Talking about poo shouldn’t be taboo. Here’s how to get Irritable Bowel Syndrome under control…

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One in five people in the UK suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms range from stomach cramps to nausea, diarrhoea to muscle pain and can last decades. It typically starts in the teens or 20s and at least half of those with IBS also suffer anxiety and depression.

It’s is twice as common in women than men, and recent studies also indicate there is a significant prevalence of this condition in older people.

That’s a lot of people.

We spoke to expert gastroenterologist Dr Mani Naghibi about understanding your IBS and how to get it under control for good.

‘There are three main types of IBS,’ explains Dr Naghibi, a Consultant Gastroenterologist at St Marks, The National Bowel Hospital, London. ‘There’s IBS with constipation, IBS with diarrhoea, or IBS with mixed bowel habits.

‘Some patients have a lot of diarrhoea but are actually constipated and only the fluid is making it out. Things will not improve until this is worked out and treated correctly, which often requires an x-ray.

‘The more we know about the type of IBS a patient has, the more specific and effective treatment plans we can put in place for those who are suffering with this condition, day in and day out.’

Dos and Don’ts

Whilst different types of IBS need varying management, Dr Naghibi says there are some things all sufferers can be mindful of.

Do consider a low FODMAP diet, and see a nutritionist for support – don’t go it alone. Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruit, veg and fibre. Keep hydrated. Reduce caffeine intake. Exercise regularly and take probiotics.

Don’t eat large meals or late at night, leave large gaps between meals, smoke, or drink too much caffeine.

Dr Naghibi adds, ‘some symptoms are never IBS and should prompt patients to seek immediate help from their GP, including pain or night-time symptoms that wake you up, stop you sleeping, or make you need the toilet in the middle of the night. Rectal bleeding, unintended weight loss – five per cent or more of your body mass in three months - or extreme pain should also never be ignored.

‘GPs do a wonderful job in getting patients who need to see us, to us,’ adds Dr Naghibi. ‘But if you feel your symptoms are affecting your quality of life, or interfering with your ability to carry out daily activities or work, it’s time to advocate harder for yourself and push for a referral.’

Lacuna Voices spoke to two women who suffered IBS for decades until they finally found what worked for them…

‘Probiotics changed my life’

Lara Davies, 50, runs a recruitment agency and lives in north west London. Her symptoms began in her teens.

‘I always had a sensitive stomach but I sensed it was more than that. My gut’s reaction was instantaneous, sending me running from the dinner table to the bathroom.

When my friends began going out and drinking, things got harder. Alcohol triggered my abdominal pain, gas, cramping, and bloating. So I skipped nights out and quit both smoking and coffee.

Things eased after I had my children but by 25, it was all back. A GP prescribed antibiotics that made no difference, and medication for diarrhoea but it made me feel awful and bunged up.

A nutritionist guided me through food elimination. It took months but I learnt that broccoli, red onion, pulses, peppers, raw veg and wholegrain rice were my triggers. But even avoiding those didn’t banish my IBS.

I never ate out, kept social meets short and often took time off work. I was exhausted and felt low.

When my 50th birthday loomed, I gave Bio-Kult probiotics a go after doing lots of research and talking to a friend who’d tried it. Within two weeks, my symptoms had eased, and three months later my health was restored. It was unbelievably effective.

My pain and discomfort vanished, and my mood lifted. I don’t get colds or hay-fever anymore either. I’ve joined a gym and feel the best I’ve ever felt. It’s wonderful that a probiotic has changed my life like this.’

• Bio-Kult (£9.49 for 30 capsules). Visit bio-kult.com 

‘A Facebook advert finally led me to a solution’

Maria Avraam, 63, is a beautician and mum-of-three from Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire. Her IBS began 20 years ago.

I started getting stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea when I was a working mum. Life was busy and stressful, though I didn’t register that at the time. All I knew was on certain days, I went to the loo two or three times an hour.

It made working on the Lancôme counter – a job I loved – quite difficult and I had to call in sick a lot. If I wasn’t running to the loo, I was constipated.

Wheat caused me pain, but most meals left me bloated. I tested negative for Coeliac disease and an endoscopy and colonoscopy found nothing. I was diagnosed with IBS and basically told to get on with it.

I tried mint tea, rubbing olive on my tummy, taking milk of magnesia. Nothing worked. My marriage broke down and after the divorce, I developed terrible heartburn. It was a vicious cycle between the two conditions, both making me very anxious.

One night I was on Facebook in a group for over 50s when I saw an offer to try a mineral compound called Silicol gel, which coats the stomach and upper GI tract, acting like a magnet, to bind with irritants, toxins and pathogens. The gel particles also absorb excess acidity and gases before passing out in the body’s waste. I had nothing to lose so I signed up. Not only did it stop my reflux dead in its tracks, but my IBS too.

Now, I keep a bottle in my cupboard and if any symptoms start, I take a spoonful and that’s it. I cannot believe after all the things I’ve tried over the years, all the invasive tests I’ve had, I found the solution on Facebook.’

• For more info visit silicol.co.uk

*If you have IBS and want to be kept up to speed with the latest relevant clinical trials and research, register your details on the secure NHS registry. You can also visit theibsnetwork.org for further information and support.

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