IBS Treatments - What's Old is New Again
NEWSBRIEF: Citing the failure of newer treatments to live up to expectations, researchers compiled data from numerous studies of older treatments to see what works best for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Currently, there's no standard first-line treatment for IBS, which is a painful and potentially debilitating condition that frequently overlaps with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
For constipation-dominant IBS, researchers concluded that psyllium-fiber therapy, such as Metamucil, would significantly help 1 in 6 people. For diarrhea-dominant IBS, they concluded that 1 in 2.5 people would get significant relief from peppermint oil while 1 in 5 would be helped by antispasmodic drugs such as scopolamine.
In the peppermint oil studies examined, participants took 200 mg in capsule form 2 or 3 times per day.
Researchers say these treatments have fallen out of clinical favor, but that they work, they're inexpensive, and they're much less toxic than some of the newer therapies. The analysis was published in the latest issue of BMJ Online First.
Related Content: Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS & IBS; Symptoms of IBS
Comments
For years I and someone else with CFIDS were both diagnosed with IBS. We both decided to have upper endoscopies (she encouraged me to have one…said it was easy. Both of us turned out to have acute and chronic gastritis and esophagitis instead of IBS. She also had a h. pylori infection. Both of us are now on Prevacid with all IBS symptoms gone. I recommend anyone with IBS or suspected candida or food allergies to have a gastroenterologist perform an upper endoscopy. If it turns out to be gastritis, esophagitis, or GERD, it is very easily treated and will make all the IBS type symptoms disappear. I can eat a much wider variety of foods now. I think every CFIDS and FMS patient should insist on having an upper endoscopy done if they have any digestive symptoms at all, bloating, gas, constipation, etc.
Glad to hear that you are better but just a word of warning. Most people with CFS and FMS experience digestive issues which are caused by the overgrowth of yeast in the body. Once you treat the yeast overgrowth with either natural or prescription anti-fungals, the issues will resolve (along with many others associated with these illnesses; brain fog, fatigue, weight gain). Although it can take up to 6 months to treat, you are able to fix the problem and not rely on a medication that shuts off your stomach acids for temporary relief.
IBS is also related to yeast overgrowth and can be remedied with the same treatment rather than going through the endless trials of IBS prescriptions.