ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Stephanie A. Wynn said she didn’t know where to turn for help. Her stomach was chronically upset, and she was confined to the floor of her bathroom. The entire experience was painful, both physically and mentally.
Embarrassment kept her from seeking help.
“Having to discuss that I can’t control going to the bathroom or I go to the bathroom a lot, or I can’t go out and be with friends or family or go to functions or just go to the grocery store because I’m afraid I may have an accident,” Wynn said.
Wynn will host the second annual "Let’s Talk IBD Symposium" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 30 at the University of South Florida St. Pete campus. Since last year's event, the symposium is designed to raise awareness and advocacy for the disease, Wynn said.
She said she had to use the bathroom sometimes 10 times a day, during flare-ups. It caused extreme weight loss, as she was often dehydrated. Doctors told her they thought she had ulcerative colitis.
Six years ago, Wynn was properly diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. She now says it has been a struggle to balance the proper medicines and dosage.
From June 2023 through January 2024, Wynn said the disease caused her to have extreme dehydration.
The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease increased among older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s website. Its prevalence increased from 2001 to 2018 among medicare beneficiaries of all race and ethnicity groups, with the highest increase among Black adults.
“I’m doing great today. Today is a good day. I have lost over 50 pounds. Again, with the dehydration and with my healthcare team, we are trying to get that under control,” Wynn said.
Early bird registration for the symposium runs through March 29. On-site registration is available on March 30 for $100.