Vim & Vigor - Spring 2020 - Community Healthcare System - 27

You mentioned
cognitive behavior therapy.
What about prescribing
antidepressants for IBS?

Grover: Antidepressants and behavioral

therapies have been shown to be helpful in IBS,
especially in the moderate to severe spectrum
when pain is frequent or there is difficulty with
quality of life, or both. Tricyclic antidepressants
and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs) have been tested in IBS. Typically,
tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline
and nortriptyline are helpful in patients with IBS
with diarrhea. SSRI drugs are more frequently
used for IBS with constipation. These are usually
prescribed in low doses, and we watch carefully
for side effects. Psychotherapies like cognitive
behavior therapy and hypnosis are also effective, especially if provided by therapists with an
expertise in IBS and gastrointestinal disorders.

What foods make IBS worse?

Grover: It depends. It's not always easy to

Find a Gastroenterologist

Community Healthcare System
gastroenterologists can thoroughly
evaluate conditions of the upper
and lower gastrointestinal tracts to
treat digestive issues. Call our physician referral line at 219-836-3477
or toll-free at 866-836-3477.

understand whether a food causes IBS or
whether the body has developed a hypersensitivity to the food over time. So we have to be
careful when looking at the diet.
I would say, typically, fatty, greasy foods and
carbonated beverages can have an impact. We
realize that things containing either high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners can
make symptoms worse, so regular soda and
diet soda are equally bad when it comes to
IBS. And, of course, if somebody has bloating
or a lot of gas, carbonated beverages like beer
and soda will make things worse. Another
factor is the caffeine in cola and other drinks,
which people may not realize is a problem.

What's the difference
between IBS and IBD?

PHOTO BY STOCKSY

Grover: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

comprises two main subsets-ulcerative colitis
and Crohn's disease. The mechanisms are quite
different, and in active IBD, there is inflammation that can be seen during endoscopy and
through biopsies, whereas in IBS, inflammation is not present. Symptoms like bloody
stool, weight loss and fever should raise alarm
for IBD and prompt additional work-up by a
doctor. That being said, IBD patients can have
overlapping IBS symptoms as well. *

The ABCs
to Find a
Solution
for IBS

Learning if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
isn't always straightforward. The classic symptoms
of cramps, bloating, gas
and diarrhea that abruptly
halt daily activities can
be the first clue that you
need to consult with
a gastroenterologist.
"We don't have one
blood test or an imaging
scan to diagnose IBS, so
we use symptom-based
criteria and a variety of
approaches to diagnose
and treat IBS," says
St. Catherine Hospital gastroenterologist Praveen
Nallapareddy, MD.
Physicians will conduct
a physical exam and ask
questions about lifestyle
and family history, he says.
Bloodwork, stool sample
testing, a colonoscopy or
endoscopy may be ordered.
While there is no cure for
IBS, your gastroenterologist
may suggest diet changes,
medicine, laxatives or
stress-relief techniques to
ease abdominal pain, constipation and belly spasms.

VIM & VIGOR SPRING 2020

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2020 - Community Healthcare System

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2020 - Community Healthcare System