Is there a test/blood test that specifically diagnoses Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

I don't want any assumptions or guesses that that is what I have going on. I want PROOF, concrete test results that say YES, you have IBS! Is there such thing, or is it just a subjective judgement call guess.

I just don't like treating what "could" be going on. I need evidence that states it IS textbook IBS---like bloodwork, etc.

Actually, although there isn't a blood test, there are signs and symptoms of the disease.

Stools: soft and very large with pain, loose water stools or hard stools.
Emotional outbursts- these usually occur leading up to a bowel movement.
Pain in the abdomen, depression.

Monitor your eating and bowel movements and emotions.

if you have IBS there will be the same pattern, but as irregular as your bowel movements.

IBS has affected my son. He was misdiagnosed with depression and mania. He was given all sorts of antidepressants and mood stabilizers, but they all made it even worse!

I took him off of all medications (zoloft was the worst!) and monitored what he ate, his mood and bowel movements.

Foods high in saturated fat and still haven't found out what ingredient is in Skittles, but assume to much sugar. Could be the dye. who knows, but what I do know is fact.

Cutting out those foods and allowing him to eat them every great now and then sure helped. He still would have issues however, so I took him to see a gastrointerologist and he prescribed something that looked like metamucil. (Polyethylene Glycol?) not sure of the spelling. He consumed that every morning with juice for 3 months and since then he's been excellent!

(bm's- by huge I mean bigger than what the opening of the toilet was....now think of that coming out of a very tight closed space....extremely painful!) he had the soft, huge stools. he would begin acting act and then would have an explosion of emotions and then a bowel movement and would be fine for a few days.

And unfortunately, there is not a test to measure the serretonin in the gut- the lack of serretonin in the gut is what helps cause IBS. The serretonin in the gut is responsible for the part of the brain to tell someone to use the restroom AND is responsible for regulating mood.

if it is IBS, I would rather see you on Polyethylene glycol 3350 than ANY mind altering medication! I would not want to see you or anyone else go through what my son went through. they thought he had ADHD, but it was IBS! take the medication if it is prescribed- it is like metamucil but different. Report It

No, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cannot be diagnose by a simple blood test.

The diagnosis of IBD is based on a combination of exams: endoscopic (different types of scopes), radiologic (x-rays) and histologic (blood and tissue) tests.

Your doctor may request routine blood tests, such as a CBC (complete blood count), which help detect infection and anemia, as well as monitor for side effects of certain IBD medications. An electrolyte panel measures potassium and other minerals that can be depleted in IBD-associated diarrhea. (A low iron or vitamin B12 level can lead to anemia and may indicate decreased absorption from Crohn's disease that affects the small intestine.)

no blood test. It is determined by following your stomach and bowel symptoms, diarrhea, and/or constipation, as diagnosed by a doctor.

Unfortunatel no. IBS is what the Dr diagnose you with when they cant find the cause of why you are getting ill.

Hello , my name is Danielle.The only fool proof way to be certain is by a procedure called a Colonoscopy. This is the most effective form used in diagnosing any Issues regarding the bowels / intestinal trac. Many Doctors can make a determination based on a series of questions . Often thy will prescribe meds. to help control it , along with a change of diet. They are not without risks. I was on Zelnorm for 1 1/2 years, and it's since been recalled due to some very serious side effects for many .What you eat is a huge contributor , also important to all good health is a reduction of stress , by excercise and not focusing / worrying all the time about things we cannot control anyways. I had it for many years. I'm happy to say * on that note I am nearly 99% free of it today. I'm not sure how old you are , but a colonoscpy would be to your advantage. O.K. ...admittiedly , it's no picnic, but it can rule out any other serious contributors and put your mind at ease. I f you are diagnoised with it. Be proactive to your own health ! reccomend that you seek an all natural alternative, (as I did) and speak to a very educated person of this field. I also recommend a book called ,"Living with IBS". It's extremeley helpful and easy to comprehend.It gives an explanation to what causes it , to what to eat ,providing a healthy an manageable alternative to drugs. It will cover how to reduce your stress level , and better understand what our bodies are trying to telling us.When you have a Colonoscopy they can see any abnormalities , and biopsy a small peice of the intestinal trac (such as any polyps). Good luck to you.Knowledge is power! P.S. Look up the best health food store in your area. Often the small independant ones are the best. Owner operated , they typically are passionate about what they know/do , and take it seriously .You can also read Nutritional Foods that Heal .

I have Crohn's disease and for the longest time they thought I had IBS. They took my blood several times. Basically, they can rule out allergens, such as wheat, and other things, such as cancer (I'm glad I was fine on that one.)

No, the blood test is not CONCRETE. As a matter a fact, the disease IBS in general isn't even concrete itself. It is simply a matter of explaining a general condition in which the colon (or small intestine) pretty much, for lack of a better term, spazzes out.

I was hesitant about a colonoscopy so I had them first try out drugs for IBS. It was a no go so they gave me drugs for colitis. That helped a little, then I had my colonoscopy. It showed positive for Crohn's and I've been on a little stronger medicine ever since.

I believe they can test to a fairly certain degree through a colonoscopy, but here's what you can do. Ask your doctor for pills for IBS. If it fixes it it fixes it, no questions asked, just keep taking it and don't question it. Blood work could suggest IBS, but is not concrete, sorry. Colonoscopy is scary (As with any invasive procedure that puts things where they shouldn't go) but it should help diagnose, and also see if there is something else going on, such as inflammation or ulcers.

Sorry there is no definitive, but the problem lies in the disease itself. It is a relatively newer disease on the diagnosing list, so not everything about it is understood. When my diagnosis changed from IBS to Crohn's I was kinda happy, but then I found out they knew little about Crohn's as well haha...

Once again, sorry about your situation, I know exactly how you feel. I spent six months of testing, two CAT scans, three times in the hospital, and various trips to the doctor for various allergin tests, blood tests, etc. before I finally was diagnosed. Even still, they aren't 100% sure.

My advice, if you have general problems of IBS and the pills help, it's just best to not worry. Learn to live a stress free life (if possible). Make a food journal - this should have EVERYTHING you eat, at what times, when you have your BM's, describing BM's, stress levels, everything. Keep it for a month or so. Trust me, that journal is your best bet at identifying what your triggers are. I realized I have a very low tolerance for lettuce, bacon, spices + peppers, and unfortunately, alcohol. It varies person to person.

Good luck with your colon, I understand exactly where your at. Sorry no definitive answer exists, but as I said, if it works it works. Keep the food journal, watch your stress, exercise regularly, and always have a mental note of every bathroom near you for emergencies.

PS - I have two medications for Crohns, one daily and one for flare ups. Because of the nature and quickness of IBS, I'm not sure if a pill for flare ups exists, but talk to your doc about it. If one does exist it could help you get past those rough days when you cheated on your diet :)