Romy Raves

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40 Plus· 40 Plus Wellness· Health & Wellness· Lifestyle

Women’s Health: Understanding How IBS-D Can Impact Everyday Life

This post is meant to raise awareness of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and a treatment option that sufferers can ask their doctor about.

This post is meant to raise awareness of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and a treatment option that sufferers can ask their doctor about.

This is a sponsored post. Salix Pharmaceuticals compensated me for this post. All opinions are my own. Certain product information has been included to meet regulations.

As many of you know, I like to approach women’s health topics candidly on Romy Raves, and lately I find myself more interested in exploring health and wellness challenges that are relevant to women. Last month, I wrote an enlightening post on Osteoporosis and today, in honor of IBS Awareness Month, I am discussing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a common intestinal disease associated with unpredictable bowel movements.

About 1 in every 10 Americans suffer from IBS, and people who have family members who suffer from IBS are more than twice as likely to develop the problem themselves. People with IBS usually have stomach (abdominal) pain at least 1 day a week, for at least 3 months, and if more than 25% of bowel movements are loose or watery and less than 25% are hard or lumpy, it could be Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea (IBS-D).

While doing my research for this post, I found out that approximately 40% of people with IBS have IBS-D and that it affects both men and women almost equally (which was surprising to me). The exact cause of IBS-D is unknown, but it is believed that one of the possible causes is an imbalance in the gut bacteria that may lead to IBS-D symptoms. Other possible causes of IBS-D include communication problems between the brain and the digestive system and problems with the immune system.

Living with IBS-D can take a toll on a person’s life. People with IBS-D symptoms tend to feel frustrated and embarrassed by their condition, and therefore they tend to limit situations where there isn’t a bathroom nearby. They tend to avoid social engagements, long car/plane rides and going on vacation because they fear not making it to the bathroom on time.

In preparation for writing this post, I had an honest chat with a very close girlfriend of mine who has struggled with IBS-D for many years, and I asked her what her biggest challenges were related to this condition. Aside from the on and off physical pain and discomfort, her biggest frustration about having IBS-D is loss of control of her bodily functions. In other words, she’s sometimes worried about having uncontrollable gas in public as well as not being able to make it to the bathroom on time. Honestly, I was really surprised by the high level of anxiety that she struggles with and the significant impact it has had on her life.

Given the significant impact that IBS-D can have on everyday life, I was shocked to learn that nearly two in five people with IBS-D wait more than three years before seeing a doctor about their symptoms. What?! And although there is no cure for IBS-D, there are treatments that address the symptoms, and today I would like to tell you about one of them.

XIFAXAN® is a prescription antibiotic that works mainly in the digestive tract to treat IBS-D in adults. It is the only FDA-approved treatment that alters the bacteria in your gut that have been linked to symptoms of IBS-D. XIFAXAN is a short-term treatment, taken every day for 2 weeks, and it provides up to 6 months of relief (range of 6-24 weeks; average of 10 weeks) from IBS-D symptoms. If symptoms return, you can be retreated up to two times with XIFAXAN, however it is not something that you take indefinitely.

To anyone suffering with IBS-D, I encourage you talk to your doctor about treatment options, as having an open conversation is an important step in managing your symptoms.

Xifaxan Important Safety Information:

This post is meant to raise awareness of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and a treatment option that sufferers can ask their doctor about.

