Identifying Symptoms and Treatment Options for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

A common disorder with real impact, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can have a large effect on quality of life.

IBS is a functional disorder that affects the colon, or large bowel, but does cause any permanent damage to the digestive tract. Common symptoms are abdominal pain, bloating, and irregular diarrhea or constipation. With IBS, the nerve endings on the lining of the bowel are unusually sensitive, resulting in unusual muscle activity and spasms in the colon. It is the colonic spasticity that leads to the symptoms of IBS.

Particular foods, such as alcohol, fats, oils, and carbonated beverages, can trigger IBS. Eating too fast or waiting too long to eat between meals can also trigger IBS. Depression, trauma, and stress can aggravate symptoms, but DO NOT cause or trigger IBS.

Because symptoms vary among patients, the best way to determine if you have IBS is to consult a healthcare professional. Common tests performed to determine if symptoms are related to IBS are:
• Lower G.I x-ray (a.k.a the barium enema)
• Small bowel series x-ray
• Stool parasite culture
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy and/or colonoscopy

To date, there is no cure for IBS. There are, however, options available for managing and treating symptoms of IBS.

Simple changes in lifestyle, diet, and stress levels can help reduce symptoms of IBS. Stress management, which includes daily exercise, counseling/support, and adequate sleep, can be a useful technique when managing IBS.

Certain symptoms of IBS can be treated through prescribed medications. Laxatives are often prescribed when a patient has discomfort from constipation. Loperamides can help decrease diarrhea.

Another treatment option for IBS is prescribed Donnatal Extentabs and Donnatal Elixir (www.Donnatal.com).

Donnatal Extentabs are an extended release, combination antispasmodic therapy that provides a gradual dissolution over a period of 12 hours. Reducing spasms in the colon can help manage pain, bloating, and bowel dysfunction associated with IBS.

Donnatal Extentabs recommended b.i.d dosing, one Extentab in the morning and one at night, offers a convenient 12-hour dosing schedule.

The nighttime benefit afforded by Donnatal Extentabs is important to IBS sufferers whose symptoms can interfere with getting a full night's rest. Without proper rest at night, quality of life is affected, as well as their ability to be productive at home or in the workplace

Donnatal Elixir is used as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and acute enterocolitis. Donnatal Elixir is an immediate release, antispasmodic therapy that is available only by prescription.

When prescribing Donnatal Elixir, pediatric patients may be dosed every four to six hours; adults may be dosed three or four times a day according to conditions and severity of the symptoms.