In episode 13 of the Colitis Unfiltered podcast, I speak with Sarah, whose IBD symptoms began at just 15 years old. What followed were eight years of colonoscopies, misdiagnoses, eating disorder accusations, and being told it was “just IBS” before she finally received a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis at 23.

Through law school stress, repeated flares, and worsening symptoms, Sarah tried to power through until her body forced a breaking point. After multiple hospitalizations and a final severe flare, she underwent emergency ileostomy surgery in July 2024. What was meant to be relief turned into a medical marathon: bowel perforation, ICU, ventilator support, additional surgeries, and months of recovery.

Today, Sarah hikes, runs races, and lives without the constant intestinal pain that defined her teenage years and early adulthood. She opens up about medical trauma, body image, stopping medication, and learning that an ostomy didn’t ruin her life, it gave it back. Her story is raw, resilient, and proof that even the longest road to diagnosis can still lead somewhere powerful.

For more stories from the bathroom floor, subscribe to the podcast and visit colitisunfiltered.com

In episode 12 of the Colitis Unfiltered podcast, I speak with Oktober, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 18 after months of relentless bathroom trips, joint pain, exhaustion, and rapid weight loss. What began during a stressful year quickly escalated into six years of failed biologics, steroid cycles, and a life shrinking around the nearest toilet.

After losing response to every available treatment, Oktober faced the reality of stoma surgery. What was meant to be temporary turned into emergency surgery, intensive care, and ultimately a permanent ostomy. She opens up about fear, body image, leaks, panic attacks, and the moment she realized she couldn’t keep living confined to four walls.

Now living with a permanent stoma while still managing Crohn’s, Oktober shares how surgery gave her back freedom, travel, and control. She challenges misconceptions about ostomies, speaks candidly about mental health and fatigue, and reminds anyone facing surgery that life with a bag is not the end. In many cases, it’s the beginning.

For more stories from the bathroom floor, subscribe to the podcast and visit colitisunfiltered.com

In this episode of the Colitis Unfiltered podcast, I speak with Janelle, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 25 after years of confusing symptoms, mucus, bleeding, and the constant fear that something was seriously wrong. What began as manageable flares slowly turned into nearly two decades of pain, accidents, and a body that kept pushing her to the edge.

Diagnosed in her mid-twenties, Janelle talks about navigating medications, steroids, remission cycles, and the mental toll of living with an invisible illness. She reflects on advocating for herself, hitting rock bottom, and ultimately choosing permanent ostomy surgery after her colon failed beyond repair. Her story covers the realities of surgery, body image, intimacy, and finally getting her life back.

Using humor, blunt honesty, and zero shame, Janelle shares how living with an ostomy didn’t end her life. It gave it back. This episode is raw, funny, and deeply real, and a must-watch for anyone living with ulcerative colitis, facing surgery, or trying to survive the mental weight of IBD.

For more stories from the bathroom floor, subscribe to the podcast and visit colitisunfiltered.com

In this episode of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I speak with Kristin, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at just nine years old after months of severe diarrhea, urgency, weight loss, and bleeding. What followed was an 87-day hospital stay, a long stretch of steroid dependence, and a childhood shaped by chronic illness long before she could understand what it meant.

Diagnosed in elementary school and facing surgery as a teenager, Kristin opens up about growing up with IBD, missing school, struggling with identity, and living through colectomy, a J-pouch, and eventually a permanent ostomy. She reflects on the emotional toll of being labeled “strong,” the anger she was never allowed to express, and the moment she finally learned it was okay to grieve her body.

Now living a full life with an ostomy and decades of perspective, Kristin shares how community, support, and purpose helped her rebuild after years of trauma. Her story is raw, compassionate, and deeply hopeful. A powerful listen for anyone navigating IBD, surgery, or life after surgery.

For more stories from the bathroom floor, subscribe to the podcast and visit colitisunfiltered.com

In episode 9 of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I speak with Ant, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 19 in the UK. What began as worsening diarrhea, pain, and blood was repeatedly dismissed, until a colonoscopy finally revealed severe colitis and the start of a long, exhausting treatment journey.

After more than a decade of medications, steroids, biologics, and cycling in and out of remission, Ant made the difficult decision to undergo a colectomy and now lives with a stoma. In this conversation, he opens up about the fear surrounding surgery, the realities of stoma life, and how gaining his quality of life back reshaped his perspective on health, identity, and resilience.

Today, Ant uses his platform to normalize ostomy life and raise IBD awareness, showing that life after surgery isn’t an ending, but a restart. Honest, reflective, and deeply empowering, this episode is for anyone navigating colitis, surgery decisions, or life with a stoma.

For more stories from the bathroom floor, subscribe to the podcast and visit colitisunfiltered.com

In this episode of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I speak with Leah, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at just nine years old after months of fatigue, weight loss, and bloody diarrhea. What began as a frightening childhood illness quickly became a life shaped by hospital stays, international moves, failed treatments, and major surgeries.

Diagnosed during her early school years and living with an ostomy from her teens, Leah reflects on navigating flares, isolation, and body image through adolescence. She talks candidly about undergoing multiple surgeries, adapting to life with an ostomy, and learning to accept a body that often dictated her limits.

Now living well and working as a certified ostomy nurse, Leah shares how her experience with Crohn’s shaped her empathy, resilience, and career path. Through her work, she supports patients facing the same fears she once lived with, turning a childhood diagnosis into a source of purpose, perspective, and connection.

For more on colitis, IBD and chronic illness, check out colitisunfiltered.com

In this episode of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I sit down with Dr. Kelli DuBois, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 22, following months of hidden bleeding, escalating pain and one humiliating ER visit. Newly married and caring for a one-year-old, she had to navigate a disease she’d never heard of and a medical system that didn’t prepare her for what life with IBD would really mean.

Kelli opens up about the emotional fallout that followed. She talks through the years of failed medications, cycles of hope and disappointment, the guilt of parenting through illness, and the deeply isolating instinct to suffer in silence. She shares how exercise, education and a brutally honest look at her own coping patterns finally pushed her toward small, sustainable changes that rebuilt her confidence and helped her reclaim parts of her life she thought were gone for good.

Now in long-term remission, Kelli reflects on the fear of losing it, the compassion her illness carved into her, and the pressure of rebuilding identity after trauma. She also explains the turning point that led her to speak openly about her disease, pursue a PhD focused on IBD self-management, and ultimately devote her work to coaching others who feel lost in the space between doctor’s appointments.

For more on ulcerative colitis, IBD and chronic illness, check out colitisunfiltered.com

In this episode of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I speak with Kinsey, who started experiencing stomach pain, fatigue, weight loss and bloody stool soon after a big family move. It would take nearly a year before Kinsey finally got a colonoscopy and a clear answer.

Diagnosed with colitis at just 15 years old, and now living with a J-pouch, Kinsey talks about navigating treatments, and the impact of her condition on her teenage years. She reflects on her surgeries, the importance of a supportive medical team, and how her experiences have shaped her resilience and empathy

Kinsey uses sarcasm to advocate for herself and others, raising IBD awareness on social media while keeping a positive attitude as she handles school and part-time work.

For more on colitis, IBD and chronic illness, check out colitisunfiltered.com

In this episode of the Talking Sh*t podcast, I speak with Yasmin, who didn’t expect her gut to become the biggest disruptor when she relocated to Los Angeles. We dive into her powerful and personal journey from the lab to the hospital.

Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease on her 31st birthday, Yasmin opens up about the rapid unraveling of her health, the emotional toll of living with an invisible illness, and the road to reclaiming her life with clarity and purpose.

Yasmin is a passionate immunologist, and we also dive deeper into biologics, autoimmunity, the future of IBD treatments, and the hope for a potential cure. This is an episode you definitely do not want to miss.

For more on colitis, IBD and chronic illness, check out colitisunfiltered.com

In episode 4 of the Talking Sh*t podcast, Kim shares her journey with Crohn's disease, detailing her symptoms, delayed diagnosis, and the challenges she faces in managing her flares.

She discusses the emotional and physical toll of Crohn's, the importance of support systems, and her advocacy efforts online.

Kim emphasizes the need for understanding from friends and family, and expresses hope for future advancements in treatment and potential cures for IBD.