INDICATION

XIFAXAN® (rifaximin) 550 mg tablets are indicated for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • XIFAXAN is not for everyone. Do not take XIFAXAN if you have a known hypersensitivity to rifaximin, any of the rifamycin antimicrobial agents, or any of the components in XIFAXAN.
  • If you take antibiotics, like XIFAXAN, there is a chance you could experience diarrhea caused by an overgrowth of bacteria (C. difficile). This can cause symptoms ranging in severity from mild diarrhea to life-threatening colitis. Contact your healthcare provider if your diarrhea does not improve or worsens.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider before taking XIFAXAN if you have severe hepatic (liver) impairment, as this may cause increased effects of the medicine.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking drugs called P-glycoprotein and/or OATPs inhibitors (such as cyclosporine) because using these drugs with XIFAXAN may lead to an increase in the amount of XIFAXAN absorbed by your body.
  • In clinical studies, the most common side effects of XIFAXAN in IBS-D were nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and an increase in liver enzymes.
  • XIFAXAN may affect warfarin activity when taken together. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking warfarin because the dose of warfarin may need to be adjusted to maintain proper blood-thinning effect.
  • If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing, talk to your healthcare provider before taking XIFAXAN because XIFAXAN may cause harm to an unborn baby or nursing infant.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

For product information, adverse event reports, and product complaint reports, please contact:

Salix Product Information Call Center

Phone: 1-800-321-4576

Fax: 1-510-595-8183

Email: salixmc@dlss.com

Please click here for full Prescribing Information

XIFI.0190.USA.19

 

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Comments

  2. Suzanne says

    IBS can be very difficult but with the right treatment I think one can alleviate some of the symptoms. Tough thing to live with however.

    Reply

  8. Rosey says

    It is definitely important to talk to a healthcare professional first. Better safe than sorry if you’re taking anything. My friend has IBS and she does okay but it def doesn’t make her happy.

    Reply

  9. Lisa says

    I too have a friend who suffers from IBS so I’m sure they can relate to this post. I don’t know whether this is available where she is, but I’ll gladly share it with her. Thank you for an informative post.

    Reply

  11. twinspirationalparties says

    That must be so tough.. Thank you for sharing some advice and information about IBS. It was really an interesting topic.

    Reply

  12. Norafiqin says

    I suffer from diarrhoea quite often but never know what causes it. While I don’t think I have ibs, it’s still good to be informed. Thank you for this.

    Reply

  16. Kiwi says

    Thanks for sharing the importance of IBS. I know many people are embarrassed of it but a lot of people do have this issue.

    Reply

  22. Eileen M Loya says

    IBS-D is a condition that may even have an effect psychologically. People who suffer from this illness would rather stay at home than to risk being embarrassed in public. I am glad that there is help for them. I will share this information if I do know of a friend or family member who is suffering from IBS-D.

    Reply

  23. keikilani says

    My roommate suffered through terrible IBS in college. I am totally forwarding her this email. Hopefully it helps.

    Reply

  27. Annemarie LeBlanc says

    I am glad that there is something sufferers of IBS-D can take for relief of their symptoms. Although this does not provide long term relief, it is still good to take to prevent any embarrassing scenario that may arise.

    Reply

  39. GiGi Eats says

    I’m raising my hand. I have IBD-C. It’s just – LOVELY. Ha! THANKFULLY for the most part I have it under control, but there are moments where I just want to curl up in a ball, that’s for sure!

    Reply

  41. Kathy says

    I don’t suffer from this, but I do know a few people who do. This has got a lot of great information. I’ll have to share this with them. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  42. Christine Weis says

    I have had IBS years ago due to stress. I didn’t take anything prescribed but I wish I knew about this. Thank you for bringing awareness to people who suffer with IBS. It’s difficult for some to talk about or get the right help for.

    Reply

  43. Amy Desrosiers says

    I have always thought my husband had IBS. I really am not sure if he does or doesn’t but it seems like he is always on the toilet.

    Reply

  44. Marcie W. says

    I’m lactose intolerant and know all about bowel issues, but I could not imagine having to deal with it all the time, as IBS sufferers do. How wonderful that there’s treatment available.

    Reply

  45. Jamie says

    Thank you so much for bringing awareness to this. I totally didn’t even know there was such a thing as IBS-D. So many more people than we think probably are suffering from this. Such a great post!

    Reply

  46. Jamie says

    This is so eye opening. I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as IBS-D. So many people probably are suffering and not even realizing it. Thank you for bringing awareness to this topic!

    Reply

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