How to use CDHF’s myIBS App

Written by: CDHF

Updated: November 29th, 2022

CDHF’s myIBS app is a symptom & health diary app for those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

myIBS App is a free, easy-to-use, comprehensive tracking app for those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The app allows you to digitally journal your symptoms, poop, food, sleep, stress and more, to help you better understand and manage your IBS.

Brought to you by the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF) and built with the oversight of leading gastroenterologists and primary care physicians, myIBS is designed to help improve communication with your doctor by tracking exactly what you are experiencing on a day-to-day basis. myIBS also includes valuable research and information about IBS to help you better understand your digestive health.

It’s important to note that the myIBS app is designed to help you understand your IBS better so you can play an active role in your symptom management, but it does not provide medical advice. Use this app to help you have more detailed discussions with your doctor. Always consult with your doctor directly before making any changes to your diet or health.

If you haven’t already, download the app by clicking on the links below or by searching myIBS in your App Store / Google Play Store.

Let’s take a deeper dive into myIBS features, so you can get the most out of it:

First and foremost, when you first sign up for the app, you will be asked whether you already have an IBS diagnosis. If you do not, the app will walk you through a series of questions based on the Rome IV Criteria, to determine what subtype of IBS you may have (IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M, OR IBS-U). Again, CDHF strongly recommends speaking to your health care professional to receive a firm diagnosis prior to starting any treatment. During the initial set up, you will also be able to set your tracking options, to show the features that you would like to track, and only those alone, on your home screen. And don’t worry – you can always change these at any time from the settings area.

Let’s start with what the myIBS app allows you to TRACK:

Symptoms
- This includes abdominal pain and bloating – two symptoms that are prominent with IBS. The app allows you to track these on a sliding scale of none to severe.
Bowel Movements
- What does your poop look like? How urgent is it? Do you strain while pooping? These are some of the features under bowel movements that it is important to keep track of when you have IBS.
Medication & Supplements
- If you are currently taking any prescribed medications, supplements, or other medications for your IBS, this is where you can track it.
Health & Wellness
- This includes stress level, fatigue, and activity level. Our sliding scales will help you determine how you are feeling that day. Additionally, from the settings area you can add tracking for anxiety, depression, exercise, and sleep.
Food & Drink
- Track your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks as well as your glasses of water in a day to see if the food you eat contributes to your symptoms of IBS.
Daily Journal:
- Takes notes in your daily journal of what your day is like and record any important information you want to share with your doctor.

Every day, you can view all of the items you have tracked at a glance in your daily log, and shuffle through what you did in the past by moving the date on the top of the app.

The myIBS app also allows you to RESEARCH:

Although there is no cure for IBS, there are treatments that exist to help you manage your symptoms. We suggest discussing your IBS treatment options with your health care professional before starting any plan, but once discussed, this app allows you to pinpoint when you start a treatment plan and when you stop. We recommend trying each treatment plan for a full 3 weeks before stopping it or starting another. The myIBS app walks you through the top treatment options for IBS that include:

Lifestyle & Dietary Changes:
- Stress Management
- Low FODMAP Diet
- Improve Sleep
- Increase Exercise
Physician Prescribed Changes:
- Prescription Medication
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Within each treatment plan, we provide information on what they entail, strategies for successfully completing them, and what to expect when you are on this plan.

Finally, the myIBS app allows you to LEARN:

Through the myIBS app, you can find the latest research on IBS, links to additional IBS related content, as well as find valuable insights that are specific to your IBS.

After tracking for at least 5 days, the myIBS app will present reports to you that will:

help you understand your symptoms better
discover new connections between your symptoms, well-being, and your treatment plan
print reports to share with your doctor

Tips and Tricks:

Back Log: If you happened to forget to track a day of symptoms, poop, medications, don’t worry! When you click into a tracking option you can change the date to back log.
Change Settings: At any time should you want to change your settings (i.e take the Rome IV Questionnaire again, change your tracking options) you can do so by clicking the settings button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
Notifications: By clicking the settings icon in the top right of the myIBS app, you can set your own personal reminders at any time during a given day. This could include reminding yourself to take a medication, reminder to log your bowel movements, or simply check in with yourself to see how you are feeling.

Questions?

If you experience any issues with myIBS or have any questions, please contact our support team at info@cdhf.ca. We will do our best to resolve any issues quickly.