IBS Awareness Month is here: Do You Have the Stomach for the Fight?

IBS Awareness Month occurs each April and this provides an ideal opportunity for attention to be focused on important health messages about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnosis, treatment options, and quality of life issues when managing the condition.

For those suffering with IBS, rest assure that there are millions of others in the same boat. IBS is a very common disorder, with worldwide a prevalence estimated at around 9% to 23%. Despite this, there are undoubtedly millions of people around the world who are suffering in silence, without a proper diagnosis, and maybe even unaware that their symptoms indicate a medically recognised disorder.

IBS is a long-term gut disorder in which abdominal pain or discomfort is experienced, usually sporadically, together with erratic bowel habits. This comes in the form of diarrhoea, constipation, or alternating bouts of both. The condition may also be referred to by one of many more outdated terms, such as irritable colon, mucous colitis, nervous stomach, spastic colitis or spastic colon.

Other symptoms may also be present, including: backache, belching, bladder problems, headache, heartburn, loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, and quickly feeling full after eating.

Over 10% of the population suffer with IBS and this percentage could increase in the future if the nation’s stress levels rise – stress is a primary cause of IBS.

Other factors that can lead to IBS can include a combination of a number of issues such as: inflammation of your bowel (i.e. after an infection like gastroenteritis), dietary factors (foods high in carbohydrates, foods high in fat, spicy foods, alcohol, fizzy drinks and caffeinated drinks are culprits), genetics (family members may have also had IBS), or mental issues such as depression.

Unfortunately, there is no definitive treatment or cure for IBS and no ‘one size fits all’ remedy to rectify the problem, but there are certain IBS treatments that can ease symptoms for some sufferers, hopefully helping them to lead a more normal day-to-day life. These include prescription medications such as Constella, Mebeverine, Xifaxanta, and over-the-counter products such as Buscopan IBS Relief and Colpermin. The prescription medications may only be obtained by completing an online consultation with one of the Medical Specialists® Pharmacy GMC-registered doctors, or by sending a private prescription to Medical Specialists®.

There are also numerous other dietary and lifestyle choices that those with IBS may find beneficial in helping symptoms subside. These include:

. Drink around eight cups of fluid each day – preferably water. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic drinks.

. For those finding it impossible to give up tea and coffee, restrict the intake to three cups per day at the most.

. Have regular meals, evenly spaced out, and pacing yourself whilst eating. Also, do not go long periods without eating anything.

. Those with IBS that often flares-up during times of stress, depression, or anxiety, are advised to try relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises or meditation, in addition to more physically-involved activities such as pilates or yoga.

. Consume no more than three portions of fruit per day.

. Those suffering with diarrhoea should avoid artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol. This is contained in some sugar-free sweets, chewing gum, and certain diabetic and slimming products.

. Vigorous exercise, for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. This should be done at least three times each week. It is important for patients with IBS to discuss with their GP which exercise is most suited for them.

Gut problems are one of the most common types of disorders seen by doctors and are certainly nothing to be ashamed about. If anyone is experiencing any kind of stomach complaint, they should consult a GP immediately. The GP will ask detailed questions about lifestyle, diet, etc. before making a formal diagnosis and discussing how to go forward with the condition, or make a referral for further detailed scans if necessary, to see if there is an underlying problem.

Did Kurt Cobain suffer with irritable bowel syndrome before his death?

Last month saw the 20^th anniversary of Nirvana singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain’s death from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

However, fans who participated in tributes at his home city of Seattle, US, claim the grunge icon may still be alive today if doctors had properly diagnosed and treated the stomach problems that had blighted him in the years leading up to his untimely death, and a source of clear distress for Cobain – evident in his published journals.

One theory being suggested is that the blonde rocker was suffering with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – an umbrella term that spans several gastrointestinal disorders, but many of which involve similar symptoms such as stomach cramps, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.
Other IBS symptoms people may experience include: loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, backache, headache, belching, quickly feeling full after you have eaten food, heartburn, and bladder problems due to an associated irritable bladder.

Although IBS unfortunately does not have an absolute cure, there are a number of over-the-counter and prescription-only treatment options that can ease symptoms for some sufferers and these include: Mebeverine, Buscopan IBS Relief and Colpermin.

Overall, IBS diagnoses and treatments are much more advanced in the present day compared to back in 1994 when Cobain died. His suicide was estimated to have occurred on 5 April 1994 after an electrician had found him slumped in the greenhouse at his cabin by Lake Washington on 8 April.

Toxicological tests concluded he had a massive amount of heroin in his system when he died, and many people are speculating if Cobain had been given a proper diagnosis and received effective treatment for his debilitating stomach ailment, he may not have been driven to that tragic end at the age of just 27.


