IBS and weight GAIN-please help

I have been diagnosed with IBS and keep putting on weight, I work out 3 times a week, don't drink or smoke, watch my diet and yet on some days I will start loosing weight and then put it back on and then some, sometimes put on a couple of pounds in a day. My gastro does not have any answers-could it be just toxins in my stomach that are causing the weight gain, should I try colonic irrigation or detox-very confused never had problem loosing weight before I got IBS, have now put on about 20 pds. I am taking Colofac MR (mebeverine hydrocloride) for IBS

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Hello - thanks for asking your question.

Fluctuating weight is a possible symptom of IBS. Patients with IBS also frequently complain of abdominal bloating and increased gas production in the form of flatulence or belching. However, these symptoms occur despite normal volumes of gas in the gastrointestinal tract and no significant increase in colonic distension.

However, an acute weight gain of 20 lbs is significant, and other causes of this should be sought before attributing it to IBS.  You may want to discuss the following causes of weight gain with your personal physician: diabetes, depression, kidney failure, hypothyroidism, smoking cessation, or Cushing syndrome to name a few.  

A reasonable next step would be a screen for other causes (i.e. diabetes, thyroid or kidney dysfunction) to make sure it isn't the cause of the weight gain.  

I also looked up the medication you were taking - weight gain does not appear to be a side effect.

I strongly suggest continued followup with your personal physician.

I stress that this answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.

[wishingyouwell]

I GRB ,I ALSO HAVEIBS AND I HAVE DIVERTICULITIS DISEASE WHICH THEY HAVE ALREADY  PERFORMED ONE SURGERY FOR (MAY HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ,NOT SURE AT THIS POINT) ,WEIGHT GAIN OF THAT AMOUNT WAS NEVER A PROB ,BUT ALSO YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IBS IS USED TO OFTEN WHEN DOCTORS CAN NOT SEEM TO FIGURE OUT THE PROB,IN DOING SO MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS ARE MISSED,THYROID DISORDER COULD BE THE CAUSE OR FLUID RETENTION.YOU NEED TO STRESS TO YOUR DOCTOR TO RECOMEND A GOOD GASTRO SPECIALEST SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME TEST RAN. THE FIRST THREE I WOULD RECOMEND WOULD BE  THYROID SCAN WITH CONTRAST TO RULE OUT THYROID DISEASE,COLONOSCOPY ,AND UPPER SCOPE TO RULE OUT ANY SERIOUS DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS .THE COLONOSCOPY COVERS ALL OF THE LOWER DIGESTIVE SYSTEM THEY MAY SUGEST BARIUM ENEMA BUT IT IS SIMPLY A CHEAP VERSION OF THE COLONOSCOPY AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO MISS MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS (IT DID WITH ME!!!!) HAVE YOU BEEN HAVING PAIN IN THE  LOWER LEFT OR RIGHT CLOSE TO PELVIC AREA, CONSTIPATION ,DIARRHEA,BLEEDING ,WHAT FILLS LIKE CONTRACTIONS IN YOUR STOMACH,RECTAL BLEEDING,PASSING BLOOD WITH STOOL,UPPER GASTRAL DISCOMFORT(PAIN OR BLOATING),GERD LIKE SYMPTOMS(CONSTANT HEART BURN),CONSTANT BACK PAIN ,ETC.?????REPLY BACK WITH THE ANSWERS TO THIS AND I MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON . GOD BLESS WISHING YOU WELL

[roxnsox]

I would also ask the doctor to do an abdominal scan to check your liver for fatty infiltration.  I was told years ago that I had IBS.  But like the other person said---the doctors like to say you have IBS when they can't figure out what your real problem is.  It is hard for a good doctor to keep up with all of the research and the changes that take place in the medical field.  It took me years and years to find out that I have a liver problem (NASH) and I am pre-diabetic (insulin resistant).  I have been tested extensively at the National Institute for Health.  I also have hypothyroidism.  
   Having your thyroid checked is a good idea.  The doctor can give a prescription for that and it isn't even expensive.

[karrie2020]

roxnsox:

Your story is IDENTICAL TO MINE~

I have hypothyroid that took YEARS to diagnose (check thyroid for antibodies is very important, NOT just the standard TSH TEST) that most drs. order!!)
Also have NASH...(still dont know what to do about that)
Any suggestions would be appreciated.