Medicine and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
“Medicine Has Dropped the Ball on IBS”
I recently read a letter of praise for the dietary method of managing IBS, which is a medically endorsed therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In the middle of his self-congratulation, he inserted a slam against “medicine” for not dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
The best we have are some risky medicines that can reduce the impact on the body of a seriously “messed-up” large intestine (large bowel). As I read it, these medicines are not something you would want to take, or depend on, forever. Rather, they take a very bad situation–constant constipation or diarrhea–and improve the problem to the degree that good dietary control and use of the full daily amount of fiber can take effect. These medicines are not “magic pills” for IBS.
Slams
I see slams, such as I mentioned above, all the time from people with IBS, and would like to offer a gentle, general correction.
IBS Is Functional
The nature of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is that it is a “functional disorder.” That means that doctors can identify a symptom picture and some of the physical elements that produce that symptom picture. So far, so good. Medicine is (sort of) in our corner, here.
Just Like Everyone Else
But what we who have IBS often want to know is why no one is working on a magic pill that would attack the cause or causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The magic of the magic pill is that we would then be able to eat anything and everything, just like everyone else.
The wish of people with disabilities is to be as normal as possible, to use a cane rather than a crutch, to use a crutch rather than a wheelchair, to have people talk to the person in the wheelchair, rather than the person pushing the wheelchair. In the same way, people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) want to live in a way as close to normal as possible.
Medicine Offers Crutches, not Cures
What medicine offers, so far, is crutches. Immodium ™ and Miralax ™, Kaopectate ™ and Metamucil ™. We get wise to them. We know they are not giving us a cure, only a crutch to get by on.
It is so frustrating! Yet there is no identified single physical mechanism that could be regulated by a magic pill. An adequate amount of (soluble) fiber daily comes closest. The research results on enteric-coated peppermint come very close also.
The question Why don't we want to hear that? Why do we still want that magic pill that sets everything right? Since serious and consistent dietary change and an increase to an adequate and regular amount of soluble fiber every day work so well for people who try it, why do we still say that medicine has let us down?
I know people have strong feelings on this. Perhaps you could tell me if I didn’t make my case. Do you need a pill for IBS?
