What is IBS?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition where your digestive system is triggered by things like alcohol, caffeine, certain foods, stress and anxiety or regular antibiotic use. It can also happen for no obvious reason.
IBS results in bouts of painful stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. People can also experience nausea, farting and issues with peeing and pooing. Symptoms tend to come and go and can last for days, weeks or months at a time.
It's usually a lifelong problem, which can be very frustrating to live with and can have a big impact on your everyday life.
What causes IBS?
Nobody knows exactly what’s behind IBS, but it's been linked to things like food passing through your gut too quickly or too slowly, gastroenteritis, oversensitivity in your gut and a family history of IBS.
Symptoms are also linked with emotional factors such as stress, bereavement and other major life changes such as moving house or starting a job. While stress doesn't actually cause IBS, it can bring on an attack if you do suffer.
How does IBS work?
In a fully-functioning body, your guts work like a factory processing plant. Food gets carried along, stopping at regular intervals to be broken down and digested. Eventually, there’s nothing left but waste product, which gets dumped round the back when nobody’s looking.
IBS is an intestinal complaint that makes the whole operation go askew. The muscles that keep things moving through your system are understood to go into spasm when they've been disrupted, causing the issues you experience as symptoms.
Is IBS a disability in the UK?
IBS isn’t automatically considered a disability in the UK and a diagnosis alone isn't enough to make a long-term disability claim.
Whether it qualifies mainly depends on how your symptoms affect your ability to work. If you were looking to make a claim, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will want to know about your symptoms, their severity and frequency, and the ways in which they impair your day-to-day ability to work.
If you are considered to have a disability because of your IBS, you have the right to request a ‘reasonable adjustment'. This means your employer must take reasonable steps to make adjustments to your workplace or work arrangements to ensure you are not at a ‘substantial disadvantage’ compared to other employees. If you're in this position, you might want to seek advice or find examples of what adjustments will help you.
Some people with IBS may also be able to claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP) if they’ve:
- Had issues with daily living or getting around for three months
- Expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months
The Department for Work and Pensions will consider your eligibility for PIP, which is a benefit you can receive to support you while you’re working.
What’s the cure for IBS?
IBS cannot be cured, but it can be managed. If you think you might be suffering, start recording details of your symptoms, such as:
- What symptoms you have
- If they come and go
- How often you get them
- When you get them (for example, after eating certain foods)
- How long you've had them for
This will help your GP to make a diagnosis. If they think you have IBS, they'll talk to you about what it is, how best to manage your symptoms what the treatment options are.
How to cope with IBS
Always let your doctor make the diagnosis, as some symptoms could be a sign of other complaints. If it is IBS, here are some self-help tips:
- Try to understand your IBS. Learn to spot your triggers – keep a diary of what you’re eating, how you’re feeling and how your symptoms have been.
- Slow down. Take your time to chew food slowly and properly and try to eat calmly, not while you're rushing around
- Try probiotics (probiotic drinks are available in most supermarkets) which can help regulate your bowel. Try one for a month, and if it isn’t making much difference, try another. Different types can work for different people
- It goes without saying, but eating too much junk food or processed food isn’t good for anyone’s gut and if you have IBS, yours will be extra sensitive
How do I manage needing to poo at really bad moments?
Being open and honest about your IBS and it's impact on you can help to take the stress out of trying to manage it alone. Remember, IBS is a common conditions and it’s not your fault. It can also help to:
If you have flatmates: Make sure you have a sturdy lock on the bathroom door and keep cleaning products and air freshener and stocked up. If you don’t want housemates to know you’ve had an IBS flare, open a window and take a shower after you’ve finished. The steam and extractor should help to carry any smell away.
If you’re at work: Think about using the disabled toilet. They’re usually a fully sealed room, so you won't have to worry about sounds or smells.
If you’re out in public: Consider joining the IBS network for access to a Can’t Wait card, or buying one online for £5. This is a discrete card you can carry with you and show staff for access to their facilities. The card is widely recognised.
You can also buy a RADAR key to unlock disabled toilets around the UK. Use the changing places app to find them.
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