Medication

Over-the-counter and prescription medications are usually directed at treating a single symptom of IBS, such as antidiarrhoeals for diarrhoea or laxatives for constipation. Your doctor may also prescribe other treatment programs to help relieve your symptoms and reduce the effects of IBS on your lifestyle. Although studies and clinical experience suggest that the success of available treatment programs may be limited, gastrointestinal research involving new therapies to address multiple symptoms of IBS is currently being conducted.

Antidepressants may be taken to decrease the pain as well as the stress and depression. Where dietary measures have not improved matters, then a trial of bulking agents, such as Regulan or Fybogel may help, and where pain is a feature then antispasmodic drugs such as Mebeverine or Alverine Citrate may be given. These two compounds are available over the counter in the U.K.