Customer Reviews

IBS For Dummies

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

IBS For Dummies is likely the most complete and current book about IBS that has been written to date for the non-medical reader. It covers pretty well every topic and aspect about the illness and it does it very well. The book reads easily from cover-to-cover or as a reference from chapter to chapter. This book is for sufferers or for anyone who wants to learn more about this chronic illness. Certainly well worth the read and as an addition to your personal IBS book library.

While I've found most "dummies" books to be comprehensive and objective, this one is not. Not only is it depressing (listing every food as a cause of IBS and recommending wearing adult diapers), it is also anti-Western medicine. Because the author has a doctorate of medicine and a doctorate of naturopathy, I had hoped this book would offer a well-balanced look at all avenues of treatment -- both Western and natural. Forget it. Every chapter ends with recommending a laundry list of obscure herbs and implementing her elimination diet.

More information is never a bad thing and there are better books out there. "The First Year: IBS" is a good book, as is "Irritable Bowel Syndrome & The Mind-Body/Brain-Gut Connections: 8 Steps for Living a Healthy Life with a Functional Bowel Disorder" and "The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine."

I found a lot of info in the book. It was one of the first I read on the topic of IBS. I would reccomend it as a starting point, on your journey of info collection. It is hard to say it is a great reference because every case of IBS is so individualized.

IBS is a complex ailment. The diagnosis is not always
clear because of the constellation of aggravating factors
in today's diets. Classic triggers are infection, anti-biotics,
bowel problems, genes and psychological stress.
Sometimes allergies are problematic; such as, shellfish or peanuts.
Lactose intolerance or glucose intolerance can be classic
underlying causes. Aspartame in sodas is another potential
area of investigation.

A strength of the book is that the author lists effective
strategies to isolate the disease early and provide
effective treatments to alleviate the stress. Some blood
tests may be utilized to detect lactose intolerance like
the hydrogen breath test. The IgE, IgG and IgM blood tests
may be helpful for measuring gluten intolerance.

Other factors cited by the author are high glucose levels,
high fats/cholesterol and ethyl mercury levels in vaccines.

Patients may be helped by:
o chewing food thoroughly to minimize incomplete digestion
o flax oil, whole grains and herbal teas
o peppermint oil, fennel, ginger, chammomile, anise and oregano

Helpful vitamin tonics (according to the author) are
copper, magnesium, zinc, Vitamins A,D,E and K. Bromelaine
can be an extremely helpful digestive aid. Overall, the work
is well researched. The contents would be helpful for anyone
investigating diagnostic and treatment modalities for the
underlying symptomatologies of IBS and related conditions.

If you choose to purchase and read this book, please proceed with caution! The main author, Dr. Carolyn Dean, has had serious disciplinary action taken against her by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, and is no longer licensed to practice medicine in Ontario, Canada (the state of California, however, has not taken away her license there). A google search on this subject can easily reveal a full report.

I was very disappointed - I buy Dummies books because for the most part they have helped me in the past with all sorts of problems. This book does seem to be written in earnest, and it is good to know that there are people out there who empathize with IBS sufferers. However, the thing that tipped me off to the quackery of the two authors was their unconditional support of herbs and supplements - and a little bit of internet investigation revealed the truth behind this book. I see from the amazon.com search results that Dummies has released another book on IBS by a different author - I hope that one is better.

As an IBS sufferer of alternating D and C, I found the book full of helpful information. The reason I chose to write a review was that a previous reviewer gave the book a bad review because it didn't focus on "Western Medicine" and thought the "elimination diet" wasn't a good idea. To me "Western Medicine" means throwing drugs at every problem. As a person who thinks using drugs to fix problems is a last resort, I found this book's suggestions on ways to deal with IBS informative. I'm also baffled as to why someone would think the elimination diet is a bad idea. Removing trigger foods and then slowly introducing things back one at a time to figure out what you can and cannot eat without suffering...hmm...how is that not a good idea? If you want a book to tell you what drugs to take so you can keep on eating processed foods and other crap that causes havoc in your body, don't even bother buying a book on IBS at all. If you have IBS, you have to come to terms with the fact that you are not a human garbage can when it comes to food.

Excellent book. I understand more about IBS as this book explains in detail what you can do to relieve the pain. It has the nutritional guidelines that you need to go by, so that it will not bring on an attack.
Very good book.

[...]

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (Canada) concluded that Carolyn Dean, M.D. was unfit to practice and revoked her registration certificate.

Unless I want to live inside a bubble it seems that this book is telling me EVERYTHING causes IBS-C. I tried all the ideas, the probiotics and herbs. Changed my diet. Everything the book suggested and my condition in two months went from bad to worse. I am diagnosed with type A IBS-C after many test there is no mistaking my condition for anything else. This book is a joke unless you want to spend your hard earned money on herbs and potions and diets that will land you in a hospital with malnutrion. I think this book needs to be taken lightly and read between the lines and if you are severe IBS C or B case RUN RUN FAST DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!

if you have back pain with your ibs u might have fibromyalgia please look in2 it if u do have fibro get the book what your doctor may not tell you about fibromyalgia and start the treatment it works!!!!