That bad tummy ache may be IBS

Feeling bloated?  We’re not talking about too many trips to the dessert bar at Ponderosa. If you’re having some serious discomfort, it may be irritable bowel syndrome. IBS is not a disease; it’s a functional disorder, meaning that the bowel doesn’t work correctly.

IBS is called a “syndrome” because it refers to a group of symptoms. The most common are abdominal pain or discomfort often reported as cramping, bloating gas, diarrhea and/or constipation. IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool.

Doctors are not sure what causes IBS. The nerves and muscles in the bowel appear to be extra sensitive in people and these contractions can cause cramping and diarrhea during or shortly after a meal. IBS symptoms may be worse if you have stress or a mood disorder, such as anxiety and depression, but these conditions don’t actually cause IBS.

To be clear, IBS is not the same as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Most of the time, you doctor can diagnose IBS with few or no tests. You may need an endoscopy, especially if symptoms begin later in life. Younger patients with persistent diarrhea may need this test to look for inflammatory bowel diseases that can cause similar symptoms, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. You may need additional tests if you have blood in your stool, weight loss, signs of anemia or you have recently traveled. And if you’re over 50 you should be screened for colon cancer anyway.

IBS can occur at any age, but it often begins in adolescence or early adulthood, and it is more common in women. The condition is the most common intestinal complaint for which patients are referred to a gastroenterologist.

·      Abdominal distention or fullness, gas or bloating

·      Abdominal pain that comes and goes and is reduced or goes away after a bowel movement or occurs after meals

·      Chronic and frequent constipation, usually accompanied by pain

·      Chronic and frequent diarrhea, usually accompanied by pain

·      Emotional distress

·      Depression

·      Loss of appetite

There is no cure for IBS, so the goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms. Your doctor might start off by recommending a lactose-free diet for a couple of weeks to evaluate for possible lactase deficiency. Dietary changes can be helpful. However, no specific diet can be recommended for IBS in general, because the condition differs from one person to another. Increasing dietary fiber and avoiding foods and drinks that stimulate the intestines (such as caffeine) may help.

·      Fatty foods, like French fries

·      Milk products, like cheese or ice cream

·      Chocolate

·      Alcohol

·      Caffeinated drinks, like coffee and some sodas

·      Carbonated drinks, like soda

Those are all the things I like, too. Lifestyle changes can be helpful in some cases of IBS. Regular exercise and improved sleep habits may reduce your anxiety and help relieve bowel symptoms. Other possible treatments may include counseling in cases of severe anxiety or depression, anti-diarrheal medications for those whose main symptom is diarrhea, low-dose antidepressants to relieve intestinal pain, and medications to stimulate bowel movements for those with constipation.

You may have to try a few things to see what works best for you. Meanwhile, keep a diary of what you eat. And be sure to write down how many times you went back to the dessert bar.