Australian model Alyce Crawford recently opened up about her difficulties learning to deal with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a medical condition that causes painful abdominal cramping, bloating, and digestive problems.

"For the last 3 years, I have suffered with IBS," she wrote in a Instagram post. "The symptom I suffer with specifically is severe bloating. It began literally overnight while I was living in America. I woke up one morning, my stomach was extremely bloated & I was experiencing sharp stabbing pains. From that day on, my life was never the same."

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She wrote that the photo on the right is the stomach she put up with 90% of the time for three years, while the photo on the left is her stomach now after figuring out how to work with her symptoms.

She described some of the difficulties of living with IBS: feeling sick, nauseous, sore, unmotivated, and very lethargic. She wrote that the worst part was having no idea how to feel better or find treatment, even after seeing numerous doctors.

Finally, she was able to find some relief after consulting a friend's dietician, who gave her some eating plans to follow. Crawford admits that they're pretty strict plans, but she was willing to stick to them if it meant finding relief.

"Yes, missing out at times was hard BUT healing my stomach was so important to me. I knew the longer I did the right thing for my health, the faster my stomach would heal and I would therefore be able to enjoy in the long run," she wrote.

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She also admitted that while her symptoms are not life-threatening, the condition has had a severe impact on her mental and physical health. "The repercussions of feeling this way not only effected my mental and physical health, but effected relationships and my work as a model. For those of you reading who suffer from IBS or a similar condition (or know someone suffering) will understand and know exactly what I am talking about."

Crawford ended the post on a cheerful note, writing "I do really want to reiterate that my struggles, my journey, finally finding a way to manage my health and my experiences are what have all lead me to where I am today so I can't be angry about my situation because of those positive outcomes alone!!!"

She also shared her plans to study nutrition at a university, in hopes of helping other people with similar issues.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome can cause bloating and abdominal pain, as well as diarrhea, constipation, and excess gas. You should always consult your physician if you're experiencing any unusual changes in your digestive habits.

Jamie Ballard Jamie Ballard is a freelance writer who covers news, lifestyle and entertainment topics, including TV, movies, health, pets, relationships, and personal finance.

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