Making Sense of IBS: A Physician Answers Your Questions about Irritable Bowel Syndrome (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

People with irritable bowel syndrome have chronic abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, and disordered bowel habits. Understandably, they worry about their symptoms and how their lives are disrupted by IBS. And they are often frustrated because they cannot control their symptoms with dietary changes or over-the-counter medications. The contradictory advice they receive from friends and health care professionals only adds to their concerns.As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Brian E. Lacy is well aware of the concerns and frustrations that surround IBS. He has written this compassionate and readable book to explain all aspects of the disorder—from causes to symptoms, from diagnosis to treatment—for everyone who struggles with irritable bowel syndrome.In Making Sense of IBS, Dr. Lacy addresses the questions people most frequently ask, including how IBS develops, how it is diagnosed, how to distinguish symptoms of IBS from symptoms of other medical disorders, how the symptoms are affected by stress, the effectiveness of alternative and complementary therapies, available prescription medications, and whether IBS is hereditary. He provides tips on preparing for an office visit with a health care provider, a list of patient-based resources, a glossary of medical terms, and profiles of patients seeking—and finding—solutions.A complete guide for people with IBS and their families, this is an essential tool for understanding and living with this common and sometimes debilitating disorder. (2008)

People with irritable bowel syndrome have chronic abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, and disordered bowel habits. Understandably, they worry about their symptoms and how their lives are disrupted by IBS. And they are often frustrated because they cannot control their symptoms with dietary changes or over-the-counter medications. The contradictory advice they receive from friends and health care professionals only adds to their concerns.

As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Brian E. Lacy is well aware of the concerns and frustrations that surround IBS. He has written this compassionate and readable book to explain all aspects of the disorder — from causes to symptoms, from diagnosis to treatment — for everyone who struggles with irritable bowel syndrome.

In Making Sense of IBS, Dr. Lacy addresses the questions people most frequently ask, including how IBS develops, how it is diagnosed, how to distinguish symptoms of IBS from symptoms of other medical disorders, how the symptoms are affected by stress, the effectiveness of alternative and complementary therapies, available prescription medications, and whether IBS is hereditary. He provides tips on preparing for an office visit with a health care provider, a list of patient-based resources, a glossary of medical terms, and profiles of patients seeking — and finding — solutions.

A complete guide for people with IBS and their families, this is an essential tool for understanding and living with this common and sometimes debilitating disorder.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Willem J.S de Villiers, MD, PhD(University of Kentucky College of Medicine)
Description:This is a complete guide for people with irritable bowel syndrome and their families. The editor, an international expert in the field, has written a compassionate and readable book to explain all aspects of the disorder. It is appropriately aimed at lay people and includes many case studies with which readers can identify.
Purpose:The author wishes to share the new information about IBS with patients (predominantly) and healthcare providers. His worthy goals are to convey what we currently understand about IBD; to clear up the many misperceptions that surround the disorder; to help one recognize the symptoms of IBS; to describe tests that may be used during the evaluation of symptoms; and to provide information that will allow IBS patients better understand their symptoms, institute appropriate changes, and improve their quality of life. The book meets the challenges superbly.
Audience:The book is aimed at patients with irritable bowel syndrome and their family members, friends, or coworkers. It is written in an easy to read manner by a well known expert in the field.
Features:The first of the book's four parts provides a general introduction to the disorder, using a case history and describing the epidemiology and pathophysiology. Part 2 focuses on the evaluation and diagnosis of a patient with IBS symptoms and includes a discussion on the natural history and prognosis of patients with IBS. The treatment of IBS is highlighted in part 3 and this includes an excellent discussion of the utility of complementary and alternative therapies. Finally, in part 4, the special needs of children with IBS are addressed as well as possible future developments. Importantly, lists of readily accessible patient resources as well as references to the original medical articles are provided at the back of the book.
Assessment:This is an excellent, well written addition to the lay literature on irritable bowel syndrome. It is clearly written and the use of case studies adds to its utility. IBS patients (and treating gastroenterologists) will benefit greatly from this Johns Hopkins Press Health Book.

Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 12 PART I: Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Who, What, and Why?......Page 16 1. Why Me? Why Now?......Page 18 2. What Is IBS?......Page 25 3. How Common Is IBS?......Page 46 4. What Causes IBS?......Page 57 PART II: Diagnosing Irritable Bowel Syndrome......Page 72 5. How Is IBS Diagnosed?......Page 74 6. IBS and Other Medical Disorders......Page 91 7. The Anatomy of Normal Digestion......Page 105 8. Diagnostic Tests and What They Mean......Page 121 9. What Is My Prognosis?......Page 140 PART III: Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome......Page 148 10. Treatment Basics......Page 150 11. Diet......Page 161 12. Treatments for Constipation......Page 176 13. Treatments for Diarrhea......Page 196 14. Medications for Pain, Bloating, and Overall Symptoms......Page 211 15. Psychological, Hypnotherapeutic, and Psychiatric Therapies......Page 234 16. Complementary and Alternative Medicine......Page 244 PART IV: Other Issues......Page 252 17. IBS and Children......Page 254 18. What Does the Future Hold?......Page 266 Appendix: About Clinical Trials and Scientific Research......Page 276 Patient Resources......Page 284 A......Page 288 B......Page 289 C......Page 290 D......Page 291 F......Page 292 H......Page 293 I......Page 294 M......Page 295 P......Page 296 S......Page 297 T......Page 298 V......Page 299 References......Page 300 A......Page 310 C......Page 311 D......Page 312 E......Page 313 G......Page 314 I......Page 315 M......Page 316 P......Page 317 R......Page 318 S......Page 319 Z......Page 320 "This book is a complete guide for people with IBS and their families. It will be an essential tool for understanding and living with this common and sometimes debilitating disorder."--Jacket