni.x's Blog (IBS group blogs)	shauni.x	18 and starting to cope	March 27, 2011
tjesspersen's Blog (IBS group blogs)	tjesspersen	I hate IBS!	March 27, 2011
SickPetals' Blog (IBS group blogs)	SickPetals	I'd welcome cabin fever	March 27, 2011
Em's Blog (IBS group blogs)	em_t	FFS!	March 25, 2011
Tame your tummy trouble	Megan Mountcastle	Food tips to keep your belly stable	March 25, 2011
cherice's Blog (IBS group blogs)	cherice	Never satisfied	March 23, 2011
J_17's Blog (IBS group blogs)	J_17	P.S.	March 22, 2011
IBS (Blisstree.com)	Lia Serbyn	IBS is Why I'm Still Single	March 13, 2010
Emz's Blog (IBS group blogs)	mz	First post because I'm pleased with myself	March 13, 2010
cleung's Blog (IBS group blogs)	cleung	Another episode - mild	March 12, 2010
IBS Tales	Sophie Lee	Sophie's Story	March 12, 2011
carolann's Blog (IBS group blog)	carolann	Fruit	March 9, 2011
Crispypip's Blog ( IBS group blog)	crispypip	Keeping a journal	March 8 ,2011
The foe that controls my life - IBS (IBS group blog)	Lisalashesxxx	Tests, after all this time....	March 1, 2011

Bloggers from other sites occasionally mention IBS:
See, for example,
Deb Schulze's post of 03/30/2011 on How to make fiber work for you  (Baltimore Sun),
Susan Dopart's post of 03/23/2011 on gluten free diet (Huffpost),
Siouxsie Wiles' blog on integration of medical and natural health care (Sci blogs)

Some Internet marketers copy IBS-related information in their blogs too - like Wielislaw who recently re-posted Are your bowels irritable? in his 07s65 blog.


A few worth-mentioning old blogs:

Blog title	Author	Latest post	Last update
Misery Loves Company (Everydayhealth blogs)	MiseryLovesCompany	Going on ANOTHER year now...	November 12, 2010
The IBS Blog	à l'adresse	Easy things to improve IBS condirion	October 28, 2010
IBS (Everydayhealth blogs)	Demeritte	My favorite restaurant	May 17, 2010
IBS Web Log	David	Foods that relieve constipation	March 12, 2010
IBS No More	Marlene Stein	I discovered Annato caused my IBS problems	November 19, 2009
Family Health (Everydayhealth blogs)	Astra1547	Ignorant	August 9, 2009
Digestive Health Woes of a Young Adult	LiaEustach	Introducing my digestive health problems...and me	August 3, 2009
Romance, Riches, Restrooms	Tim Phelan	“Award-Winning” IBS Memoir	May 28th, 2008
Life in A Bathroom	Nichole Thomas	It's back!	February 14th, 2008

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome Group on facebook
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome as Interest on facebook

Microblogging:

Twitter Lists	Description
@COEMHealth/irritable-bowel-syndrome
@boweltalk/ibs	People with or supporting those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
@ericbenchimol/gastro-nutrition
@SharedDiaries/digestive-health	Irritable Bowel Syndrome, related conditions, causes and management
@PSCSupportUK/gastro
@DrCesarYaghi/gastroenterology
@boweltalk/gastro	Medical info re: bowel, colon, digestive, gut and gastrointestinal (GI) topics
@IBSgroup/ibs
@IBSgroup/support