Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can be a challenging condition to live with because of how chronic and unpredictable it can get. The everyday life of anyone who suffers from this disease is hindered to such an extent that it causes frustration and exhaustion.
This article talks about how to figure out if you have IBS and the different treatments that can help, like changing your diet, taking medicine, doing therapy, and managing stress. Read on till the end to know why medications are cheaper in Canada.
Table of Contents
What’s Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
IBS is a common, functional disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract, which means that even if your digestive tract looks normal, it doesn’t function well.
IBS affects more women than men, with every two women for every man being affected. It’s also found in people below 45 years of age.
As far as the causes are concerned, they remain unknown. What we do know after research is that stress, genetics, and the relationship between the brain and intestines play some role.
It can cause symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, gas, cramping, and, most importantly: constipation or diarrhea, or both. So one can have IBS with diarrhea, IBS with constipation, unsubtyped IBS, or mixed IBS.
Diagnosis
If you notice a change in bowel habits that persists, you should get in touch with a doctor at the earliest. Your doctor will run some tests to rule out any other condition you may have, as there is no particular test for IBS. These tests include blood tests, x-rays, stool sampling tests, etc. In some cases, doctors suggest going in for a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on a lot of factors, and every plan is patient-specific. Once your doctor has figured out which type of IBS and severity level you have, they can figure out the best therapy there is suited for you.
You have to remember that treatment can only involve helping you in relieving symptoms. You can be prescribed some dietary restrictions and changes, medications, behavioral therapies, stress management, and alternate therapies.
- Diet restrictions can look like reducing caffeine, high-fiber foods, and fatty foods.
- Drugs can be prescribed for addressing moderate to intense pain, diarrhea, or constipation that home remedies cannot alleviate. Bentyl and Linzess are two cost-effective medicines that effectively reduce the symptoms associated with IBS. For IBS with constipation (IBS-C), drugs like linaclotide, plecanatide, and lubiprostone may be prescribed. For IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), alosetron, rifaximin, and antidiarrheal medications might be used. Pain-centric IBS or more severe cases could involve tricyclic antidepressants and psychotherapy. Low-dose antidepressants can also benefit IBS patients by reducing pain signals from the gut to the brain. To alleviate cramping, peppermint oil, dicyclomine, and hyoscyamine may be employed.
- IBS symptoms can worsen due to stress and anxiety, leading some individuals to seek behavioral therapy.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy has proven beneficial for IBS.
- Other potential treatments include probiotics, acupuncture, and herbal remedies.
Collaborating with a healthcare professional to tailor the treatment strategy and identify the most effective approach for the person is crucial.
How to buy affordable IBS medications?
Buying medicine from Canada online is a cheap option for people who don’t have health insurance to pay for their prescription drugs.
Wondered why the prices for medicines are lower in Canada? Think there must be a catch? Well, there’s none.
The Canadian government manages drug prices with the help of a special board. They decide if a drug is too costly or not. This stops very high prices and makes drug makers follow the rules, so they don’t lose business in Canada. Price limits also make sure drug costs only go up with inflation, unlike in the U.S., where even common drug prices can jump quickly and be higher than inflation.
For more information, visit Canadian pharmacy online
