# Does IBS get worse with time?



## jmadams (Jan 20, 2002)

Generally, does IBS tend to stay the same, improve or get worse, if one manages it carefully? I know there are anecdotes here from people who got progressively worse, but what are the GENERAL trends?


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## robk (Jun 24, 2002)

I used to ignore my IBS and its symptoms. When I started spending longer hours at the office and constantly eating fast food, my symptoms got worse and I talked with a doctor. After being actually diagnosed as having IBS, I am continually conscious of my condition. Although I eat only very mild foods- rice, crackers, oatmeal, no caffiene - my IBS D symptoms are constant and don't seem to be getting better. My IBS was best when I didn't know I had it, and lived a balanced life. Quitting my job at this point does not seem like a possibility, so I will continue with my cracker diet and constant trips to the men's room.


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## Sally Jane (Jan 14, 2001)

I have had "bouts" of IBS for too long to remember. About 5 years ago my mom got really sick. Everything happened at once. She just fell apart. We were going to different doctors two and three times a week. On one trip to a doctor, we stopped and had lunch. I had a broiled beef pattie with lettuce and tomato, Chili's Onion Blossom, and boiled corn. I had my first bad accident that day and didn't make it home. From then on it was downhill all the way. Stress made mine worse I am sure so I'm not sure it just "gets worse on it's own." After a visit to a gastroenterologist that didn't help much he sent me to a therapist. I still see him every two months. He helped me get through a really bad period but I was still having the big D. My GP suggested Questran one day and my life totally changed. It is wonderful and I don't have too much trouble now unless I do something really stupid. Needless to say, I don't touch corn or onions anymore.


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## Ian (Apr 18, 1999)

I've been told by a couple of docs that it does improve over the long term - they didn't say how long though! I've also seen articles that suggest that IBS does improve with age although I've never seen long term studies to support this (as opposed to studies done over a year or two for post infective IBS) - after several years, or decades, most people probably learn to live with it or go into remission and hence don't go back to their doc. But, bottom line is, there probably is hope!


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## TJ95GT (Jun 11, 2002)

Ive had IBS for about 9 years,for about 1 1/2 years i was nearly 100%,i was eating anything and everything,gained 20 lbs.The past 7 months i havent been able to do anything or go anywhere.Ive started watching my diet again,and hopefully ill get better.Man,that 1+ years was great


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## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi Jm,Everyones experience is probably different, but in my case my IBS has gotten worse over time. However, having said that it has not been a general deterioration over time, but a deterioration due to certain events. I think I have had IBS most of my life but the first significant change was after major abdominal surgery about 6 years ago, which I am certain increased my symptoms. Event two was a bout of a gastric bug at the beginning of this year. Until the beginning of this year my symptoms were mild/moderate but now they are moderate mostly and severe occasionally.Prior to the abdominal surgery, I would only get Diahrrea if I was going away somewhere and I would get it for maybe a couple of hours before going and be fine therafter.I think, for most people IBS can be managed reasonably well with dietary, therapy, and medicinal changes. You will often still get flare ups though, and for a few the symptoms are unrelenting regardless of diet/medicines etc.From my own personal perspective it seems that many sufferers will see an increase in their symptoms after surgieries/illnesses and other 'big' events or changes in their lives. Sometimes after an event the increased symptoms will abate and sometimes not.I think IBS is a very individual illness though really, and the same events/changes will produce different results/symptoms for everyone.


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

Mine did.As a teenager it was an annoyance....by the time I was 40 I was a complete gastrointestinal cripple, virtually unable to even run my company at the time. Could not run anything but the toilet, the shower and to the drugstore.Glad I got that worked out....MNL


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Definitely Your Mileage May Vary.some people get much better over timesome people stay the same over timesome people get worse over time.IBS is BOTH genetic and Environmental.If you keep running into environmental factors that can trigger IBS in the first place, then it makes sense that you may be able to make it worse over time, however this is not any sort of "norm".Now I have always had some very minor IBSish symptoms (most of life probably not frequent enough or severe enough to really even be diagnosed with IBS). I ran into something that I think was a GI infection or parasite (didn't get tested at the time I was running a fever for several weeks...Bad K







Bad K







) and the IBS got severe after that. But now it is in remission with very small amount of medication, so even it is so bad that ripping out one's own colon with one's teeth starts to look good







it can get better later on.K.


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## SteveE (Jan 7, 1999)

Mine has been a bit of a rollercoaster over the nine+ years I've had it. I think if you pay attention to what your body is telling you without over-reacting, you begin to get a sense of how to keep IBS maintained so you can live your life. That's a tricky tightrope to walk, though. I try to imagine my gut as a still pond. If I put stress on myself or consume something a little risky, I create ripples on that pond. But with a little practice, I can still the pond again by eating right and by relaxing even in the face of external stressors.What is eating risky? That's the hard part. For instance...like one person who posted to this thread, corn doesn't work too well for me, but that same person mentioned onions, and in moderation I can handle onions. Just pay attention to your pond and see when the ripples start and stop and eventually you should see overall improvement.What kind of improvement? Well, in my case, I used to miss about 6 days a year (give or take a few) from work just due to IBS alone (not including colds etc.). I may have missed a day or two in the last year or two due to IBS...I don't even recall specifics right now. That's a big change in my opinion.


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## robk (Jun 24, 2002)

Right Steve its all about trial and error. I appreciate this board because its very interesting to watch what others find helpful/ what foods the can't eat/ what activities they can't do. I am noticing little things every day that are helping- this is really THE IBS think-tank. Rob


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## reid (Jun 25, 2002)

I've had mine for about 10 years. Comes and goes without rhyme or reason. Seems to be present again . . . and driving me nuts! Food triggers seem to have changed over the years . . . my gi says it's probably more "that you've eaten" rather than "what' you've eaten. I try to avoid dairy, chocolate, coffee, onions and big meals. I think stress makes it worse . . . but I'm tired of people thinking stress causes it. Also - seem to be experiencing nausea with mine lately. Anyone else have that?


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## jmadams (Jan 20, 2002)

Thanks for the responses. I suppose I'm learning gradually how to do the right things to calm the IBS down (drinking enough water, drinking an orangey-flavoured fiber supplement each day). Mine came on several months ago following an episode of several days of severe vomiting from some antibiotics I was taking. Never had any history of any GI disturbances at all before then. It has been through various phases where I had it calmed down over a series of weeks to the point of not being bothersome, then I'd slacken off and it would come back. Right now it is slightly bothersome but not too bad, and apparently getting calmed down again gradually. My doctor seems to think it will go away after I have managed it effectively for a few months, based on his previous experiences with similar cases to myself. Well, I suppose i must just wait and see.


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