Accutane and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a chronic health condition that affects the lower intestine. It is primarily characterized by abdominal pain combined with diarrhea or constipation. While these symptoms are usually manageable through proper treatment, they can cause a great deal of discomfort and interference with people’s careers and personal lives.

If irritable bowel syndrome has one underlying cause, doctors have not yet been able to identify it. However, there is significant evidence that IBS can sometimes develop after a gastrointestinal infection or exposure to certain toxins. For example, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting a link between IBS and the prescription drug Isotretinoin, commonly known as Accutane.

Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The symptoms of IBS vary between patients depending on the severity of the problem. The defining characteristics of this condition include:

• Abdominal pain or discomfort that is not caused by another illness or injury
• Constipation, diarrhea, or alternation between the two
• Higher than average sensitivity to large meals, alcohol, caffeine, certain drugs, and more
• Changes in the frequency or consistency of bowel movements after the onset of the condition

In order to be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, a patient must experience the above symptoms for at least 12 weeks over the course of a year (the 12 weeks do not need to be consecutive). Some people with IBS report that their symptoms sometimes fade and then return; others report an uninterrupted progression of their symptoms.

Living with IBS

Unfortunately, there is no cure for irritable bowel syndrome. Instead, patients must learn to manage their symptoms — often for the rest of their lives. Some treatment options that can be helpful for people with IBS include:

• Avoidance of substances that the person is sensitive to (certain foods, caffeine, etc)
• Low doses of antidepressants (which relieves abdominal pain for some people)
• Relaxation techniques (Stress can make symptoms of IBS worse.)
• Prescription or over-the-counter medicines that counteract diarrhea or constipation
• Therapy to address the anxiety and depression that life with IBS can cause
• A strict sleep schedule that allows for adequate rest

For some people, the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are mild and can be managed with relative ease. Other people, however, must make significant and sometimes difficult changes to their lifestyles and daily routines. It is simply not fair for people to live with such lifelong consequences due to the use of a prescription drug such as Accutane. While IBS may be caused by Accutane, Williams Kherkher is not taking IBS cases. If you are under a doctor’s care for IBS, please make sure to follow his or her orders.