Symptoms That IBS Patients Should Report to Their Healthcare Provider Immediately

Remember the old joke: just because you are paranoid doesn't mean that people aren't talking about you? We can apply this same logic to your digestive system. Just because you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) doesn't mean that you couldn't also have something else wrong with you.

Given the chronic and persistent nature of your IBS symptoms, it can be difficult to decide what you need to tell your healthcare provider about. Here is a guide to symptoms that are not typical of IBS and thus may require further medical investigation.

1

Rectal Bleeding

woman reaching for toilet paper

Brook Rieman / Getty Images

Any signs of bleeding from the rectum should be immediately reported to your healthcare provider. Signs of rectal bleeding, include blood on your toilet paper and stools that is bright red, dark red, black or tar colored. Also be on alert for stool color changes.

2

Significant Weight Loss

Limiting food on a plate

lacaosa / Getty Images

Sometimes IBS patients experience weight loss because they avoid foods for fear of setting off symptoms.

As in a change in appetite, significant and unexplained weight loss would be a cause for concern and should be brought to the attention of your healthcare provider.

3

Vomiting

A man vomiting
Tom Merton/Getty Images

Although it is common for IBS patients to experience feelings of nausea, vomiting is not a typical symptom of IBS. Many mild illnesses cause some temporary bouts of vomiting.

Call your healthcare provider immediately if your vomiting continues for longer than two days or if the vomiting is accompanied by any unusual symptoms, such as extreme head or abdominal pain.

4

Anemia

lllustration of anemia

Meletios Verras / Getty Images

Anemia is diagnosed when a person's level of healthy red blood cells is abnormally low. Anemia can be caused by a wide variety of health problems, and so you would need to work with your healthcare provider to determine what is causing your low red blood cell count.

Usually, it will be your healthcare provider who notifies you of this problem when it turns up on a routine blood test. But if you are told you are anemic when you are deferred from donating blood, see a medical professional.

5

Lack of Appetite

man at desk not hungry for noodles

PeopleImages / Getty Images 

Experiencing severe IBS symptoms can certainly change a person's relationship with food, as it is easy to blame specific foods for causing digestive distress.

Similarly, experiencing feelings of nausea might temporarily suppress appetite. A significant and persistent change in appetite, however, is not typical of IBS and could be indicative of a different health problem.

6

Abdominal Pain and Cramping During the Night

Man holding his stomach in bed

Wavebreakmedia / Getty Images

People with IBS may experience abdominal pain and stomach cramps during the night but usually when they have already awakened.

The experience of severe pain that wakes a person from sleep is not typical of IBS. If you are unsure about the nature of your nighttime cramping, discuss it with your healthcare provider.

7

Fever

woman in bed with fever

 Terry Doyle / Getty Images

Fever is not a symptom of IBS and indicates the presence of infection. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience a temperature reading of more than 102 F or if you have a fever that lasts for longer than three days.

Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any significant and unusual symptoms along with your fever, such as a severe headache, skin rash, stiff neck, persistent vomiting, difficulty breathing, and pain when urinating. If in doubt, call a medical professional.

8

Abrupt Change in Symptoms

Woman on couch

Moyo Studio / Getty Images 

An IBS patient may find that his or her predominant symptom changes from diarrhea to constipation or vice versa over the course of time or even over the course of days.

Before self-diagnosing, if you experience any sudden or significant change in symptoms, make sure to let your healthcare provider know.

9

Onset of Symptoms After Age 50

Midsection Of Senior Woman Suffering From Stomachache

Michael Heim / Getty Images

It is not unheard of to develop IBS after the age of 50. The reason why late onset is on this list is that the risk of colon cancer increases with age.

Therefore, the onset of disruptive digestive symptoms after the age of 50 would necessitate a more aggressive diagnostic approach to rule out the presence of colon cancer.

7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Saha L. Irritable bowel syndrome: pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and evidence-based medicine. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6759-73. doi:10.3748/wjg.v20.i22.6759

  2. Werlang ME, Palmer WC, Lacy BE. Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Dietary Interventions. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2019;15(1):16-26.

  3. Mayer EA. Clinical practice. Irritable bowel syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2008;358(16):1692-9. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp0801447

  4. Johnson-wimbley TD, Graham DY. Diagnosis and management of iron deficiency anemia in the 21st century. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2011;4(3):177-84. doi:10.1177/1756283X11398736

  5. Pilgrim AL, Robinson SM, Sayer AA, Roberts HC. An overview of appetite decline in older people. Nurs Older People. 2015;27(5):29-35. doi:10.7748/nop.27.5.29.e697

  6. Khanijow V, Prakash P, Emsellem HA, Borum ML, Doman DB. Sleep Dysfunction and Gastrointestinal Diseases. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(12):817-25.

  7. Canavan C, West J, Card T. The epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome. Clin Epidemiol. 2014;6:71-80. doi:10.2147/CLEP.S40245

Barbara Bolen, PhD

By Barbara Bolen, PhD
Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome.