I've found that it's critical to treat the cause, and there are a lot of different causes for IBS. Perceived psychological stress and anxiety are the two most common causes that I see. Food intolerances like gluten is up there, too.

Yes, go to a different doctor. Or ask the current one about Viberzi if you have IBS-D. Also look into Yoga and yoga breathing techniques. Yoga is meant to manipulate/calm the vagus nerve, which is a major factor in IBS health.

As unintuitive as it sounds you can try Miralax even for IBS-D. Look up a miralax bowel prep and do the first couple days. It works wonders for me as it actually clears out my colon and I get relief.

2nd opinions are very very important because most doctors are lazy and wildly arrogant. There's not mechanism for correcting these people, it's a broken system in a huge number of ways.

I've been collecting microbiome-related studies as of late. The body itself - not just the brain or the mind - absolutely alters or even creates certain psychological states. Anecdotally, I've found that taking a couple of grams of GABA on an empty stomach is a way to evoke the way "body anxiety" feels, likely because the body overzealously pushes out the excess GABA , leaving a momentary shortage (localized to the neuron clusters in the gut because dietary GABA cannot readily pass the blood-brain barrier). The sensation is distinct and can be recognized, helping one overcome it by compartmentalizing it once it's identified.

Here's a relevant study relating to IBS specifically posted here a couple of days ago:

>New research establishes a link between irritable bowel syndrome and mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation --

>https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11845-022-03258-6

And semi-related:

>Regular use of laxatives is associated with more than a 50% increased risk of developing dementia --

>https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5048

Pinging /u/Ok-Cut4890 too.

100%. They can be correlated, try an elimination diet. Let go of allergens like gluten, soy, corn, dairy. Then slowly implement them one by one and see if any make a difference to your levels of anxiety. I’d suggest to do it for at least 10 days of none then 1 week add, one then see if you feel any difference.

Also, the brain and the gut are connected by the vagus nerve. What you eat makes a huge difference to what you think/feel.

Dude, the UK care commissioning body recommends hypnosis for IBS. It's absolutely treatable for many people. You don't have to go that route.

> Stress increases intestinal permeability and is involved in the pathogeny of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

> Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) can improve intestinal permeability. Targeting the intestinal barrier through VNS opens new therapeutic avenues in IBD and IBS.

From a 2022 article Anti-inflammatory effects of vagal nerve stimulation with a special attention to intestinal barrier dysfunction.
Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nmo.14456#:~:text=The%20vagus%20nerve%20is%20also,irritable%20bowel%20syndrome%20(IBS).

Do you have anxiety? If you have anxiety and your IBS is caused by your anxiety then you should try out The Linden Method. It cures anxiety and if you get rid of anxiety, then IBS should disappear too.

www.thelindenmethod.direct

Take a xanax. Seriously.

I’ve been having crazy high blood pressure, and figured out totally connected to anxiety and stress.

Got a script for low dose of Ativan. I take that now and I’m 110/60