News and Features Related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

1. FDA OKs Constipation Drug for IBS
   

   April 30, 2008 -- The FDA has approved the use of the constipation drug Amitiza to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) in women aged 18 and older. Amitiza is the first FDA-approved prescription drug therapy for IBS-C. But it isn't a new drug. The FDA approved Amitiza in 2006 to

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2. IBS Drug Zelnorm OK'd for Some
   

   July 27, 2007 -- The irritable bowel syndrome drug Zelnorm, which was taken off the U.S. market earlier this year, will be allowed for some patients under tight restrictions, the FDA announced today. On March 30, the FDA asked Novartis, Zelnorm's maker, to suspend Zelnorm's U.S. marketing and sales

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3. Is That Stomach Pain All in Your Head?
   

   By Sharon Boone Cut stress and that irritable bowel may disappear. When bathroom issues put a cramp in your life, the most effective treatment may target both your gut and your mood. A Boston University study found that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were 40 percent more likely than thos

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4. Combination of Therapies Offers Help for IBS
   

   If you -- like more than 50 million Americans -- suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you know all too well the symptoms of the disorder: abdominal bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhea, and/or constipation. IBS is a functional disorder one which has no anatomical or structural abnormalities. While

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5. IBS Drug Zelnorm Taken Off U.S. Market
   

   March 30, 2007 -- A popular drug for irritable bowel syndrome and constipation was pulled from the U.S. market Friday amid new evidence that it raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Novartis, the manufacturer of Zelnorm, confirmed that Food and Drug Administration officials asked for the dru

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6. Anxiety During Illness May Trigger IBS
   

   Feb. 26, 2007 -- People who are overly anxious or refuse to slow down during a bout of food poisoning or other infection-related gastrointestinal illness may be prone to developing irritable bowel syndrome, according to a new study. The findings reinforce the view that emotional factors like stress

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7. Antibiotic May Aid Irritable Bowel
   

   Oct. 16, 2006 -- Ten days' treatment with the antibiotic Xifaxan reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a small clinical trial suggests. IBS is a condition of the intestinal tract that causes symptoms of bloating, gas, abdominal cramping, diarrhea , and constipation . Xifaxan, now appro

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8. Irritable Bowel, Pain Syndromes Linked
   

   Sept. 28, 2006 -- Doctors have long suspected a link between irritable bowel syndrome, pain syndromes, and depression. New data now strongly support this theory. The findings come from data on 97,593 people with irritable bowel syndrome enrolled in a large U.S. health plan from 1996 to 2002. J. Alex

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9. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Many False Fears
   

   Oct. 31, 2005 -- New research shows that many people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) mistakenly think that IBS can lead to digestive diseases including colon cancer. IBS hasn't been shown to lead to any serious diseases, including cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Som

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10. Exercise Cuts Irritable Bowel, Other Gut Woes
    

    Oct. 3, 2005 -- Obese people have fewer symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and less gut pain if they exercise, researchers report. It shows that a healthy lifestyle is an important part of overcoming abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other intestinal woes, says Rona L. Levy, PhD, of the University of

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