Expert: Heather Van Vorous - 11/30/2004

Question
Hi Heather - may I post a follow-up message? I can see that you are an IBS expert. Would you say that feeling IBS symptoms every day is typical for some people? When I say that I feel full just under my ribcage I mean below my ribs (not directly under). Not sure if that is lower or upper GI. I have gone to your website suggested helpforibs. This is an excellent site for IBS sufferers. Thank you for the diet advice and support group information. I appreciate your time, care, and expertise.

Eric

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Followup To
Question -
Hello. A few years ago I was diagnosed with IBS. I was having abdominal discomfort and I went and saw my doctor. She went over my family history, did a routine exam, and felt it was IBS but referred me to a specialist. The specialist also felt it was IBS and did a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy results were good aside from a benign polyp which he removed. He prescibed a drug for my IBS. My mother, brother, and sister also suffer from IBS. I have tried to increase fiber in my diet but have not tried a fiber supplement. The reason I am writing is because I want to make sure I am normal in how I feel. I have spoken with my mother but her IBS symptoms are much different than mine. I feel stomach discomfort every day whereas her IBS symptoms only arise once a week or so. Is it normal to feel IBS symptoms every day? I have described my symptoms to my doctor. I would describe it as discomfort. I have frequent gas. Sometimes I feel the discomfort in my stomach/abdomin, while other times it is more to one side or the other. After I eat I always have a feeling of fullness. Not the fullness you would normally feel from eating but more of a bloated feeling and mostly just under my ribcage. I'm not sure if that is normal or even if it is related to my IBS. I often wonder if I shouldn't see my doctor again and request an endoscopy to make sure my stomach is ok. Or maybe a barium x-ray. As there is no cure for IBS, it can be frustrating that this is a condition I will have to live with. Although it is not a serious condition, it does effect quality of life. Is there a support group available online for IBS sufferers? It would be good to have others to talk to to exchange with but I am not aware of any. Any other suggestions would be great. Thank you very much.
Answer -
Hi - the severity and precise symptoms of IBS can vary greatly, so you and your mom could both have IBS but experience it differently. IBS is a disorder of the lower GI tract, though, so if you feel that you have stomach or upper GI symptoms you should follow up with a GI doc about this.

There's comprehensive info about what IBS can cause, how it's diagnosed, other disorders that can be misdiagnosed as IBS, etc. all here http://www.helpforibs.com/footer/ibs.asp

You need to increase soluble fiber in your diet, but be carefuly with insoluble fiber. This is an important distinction. If your doc didn't give you detailed info about dietary changes for IBS that info is here http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/

For gas try fennel, and make sure your fiber supplement is not psyllium or inulin. Try Acacia Tummy Fiber or Benefiber (guar gum) instead.

There is a terrific online support group for IBS on the same site as all the other links I've given you. The front page to all of the forums is here http://www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/

Please come join in and you'll get lots of friendly advice and support.

Best,
Heather

Answer
Hi Eric - the sensation right below the ribs isn't uncommon. It's usually the result of bloating or gas. Folks with IBS can have excess bloating and gas, but they can also have GI tracts and brains that abnormally process normal sensations from normal amounts of gut bloating and gas. The upshot of that is that typical bloating and gas that a normal person wouldn't even feel can cause discomfort or pain in someone who has IBS.

One of the hallmarks of IBS is that symptoms are intermittent. If you have constant, unremitting symptoms (whether bowel dysfunction, pain, bloating, etc.) that simply never ever go away, this shouldn't be considered a part of IBS. If you have symptoms most of the time, most days, but they do occasionally go away and then come back, that's more along the lines of the diagnostic criteria for IBS.

I'd definitely try drinking strong hot fennel tea, which is terrific for bloating and gas. There's info on that here http://www.helpforibs.com/teas/fennel.asp and you may want to try peppermint caps as well. Peppermint is one of the best clinically tested herbs for IBS, and in an enteric coated oil capsule form, it's very strong. There's info on peppermint here http://www.helpforibs.com/supplements/peppermint.asp and from that page you'll see links to research studies on IBS supplements, which is good info to have.

I'd also start practicing yoga poses for bloating and gas, which should help relieve that under-the-ribs sensation. There's comprehensive yoga info for IBS starting here http://www.helpforibs.com/yoga/ and as you read through you'll see links to the specific poses.

Best,
Heather