Truth & Myth of IBS

1. Truth and Myth About I B S Truth and Myth About I B S

2. 1. MYTH: I B S can be cured by drugs. TRUTH:I B S (or I B D) has no permanent cure in any system of medicine. Only symptomatic relief may be achieved through drugs, and that is temporary. Once you become drug dependent, it will seem they no longer afford any relief, and either you have to increase the dosage or alter the drug regimen. It is best to control I B S through life style.

3. 2. MYTH: I B S is the same in all patients. TRUTH: I B S is not a well-defined disease. It varies from person to person. No two patients of I B S will have exactly the same symptoms. Moreover, there are different types of I B S.

4. 3. MYTH: I B S patients always have loose motions. TRUTH: I B S may be IBS-C(constipation predominant), IBS-D(diarrhea predominant), IBS-M(mixed ─ i. e., alternating constipation and diarrhea) or IBS-A(periodical IBS with asymptomatic periods in-between).

5. 4. MYTH: I B S may be caused by food allergy / food sensitivity. TRUTH: While I B S may be triggered / exaggerated by consuming food to which the patient is allergic or sensitive, I B S is never caused due to food allergies / food sensitivities.

6. 5. MYTH: There is a fixed list of food to be avoided in I B S. TRUTH: Food to be avoided will vary from person to person. Never copy the diet advice of another patient. Never whimsically avoid food items reported as problematic by others. What works for one will never work for another.

7. 6. MYTH: We can formulate a general diet as applicable to majority of I B S - patients. TRUTH: No single diet regimen can be recommended. In general, I B S patients are advised normal diet.

8. 7. MYTH: I B S is a purely gastro-intestinal ailment. TRUTH: I B S is also partly neurologic and psychological. It may (in some patients) also cause mental tension and sleep disorders. However, medicines are of no value; it is life style that is important.

9. 8. MYTH: Wheat products must be avoided in I B S. TRUTH: Only in persons with gluten intolerance, wheat products are to be restricted. For others, there is no bar.

10. 9. MYTH: Crab, lobsters, prawns, eggs and some fruits trigger I B S. TRUTH: Only those having allergies to crabs / lobsters / prawns, etc. need be careful. Others may freely consume a normal diet, including these items.

11. 10. MYTH: Milk should be avoided in I B S. TRUTH: Unless you have Lactose Intolerance, there is no rationale in avoiding / restricting milk. In persons not suffering from lactose intolerance, milk may be the single most useful food item to control I B S. It is non-irritating, forms a protective coating over gut lining (endothelial mucosa) and has a durable antacid action. It has a pH of 6.5, which is very near to neutral (pH 7.0). Hence, milk can raise the pH of stomach (decrease excess acidity) without making it alkaline (i. e., without interfering with the digestion process).

12. 11. MYTH: I B S persons cannot tolerate milk even if they can tolerate other dairy products like pot cheese / ice cream. TRUTH: The correct term is lactose intolerance (there’s no such thing as milk intolerance). Persons having lactose intolerance will have problems with every milk product (except yoghurt, where bacteria have changed lactose ─> lactic acid). If you have no problem with one milk product (sweetmeats from milk, pot cheese, ice creams, etc.), then you will have no problem with milk. In fact, regular milk and yoghurt consumption will help you control I B S all the better, due to its colloidal nature and casein protein protecting the gut lining, its antacid property, its non-irritating effect, and its unique property that it does not cause rebound secretion phenomenon.