Welcome to Oshi Patient Stories, an interview series where we hear from the real people who have found lasting relief from digestive symptoms with Oshi’s virtual gastrointestinal (GI) care. In today’s interview, Allison shares her appreciation for the holistic approach our GI providers take when helping patients navigate and manage symptoms.
Allison discusses her experience with Oshi Health.
Can you describe your experience with Oshi in three words?
Three words I would use to describe Oshi Health are:
- Personal
- Easy
- Accessible
How were digestive symptoms impacting your life before you found Oshi?
Before using Oshi Health, I was bloated all the time. I was having probably twice a year episodes, as I call them, with my stomach and digestive systems that would leave me feeling… just helpless. I then felt like the stress of getting to a GI doctor or getting to another appointment to test for a certain allergy honestly caused me more stress and sometimes made my symptoms worse—my symptoms being constant bloating in my upper abdomen, stabbing pains, feeling like I couldn’t wear clothing because it was too restricting, even if it was just a t-shirt. I felt like anything I tried just didn’t work. And if it did, it helped for a day and then I was back to my normal bloating, back to my normal pains. I just felt like nothing was working.
What can you tell us about your treatment with Oshi?
Oshi Health has been great. I was able to get care from a GI provider, a GI behavioral health person, and also a registered dietitian. So 3 people on my care team that I could book appointments with virtually. Any time that was convenient for me, which was amazing.
GI-TRAINED, EXPERIENCED, AND LICENSED
An integrated team of GI specialists
Our expert gastroenterologists, GI providers, registered dietitians, and gut-brain specialists are leaders in their fields, with advanced education and training in gastroenterology. Our comprehensive team approach is personalized to meet your unique needs and address the root cause of your symptoms.
I already felt like my stress was relieving just by having these appointments so easily bookable via the app. And every time I met with them, they were actually listening to me. It wasn’t 5 minutes or less of rushing to tell them all of my symptoms and tell them all of my past and for them to be able to figure it out in that next appointment, so it was really great.
I’ve gotten a lot of tools and tips and recommendations, and they’re really just with me on the journey helping me to figure it out, right? We don’t have all the answers yet, but they’re with me on the journey, helping me each step of the way to try something new, and if that doesn’t work, they’re helping me find new solutions or new things to try.
I’ve really enjoyed working with the providers. Again, like I said, they just listen. They actually hear the things I’m saying, and when something doesn’t work, they can tweak something with me in my care plan. I’ve also received new tools that I have probably received before, but never had the time in the appointment to practice together.
For example, my behavioral health provider was able to sit down with me and teach me different breathing techniques that might help my digestive system problems that I’ve been having and was able to take the time on the call to do them with me. So just being able to carve out that time in the middle of the day was really, really helpful, and I just appreciate all their patience with me and them listening to me and helping me find different ways um to try something new, to see if something new works.
How is your life different because of Oshi?
Since using Oshi Health, I’ve already referred to other colleagues to Oshi. They were really grateful to have the information because it wasn’t something that they had heard of or seen before. So hopefully it helps them too! But after using Oshi, I just feel more connected with my body, a little bit more peace of mind. Even though I don’t have all the answers yet, or all the solutions yet, I feel a lot less stressed just knowing that.
I’ve understood more about my body and also understood more of some things that might not work that well. I feel like I’ve been told the same thing from GI doctors outside of Oshi time and time again. It’s probably this or it’s probably an allergy or you just have IBS and that’s that. And now I feel like I have a little bit more control. I know more about my body. I understand more about my body. I’m able to talk about my symptoms more clearly and notice them a little bit more clearly, and to track them and be a bit more mindful of everything that I’m doing that can contribute to my overall health.
My favorite thing about Oshi beyond it being super convenient and accessible for everyone virtually and being able to schedule appointments when it’s easiest for me, is that it also takes a cumulative look at your body. It’s not just looking at one thing or one symptom. The doctors that I’ve worked with and the care providers that I’ve worked with have asked me about things outside of just what I’m eating to understand and take a holistic look at my care plan, and I’m just so grateful that I found Oshi Health.
