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Or maybe your IBS manifests in different ways.
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Maybe you experience additional symptoms likeexcess gasand mucus in your stool.
Not managing stress
Whats going on in your brain affects your gut via thegut-brain axis.
Clearly, telling people dont be stressed is not helpful.
Everyone experiences acute periods of stress sometimes.
Many people also experience chronic stress, as well.
This can take the form ofself-care.
If it’s possible for you to, reach out to amental health professionalfor more guidance.
Some medicines appear to make IBS symptoms worse in some people.
Thats not to say you shouldnt take a drug if you need it.
For example, constipation and diarrheaare common side effectsof chemotherapy drugs.
Another group of medicines to think about is antidepressants.
Weigh the pros and cons of any medication youre taking that might affect your IBS with your doctor.
As with many factors that affect IBS, the impact of sleep on symptoms varies from person to person.
That really can affect the quality of sleep and also gastrointestinal symptoms, he says.
It will likely take some trial and error to find out how caffeine and alcohol affect your IBS personally.
And theFood and Drug Administration recommendsconsuming no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day.
As theFDAnotes, caffeine is also found in dark chocolate, soda, energy drinks, and certain teas.
Its in someover-the-counter painkillerstoo.
Note as well that these guidelines are based on the general population.
You may have to cut down to a smaller amount to manage yourIBSeffectively.
In addition, IBS symptoms can fluctuate depending onmenstruation.
But Poppers recommends keeping a detailed diary that covers all of these possible factors and your symptoms.
For example, not just what youre eating but how much, when, and how fast.
And not just how many hours youresleepingbut whether its interrupted, and even what position you were in.
Write about your emotional state and your stress levels, including things that are making you anxious or excited.
If youre someone who has periods, keep track of your menstrual cycle.
Travel is also an important detail, since that means a change in routine.
The point is to look for patterns that can identify triggers.
Another reason to track your symptoms closely is so you’re free to notice any changes in them.
Am I missing something else?
If you notice that your symptoms have changed, its time to see an expert.
As frustrating as this is, attempt to stick with it.
One thing I tell people is, dont expect overnight results, Poppers cautions.
If you do, thats fantastic.
But it can take several days; it could take longer.
One reason for this is that you probably have multiple triggers.
Even if youve found one, there could be other factors affecting your symptoms.
If you do it all the same time, its a bit restrictive.
I make a run at refrain from absolutes, Poppers says.
I dont say, You may absolutely never have asparagus, or cauliflower, or dairy, for example.
There are a lot of lifestyle changes that can be helpful that are minimally invasive.
No one is perfect, and we dont always do the best things for our health.
