dr9ohm · IBS / Bowel Risk Score

Bowel / IBS symptom risk index
Rome IV–inspired layer

Quick answer (BLUF): A 0–15 Rome IV–inspired bowel symptom density score. Not a probiotic or laxative prescription. Blood in stool or obstruction signs need care now.

5 core items (0–3) + lifestyle + urgent — not a diagnosis; not a probiotic order

How to answer

Symptoms: 0/1/2/3 · Other: Yes/No. Urgent Yes → care now.

Inspired by Rome IV bowel disorders / ACG IBS education / NIDDK IBS · Asst. Prof. Dr. Norawit Raatpiboon

Symptom score (Raw Score)

0 / 15

Symptoms answered 0/5 · Lifestyle 0/5 · Urgent 0/5

Part 1 — Core symptoms (scored)

Q1: Pain related to defecation (Rome IV pain)

How often do you have abdominal pain related to bowel movements (better or worse after stool)?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q2: Changed stool frequency

How often is stool frequency clearly changed (harder than every 3 days, or unusually frequent loose stools)?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q3: Stool form (Bristol 1–2 or 6–7)

How often are stools hard lumps (Bristol 1–2) or watery (6–7) enough to disrupt life?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q4: Bloating with changed stool form

How often do you have bloating with changed stool form/frequency when mid-chest burn is not dominant?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q5: Relying on probiotic sachets / laxative ads

How often in a week do you rely on advertised probiotics, stimulant laxatives, or osmotic powders without separating IBS from constipation?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Part 2 — Lifestyle profile (for personalized guidance)

Not in the 15.

1. You drink little water or total dietary fiber is under about 25 g/day

Yes
No

2. You take stimulant laxatives (e.g. bisacodyl / senna) almost daily without clinician oversight

Yes
No

3. You believe probiotic-ad claims of overnight easy stool and have not separated that layer from laxatives

Yes
No

4. You have restricted FODMAP foods longer than 6 weeks with no reintroduction plan

Yes
No

5. You also have mid-chest or epigastric burn the same week but have not done that layer’s score

Yes
No

Part 3 — Urgent symptoms (not in the 15)

Any Yes → see a doctor now.

1. Blood in stool or black stools

Yes — see a doctor now
No

2. Vomiting, rigid distended abdomen, no flatus (possible obstruction)

Yes — see a doctor now
No

3. Unintentional weight loss or iron-deficiency pallor

Yes — see a doctor now
No

4. Nocturnal diarrhea, chronic fever, or suspected inflammatory bowel disease

Yes — see a doctor now
No

5. New hard stools after ~age 50, or family colorectal cancer history, without indicated colonoscopy

Yes — see a doctor now
No

0 points

Start your bowel symptom assessment

When all 5 symptom items are answered, the score updates — a high score is not an IBS drug order

Important notes (Red Flags)

Blood in stool, obstruction signs, unintentional weight loss, nocturnal diarrhea, or new late-onset constipation → seek care. Do not use ads as a diagnosis.

What a 0–15 score means

Symptom-density bands — not a diagnosis

Score	Band	Meaning	What not to do
0–4	Not dense yet	Keep tracking; do not skip red-flag signals	Do not delay exams because of ads
5–7	Starting to recur	Plan to see a clinician for this system	Do not add supplements on your own
8–10	Clearly disruptive	Do not ignore — book a visit	Do not use a quiz instead of a clinic visit
11–15	High density	Check Red Flags now	Do not treat this as a diagnosis

Frequently asked questions

Does this diagnose IBS?

No. It measures symptom density inspired by Rome IV patterns — clinicians diagnose IBS.

Are probiotics required if my score is high?

No. Ads do not replace evaluation or fiber/water/laxative plans under care.

Can I stay on a strict FODMAP diet forever?

Long restriction without reintroduction is not ideal — plan with a clinician/dietitian.

Blood in stool — wait for the quiz?

No. Seek care now; do not wait to finish the score.

Overlap with GERD/epigastric?

Use those layer scores too if chest or under-xiphoid burn is present the same week.

Medical Disclaimer: For general education only — not personalized medical advice. Not a probiotic or laxative prescription.
Seek care immediately for dangerous signals · Asst. Prof. Dr. Norawit Raatpiboon
· Thai twin: https://dr9ohm.com/ibs-bowel-risk-score/