Home : Treatments : An Overview Of The Medications For IBS

An Overview of the Medications for IBS

An Overview of the Medications for IBS

The exact causes of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have not yet been identified completely. That is why the treatment primarily focuses on the relief of symptoms and helps the patient live as normally as possible. In a majority of the cases, controlling the mild symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome is not a big issue, and the patient can lead a normal life by learning how to manage stress and introducing the necessary changes in their lifestyle and diet. Patients must avoid foods that aggravate the symptoms and it is always advisable to do some exercise to find relief. Fluid consumption should be increased and enough sleep must also be ensured as well. Medication for IBS is not needed if your symptoms are moderate and lifestyle changes can bring results. If the symptoms are severe, medication for IBS become inevitable.

Learn about dietary changes

  • Stop consuming high-gas foods.
    If you are suffering from serious bloating or experiencing frequent gas related discomforts, your doctor recommends eliminating stuff like certain vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, raw fruits and carbonated beverages.
  • Stop eating gluten
    Research studies suggest that some patients suffering from IBS show improvements in diarrhea symptoms when they stop consuming gluten like rye, barley, and wheat.
  • Stay away from taking certain types of carbohydrates
    Some people show great sensitivity to certain kinds of carbohydrates like lactose, fructans, and fructose commonly known as FODMAPs. These types of carbohydrates can be found in specific dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and grains. You should not undermine the importance of this aspect. Better relief can be achieved by eliminating these types of carbohydrates.

Learn about medications

  • Medications to control diarrhea
    There are over-the-counter medication for IBS like loperamide that are capable of addressing diarrhea. Bile acid binders also offer good results, but they should be taken under the supervision of a doctor because incorrect dose can result in bloating.
  • Fiber supplements
    Patients need to take fiber supplements like Citrucel and Metamucil along with fluids, and it allows them to prevent constipation. Fiber acquired from food can cause more bloating in comparison with a fiber supplement. If fiber supplements do not address the symptoms, the doctor may recommend osmotic laxative to control the symptoms.
  • Anticholinergic medications
    Antispasmodic or Anticholinergic medicines like Levsin and Bentyl address painful bowel spasms. If you are facing bouts of diarrhea frequently, they are useful, but the patients should follow the guidelines of the doctor to prevent constipation and urinating difficulty. Glaucoma sufferers must be very careful when it comes to choosing these types of medications.
  • Antidepressant medications
    If the patient is experiencing pain and depression, tricyclic antidepressants are a good option, and another alternative is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. These types of medication for IBS regulate the activity of neurons that are capable of controlling the activities in the intestine, and they offer relief from the depression as well. If you are an IBS sufferer with abdominal pain and diarrhea but without any depression, the doctor recommends a lower dose of tricyclic antidepressants. You have to be careful about the side effects, and that is where the importance of following the guidelines of the doctor comes in.
  • Antibiotics
    In some people, the symptoms of IBS manifest because of a bacterial overgrowth in the intestine areas and in such a situation, antibiotic treatment is a very good option. It has been found out that antibiotic medications like Rifaximin reduce the symptoms of diarrhea.
  • Counseling
    If you are suffering from depression, you have to undergo counseling. Prolonged stress aggravates IBS, and it should be eliminated to speed up the process of recovery.

Medications for specific IBS
Two prominent medication for IBS that are prescribed exclusively for specific cases of IBS are Lotronex and Alosetron. They offer a relaxing effect on the colon, and you can expect slower movements through the lower bowel. There are situations where doctors prescribe Alosetron, and it has been found effective in women who have been suffering from critical cases of diarrhea-predominant IBS. When other methods do not bring the expected results, this medication is prescribed. When it comes to treating IBS, doctors do not recommend Alosetron. If you do not use this medication properly, you may have to deal with some side effects. Most doctors prescribe it only when all other methods fail to deliver the desired results.

Other effective medications are Amitiza and Lubiprostone, and they increase the fluid secretion in the small intestine. These medication for IBS are prescribed only for women above 18 years and the effectiveness of this medicine for men is still debatable. Some of the side effects are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea as well. If the patient is experiencing chronic constipation, it works well to address this issue. These are the most commonly prescribed and best medication for IBS, and you can take them under the supervision of a doctor.

Popular Reads

You Will Not Believe This Common Condition Is One of the Brain Tumor Symptoms

You Will Not Believe This Common Condition Is One of the Brain Tumor Symptoms

You know about headaches and seizures, but did you know that this common condition is one of the brain tumor symptoms you ought to watch out for? Brain tumors manifest in symptoms for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, the brain is a very compact organ, and there is little to no space to accommodate the growth of other tissue inside the brain. Secondly, depending on exactly where they are growing inside the brain, these tumors push against and impose pressure on certain parts, and cause varying symptoms. Perhaps, the most common early warning symptom of brain tumors is a headache . Headaches may be severe to start off with, or may have a tendency to worsen early in the morning or after any activity. The second most commonly reported symptom of brain tumors is seizures or fits. Also known as convulsion, motor seizures are characterized by sudden involuntary movements of the muscles in a person’s body. Depending on the area that the tumor is pushing against, you may experience different types of seizures. The most common ones are myoclonic and tonic-clonic or Grand Mal seizures. Less common brain tumor symptoms include changes in sensory perceptions without being unconscious, personality/memory changes, nausea and vomiting and fatigue .
Everything You Need to Know About Haemophilia in Children

Everything You Need to Know About Haemophilia in Children

Get all your questions pertaining to haemophilia in children answered here. A first aid kit is your best friend as a parent. Children seem to know just how to walk in an unbalanced gait and topple over without any external help. The result is an extraordinary number of bumps and bruises that need more than a mother’s kiss to make better. While bruises and scrapes are a normal part of childhood, haemophilia children need extra care. A bruise or cut would heal and scab over for others, but for haemophilia children, even the smallest cuts are a cause of concern. If you are a parent with haemophilia children or would just like to know more about the condition to help your loved ones handle it better, here are the answer to the most common questions when it comes to haemophilia in children. What is Haemophilia? When you get a cut, there are clotting agents in your blood that act quickly to curb the bleeding. However, for haemophilia children, the disease actively stops blood from clotting properly. The result is an excessive loss of blood, which can be very dangerous to the health of haemophilia children. This genetic disorder tends to affect more boys than girls.
Do You Suffer from These Bladder Control Problems in Women?

Do You Suffer from These Bladder Control Problems in Women?

Do not just live with urinary incontinence – learn what causes it so you can improve bladder control problems in women. If you think that urinary incontinence is a problem that only older women and men deal with, think again. Bladder control problems in women are common, and they affect women of all age groups. Sometimes, there is a clear starting point for bladder control problems in women. You may have just delivered a baby, and are getting back to your active lifestyle, when you suffer through an “accident”. Owing to how embarrassing bladder control problems in women can be, a lot of women never seek help for this treatable condition. Regardless of age, many across the globe are living with bladder control problems in women, and shrouding the condition in secrecy. However, the truth is that more than 13 million people in the United States have incontinence issues. Bladder control problems in women are twice as likely as men. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality, 30 percent of young women suffer incontinence. The rates of bladder control problems in women increase with age, with 40 percent of middle-aged women, and 50 percent of older women suffering from urinary incontinence.