By choosing to end his life at that age, Cobain joined the “27 Club”; members of the music industry who had passed away at the tender age. In addition to Cobain, this group now includes: Jimi Hendrix, Janis ­Joplin, ­Rolling Stone Brian Jones, Jim ­Morrison of the Doors and Amy Winehouse.

A TV interview recorded only months before Cobain’s death is now attracting renewed interest. In the interview Cobain angrily hits out at the doctors he says have failed him “during six years of being in constant pain”.

Cobain adds: “They never figured out what it was. Most gastro-intestinal doctors don’t know anything about stomach diseases. They just have PhDs, get paid a lot of money for ­pretending and prescribing drugs. It’s a total scam.”

Los ­Angeles-based Dr Morris Mesler, who has treated countless famous faces, is one of the many who believes Cobain was suffering with IBS and even pointed to study that connected IBS-associated pain with an increased risk of suicide.

Dr Mesler said: “While IBS is a grab-bag term that covers a multitude of symptoms and conditions, there is a great deal we can do today that we couldn’t do then.

“Tests could have established if he had a genetic condition such as coeliac ­disease. Or it could have been something much more simple like lactose or gluten intolerance that we just weren’t really aware of 20 years ago.

“Endoscopies are also much more advanced, so we can actually see what’s going on in the stomach much more clearly now. I believe we could have established pretty quickly if he was ­suffering from something physical, organic or even psychiatric.

“It might merely have been a ­question of slightly altering his diet.”

What is IBS? Symptoms of the gut disorder and two surprising causes…

You may not have heard, but irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is on the rise. Over 10% of the population are currently battling with IBS and this percentage could get much higher in the long-term as more and more people are being diagnosed with stress – one main trigger of IBS. Not to mention that the nation’s dietary choices are generally still quite poor.

Other factors that can lead to IBS can include a combination of a number of issues such as: inflammation of your bowel – for example following an infection such as gastroenteritis, your genetic make-up – family members may have also had IBS, becoming more sensitive to pain from your gut and psychological problems such as stress or depression.

Although IBS unfortunately does not have an absolute cure, there are a number of over-the-counter treatment options that can ease symptoms for some sufferers and these include: Mebeverine, Buscopan IBS Relief and Colpermin.

Not sure if you might have IBS? You should always see your GP for a formal diagnosis and discuss how to go forward with the condition, but there are a common group of symptoms that people usually experience. Not everybody suffers all the same symptoms, some are varying in their severity, whilst different food, drink, or other factors can trigger symptoms off.

A prominent sign you have IBS is a recurring and discomforting pain in your abdomen – often in the lower area on the left side. Mild to severe stomach cramps is another common symptom which may subside with bowel movements. Sufferers may find their pain and symptoms flare-up after eating. For instance, some wheat or dairy are particularly bad culprits in this respect. Alternatively, some find their symptoms may be more severe in the evenings and women’s pain is often associated with their menstrual cycle. Moreover, a bloated, swollen abdomen is a frequent sign of IBS in women.

Be aware for changes in bowel habits – faeces may vary in its consistency, switching between frustrating bouts of constipation and diarrhoea, or you could find you are only able to pass small amounts of mucus. Other times, some people find they have a sudden need to empty their bowels or this process may even feel strained and following this, you might feel you have not fully emptied them.

Other IBS symptoms that may also occur are: loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, backache, headache, belching, quickly feeling full after you have eaten food, heartburn, and bladder problems due to an associated irritable bladder.

This week American cardiothoracic surgeon and TV personality Dr Mehmet Oz offered some IBS advice for the millions and millions of people around the world who have the troublesome gut disorder.

He says: “If you get frequent cramping, bloating, constipation and even diarrhoea when you are stressed out, then it may be a sign of IBS — irritable bowel syndrome. One in five of us has it, and you are four times more likely to get it if you are a woman. Today, discover the surprising things that may be causing your IBS and what you can do to wipe it out of your system for good.”

According to critically acclaimed Dr Oz, IBS may flare-up from just two things that a lot of us probably consume on a daily basis. On his show, ‘The Dr Oz Show’, he explained to viewers that stress may not always be responsible IBS; but it could get a helping hand and worsened by some of the things in your diet. In particularly, two culprit triggers that can cause an irritable bowel are artificial sweeteners and chocolate.

Dr. Oz says that when we consume a lot of fizzy drinks and candy to try and manage stress or to boost energy levels, it can create an imbalance in our body which triggers a development of IBS. Understandably, Dr Oz’s advice is to reduce the amount of drinks you consume with these artificial sweeteners and cut down on the amount of chocolate you eat.

If that wasn’t good enough reason to cut down on fizzy drinks, it has been shown that just drinking as little as one fizzy drink each day can raise your risk of developing diabetes by 22%.

