Starting Your IBS Investigation
You've gotten your IBS diagnosis. Now you're probably asking yourself, "What do I do next?"
This section will help you answer that question with lots of tips on starting your very own IBS investigation.
Get started on your own IBS investigation!
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Watch the video
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Click on the links in the white box
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Just scroll down!
Assessing the Scene
IBS is different for everyone. Symptoms can present in various ways and triggers and underlying drivers of IBS affect people differently. So the first step in your investigation should be sizing up your own particular situation in respect to IBS.
What Sub-Type Are You?
IBS is categorized based on the most common type of poo you have.
Some treatment strategies for IBS are the same for all sub-types, but others are sub-type specific.
This isn't an exact science and your type may change over time, but it's a good place to start.
IBS - D
Diarrhea more that 25% of the time
IBS - C
Constipation more than 25% of the time
IBS - M
Diarrhea more than 25% and
constipation more than 25%
IBS - U
Diarrhea/constipation less that 25% of the time with symptoms
What Other Symptoms Do You Have?
There are a number of possible IBS symptoms and you probably won't have them all. Ask yourself some questions and the more specific you can be with your answers, the better. This will help you direct your investigation.
Which symptoms do I have? How often do I have them? What kind of pain am I dealing with?
Common GI Symptoms
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Abnormal BMs (less than 3x per week or more than 3x per day)
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Distension (you can see an increase in the size of your belly)
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Bloating (feeling like there is an inflated balloon in your belly)
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Urgency or feeling like you suddenly have to go right now
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Feeling like you haven’t completely emptied your bowels
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Straining when trying to poop
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Mucus in your stool
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Belly pain, cramps or discomfort
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Lots of gas
Other Symptoms
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Back pain
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Lack of energy (fatigue)
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Difficulty sleeping
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Feeling sick (nausea)
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Anxiety and/or depression
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Problems peeing - needing to pee often, sudden urges or feeling like you can't completely empty your bladder
How Severe are Your Symptoms?
This is a completely subjective evaluation, but it may help you determine how much time and energy you're willing to spend on your IBS investigation, how motivated you are to make changes and what kind of life style changes you're willing to make.
This self knowledge will help when you start to follow leads and look at treatment strategies.
If You Could Change One Thing?
If you could change one IBS symptom, what would it be? As an RD, I always ask this question during the first appointment because it helps me understand what is most important to my client.
Figuring out what is most important for you will also help you to direct your IBS investigation.
Knowledge is Power
A good detective gets as much background information as they can before they start following leads. Start your investigation by learning all you can about IBS and yourself.
This will help you make informed decisions and allow you to better tailor treatment strategies to suit your symptoms and lifestyle.
Know Thyself
An IBS investigation is really a voyage of self-discovery. Your body's systems are all interconnected and they all impact each other. To understand the underlying drivers behind your IBS symptoms, you may need to look for clues in unlikely places and treatment strategies will probably require lifestyle changes. It helps to know what you can and are willing to do.
Here are some things to keep in mind and questions to ask yourself.
1) Know Your IBS
Answer the questions in the previous section. Tracking symptoms and possible drivers before you start looking at treatment strategies can help direct your investigation. Go to the Monitoring and Tracking section for info.
2) Be Honest
Any investigation goes smoother and with a lot less drama if everyone tells the truth.
Be honest with yourself and with any professionals you work with about everything - bowel movements, diet, eating habits, stress, sleep, exercise, mental health etc.
3) How Open Minded Are You?
Having an open mind will be a great asset during your investigation. For example, you may already have some suspicions about the "cause" of your IBS. For most people these suspicions centre around certain foods they feel are causing their symptoms. Your suspicions might be correct, but they may also be red herrings.
Treatment strategies for IBS may also require you to get out of your comfort zone and make changes in different areas of your life.
4) Do You "Normalize" Your Symptoms?
If you live with IBS, especially if you've done so for quite some time, you may think that abnormal bowel movements and pain are just a normal part of life and that everybody lives that way. It's very helpful to realize that they don't and you don't have to either.
5) Do You Have a Positive Mindset?
Nothing will change if you don't believe it can, but there may be some ups and downs during your investigation. A belief that things can change for the better will help you get started on your investigation and help you through any rough patches.
6) How Do You Feel About Making Changes?
Pretty much every treatment strategy for IBS will require you to make changes, usually in more than one area of your life. Change can be hard, so before you start your investigation and choose treatment strategies it's good to know where you stand.
For more on making changes go to the Making Changes section.
Get Help From the Pros
An IBS diagnosis can feel overwhelming and for a rookie, having an experienced and knowledgable partner is invaluable during an investigation.
Your first choice should be a Registered Dietitian (RD) who specializes in IBS or gut health in general. You may be able to get a referral from your doctor or gastroenterologist. For mental health issues, a mental health professional should be the go to.
I'm focusing on the Butterfly Effect IBS website, but I'll let you know when I start accepting clients!
Butterfly Effect IBS Website
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford or get access to an RD. That's the main reason I decided to create this website. Another is that treatment strategies for IBS can go beyond diet and I wanted IBS sufferers to have access to different kinds of IBS resources, all in one place.
To kick start your investigation, get as much background info as you can and see what kind of resources are available by checking out this site!
Evidence Based Information
No matter where you choose to get your IBS info, make sure it's up to date and backed by science. IBS is a hot topic these days and research is ongoing, so new discoveries are being made all the time.
There's rarely a "quick fix" for IBS, so beware of anyone who's trying to sell you one!
Managing Expectations
The start of any investigation is full of unknowns and there's no telling where it will lead or how long it will take. If you know that going in, it can keep you from getting discouraged if you don't solve things right away.
The following are some things to keep in mind as you start your own IBS investigation.
Nothing is Perfect
"Strive for progress, not perfection."
This applies to many things in life, but it's a great thing to keep in mind during your IBS investigation. There is no such thing as perfect digestion. Even people with "normal" digestion will have their off days.
There are often a number of pieces to the IBS puzzle, so your symptoms will probably not disappear completely with one successful treatment strategy. Take things one step at a time and celebrate every win.
Time and Patience
These are two words that can be very annoying to hear, but unfortunately you'll probably need both during your IBS investigation.
It will probably take some time to figure out the underlying drivers behind your IBS symptoms and to find treatment strategies that work for you. Good habits don't just happen and it will take time to incorporate them into your life. There are bound to be some ups and downs, so it helps to be patient with yourself and with the process.
Give to Receive
A good investigation requires a lot of grunt work for every "Ah Ha Moment". Your IBS investigation is no different and there's a pretty good chance you'll get out of it what you're willing to put into it.
A good thing to keep in mind here is that many treatment strategies for IBS are also good for your overall health. Not only will you be solving your IBS mystery, you may find your health improves in other ways.
