Speaker: Ariana Balayan
How did you feel about your GI symptoms before starting care with Oshi, and how do you feel about them now?
Ariana Balayan: Before starting care with Oshi, I was in an uncomfortable place with my symptoms. I felt like I had low grade symptoms every day and did not really have an understanding or control of how I could manage them. After working for about 8 weeks with the 3 different practitioners, psych, dietitian, and medical. I have a clearer understanding. I feel more comfortable with where I am, uh, with a treatment plan. With communication. And I have the tools I need to move forward.
What tips or strategies have you learned while working with Oshi that are helping you live a better life today?
Ariana Balayan: Two areas where I've gotten some great tips and strategies have been in the psych realm and with the dietitian. For the psych one, I have tools like mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, and others that I can do both when I'm experiencing symptoms and in my everyday life to kind of build up my arsenal. In the dietitian realm, I've kind of thrown out tracking and macros and obsessing over things like like low FODMAP diet, which never quite worked for me. To more of an intuitive eating approach where I design with the RD what works for me exactly as opposed to following one specific diet for my GI symptoms.
How would you describe your Oshi experience to a friend who’s struggling with similar symptoms?
Ariana Balayan: I would describe my experience as personalized and open and communicative and accessible. I've never seen somewhere where it's so easy to access virtual care, to set appointments and to change them as needed, to message your care team, and most importantly, to not incur copays at every single visit. You also have integrated care with practitioners who are in communication with each other about your needs and are giving you concrete tools to be able to help yourself.
