What symptoms suggest a disease other than irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Doctors must evaluate your condition carefully to uncover "red flags" that could signal the presence of a disease or disorder that may masquerade as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). When red flags are present, your doctor will probably need to order specialized tests. The most common red flags are:• If your symptoms began later in life, especially after the age of 50.

Most people with functional gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms have had them earlier in life. If you develop new symptoms after age 50, it is particularly important to check for other diseases and disorders that might require completely different treatment. • If your symptoms steadily and progressively get worse.

• If you have a change in the pattern of your symptoms, or new symptoms develop after a long period of time without symptoms. • If you are frequently awakened at night by your symptoms. GI symptoms do not usually awaken people from sleep.

• If your symptoms developed shortly after you have been on antibiotics. • If you have a fever with your symptoms. • If you have unexplained weight loss.

• If you have rectal bleeding. • If you have fat in your stools (steatorrhea). Oil droplets in the commode can be a sign of abnormal fat in the stool.

• If you are dehydrated. • If you have an abnormal blood test (like anemia) or abnormal findings on physical examination like a lump or mass in the abdomen. • If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or celiac sprue.

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