Bowel Conditions with Similar IBS Symptoms

I first went to see my doctor for a proper diagnosis of IBS after significant weight loss. As it happened it was in fact just a symptom of an extremely irritable bowel (exasperated by stress at work) but it is always best to check.

Symptoms that require a doctors visit include

Weight loss

Blood in stools

Abodminal pain/diarrhea during the night

Anaemia

If you believe you have irritable bowel syndrome but are experiencing any of the above signs then you MUST go to your doctor and be properly checked out. It is likely that these are not symptoms of IBS but something more serious.

Bowel Disorders that produce similar symptoms to IBS

The reason why it is so important to have IBS properly diagnosed is because the symptoms are often similar to other digestive system disorders that need proper medical treatment and care under the supervision of a doctor. The most common bowel disorders that the doctor will need to rule out are inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease (if you are anaemic), Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

This is why the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome can involve quite a few invasive procedures and take a while before your doctor is able to reach a conclusion. Unfortunately it is unlikely that there will ever be a “test” to diagnose IBS positively.