Is Irritable Bowel Syndrom permanent?

Question

Can it go away for good in the years ahead if good diet and exercise is incorporated in lifestyle? Can doctor diagnosis you with it and how?

Answer 1

DOctors can diagnose IBS, but it is based on the symptoms. Diagnostic test may be ordered to rule out other conditions.

Symptoms include

Abdominal pain or discomfort for at least 12 weeks out of the previous 12 months. These 12 weeks do not have to be consecutive.

The abdominal pain or discomfort has two of the following three features:

It is relieved by having a bowel movement.
When it starts, there is a change in how often you have a bowel movement.
When it starts, there is a change in the form of the stool or the way it looks.

Certain symptoms must also be present, such as

a change in frequency of bowel movements
a change in appearance of bowel movements
feelings of uncontrollable urgency to have a bowel movement
difficulty or inability to pass stool
mucus in the stool
bloating

The following have been associated with a worsening of IBS symptoms

large meals
bloating from gas in the colon
medicines
wheat, rye, barley, chocolate, milk products, or alcohol
drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, tea, or colas
stress, conflict, or emotional upsets
Researchers have found that women with IBS may have more symptoms during their menstrual periods, suggesting that reproductive hormones can worsen IBS problems.

In addition, people with IBS frequently suffer from depression and anxiety, which can worsen symptoms. Similarly, the symptoms associated with IBS can cause a person to feel depressed and anxious.

What is the treatment for IBS?
Unfortunately, many people suffer from IBS for a long time before seeking medical treatment. Up to 70 percent of people suffering from IBS are not receiving medical care for their symptoms. No cure has been found for IBS, but many options are available to treat the symptoms. Your doctor will give you the best treatments for your particular symptoms and encourage you to manage stress and make changes to your diet.

Medications are an important part of relieving symptoms. Your doctor may suggest fiber supplements or laxatives for constipation or medicines to decrease diarrhea, such as Lomotil or loperamide (Imodium). An antispasmodic is commonly prescribed, which helps to control colon muscle spasms and reduce abdominal pain. Antidepressants may relieve some symptoms. However, both antispasmodics and antidepressants can worsen constipation, so some doctors will also prescribe medications that relax muscles in the bladder and intestines, such as Donnapine and Librax. These medications contain a mild sedative, which can be habit forming, so they need to be used under the guidance of a physician.

A medication available specifically to treat IBS is alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex). Lotronex has been reapproved with significant restrictions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women with severe IBS who have not responded to conventional therapy and whose primary symptom is diarrhea. However, even in these patients, Lotronex should be used with great caution because it can have serious side effects such as severe constipation or decreased blood flow to the colon.

With any medication, even over-the-counter medications such as laxatives and fiber supplements, it is important to follow your doctor’s instructions. Some people report a worsening in abdominal bloating and gas from increased fiber intake, and laxatives can be habit forming if they are used too frequently.

Medications affect people differently, and no one medication or combination of medications will work for everyone with IBS. You will need to work with your doctor to find the best combination of medicine, diet, counseling, and support to control your symptoms.

DIet and stress reduction are the true keys to control of the condition. There are some naturopathic treatments, however, most of the "studies" which they quote are anecdotal (meaning I gave the guy this and he got better) not scientific (meaning I got a group of people with the same problem together, and got someone else to give them two or three different treatments, and kept track of what happened, not knowing who got what, and when it was all over figured out that the one treatment worked best while the other one or two worked sporatically or not at all)

There are also some nontraditional (read as, not western medicine) techniques.

Regarding Wally's statement.... billions of medications are taken annually with relatively few deaths associated with proper use. And people have died taking herbal and naturopathic remedies.

I do not have a preference for one over the other. If a patient wants traditional medicines I prescribe them, If a patient does not, then I recommend homepathic and non western medical techniques, and I often combine them.

Remember Diet and Stress reduction is the key to management, not medications or all the grass in the garden, the others can help, but the key is a proper diet, see a health care provider of your choice for dietary counselling. And don't spend ton's of money on medications or herbs unless they are very effective for your case.

Answer 2

After more than 20 years the doctors that discovered a cure for ulcers were given the Nobel prize! They say it might be effective for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Don't hold your breath. These doctors were on 60 minutes many years ago. They killed it then by saying they never had any returns. There was even a full page in the Chicago paper telling people about as doctors were not using it! I had a friend that finally got it. After forty five years he could eat anything he wanted. A sad story of greed!! There is no money in curing something.

Answer 3

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is generally classified as a "functional" disorder. This refers to a "disorder of functioning" where the body's normal activities in terms of the movement of the intestines, the sensitivity of the nerves of the intestines, or the way in which the brain controls some of these functions is impaired. However, there are no structural abnormalities that can be seen by endoscopy, x-ray, or blood tests. Thus it is identified by the characteristics of the symptoms and infrequently, when needed, limited tests.

Irritable bowel syndrome is understood as disorder with many aspects. In people with IBS, symptoms result from what appears to be a disturbance in the interaction between the gut or intestines, the brain, and the autonomic nervous system that alters regulation of bowel motility (motor function) or sensory function.

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by a group of symptoms in which abdominal pain or discomfort is associated with a change in bowel pattern, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements or diarrhea, and/or hard or less frequent bowel movements or constipation.

Treatment options are available to manage IBS – whether symptoms are mild, moderate, or severe.

Answer 4

In my experience and research, it doesn't ever really go way. However, like you mentioned, a good diet and exercise can help control IBS.

Docotrs often misdiagnose IBS and it takes many tests and ruling out other things before a doctor can properly diagnose it.

My advice is keep a food log and write down everything you eat and when you have IBS flare ups. Then, try removing some foods from your diet and see if it makes a difference.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 5

I am one of many people who used to suffer from this symptom. What I did, since I hate lying doctors and their b.s. hype that the only ways to help is drugs and/or surgeries that are worthless yet cost you your first born or an additional arm and a leg, was to find out as much as I could about herbs and herbal products. Then I found a site where they sell herbs to special formulae that actually teach you to heal yourself of any and all disease that the lying doctors have been telling you are incurable or there is no known cure; which is pure b.s. In my own opinion, if you want to save money, stay or get healthy, there is no other recourse than to try herbs and the herbal formulae that works. If you take too many drugs you die, if you take prescription drugs they are the number four killer in America. If you take too many herbs, you get an upset stomach and the rest of the herbs you took go to work on the problem. When you take drugs, they only relieve the symptoms, not the cause. When you take herbs, they go right to the source of the problem and begin to heal it. Which would you rather do, spend a fortune, go into debt and remain miserable for the rest of your life. Or would you rather spend a little, take some specific herbs and heal yourself of any and all diseases forever. Your choice.