You may consider getting your adrenal glands evaluated. Increased levels of adrenaline or noradrenaline can cause irritable bowels (due to anxiety). Also, diet plays an important part. If you are not eating a healthy diet and exercising properly that can cause bowel problems. Usually it causes constipation, but can also cause IBS symptoms. It is suggested to clean your bowels (metamucil is a good start) so that any impaction can be loosened and inflammation reduced. You may also consider removing certain foods from your diet and seeing if they effect you at all, as your IBS may be due to a food allergy.

Good Luck

Antonio Marotta, D.C.

Don't let the doctor tell you it's all psychological. That will exacerbate your symptoms, but not cause them. (Stress is usually doctor code for "I don't know") Are you going to your regular doctor or a gastroenterologist? If you aren't seeing a specialist, you may want to look into it. Also, did your doctor test you for a bunch of other things before you got the IBS diagnosis? If not, go to another doctor. IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other things need to be excluded before you can say it's IBS.

As for IBS, food sensitivities can be really critical for some people. I would recommend keeping a food diary and note what you ate around the time you notice symptoms. Caffeine and alcohol can really aggravate IBS, as well, so you may want to try to limit those.

Some people have also had success with probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are "friendly" bacteria that can live in your intestines and help you digest food. Yogurt is a good source, but if you go to your local health or natural food store, you will see tablets and yogurts that contain high doses of these bacteria. Just make sure not to mix too many types of bacteria. Sometimes they don't get along and can cause problems, if you know what I mean....

Prebiotics are foods that feed the friendly bacteria. They are usually carbohydrates that contain soluble fiber, such a soybeans, garbanzo beans, and unrefined grains.

The research is still inconclusive about the effectiveness of probiotics, but they do work for some people. The theory behind it is to use the bacteria to help you digest food and to balance your digestive system over all. You can do some research into the topic and see what you think. There is no real harm in trying it, except for the time and money (which shouldn't be very much).

I hope you find something that works for you.

My husband was diagnosed with IBS a couple of years ago. He went to a gastroenterologist who did a colonoscopy and gastroscopy, finding nothing wrong with him. He was referred to a dietician who decided it was all down to stress. But now, he is now completely cured. Not thanks to the doctors but to homoepaths, allergy testing (with a vega machine) which doctors don't even believes works, hypnotherapy for his stress and diet.
For him personally, too much saturated fat and wheat was his problem. Also, if he has too much insoluble fibre, this will cause an episode, so only has a small about of veg with his dinner. The thing to remember is, you can't get better over night. Your intestines have become sore and need to heal, which could take 6 months to a year. The most amazing natural remedy my husband took was Slippery elm. It's the old fashioned gruel. Doesn't taste great but it can be a miraculous cure for IBS. Used by the American Indians for all sorts of ailments hundreds of years ago. It works by coating the digestive tract preventing too much acid from aggravating the intestinal walls.
Beware of eating too much acidic foods like oranges and other acidic fruits, saturated fats etc. When you have IBS, the worse thing you can do is eat what most people perseive is a healthy diet - ie plenty of fruit and veg.
Visit Heathers IBS website, that's very informative for natural remedies.
Obviously, the foods that upset my husband won't necessarily be the ones that upset you.
Generally, you know within half an hour if something you've eaten doesn't agree. Listen to your body but don't become obsessed with it as this will cause more stress - hence more acid. Good Luck.

Thank you all for your help - no I did not see a specialist, just my regular doctor...I am so not a big fan of tests...no offense to any doctors.
I have done my research I have looked up on the web, checked out books at my library, and watched a dvd on it from the Mayo Clinic (I live in Minnesota). I know that most doctors don't know the real reason behind the causes of IBS - because it is so hard to diagnose. I know that the pain won't go away instantly - I just need something to help me tolerate the pain a little more. Somedays the pain is very tolerable and others the pain is so bad that I am laying in my bed not wanting to move a muscle. Now since you all had really good replies I am going to ask you all something that I posted on another subject and got no reply.
As I was watching the dvd, it said that some probable causes for IBS could be being a twin and having gastroenteritis before being diagnosed. I would truly like to know if that is true - because I am a twin (no kidding there) and before I was diagnosed I had gastroenteritis last march. So if any of you have an answer to that one or have more replies to the alternative treatments I am all ears. And when I see my doctor on the first of June I will gladly let her know...thanks.

Yeah, the tests aren't great, but they are necessary to eliminate the other possible causes of your problem. You may not have IBS. It might be something else, something more treatable. If you looked at the Mayo clinic's website, you'll see that they say the same thing. Your regular doctor jumped on IBS because the symptoms fit and because it's a "fad" diagnosis right now. She's not a specialist and doesn't know all the other issues that could cause your problem and so doesn't know how to eliminate them as possibilities.

I also forgot to say earlier that some people have had luck with acupuncture, as well. They say it relieves the pain and can calm the cramping and other symptoms. If you choose to go with this, make sure the acupuncturist is someone who has really studied acupuncture and has used it (with success) for your problem. In other words, make sure he or she isn't just some hack with needles and a CD of Chinese music.

I don't know about the twin thing (are you sure they weren't talking about twin studies that they did?), but you could do a search for gastroenteritis and IBS. You may find some journal articles or research into it.

Good luck.

Nope, they weren't talking about twin studies - I watched it twice to make sure that I understood it all before I returned it back to the library. I have googled gastroenteritis and IBS - some sites say it is possible.
And thank you all for your replies more are appreciative.

I was diagnosed with IBS many years ago and tried everything possible to make my stomach feel normal. About a month ago I decided to do yoga and learned some exercises that have really helped my IBS symptoms. I also try to stay away from acidic foods and caffeine. Some sauces like red sauce is a killer with IBS. I hope this helps.

Thank you Wendyrs - you are the first person to even mention the stomach. Since I have to see a friend in jail right after I eat dinner I am out of the house and my stomach feels like crap. I have nausea and when I walk to the jail (I am within walking distance - which is not bad exercise), and I have to focus on trying to get the immense abdominal pain under control - it gets better usually after I visit my friend and I am on the walk home.

Hi gayle, heres something that might be able to help you.google, vital functions of salt in the body, alkalizing diets, search for correct hydration proceedures etc & go to the educational site ithyroid.com & really search through everything I believe this will help you to treat this & regain your health. If i can be of any help then reply here or click my "behind the 8 ball picture" & send a message.
I'm more than happy to help you.

You could try using aloe vera gel capsules. Aloe vera is known for its soothing of inflammations of the digestive tract and could help IBS.