Hello, Jenny. Thanks for coming in to see me today.
I believe you have just been diagnosed with IBS and need some information about the condition.
Yes ,that's right. I had a test and now they are saying that it's IBS.
I don't really know much about it. I see. Yes it is a lot to take in at once.
I'll explain about the condition in a minute but I'd like to ask you a few
questions about your symptoms first. Oh OK. Can you tell me a bit about what's
been happening with your bowels? Well, um, I get awful abdominal cramps and pain.
Um and it's actually really embarrassing because I keep passing wind.
And I keep going to the toilet as well. It must have been very difficult for you.
Can you tell me what the pains like? It's like a colicky pain in my stomach; a very
sharp pain. So you have a type of colicky pain and flatulence? When you say that
you have to keep going to the toilet, do you mean that you have diarrhoea or
constipation or both? What do you mean? I thought you have to have either diarrhoea
or constipation? Not necessarily. There are a few different types of IBS. Some
people just have constipation and some people have diarrhoea. Other people have
both which is very unpleasant. Oh right. No, I just have diarrhoea but as I said
before, it's not all the time. I see. How long have you had these symptoms?
I've had the problem for around 3 months..ah yes, it started around 3 months ago.
Can you think of anything which might have triggered the first attack?
I mean, was there anything different happening in your life at the time?
Well, I started a new job around then. It was very stressful especially at first.
I have a lot of responsibilities and I work long hours too. So, what you are
saying is that the symptoms seem to coincide with your new job?
Ah yes, I suppose they did. Could it have something to do with getting IBS? Yes. It
could be part of the reasons why you started having the episodes of bowel problems.
When you feel tense and you can't relax, it can affect your bowels.
Oh I'm afraid that I don't know anything about IBS. I'm very confused about it at
the moment. It can be a lot to take in at once. I'll explain it to you now.
IBS is a digestive condition which causes uncomfortable bowel symptoms. Some people
have loose, mushy stools when they have a bowel movement. Alternatively, they might
have hard stools and strain when they go to the toilet. Do they know what causes it?
No, the exact cause isn't known. Unlike other bowel conditions, in IBS the
structure of the intestines is quite normal but the intestines appear to be
oversensitive at some time. That's what produces the bloating and intestinal spasms.
I see. Yes, I get bloating a lot. What about diet? Could there be something
wrong with my diet? There are certain foods which make the condition worse?
Can you tell me what kind of foods you tend to eat? I always thought that I had a
good diet. I try to eat a lot of vegetables and I like whole-grain bread.
I thought that was the best thing to do but now I don't know what I should eat.
A small amount of fibre in your diet is important to keep your bowels moving
properly, but you will need to cut out high-fibre foods. It's a good idea to
increase the amount of water that you drink as well. OK. Is the fibre in my
diet giving me the bloating? No, the bloating tends to be from gas producing
food like cabbage for example. I'll give you a patient information leaflet on the
foods which you should avoid to make it easier. Then you can try to avoid foods
which cause you problems. I see. I was told that my intestines were normal
after the colonoscopy so it was a bit confusing. I still don't understand it.
It seems that the problem is that the intestines in IBS are overly
sensitive and this seems to result in either constipation or diarrhoea. Oh, I see.
It's the sensitivity of the bowels that is the problem. What can I do about it?
There are a few things you can do. I've already mentioned your diet and avoiding
high-fibre and gas-producing foods. The doctor will prescribe medication which
will help with flare-ups of diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. It's also a good idea
to think about some ways that you can reduce the stress in your life. Some
people like yoga and meditation to reduce stress.
Have you ever tried either of these? No, but I'll give them a try. Anything to stop
those awful cramps. That's great. I'll give you a leaflet about IBS now. There
is a phone number on the leaflet for the IBS support group. You may find that
helpful too. Right, thanks. That might be very useful.