Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a collection of symptoms, the most common of which is abdominal pain. Symptoms can include:

• Cramping
• Bloating
• Gas
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Mucus in the stool

IBS is not considered a disease, but rather a disorder, meaning a malfunction of part of the body - the bowel. The bowel, or the colon, is that part of the digestive system whose function is to store stool.

Emotional stress often makes the symptoms worse, although stress does not cause IBS. The syndrome does not cause permanent damage to the digestive tract as more serious conditions do such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Only about half of patients with IBS visit the doctor for advice on the disorder. However, it is important to see the doctor to rule out other, more serious problems such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and colon cancer.

Accutane and Bowel Diseases

No direct link has been established between Accutane® (isotretinoin) and irritable bowel syndrome. The label that used to accompany the medication, when it was on the market, does warn Accutane users of more serious abdominal conditions or diseases of the intestinal tract, including:

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Hepatitis
• Pancreatitis
• Bleeding and inflammation of the gums
• Colitis
• Esophagitis/esophageal ulceration
• Ileitis, nausea

What Causes IBS?

The specific causes of IBS are unknown. Sometimes if the intestines push food through the tract too quickly and strongly, gas, bloating and pain can result. At other times, food moving too slowly through the intestinal tract can cause symptoms.

Certain foods, such as milk products, caffeine and sorbitol (artificial sweetener) can set off a flare up of IBS. Stress, though not a cause of IBS, is known to aggravate the disorder when it is already present. Since two times as many women as men have IBS, hormones are thought to have some effect on IBS. At times, another illness, such as gastroenteritis (infectious diarrhea), can prompt an episode of IBS.

Although no direct link has been established between Accutane, a direct cause and effect has been found to cause other, serious intestinal diseases. If you are experiencing any of these more serious illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, or Crohn’s disease and you have taken Accutane in the past, you may want to consult an Accutane lawyer to consider your options.

Contact us for a free initial consultation with an experienced Accutane recall lawyer.