"Over the + 40 years when faced with serious and extended flair-ups I tried various dietary restrictions, foodmap, stress management, IBgard, specifically formulated probiotics, and two different medications (Dycyclomine and Linzess). In some cases minor relief was imagined, probably in the thought that relief was just around the corner. The Linzess, which you prescribed with my complete concurrence as an experiment during the last visit, produced such a harsh reaction after one week that I discontinued it. The hypnotherapy experiment was started after discontinuing the Linzess. I have been working with a local hypnotherapist, Claire Morency, CHT. Together we formulated a series of 10 weekly sessions based on the UNC Medical School protocol and UK NIH protocol. Both have been in application for nearly two decades, both follow similar protocols, and both have been subjected to more than a dozen peer reviewed research studies. Prior to starting the Hypnotherapy program I was at a baseline of having significant discomfort for months on end with only marginal relief on an average of a half-day or day per week at best. The collection of symptoms were getting progressively more consistent and impossible to control. I made no other changes in lifestyle, diet, or medical interventions during the period of hypnotherapy. ​During the period of hypnotherapy with Claire I experienced obvious relief after the first hypnotherapy session for most days the following week, something I had not experienced for months. I experienced significant and sustained relief from the second session onward but would continue to have periodically discomfort, bloating, and other IBS associated symptoms intermittently at a highly reduced incident rate. Each session with personal practice during the week (self-hypnosis with mental scripts) produced longer lasting and complete relief with fewer and shorter time periods of discomfort. By the seventh session I was completely symptom free. I am completely unaware of the presence of my gut, as it should be, a mental state that hasn’t existed for nearly a year. I eat whatever I want without restriction without any issues. I have no bloating or stomach upset. And I’m sleeping better than I have in many years. I know this all sounds too good to be true. All I know is that I experienced it, and it has been very real in the full relief of symptoms including normalization of bowel movements and any sense of stomach or gut upset. Whether it is purely mental I can’t judge, clearly it works through improvement of mind-body normalization for lack of a better description. The reprogram of the subconscious mind to return the mind-body connection to a balanced state, one where the individual feels empowered to mentally control gut reactions (real or overly sensitized), or overly sensitive mental reactions to gut stimuli imagined. The reprograming in addition to mental gut control empowerment also focuses on unconscious stress and anxiety reduction, issues that an individual may be completely unaware that they are experiencing subconsciously. Enough said. One last comment relates to the area Hypnotherapist that I used locally, Claire Morency, CHT (415-747-1177 CM@ClaireMorencyHypotherapy.com). The lady is a class act who spent a great deal of time and personal interest in researching and developing a personalized program based on the UNC and UK NIH protocols for IBS. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone suffering with IBS who is considering hypnotherapy.”