IBS with Diarrhea
Diarrhea is one of the symptoms often associated with IBS. The key symptom of IBS is abdominal pain and/or discomfort. The pain or discomfort is associated with a change in the frequency or consistency of bowel habit. The altered bowel habit may be chronic or recurrent diarrhea, or constipation. Some people have both diarrhea and constipation, just at different times. Bloating or distention in the abdomen is also common.
Most people define diarrhea as loose stools or watery stools. Others think of diarrhea as frequent bowel movements.
Diarrhea that is persistent and recurring is termed a chronic symptom. Individuals with IBS will experience periods of normal bowel habit. The periods of diarrhea may also alternate with intervals of constipation – or infrequent, hard, or difficult to pass stools. IBS with diarrhea as the main bowel symptom is sometimes referred to as IBS-D.
IBS in the Real World Survey
In 2002 we contacted a random sample from our IFFGD database of U.S. adults diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and conducted telephone interviews. A total of 350 respondents who reported having an IBS diagnosis participated. While we recognize the results of the survey may not be generalizable to persons with IBS who have milder symptoms, nevertheless, the information from the respondents speaks for itself in communicating the tremendous burden IBS can impose upon a large proportion of sufferers.
Those who experienced IBS with diarrhea reported having multiple symptoms. Gas, abdominal pain, sudden urges, and loose stools were cited by about 90% of the respondents. About one-third of diarrhea sufferers experienced loss of bowel control.
When asked about their most bothersome IBS symptoms, 43% of diarrhea sufferers reported abdominal pain or discomfort, and 37% reported sudden urges to have bowel movements.
Frequent stools, feeling of being unable to completely empty at bowel movements, nausea, and loss of bowel control or soiling were also commonly reported.
On an average basis, the frequency of symptoms reported by diarrhea sufferers translates to over 200 episodes a year for gas and frequent stools.
View the IBS in the Real World Survey – Summary Findings Report Go »
Living with IBS – Courageous Stories
My 'stomach problems' started after a trip to India 9 years ago, I was slightly ill on the trip back but didn’t think anything of it 6 months after returning home I was still having diarrhea up to 9 times a day with bloating stomach cramps, extreme tiredness and feeling generally run down. To cut a long story short I have had all the tests and eventually been told that I have IBS. Its been a long and extremely hard journey but life is better. The hardest thing is that other people who don’t have IBS can never understand what its like – even the closet friends get fed up with you always needing toilet stops or stressing about new places. I have to be careful not to let food and bowels run my life but you can find a way to live with IBS.
From our Courageous Stories web pages of shared experiences about living with IBS Go »