Irritable bowel syndrome treatment?

Question

I need to know about the possible treatments for Irritable bowel syndrome. As much relevant information as possible.
An important note though, I do not have nor believe to have this disease. I am recollecting information for a presentation/homework.

Answer 1

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders that doctors see. Yet it's also one that many people aren't comfortable talking about because the signs and symptoms may be embarrassing. Some signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are:

* Abdominal cramping
* Bloating and gas
* Diarrhea, constipation or both

As many as one in five American adults has irritable bowel syndrome. Most people with IBS find signs and symptoms improve as they learn to control the condition. Only a small percentage of people with irritable bowel syndrome have severe signs and symptoms.

Fortunately, unlike more serious intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome doesn't cause inflammation or changes in bowel tissue or increase your risk of colorectal cancer. In many cases, you can control irritable bowel syndrome by managing your diet, lifestyle and stress.

Signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome can vary widely from person to person and often resemble those of other diseases. Among the most common are:

* Abdominal pain or cramping
* A bloated feeling
* Gas (flatulence)
* Diarrhea or constipation — sometimes alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea
* Mucus in the stool

Treatment

Because it's not clear what causes irritable bowel syndrome, treatment focuses on the relief of symptoms so that you can live your life as normally as possible.

In most cases, you can successfully control mild signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by learning to manage stress and making changes in your diet and lifestyle. But if your problems are moderate or severe, you may need more than lifestyle changes alone can offer. Your doctor may suggest:

* Fiber supplements. Taking fiber supplements such as psyllium (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel) with fluids may help control constipation.
* Anti-diarrheal medications. Over-the-counter medications such as loperamide (Imodium) can help control diarrhea.
* Eliminating high-gas foods. If you have bothersome bloating or are passing significant amounts of gas, your doctor may also ask you to cut out such items as carbonated beverages, salads, raw fruits and vegetables, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
* Anticholinergic medications. Some people need medications that affect certain activities of the nervous system (anticholinergics) to relieve painful bowel spasms.
* Antidepressant medications. If your symptoms include pain or depression, your doctor may recommend a tricyclic antidepressant or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). These medications help relieve depression as well as inhibit the activity of neurons that control the intestines. For diarrhea and abdominal pain, your doctor may suggest tricyclic antidepressants, such as imipramine (Tofranil) and amitriptyline. Side effects of these drugs include drowsiness and constipation. SSRIs such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) or paroxetine (Paxil) may be helpful if you're depressed and have pain and constipation.-

Hope I have given you a long write up and it will help you-

Answer 2

First off, Crohns is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) not IBS.
Second, Zelnorm (tegaserod) has been pulled from the market due to cardiovascular side effects.
Alosetron is a 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist that is used for diarrhea dominate IBS in wome.
Zelnorm is a 5-HT 4 receptor agonist. Serotonin (5-HT) is viewed as the future of IBS treatment by many gastroenterologists.
the pain is often treated with Tricyclic antidepressants like desipramine or amitriptyline or by antimuscarinic agents like dicyclopromide and hyoscyamine.
Laxatives and antidiarrheals are used to treat IBS associated symptoms.

Answer 3

I have IBS and am treated with Lomotil for the diarrhea and Miralax for constipation. I started strictly with constipation and it can get so bad that sometimes I couldn't have a BM for up to 2 weeks. I actually had to go the hospital and was xrayed because the pain was severe. The xray showed 10 lbs. of feces! Then it gradually went to bouts of diarrhea with and without cramps and no notice or control. It is emabarassing and devastating. I am now 59 and haven't had a normal BM since my early 30's.
I had several tests done such as barium tests for upper and lower GI and a more detailed study of the small intestines, which showed that I couldn't digest but very little of red meat. My digestion is very slow and may take several days or a week to come out of my system.
I certainly would suggest a colonscopy to anyone with these problems as it may be misdiagnosed , missed, trivialized or even be something more severe. I have cousins with Crohn's disease. I have to watch out for milk products, too much red meat , too much chocoate, cold drinks and any foods like cheese that tends to bind me up.
IBS has been called spastic colon, (sometimes I get mucous and cramps with that) and mucous colitis. The irregular movements are in the upper and lower intestines. Emotions, depression, anxiety or anger can bring on the symptoms. I have all of these feelings. Gs, bloating, nausea, headache and fatigue can accompany the symptoms of this syndrome. Ther are two main types: spastic colon in which you have the urge to go and cramps are prevalent. It sometimes occurs after a meal and may then be relieved by having a bowel movement., The second type and one that I have experienced many times is fecal incontinence in which you have no warning at all. You can't control it. I have to take Lomotil for that type and wait until the diarrhea subsides. A stool sample is taken to rule out blood in the stool (which may be occult.meaning hidden to the naked eye) and a lighted tube called a proctosigmoidoscope, ( a lighted tubelike instrument inserted into the anus) to check for serious disorders like ulcerative colitis, (not fun) Treatment consists of finding depression and anxiety as a cause and prescribing an anti depressantt or an anti-anxiety drug such as Xanax or Klonopin. Ther are many types of antidepressants available such as Elavil or Ativan. Today they can use tricylcics which covers anxiety and depression. Anti-spasmodic drugs, Compazine for nausea and many more. Taking lomg walks or bike rides help to reduce anxiety as does going fishing for me. Constipation? Add bulk such as fiber. Diarrhea, avoid milk, prunes, cold drinks and such. It is much the same as lactose intolerance (the inabiltity to process the sugar) but with two different types of BM's. Also, get regular checkups from your doctor who will ask you questions, prescribe meds and keep a check on your abdomen to make sure it isn't impacted fecal matter or distended which may mean other conditions too. Hope this helps. My experience has taught me much. In my opinion, as my Dad died with bowel obstruction, I believe that there's a tendencey for this to be hereditary too. A colonscopy is in order also. Good luck on your presentation!

Answer 4

There are some new meds on the market for IBS such as zelnorm. Also avoiding spicy foods; foods with a lot of seeds such as sesame seed buns, tomatoes etc and fatty foods will usually help. Some times IBS can be aggravated by an increase in stress.