Some patients may also need to have their colons examined with the aid of a barium enema x-ray, colon scan, or endoscope to rule out colon cancer and other diseases. There's no single treatment for coping with irritable bowel syndrome. You'll need to work with your doctor to find an individual approach that works best for your symptoms. Some people have found that mixing the fiber powder with fruit juice and ice makes it much more palatable. Your doctor may also recommend a change in diet.
Many people feel better after cutting back on fat, alcohol, and caffeine.
Some people with chronic IBS may also need to stop eating salads and raw vegetables, according to Gary Gitnick, chief of the division of digestive diseases at University of California at Los Angeles. Among other things, raw vegetables can cause gas and diarrhea in people with sensitive digestive systems. To figure out what foods may be playing havoc with their digestion, he encourages keeping a food and mood diary for several weeks. The key, he writes in a recent book, is to write down your symptoms and what you were doing before the symptoms started. Keep track of your mood, the cause of any stress, and also everything that goes into your mouth, including food, drink, and even candies and chewing gum.