Do you have the stomach for a fight? How to combat IBS…

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we deal with tens of thousands of patients each and every year, many of whom are suffering with a varying range of health problems such as: male impotence, acne, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), obesity, asthma etc.

Therefore, in addition to the huge number of different prescription medications we provide such as Viagra (for male impotence), Aknemycin Plus (for acne), Valtrex (for STIs), Xenical (for weight loss) and Ventolin Evohaler (for asthma), we like to provide all our new and existing patients with knowledge and information.

This knowledge and information can be about reasons/possible causes behind their particular ailment, tips and advice on how best to manage their condition, discussing some common myths that are rife (especially across the internet) in regards to a certain condition, and what foods are good or bad for a health problem.

Just some of the informative articles we have published in the previous year include 6 foods for stronger erections, debunking some of the common myths about erectile dysfunction, the best foods for great skin and the common culprits for acne, the best foods for healthy hair and information about important and often ignored key factors in how to lose weight.

Today, Medical Specialists put the digestive system into the spotlight, focusing on the common digestive disorder irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). So common in fact, that there are believed to be a staggering 12 million sufferers of IBS just within Britain alone – and around twice as common in women than men.

Some of the usual symptoms for sufferers include highly discomforting stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea or constipation, or sometimes even bouts of both. Exact reasons for the development of IBS in those who suffer with it are still unknown, but it is believed to be one or a combination of factors like bacterial gastroenteritis – an infection of the stomach and intestines, genetics – i.e. it may run in families, psychological factors such as stress or depression, or food sensitivity – i.e. symptoms are induced by consuming foods high in carbohydrates, foods high in fat, spicy foods, alcohol, fizzy drinks and caffeinated drinks.

We hope the majority of the 12 million people who have IBS in Britain are aware of effective treatments available to them such as Mebeverine, Colpermin and Buscopan IBS Relief, but also that there are a number of steps to be taken to reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms rearing their ugly head.

There has never been a ‘one size fits all’ rule in regards to diet for people with IBS. Certain diets might lessen the symptoms for one person, but be relatively ineffective for somebody else. Many find it beneficial to maintain a food diary for a period of around two to four weeks in order to pinpoint the particular food or drink that are causing or worsening symptoms. You should always seek the advice of your GP before making drastic changes to your diet as advice could differ with different symptoms.

However, people with IBS are commonly recommended to alter the intake of fibre in their diet. There are two types of fibre; soluble fibre – which the body is able to digest, and insoluble fibre – which the body is unable to digest.

Soluble fibre is contained in:

. Flaxseeds.
. Barley.
. Rye.
. Oatmeal.
. Fruit, such as apples, bananas, pears and strawberries.
. Vegetables, such as carrots, celery, cucumber and potatoes.
. Golden linseeds.

Insoluble fibre is contained in:

. Brown rice.
. Wholegrain bread.
. Wholemeal pasta.
. Wholegrain cereals.
. Wholewheat flour.
. Popcorn.
. Lentils.
. Beans.

Those who suffer with IBS and often episodes of diarrhoea may find it helpful to reduce the amount of insoluble fibre in their diet and avoid the skin, pith and pips from fruit and vegetables, whilst people who suffer from IBS with constipation can usually find benefits by increasing the soluble fibre in their diet and drinking more water.

There are also numerous other dietary and lifestyle choices you can take which may prove successful at easing your symptoms. These include:

. Have regular meals, evenly spaced out, making sure not to go long periods without eating and pace yourself whilst eating.
. Try to drink around eight cups of fluid each day – preferably water. Limit drinks containing caffeine as well as alcoholic drinks.
. If you can’t bear to give up tea and coffee, restrict your intake to three cups each day at the very most.
. Restrict fruit intake to three portions each day.
. Those suffering with diarrhoea should avoid artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol. This is contained in some sugar-free sweets, chewing gum, and certain diabetic and slimming products.
. Vigorous exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes each day, at least three times a week, is beneficial to most IBS sufferers. Discuss with your GP which exercise is most suited for you.
. If stress, depression, or anxiety is the main cause of your IBS symptoms, relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation may help, in addition to more physically-involved activities such as pilates or yoga.

If you are one of the 12 million people around Britain who have IBS, or one of the millions of others around the world who are also suffering, you do not have to live in misery or let your symptoms majorly affect your day-to-day activities. We have previously discussed IBS at work, and why not browse around the ‘Stomach and Bowel’ area of the Medical Specialists website.  We offer an ever-growing range of effective medications for IBS such as the previously mentioned Mebeverine, Colpermin and Buscopan IBS Relief, plus you can find treatments such as Lansoprazole and Omeprazole for acid reflux.