If you’ve been told you might have IBS, it can be helpful to allow you to start managing symptoms, but a diagnosis isn’t everything. And nowadays, there’s more categories within IBS that mean you should be following advice for your specific symptoms. 

When people get an IBS diagnosis, a lot of them walk away feeling a bit miffed — and still wondering how to know if you actually have IBS. Because sometimes in the past IBS diagnosis can used as a “catch all” for symptoms that don’t fit other diagnoses, or when they've been ruled out. 

“Something’s not quite right with your gut” can lead to an IBS diagnosis, without much clarity on what to do next. 

So part of the confusion comes from people thinking that IBS is just one thing, when it’s really a collection of symptoms that can show up in very different ways for different people - from constipation, to urgency and loose stools, to swinging between both.

Yes, they’re all labelled with IBS diagnosis, but they experience, symptoms and also management of them are all different. So having an understanding of the types of IBS can make the biggest difference when communicating with GP, doctors etc. 

This is a quick guide, to help you be clear about what’s going on. 

What is IBS? 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the one of the most common digestive conditions. IBS is a functional gut disorder. It’s defined by belly pain along with a change in bowel habits. And typically it means your digestive system isn’t working how it normally would, and often any blood, functional or other tests can come back ‘normal’ even though you feel anything but normal. 

IBS symptoms range from bloating, abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, gas, urgency, and general discomfort. But they show up differently for everyone, which is why IBS can feel like too broad a label - especially if it feels like there’s no controlling or managing the symptoms. 

If you’ve ever been told to try a low-FODMAP diet, it’s worth understanding why FODMAP isn’t a long-term solution for IBS before going down that road.

The interesting thing about IBS nowadays is that doctors know IBS as a disorder involving the communication between the gut and the brain. This is called the gut-brain axis and IBS can happen when there’s a fault with this interaction, and this causes the gut symptoms. 

So while it’s often about your brain, the symptoms can be very physical in your gut. 

So it’s helpful to know about the subtypes of IBS too - IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M

The three types of IBS explained

IBS is usually grouped into three main types based on your dominant bowel pattern, and understanding which one you have can help you manage things. It can shape how you approach food, lifestyle, and the kind of support you look for.

It also gives you language. And that matters more than you might think.

It’s worth remembering that your subtype isn’t fixed. It can shift over time depending on stress, diet, hormones, and whatever else life throws at you. 

IBS-C (constipation-predominant irritable bowels)

When you have irritable guts and constipation is the primary symptom, it’s known as IBS-C. Constipation meaning slow transit, and not going to the loo enough. 

It can mean hard or lumpy poo, and uncomfortable when going to the toilet. But one thing you should never do is strain! 

Bloating is also a big part of IBS-C, and can sometimes feel just as uncomfortable as the constipation itself. When you have slow transit, the air can get trapped between stool - and can lead to low energy, and really impact your mood too. 

Having IBS-C doesn’t mean you’ll never experience diarrhoea, but constipation is the main symptom. 

It can be triggered by a low fibre diet, dehydration and not moving your body enough. Stress can also be a major factor. 

A fibre supplement like psyllium husk and a gentle osmotic laxative like macrogol can all help improve constipation. For more day-to-day tactics, see our guide on how to prevent and relieve constipation. 

IBS-D (diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowels)

For people suffering with IBS-D, they typical symptoms are diarrhoea and urgency. Basically toilet dashes and loose stools - often with no warning signal. 

People with IBS-D often find that the urgency and disruption the most challenging parts. When you need to go, you really need to go. If toilet dashes sound familiar, you’ll relate to Yvonne’s story of rushing to the toilet 15 times a day.

So of course this will have a huge impact on your day, planning your life, commuting, being in the outdoors, committing to longer events. Because you don’t want to be far from a toilet. 

With this, often abdominal cramping can be really common too, especially just before needing to go to the toilet. And the main thing people report is the unpredictability adding a layer of stress. 

While you can try to avoid trigger things such as stress or certain foods, it’s found that the gut-brain connection is biggest factor. So if you’re feeling worried, under pressure or anxious about something, everything in the digestive system can speed up and create gut troubles. 

IBS-M (mixed type irritable bowels)

This isn’t a catch all diagnosis, but IBS-M is where the symptoms don’t sit in on category, but tend to go from the extremes of constipation and diarrhoea.

This can happen in the space of hours, or longer term. It can be quit confusing and frustrating. 

This type is often less spoken about. Probably due to the inconsistent nature of this type. For people in this group, focusing on overall gut support rather than chasing one specific symptom tends to work better in the long run — see what we mean by ‘gut’ and the difference between prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. And gut health supplements can help. 

Speaking to your GP about IBS

IBS is usually diagnosed by ruling out other conditions first. And despite 1 in 20 people suffering, there isn’t one single test that confirms it.

Your GP may want to check for things like coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or infections, depending on your symptoms. In some cases, other conditions such as endometriosis might also be considered. And this can take a lot of time to rule these out, and in the meantime you’re still dealing with the symptoms, so typically you have to take things into your own hands to own your health and wellness. 

Once other conditions are excluded, IBS is typically diagnosed based on your symptoms. A GP appointment will usually involve talking through your symptom history, how long things have been going on, and what your bowel movements are like. 

You will likely also be offered blood tests or stool tests to rule out other causes.

One of the most useful things you can do before your appointment is to track your symptoms for a couple of weeks. You can make this conversation easier by bringing a food and gut diary. Keep it simple. When you go, what it looks like (the Bristol Stool Chart is a great reference), what you’ve been eating, and how stressed you’ve been feeling. Patterns start to show up quickly when you write things down.

Yes, you will talk about your poo. It’s worth it. 

If you’d like a printable companion to bring to your appointment, download our free Good Gut Guides for IBS and gut health - a simple way to track symptoms, food and stress patterns over a couple of weeks.

And if you’ve ever felt dismissed, you’re not alone. A lot of people with IBS feel like they’re not being fully heard at first.

Getting clear on your subtype can be especially helpful so you can manage your symptoms. And also helpful if you go on to work with a dietitian or specialist, because it gives a much more tailored starting point.

Managing your IBS symptoms

The best thing you can do is find out what’s triggering your IBS symptoms, with support. And find the things you gut likes and doesn’t. 

Getting a diagnosis isn’t about labelling yourself for the sake of it. It’s about giving yourself a clearer starting point so you can make decisions that actually support your gut.

That might look like adjusting your diet without going into full restriction mode, supporting your gut microbiome, managing stress and the gut–brain connection, and building small daily habits that your gut can rely on. We call these habits, your good gut choices.

For some people, adding in targeted support can also help. At Gut Wealth, we focus on simple, daily ways to support your digestive system, whether your symptoms lean more towards IBS-C, IBS-D, or sit somewhere in the middle.

Our liquid supplements and daily capsules are designed to support gut balance so you can spend less time overthinking your digestion and more time getting on with your day.

Find out more about Gut Wealth’s liquid supplements and daily capsules designed to support your digestive system, whatever your IBS type.