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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Imagine suffering from a condition that until recently, was thought by many healthcare providers to exist only in the mind of the sufferer. But Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a very real condition that affects the lives of approximately 20 million people, its estimated to be second only to the common cold as the leading cause of workplace absenteeism. Incredibly, more than 70% of IBS sufferers are women.
HOST VOICE OVER
Dr. Charlene Prather is a gastro-enterologist and associate professor of internal medicine at Saint Louis University. She understands why diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome may be difficult.
Charlene Prather, M.D.
Physicians really like to make specific diagnosis that they feel very comfortable with. For instance, if there's a problem with the heart they may see it an EKG abnormality, or there might be a chest x-ray abnormality. We don't have a diagnostic test that tells us that someone has IBS, so there are many physicians and other practitioners who just aren't comfortable with making the diagnosis.
HOST VOICE OVER
Not only are there no precise tests that can pinpoint the existence of IBS, but its cause and symptoms may vary with each person as well.
Charlene Prather, M.D.
"What causes IBS?" That is something that is still being investigated. Now we do know there are different things that influence this development of symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Certainly there are some individuals who notice that stress will increase their IBS, for other people, it's a certain food that they might eat. I don't really believe that stress or foods cause IBS, but they tend to exacerbate an underlying condition.
HOST VOICE OVER
IBS is believed to stem from abnormalities of the so-called gut area of our internal organs. This area consists of muscle and nerves, and controls how our food moves through our digestive process. Problems at the nerve level here can be affected by IBS, causing great discomfort or pain.
Charlene Prather, M.D.
Now we certainly don't have this all figured out. However, we have identified abnormalities in seratonin, in some IBS patients. This is important. This is a new finding.
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Daphan Fox of St. Louis is a former music teacher and life-long educator who enjoys working in her garden and collecting antiques.
Daphan was experiencing nausea and stomach problems. It took more than a year to get properly diagnosed.
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Irritable bowel syndrome typically affects women from their late teens to their mid-40's. Since Daphan was outside of that range when her symptoms occurred, doctor's needed to rule out more serious illness.
Daphan Fox
I went to my gastroenterologist whom I really, really like, who had helped me with very minor things, and he's the one who began to think it was cancer. He thought it was colon cancer and did several tests and found out that that wasn't what it was, and then sent me to a pancreatic specialist because they began to believe it was pancreatic cancer.
NAT SOUND:
These are your electrolytes, which look quite good.
Well, that's good isn't it?
Of course.
HOST VOICE OVER
Fortunately for Daphan, her diagnosis of IBS is not life threatening; but the illness itself can be life altering.
Daphan Fox
I couldn't leave the house for days because of that. It changes one's life totally.
Charlene Prather, MD
With Irritable Bowel Syndrome there are different presentations the patients may have. There are some patients who may have a diarrhea predominance sort of symptom pattern. For instance, when these individuals eat they may have to rush to the bathroom right away. There is another group of individuals that have a great difficulty in even having a bowel movement. We call this a constipation predominant group of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And then there is another group of individuals that really alternate between the two. They may have a period where they are constipated, and then suddenly they have diarrhea that they just can't stop.
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Maria Lynch began experiencing the typical symptoms of IBS 20 years ago.
Maria Lynch
When I was a teenager I started getting stomachaches, but I really didn't know it was a problem. I just thought it was my nerves, basically. Nervous stomach, starting high school.
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Through high school and into college, she also learned to deal with the consequences of IBS.
Maria Lynch
When I was in college, we would go out to night clubs and if I had a stomach ache, I'd be gone for like an hour and my girlfriends would be like, "Did you meet someone?" And I said "No."
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As Maria grew older, life became more stressful, which made her condition even worse.
Maria Lynch
I went to the ER twice in the last ten years for stomach pains that turned out to be what they said was just gas. They made me feel silly because they said it was just gas. Pretty much like you're over reacting, but at the time I could barely walk.
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As Maria's problem persisted, she continued to search for a cause. At the age of 40 she had a complete physical examination and finally was told that she did in fact have more than just a problem with gas.
Maria Lynch
I am so happy to know that it just wasn't all in my head and to know that changing the lifestyle I can avoid these stomachaches, that now its just been incorporated it into my life, that I avoid the things that will cause it.
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As both Maria and Daphan discovered, once IBS has been diagnosed, there are several options to help them manage their condition.
Charlene Prather, MD
Understanding and learning more about your condition and what you have at your disposal to control these symptoms, a combination of medicine, but also other healthy living strategies, really can help you manage your IBS much more effectively.
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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that IBS may be responsible for almost half of all cases of chronic pelvic pain.
So to receive proper diagnosis and the most effective treatment, communication between doctor and patient is key.
Maria Lynch
Be an advocate for your own health. Definitely speak to your doctor. Tell them what you suspect. Tell them everything, because they can't help you without information.
Daphan Fox
You will get better. You can have a life, but not if you're sitting at home doing nothing to try and make it better.
HOST TAG:
Irritable Bowel syndrome is a condition that is now recognized by members of the medical profession as a life-altering condition that has tremendous impact on the lives of the people who suffer from it.
Fortunately, through lifestyle modifications, medications and other treatments, people with IBS are successfully able to manage the condition and live rich, fulfilling lives.
HOST VO
Irritable bowel syndrome is quite common. And fatty foods, milk products, chocolate, caffeine, carbonated drinks, and alcohol can trigger symptoms.
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