19th July 2023

Assessment

To formally diagnose an FBD, an organic cause for the patient’s symptoms must be excluded. A thorough history should exclude any red flag symptoms (such as GI bleeding, anaemia, unintentional weight loss) whilst also assessing lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, stress levels) and psychological state. Blood and stool testing is often required before attributing the patient’s symptoms to an FBD and managing them as such accordingly.