What is short bowel syndrome?

Short bowel syndrome is group of problems related to poor absorption of nutrients. This can occur after colon surgery for people who have had half or more of their small intestine removed, or with congenital defects of the bowel. Common symptoms include dehydration, malnutrition, and weight loss.

How do members experience short bowel syndrome?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with short bowel syndrome*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for short bowel syndrome*

Who has short bowel syndrome on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 6
20s 5
30s 17
40s 20
50s 43
60s 37
70+ 23

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 40
Female 108

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What is short bowel syndrome?

Short bowel syndrome is group of problems related to poor absorption of nutrients. This can occur after colon surgery for people who have had half or more of their small intestine removed, or with congenital defects of the bowel. Common symptoms include dehydration, malnutrition, and weight loss.



Common symptoms reported by people with short bowel syndrome

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for short bowel syndrome

Let’s build this page together! When you share what it’s like to have short bowel syndrome through your profile, those stories and data appear here too.

Got a question about living with short bowel syndrome? Members in the forum might have the answers.


Compare treatments taken by people with short bowel syndrome

Let’s build this page together! When you share what it’s like to have short bowel syndrome through your profile, those stories and data appear here too.

Got a question about living with short bowel syndrome? Members in the forum might have the answers.



Who has short bowel syndrome on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 0 new patients joined this month
  • 101 say short bowel syndrome is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 6
20s 5
30s 17
40s 20
50s 43
60s 37
70+ 23
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 7
20-29 years 3
30-39 years 11
40-49 years 4
50-59 years 6
60-69 years 3
70+ years 1

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 40
Female 108

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 51
Not Diagnosed 5

These charts show data from short bowel syndrome patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: