As it is not clear what causes irritable bowel syndrome, treatment options tends to focus on the relief of symptoms so an individual can attempt to live a normal life.
Managing stress and learning to make changes in your diet and lifestyle is one of the most successful ways of controlling mild signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. If you find that you are experiencing IBS symptoms, try avoiding the foods that might trigger these symptoms and make sure that you are getting enough exercise, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep at night. If your symptoms become moderate or severe, you might need to change more than just your lifestyle. In severe cases, doctors will suggest medication.
Changing Your Diet
- Avoid high-gas foods. If you struggle with bloating or passing gas, your doctor might suggest that you cut the following out of your diet: carbonated beverages, vegetables, and raw fruits.
- Eliminate gluten. Despite this recommendation appearing controversial, there have been studies that have shown that some people with IBS have an improvement in their symptoms if they stop eating gluten.
- Don’t eat FODMAPs. If you are sensitive to carbohydrates (ie: fructose, lactose), try getting relief from your IBS symptoms by going on a strict low FODMAP diet.
Prescribed Medication
- Supplements. If you take fiber supplements, such as psyllium or methylcellulose, with fluids then symptoms, such as constipation, can be controlled. Fiber can be obtained from food, however, fiber supplements cause less bloating. If taking fiber supplements do not help to relieve your symptoms, your doctor might prescribe an osmotic laxative.
- Over-the counter anti-diarrheal medications. Medication, such as loperamide, can help to control diarrhea. Others benefit from taking bile acid binders, such as cholestyramine, colestipol, or colesevelam, however, these can lead to bloating.
- Anticholinergic and antispasmodic medications. Medication, such as hyoscyamine and dicyclomine, can help to relieve painful bowel spasms. Keep in mind that though this medication can be used for people with diarrhea, they often worsen constipation and lead to difficulty urinating.
- Antidepressants. If you are experiencing depression, your doctor may recommend a tricyclic antidepressant or a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Antidepressants will help relieve a depressed mind while inhibiting the activity of neurons that control the intestines.
With that in mind, if you have diarrhea or abdominal pain without depression, doctors will suggest a lower than normal dose of tricyclic antidepressants, such as or nortriptyline. These drugs can cause drowsiness and constipation.
- Antibiotics. If an individual’s symptoms are caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in their intestines, a doctor might recommend antibiotic treatment. Additionally, some people with diarrhea have benefited from rifaximin, although more research needs to be conducted.
- Seek counseling. If your depression or stress worsens your symptoms, you might benefit from attending counseling.
Approved medication for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Currently, there are two medications that have been approved for specific cases of irritable bowel syndrome:
- Alosetron (Lotronex). Designed to relax the colon and slow the movement of waste through the lower bowel, alosetron is able to be sold again after having been removed from the market by the FDA for a period of time. With that said, only a doctor enrolled in a special program can prescribe alosetron. Additionally, alosetron is not approved for use by men, it is intended for severe cases of diarrhea-predominant IBS in women. It is important to note that alosetron has been linked to rare but important side effects, therefore one should only consider it when other treatments have failed.
- Lupiprostone (Amitiza). Increasing fluid secretion in your small intestine to help with the passage of stool, Lubiprostone is approved for women, 18 years and older, who have IBS with constipation. Side effects of lubiprostone include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea. Generally speaking, lubiprostone is prescribed only for women with IBS and constipation for whom other treatments have not worked.
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