Meet John C.- From Ulcerative Colitis To Building A Stool Tracking Device

Bowel Moments

Bowel Moments
Meet John C.- From Ulcerative Colitis To Building A Stool Tracking Device
Jun 24, 2026 Season 1 Episode 163
Alicia Barron

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A ninth inning ballpark burger. Days of relentless diarrhea. Then blood. John Capodilupo’s ulcerative colitis diagnosis didn’t arrive slowly, it hit like a truck, and it sent him into a crash course on what living with IBD really demands. We talk through the early fear and uncertainty, the 28-day hospitalization, and the chaos of juggling treatment while also battling infections like C. difficile and CMV colitis. John also shares his experience with fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) for recurrent C. diff and why the microbiome still feels like one of the biggest unsolved stories in gut health.

From there, we connect the dots between health data and better decisions. John helped build Whoop, the wearable built around continuous physiological tracking like heart rate variability and sleep, and he explains what longitudinal data can reveal about stress, recovery, and early warning signs. We dig into how sleep disruption and subtle body signals can show up before you’re sure whether you’re flaring or just paying the price for Taco Bell.

Then we get into Throne, the smart toilet monitoring system John now co-leads as Chief Product Officer. Throne clips onto the toilet and uses computer vision and sensors to track stool and urine trends passively, aiming to reduce guesswork, improve symptom recall, and open the door to research like flare prediction, medication durability, and future screening signals such as blood detection for colon cancer. We also cover the “real life” questions: multi-user households, cleaning, cost, and a privacy approach built around de-identified data and opt-in research.

If you’re curious about ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, IBD tracking, gut health technology, or the future of smart toilets, listen now then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review.

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Episode Artwork Meet John C.- From Ulcerative Colitis To Building A Stool Tracking Device 45:21 Episode Artwork Meet Sara H.- How A Crohn’s Diagnosis Sparked A Bucket List Life 49:07 Episode Artwork Robin & Stacey's 5-Year Pouchiversary episode! 1:14:38 Episode Artwork Meet Michael M. Author of "The Secret Life Of Crohn’s" 44:42 Episode Artwork Medical Fatigue And IBD with Dr. AK Black 45:41 Episode Artwork Meet Nicole- A Crohn’s Diagnosis Becomes A Life of Advocacy 42:01 Episode Artwork The IBD Research Rundown with Dr. Victor Chedid and Dr. Iris Wang 54:35 Episode Artwork Andrea P.'s journey with VEO IBD and the SCD 48:24 Episode Artwork Meet Dr. Xiao Jing (Iris) Wang- Author of Boo Can't Poo 46:52 Episode Artwork Functional Medicine Meets IBD Care At Vanderbilt with Dr. Dawn Beaulieu 55:27 Episode Artwork Meet Becky Johnson Rescola of Improve Care Now 50:08 Episode Artwork MB Mooney- Friendship, Crohn’s, And A Brave Little Mouse 34:54 Episode Artwork Meet Gaylyn- Gutless And Glamorous 43:27 Episode Artwork Meet Dr. Adam Ehrlich- From Mount Sinai To Temple: Caring For Underserved IBD Patients 50:53 Episode Artwork Meet Stephanie A. Wynn- From Diagnosis To Direction 48:59 Episode Artwork IBD Can Eat Me Episode 1 with Venus Kalami 52:15 Episode Artwork From Transplants To Tailored IBD Treatment with Janette Villalon, PA 51:42 Episode Artwork Jose T- From Boxing Dreams To IBD Advocacy 49:17 Episode Artwork Clinical Hypnosis for IBD with Dr. Ali Navidi: Tools, Science, and Real Relief 52:15 Episode Artwork Living with Crohn's Disease Doesn't Stop Ian Goldstein from Finding the Humor 45:51 Episode Artwork LGBTQ+ Inclusive IBD Care with Dr. Victor Chedid 53:56 Episode Artwork Living with Whoopie: Rachel's Crohn's Journey 50:41 Episode Artwork Meet Julie D.- Living with IBD, Celiac, and Autoimmune Pancreatitis 53:32 Episode Artwork From Battlefield to Bathroom: Bryan Schulze's IBD Journey 52:21 Episode Artwork Meet Kim L.- Co-Founder of Wisher Vodka! 35:03