The_IBS_Team's blog

Good to see an excellent straightforward article by Dr Martin Scurr in a recent issue of the Daily Mail's Good Health section. Dr Scurr highlighted a couple of conditions which can give symptoms similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome and worth discussing with your GP if they have not been considered before.

The first Microscopic colitis which is an inflammation of the lining of the colon and which can be diagnosed under the microscope after a biopsy. If positive anti-inflammmatory medicines can be prescribed.

Having read the results of the recent Intestaid sponsored IBS and Diet survey I was amused to see the comment that although most IBS sufferes had a very high level of knowledge on how to control the symptoms of IBS only 30% ever acted on thisknowledge. Well do you think this is surprising? After all how many people eat 5 portion of fruit and vegatable a day or stick to their recommended weekly untis for alcohol.

What do you think?

Gordon

Although the following research is related to the evidence that probiotics will help reduce the effect of traveller's diarrhoea, it is great to see that new information continues to shows that prebiotics have a real impact on our symptoms.

My husband has just got over another serious bout of IBS. We are absolutely sure that it is triggered by eating wholegrains.....over a period of days after eating wholegrains he gets a build up of gas (keeps burping!) then gets a tightness in his chest and acid reflux, and then lots of noise in his stomach and finally severe cramping. If he doesn't eat the wholegrain it doesn't happen. He eventually realises what is causing the upset but then has to take Buscapan or and anti spasmodic and deflatine to get back to normal. Sometimes it can take a week or two to get over it.

The TV Dietitian Nigel Denby has prepared a factsheet with lots of great information on IBS and your diet. The factsheet contains suggested diets for constipation, diarrhoea, urgency, bloating and incomplete evacuation. Why not have a read and let us know what you think. Also if you try any of the diets drop us an email so we can hear how you got on.

The factsheet can be found by clciking on the factsheet link or under Managing Your Diet on the left hand menu.

Noticed an article on Intestaid in the Sunday Express Magazine, Health Matters section. The case study was on Jyotika Dave a 50 year old sales co-ordinator who has had stomach cramps, constipation and bouts of diarrhoea for 2 years. After about  a year of tests her consultant diagnosed IBS and prescribed antispasmodics and pain killers. The usual repsonse by GPs who don't know much about IBS. Last Autumn she saw an article on Intestaid the nucleotide based supplement which is aimed at replacing and restoring healthy cells on the gut lining.

The recent article in the Daily Telegraph with comment from leading dietician Nigel Denby grabbed a lot of attention. Intestaid has been given a revamp with new packaging as the manufacturers hope to get the message of the benefit of nucleotide supplementation to a wider audience.

We were delighted to feature in April's addition of SHE Magazine having tried their suggested diet for reducing the symptoms of IBS. The basics of the diet encourage a healthy balanced diet, and incorporate foods that are less likely to cause bloating.

A message for current or former user of Bimuno. We would like to invite volunteers between the ages 18-65 who suffer from bloating to take part in a nationwide consumer study being carried out by the University of Reading. The study will last 8 weeks and requires participants to consume daily the provided food supplement.