Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Transcription

1 Department of Gastroenterology University Hospital Crosshouse Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Information for you Follow us on Find us on Facebook at Visit our website: All our publications are available in other formats

2 This booklet is intended only for the use of patients who have been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and have discussed this with the nurse of doctor at clinic. What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? (IBS) IBS is a chronic gastrointestinal problem. It is common and affects around 10% of the population. More females are affected than men. IBS is not associated with an increased risk of more serious gastrointestinal problems. There are 3 types of IBS: IBS (C) the main symptom is constipation IBS (D) the main symptom is diarrhoea IBS (M) mixed diarrhoea alternating with constipation IBS is a functional bowel disorder, this means the bowel is not working correctly. The cause of IBS is poorly understood. It can be associated with stress and anxiety and other conditions such as fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis. 2

3 Symptoms of IBS The most common symptoms are: Constipation, diarrhoea or both Bloating which usually increased through the day Flatulence (wind) Mucus in the stool Urgent need to open your bowels Feeling your bowel is not empty after a bowel movement Abdominal discomfort which is relieved when bowels move Increase in symptoms after eating Managing your symptoms Most patients diagnosed with IBS will have the condition for life and no treatments are a cure. However, you can manage your symptoms by making changes to your lifestyle and diet. Medications may also help. It is often necessary to try more than one combination of treatments to find what is most helpful for you. 3

4 What to do first Eat regular meals. Do not eat late at night. Take time to sit down and eat, chew well and do not rush. Try regular exercises, for example - walking or swimming for at least 20 minutes three times a week. Try and find some time to relax and de-stress. Try to cook with fresh ingredients when possible and avoid manufactured foods and take-away foods. Changing your diet Changing your diet can help or even rectify symptoms. If you have: Constipation Try to drink at least two litres of fluid a day, avoid fizzy juice, tea or coffee. Increase your fibre intake gradually, as your bowel needs time to adapt. Choose wholegrains and increase your fruit and vegetable intake. Try to eat oats and golden linseeds as they are excellent examples of soluble fibre. You can add 4

5 linseeds (flaxseeds) to smoothies, yoghurts, or sprinkle on salads. You can grind them down or eat them whole. A tablespoon of linseeds a day is the target, so work up gradually. Drink a glass of water with every tablespoon of linseeds. Diarrhoea Drink plenty of fluids, for example - water, diluting juice. Try to avoid caffeine or limit caffeine drinks (tea, coffee, coke, irn bru) to three a day, or swap to decaffeinated. Avoid sorbitol which is found in sugar free sweets and chewing gum. Choose white bread and non wholewheat cereals Reduce or ideally avoid alcohol Bloating and Wind Try reducing the amount of resistant starches in your diet such as bread and pasta. Try to eat oats and golden linseeds (see constipation advice) Reduce gas producing foods, for example - beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sprouts, sugar free confectionary. 5

6 Lactose intolerance This can result in symptoms such as diarrhoea, pain and bloating. Some patients benefit from removing lactose from their diet. Lactose in found in many foods. It is a sugar found in cows milk therefore you should avoid milk, ice-cream, butter, yoghurts, cheese, and cream. As dairy products are a source of calcium you must make sure that you still get enough calcium. There are many dairy products on the market which have the lactose removed. Food Diaries Keeping a food diary is an excellent way of identifying food which triggers your IBS. If you remove something from your diet, make sure you do it for at least four weeks. Then slowly reintroduce the food and if your symptoms return, you can identify it as a trigger. Probiotics There are many probiotics on the market. These are food supplements therefore they are not available on prescription. These come in various forms, for example - drinks, tablets, granules. If you choose to take a probiotic, guidelines suggest you take it for at least 4 weeks and if there is no benefit, you should try another type or brand. 6

7 Low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) Diet This involves restricting your intake of foods which contain fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. You could consider this if the above lifestyle and dietary changes have failed to improve your symptoms. However, you should only attempt this with the help and guidance of a dietician. Medications Your doctor may prescribe medications to relieve your symptoms such as anti-spasmodics (for cramp), anti-depressants, anti-diarrhoea drugs, or laxatives. Further Information wwwcorecharity.org.uk 7

8 All of our publications are available in different languages, larger print, braille (English only), audio tape or another format of your choice. Tha gach sgrìobhainn againn rim faotainn ann an diofar chànanan, clò nas motha, Braille (Beurla a-mhàin), teip claistinn no riochd eile a tha sibh airson a thaghadh Tell us what you think... If you would like to comment on any issues raised by this document, please complete this form and return it to: Communications Department, 28 Lister Street, University Hospital Crosshouse, Crosshouse KA2 0BB. You can also us at: comms@aaaht.scot.nhs.uk. If you provide your contact details, we will acknowledge your comments and pass them to the appropriate departments for a response. Name Address Comment Last reviewed: June 2016 Leaflet reference: MIS GD PIL code: PIL