WARNING: The Embarrassing Bodies website contains images of an explicit medical nature and nudity in a medical context.

Embarrassing Bodies Live from..., 8:00pm Tuesday 22nd May 2012 on Channel 4. Catch up for free on 4oD »

Conditions

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Doctor examining a patient with suspected IBS

They say you should always establish your nearest fire exits whenever entering a new building. But for sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), it is usually the nearest toilet facilities. IBS is one of the most common disorders of the digestive tract, with about a fifth of people in the UK experiencing occasional symptoms, which can include abdominal pain, bloating, and bouts of diarrhoea and/or constipation. The abdominal pain is usually accompanied by the loud rumbling and squeaking of gases being propelled through the intestines, which can be a great source of discomfort and embarrassment. People between the ages of 20 and 30 are most commonly affected, but it is twice as common in women as in men. The exact cause of IBS is unknown. However, there are certain things which can trigger an attack, such as stress, irregular mealtimes and, in some cases, a lack of dietary fibre. Some people even develop IBS following gut infections and food poisoning.

Watch the Live from the Clinic interactive case video on enlarged abdomen >

What the Men in White Coats Say

Comments and Questions

The EB doctors have been looking at your comments and have answered some of the common questions below. Remember that it is always best to check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.

You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

I was diagnosed with 5 years ago with IBS, but then further testing found that the real problem was 'fructose malabsorbtion'. I don't see any comments about anyone else having been tested for this. I'm an Aussie and the research into this has come out of Australia so maybe the UK haven't caught up on the info yet. If I eliminate fructose from my diet I get hardly any gass or pain. I don't have to take any medication at all.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I am 32 and have suffered from IBS since i was 16. All GP's have been very unsympathetic. I have no trigger foods but still tried to cut out different things to see if it works. I have 2 different sizes of clothes as my tummy can swell so badly. Nothing works, no change of diet, pills or excersise. I would love to hear any comments on the off chance i've missed something.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

Get used to being told to stop stressing and that you have to just 'live' with it. Very frustrating ! I've had it for over 20 yrs never met a GP or consultant yet who takes you seriously or offers any sympathy. I try to follow a low residue diet for IBS D, use mebeverine, calcium, peppermint oil capsules, aloe Vera tablets and lopermide when needed. Arrow Root and Entrocslm are more natural remedies. Comment on the Facebook group IBS Safe Haven in private to get support from other suffers.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

IBS is heredetry in my family and i have had it since i was born. Some months it is better than others some worse but it is constantly there. i have tried reducing the sysmtoms by using meds, cutting out whole food groups even lifestyle changes but nothing. Is there anything out there i haven't tried or anything that could help, id even be willing to go for surgery if there was something which could help. it is really that bad.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.


Please don't swear or be rude in your answers, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting answers. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I began suffering with IBS following removal of my gall bladder through keyhole surgery. Both my GP and consultant agree that this is a result of the "insult" to the bowel during surgery. I don't have a trigger food as such, but suffer if I eat before I have been up for less than four hours. By lunchtime I am starving but it's better than the agony of cramps and diarrhoea I suffer if I dare to eat breakfast. Can you explain please?





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

i have aleays have problems with my bowels my gp once told me that i have a very sensitive tummy, do gut out lot of foods but has started to get worse again, can get lots of pain in tum, plenty of gas and lots of tumbling in tummy and go from not opening bowels for msybe 3-4 days to having to rush to the toilt sonmetimes 4 times an hour





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

Hello Basically, For 7 years i have had IBS and it stops me from going out on trips/walks etc and is just really preventing me from living day to day life. I am quite big at the moment and have been told that this could affect it but i am not sure?? when i was skinny it happened to?? I cant even travel to college in the daytime (45 mins in the car) without panicking about using the loo or not being around one or going into lessons for an hour. I also spend an hour in the morning at least on the toilet before i leave which is a complete pain. I also can't stay in a house without two toilets without panicking and my parents when they bought a house prioritized the '2nd loo' I have tried mintes/loperamide/rescue remedy/metacalm/paracetemol and immodium etc but it just seems to not work.... What do you suggest??





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I am 20 years old and have had this for over 5 years I am only just been transfered to the hosptial again for further scans and test as I have it really bad, EVERYNIGHT!! It is really painfull but I dont suffer with diarrhea. I have tryed a few things but nothing works!!! HELPPPP





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

i have suffered with ibs for 10months since i caught gastroenteritis. every type of food irriates me and i blow up lookin 9 months pregnant. its uncomfortable n embarrssin but i only suffer wit bloatin n sickness. is there anything else it could b instead of ibs





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

hi, i am 32 years old and suffer from ibs. Is there anything i can take to help with this? I am constantly breaking wind and sometimes the smell is unbearable and very embarrassing especially when i am out socialising. I have kept a food diary and been tested for food intolerance but nothing has been detected. i get awful stomach cramps. Is there something i could be eating that could be causing this? Are then any foods to avoid? I was told to cut out wheat by someone but was then told by my gp i wasnt wheat intolerant. I just dont know what to do for the best.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.



Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.



Please don't swear or be rude in your questions, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting questions. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines


Important Notice

The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.


If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here


More Information

  1. Doctor Responses: IBS

    In Videos - Dr Christian answers your most frequently asked questions about Irr…

  2. Episode 3

    In Episodes - Patients consulted and diagnosed by the doctors in Episode 3 includ…

  3. Episode 8

    In Episodes - The final episode of the series included a patient with the embaras…

  4. Body Check: Stools

    In Videos - Dr Christian describes what different shapes and colours of poo can…

  5. Breasts

    In Episodes - In this second of four specials, the Embarrassing Illnesses doctors…

  6. Men

    In Episodes - The EI Docs go in search of the most elusive creature in the doctor…

  7. Vaginas

    In Episodes - The EI team roll into Norwich to setup a clinic in one of the count…

  8. Doctor Responses: Periods

    In Videos - Doctor Pixie answers your most frequently asked questions about per…

  9. Episode 6 - Erectile Dysfunction

    In Episodes - This week's episode includes a man whose erectile dysfunction has h…

  10. Teens Below the Belt

    In Episodes - Episode 4 of Embarrassing Teenage Bodies tackles conditions includi…

  11. Boys, Boys, Boys

    In Episodes - Episode 3 of Embarrassing Teenage Bodies takes a closer look at bin…

  12. Consultation: Second Adult Circumcision

    In Videos - Dr Jessen examines a patient in need of a new circumcision

  13. Dr James Russell

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr James Russell.

  14. Dr Priya Manickavasagar

    Doctor Info - Find out more about Dr Priya.

  15. Am I Normal?

    In Episodes - Episode 2 of Embarrassing Teenage Bodies looks at conditions includ…


More Information

Content supplied by NHS Choices

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic (long-term) disorder that affects the digestive system. It causes abdominal pain, diarrhoea and constipation. Read More »

Be On Embarrassing Bodies

The clinic is opening again for a new series.
Apply for Embarrassing Bodies >