What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic noninflammatory disease characterized by abdominal pain, altered bowel habits consisting of diarrhea or constipation or both, and no detectable pathologic change in the intestinal tissue.

How do members experience irritable bowel syndrome?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with irritable bowel syndrome*

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Common symptom
Fatigue
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Vitamin B Complex Rest Amphetamine-Dextroamphetamine
Common symptom
Pain
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Tramadol Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen Ibuprofen
Common symptom
Stress
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Listen to Music Aromatherapy Massage Therapy
Common symptom
Stomach discomfort
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Omeprazole Dexlansoprazole Gastric bypass repair
Common symptom
Stomach cramps
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Nothing reported yet

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for irritable bowel syndrome*

Treatment
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment

(Bentyl)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
731
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (15)
Treatment

(Questran)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
150
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment

(Imodium)
Type
Over the Counter Drug
How many have tried
1,041
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment

(Levsin)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
391
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)
Treatment

(Generlac)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
269
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)

*Data from patients with irritable bowel syndrome, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with irritable bowel syndrome*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Bentyl)
Perceived effectiveness
for irritable bowel syndrome (4 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (15)
Treatment

(Questran)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment

(Imodium)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment

(Levsin)
Perceived effectiveness
for irritable bowel syndrome (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)
Treatment

(Generlac)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)

*Data from patients with irritable bowel syndrome, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has irritable bowel syndrome on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 29
20s 399
30s 1,156
40s 1,774
50s 2,262
60s 1,983
70+ 993

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 1,134
Female 7,393

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What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic noninflammatory disease characterized by abdominal pain, altered bowel habits consisting of diarrhea or constipation or both, and no detectable pathologic change in the intestinal tissue.



Common symptoms reported by people with irritable bowel syndrome

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Common symptom
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Vitamin B Complex Rest Amphetamine-Dextroamphetamine
Common symptom
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Tramadol Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen Ibuprofen
Common symptom
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Listen to Music Aromatherapy Massage Therapy
Common symptom
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Omeprazole Dexlansoprazole Gastric bypass repair
Common symptom
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Nothing reported yet
Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for irritable bowel syndrome

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Bentyl)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
731
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (15)
Treatment name(s)

(Questran)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
150
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment name(s)

(Imodium)
Type
Over the Counter Drug
How many have tried
1,041
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment name(s)

(Levsin)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
391
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)
Treatment name(s)

(Generlac)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
269
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)
Data from patients with irritable bowel syndrome, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with irritable bowel syndrome

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Bentyl)
Perceived effectiveness
for irritable bowel syndrome (4 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (15)
Treatment name(s)

(Questran)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment name(s)

(Imodium)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (3)
Treatment name(s)

(Levsin)
Perceived effectiveness
for irritable bowel syndrome (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)
Treatment name(s)

(Generlac)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
irritable bowel syndrome (2)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None
Data from patients with irritable bowel syndrome, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has irritable bowel syndrome on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 26 new patients joined this month
  • 2,047 say IBS is their primary condition
Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 29
20s 399
30s 1,156
40s 1,774
50s 2,262
60s 1,983
70+ 993
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 1,325
20-29 years 1,043
30-39 years 849
40-49 years 491
50-59 years 203
60-69 years 35
70+ years 10

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 1,134
Female 7,393
Types
Condition Types Proportion # of patients
IBS-C (constipation predominant) 311
IBS-D (diarrhea predominant) 372
IBS-M (mixed diarrhea and constipation) 427
IBS-U (unsubtyped) 64
Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 4,634
Not Diagnosed 475
These charts show data from IBS patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: