UC and IBS

Absolutely - and it is not easy to tell which is causing the problems at any given time.  Here is the link I posted about my specialist (whom I will see first time on June 18) treating IBS and IBD.  Check it out.  I am anxious to get his consultation...

http://vid.imedex.com/pdf/5477/macdermott.pdf

ElaineNY

Albany Medical Center - Albany, New York.  I live about 150 miles from there.  My doctor referred me to him as I have been trying to get into remission for a year and have so many problems with medications.  I am supposed to get the handout that he gives out and hope to tell you all more about what I find out.

ElaineNY

I am sure I have both, and I suspect that a large percentage of IBDers also have IBS even though tons of IBSers obviously do not have and will never have IBD. No need to ever get diagnosed with IBS though if one already has an IBD diagnosis- after all, IBS is what I call a "garbage can" diagnosis- what docs use to supply a diagnosis, for insurance and patient satisfaction purposes, to describe symptoms that resemble those from inflammatory conditions in the bowel but which do not appear to have any inflammatory cause. Still, both IBD and IBS do have one thing in common- gut ecology that is very different from a normally functioning healthy gut.

My doctor has told me I have both, but I look at it more as a continuum of digestive disease than separate conditions. In my experience, the things that work to heal UC also work to resolve IBS.