If you have been following the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment plan that the doctors at your health clinic devised for you, and you are now in one of the situations described here, you may have to have them reassess this plan.
You're a woman and have recently become pregnant
If you are newly pregnant, then you might have to go back to your health clinic so that the treatment plan you're employing for your Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be reassessed and modified. The reason for this is as follows; it is possible that your current plan might not be suitable for you to follow whilst you're pregnant. For example, if you are currently taking an anticholinergic medication to ease your IBS-induced intestinal spasms, then your doctor might need to take you off these tablets as they are not known to be safe for gestating women to use.
Similarly, if you have been following a low FODMAP diet recommended by your clinic's doctors as a means of subduing the worst of your symptoms, then you may also need to have your doctor draw up a new diet plan. Whilst a low FODMAP approach can be highly effective at controlling IBS symptoms, it excludes a lot of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Because of this, eating this way whilst you're pregnant might be detrimental to the health of your growing baby, who will need you to consume (and thus provide them with) a lot of nutritious foods in order to develop at a normal rate.
If the doctor does decide to make these changes to your treatment plan, then they will probably recommend alternative symptom-reduction methods that are safe for you to employ whilst pregnant.
Your IBS symptoms have changed significantly since you were first diagnosed
It is quite common for people with IBS to find that their symptoms change over time. If this is something you have noticed happening to you as of late, then you will need to have the treatment plan you're currently using reassessed by your health clinic's doctors as this plan is probably no longer as effective at alleviating your IBS symptoms.
For example, if you used to suffer from constipation regularly, but rarely had diarrhoea, then your doctor may have prescribed you laxatives or a medication that helps to lubricate your intestines and facilitate bowel movements. However, if you have noticed that you are no longer constipated but are frequently having episodes of diarrhoea, then the aforementioned substances will only make this issue worse. As such, your doctor might need to stop prescribing these medications and instead put you on ones that have the opposite effect.
To learn more about IBS treatment plans, contact a doctor in your area.
