The cost of getting a diagnosis of Irritable bowel syndrome IBS

Simply attempting to get a diagnosis for IBS or other digestive issues can be expensive.  Researchers found that doctors may prescribe tests including lab tests like thyroid and liver function; C-reactive protein, or CRP; erythrocyte sedimentation rate, or ESR; celiac panel; and complete blood count, or CBC. Procedures included endoscopy, hydrogen breath test, and abdominal or pelvic tomography (CT) scans. Researchers found that blood tests were performed in 49 percent of people diagnosed with IBS, while nearly half had imaging and endoscopic procedures performed. Nearly one in five, or 18 percent, had a sigmoidoscopy. Researchers found that IBS was the reason for 3.5 million doctor visits, even though a minority (between 10 and 25 percent) of people with IBS sought medical treatment for their symptoms. Another study found that the direct and indirect costs of IBS was $20 billion a year.

Is there a blood test for Irritable bowel syndrome?

There is still no definitive test for IBS. But here’s something cool: a new company has developed a blood test that claims to help determine whether you have it. Researchers found that people with two types of IBS (IBS-D and IBS-M) have elevated levels of two antibodies – anti-CdtB and anti-vinculin – in their blood. The reverse seems to be true as well – if you have elevated levels of these antibodies, you’ve got one of those types of IBS.

According to the company that developed it, the ibs-smart test determines how much of these two antibodies are in your blood, and estimates the likelihood of having IBS-D or IBS-M. it may be too early to ascertain how accurate this test is, but it’s a sign that doctors are looking for a definitive test (finally!) for this condition. Talk to your doctor if you want to know more about this test.

To help support your digestive health, you can try and grab USANA’s MySmart™ Fibergy® Plus supplement to get some extra fiber booster to your body.