Eating more fiber-rich foods relieved abdominal pain and bloating for one out of four ISS sufferers in a recent University of Pittsburgh study. Even better: When the rest added the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil), another two out of three reported that their discomfort faded away (Amer. Jour. of Gastroenterology, Sept 2002).
“Start by adding at least 25 g of fiber and six glasses of water a day. IBS is a problem that waxes and wanes. So bear with it for 6 weeks,” says researcher George L Arnold, MD. Still uncomfortable? Keep up the fiber, and ask your doctor about paroxetine.
This drug, which is gaining attention as a promising IBS treatment, boosts the levels of serotonin available to nerve cells throughout the body (not just in your brain). “Serotonin acts on the nerves in the gastrointestinal tract to cut some of the pain and spasms and restore more normal contractions,” Dr. Arnold says.
