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IBS Caused by Medication and My Genetics

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By judymwol

2 min read

As an adult, I ate nutritiously, exercised regularly, maintained a healthy weight, had no health issues except for an occasional cold until I became postmenopausal at which point my doctor prescribed a medication to lower my blood pressure. That’s when my IBS issues began and included diarrhea (increasing to 20 times per day), bloating, dehydration, hypokalemia, acute renal failure, nausea and gastroparesis. Over a 12 year span, I had a variety of blood tests, 3 ultrasounds, 3 colonoscopies with biopsies, and 3 endoscopies with biopsies. I had lots of doctor visits, as well as visits to urgent care and the emergency room as well as a hospitalization. I was diagnosed with the intestinal virus, IBS, microscopic colitis, and gastroparesis.

IBS resulting from medication and abnormal genes

I was prescribed a barrage of drugs often resulting in vomiting after taking just one tablet. I refused the steroids 2 doctors had tried to prescribe for me. I tried discussing the possibility that my genetic makeup wasn’t able to process the BP med with the doctors and they looked at me like I was an idiot. I even asked one GI specialist about ordering a pharmacogenomic DNA test and he said no way. So, I convinced my family doctor to order the test and was thrilled with my results. The BP med is metabolized by two Cytochrome P450 genes. In my case, one of those genes (CYP 3A4) is normal but because I inherited 2 nonfunctional alleles from my parents, 1 from my mom and 1 from my dad, for the other gene (CYP 3A5) simply doesn’t work and cannot metabolize the medication.

As a result the drug builds up in my system causing adverse reactions. My IBS was cured when I stopped taking my BP medication. Amazingly, even though I wasn’t able to exercise much throughout this ordeal and actually am now about 20 pounds over ideal weight for my height, my blood pressure is averaging 117/75 which is lower then it was on BP medication. So, while I am not a doctor, if you have IBS and are taking any medications you may want to consider having a pharmacogenomic DNA test.

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