06/25/2026
“Your bloating, constipation, or diarrhea is just IBS.”
I hear this from patients almost every day.
Here’s the problem: IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is a syndrome—a collection of symptoms. It describes what is happening, but not necessarily why.
For many people, hearing “it’s IBS” becomes the end of the investigation, when it should really be the beginning.
When I first started practicing, I did a lot of food sensitivity testing. While certain foods can make symptoms worse, I eventually realized they’re often a consequence of an unhealthy gut—not the root cause.
Instead, I ask why isn’t the gut functioning normally?
Possible contributors include:
• Low stomach acid
• Poor bile production or bile flow
• A history of antibiotic use
• Chronic stress affecting the gut-brain axis
• Changes in the gut microbiome, including bacterial overgrowth, yeast overgrowth, or—depending on risk factors—parasites
🚩 Before assuming IBS, it’s also important to rule out conditions that require different treatment. Red flags include:
• Blood or persistent mucus in the stool
• Unintentional weight loss
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Diarrhea that wakes you at night
• Fever
• A family history of IBD or colorectal cancer
• Symptoms starting later in life
I also recommend ruling out celiac disease, and if symptoms or red flags are present, stool testing (including inflammatory markers like f***l calprotectin) may help determine whether inflammatory bowel disease should be investigated.
You deserve more than “it’s just IBS.”
You deserve to understand why your gut isn’t working the way it should.
🤎 Dr. Fox
Educational only. This is not individual medical advice.
