Targets the cramping and spasm of IBS. It does nothing for bloating or bowel habit, which is worth knowing before you start.
Explained by a GMC-registered GP, not a leaflet
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Side effects given the same weight as benefits
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Mebeverine is an antispasmodic. It acts directly on the smooth muscle of the bowel wall, relaxing the spasm that produces cramping pain in IBS.
It works locally on the gut and has essentially no anticholinergic effects — no dry mouth, no blurred vision, no urinary retention — which is what distinguishes it from older antispasmodics such as hyoscine.
It treats one symptom: cramping. It does not change stool frequency, it does not treat bloating, and it does not alter the course of IBS.
It is for pain and spasm. Diarrhoea needs loperamide, constipation needs a laxative, and bloating usually needs a dietary approach — all of which can sit alongside it.
Give it two to four weeks. IBS fluctuates considerably, and a single bad week proves nothing either way.
It can be taken continuously or only during flares, and many people do better taking it regularly for a period and then stopping to see where they are.
Mebeverine is one of the better-tolerated medicines in this A-Z, largely because it acts locally.
Stop and seek urgent advice for any swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
It does not cause the dry mouth, blurred vision or urinary hesitancy that older antispasmodics do.
Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding only on advice — data are limited rather than concerning.
The larger caution is diagnostic, not pharmacological. Abdominal pain should not be treated as IBS until the features that suggest something else have been considered.
Mebeverine has very few interactions, which is one of its practical advantages.
No monitoring bloods are required for the medicine itself.
An IBS diagnosis is not simply a label for unexplained gut symptoms. Reasonable baseline tests include full blood count, inflammatory markers, coeliac serology and, where the picture warrants it, faecal calprotectin and FIT.
Yes — and mebeverine is also available over the counter for people with an established IBS diagnosis, which is often the quicker route once the diagnosis is settled.
The consultation is worth far more than the prescription here, because the diagnosis is the whole issue.
What a consultation covers:
What we will not do is treat a new change in bowel habit in someone over 50 as IBS without investigation. A prescription is never guaranteed. This page is information, not an offer to supply.
Mebeverine is an inexpensive generic, and own-brand versions cost considerably less than Colofac. On a private prescription the cost is broadly comparable to the England NHS prescription charge. NHS prescriptions are free in Wales.
A pack lasts a long time if you use it during flares rather than continuously.
Mebeverine can be stopped at any time. There is no withdrawal and no tapering, and stopping simply lets the spasm return if it was working.
The usual reason is that cramping was not the dominant symptom. Mebeverine does nothing for bloating, and nothing for bowel habit.
Some people notice a difference within days, but give it two to four weeks. IBS varies enough that a single week tells you very little.
Because the spasm is usually triggered by eating. Taking it 20 minutes beforehand gets ahead of it; taking it once the pain has started is far less effective.
Realistically, no. It targets cramping. Bloating usually responds better to dietary changes, and peppermint oil helps some people.
Yes, and many people do. It is not habit-forming. But if you need it continuously for months, the diagnosis and the dietary approach are worth revisiting rather than just repeating the prescription.
Yes — it is a positive diagnosis with defined criteria, not a shrug. But it should be made after the alternatives have been considered, and it should not be applied to a new change in bowel habit over 50 without investigation.
Very few interactions, which is one of its advantages. Tell us what you take, but this one is rarely the problem.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
September 8, 2026
On this page
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Same-day access is usually available, from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. You choose a time that suits you rather than waiting on hold at 8am.
Yes. Care is led personally by Dr Mohammad Khan, so you are not passed between clinicians. Continuity is the point of a small practice: someone who knows your history and is listening attentively rather than working through a checklist.
Yes, with your consent. We can access your Summary Care Record during the consultation, so your current medications, allergies and significant history are in the room. That means fewer questions you have already answered elsewhere, and safer prescribing.
No. We are not here to replace GPs, only to support them. Your NHS practice remains responsible for your ongoing care, and with your consent we write to them after the consultation. We are useful when you need to be seen sooner, or want more time than a standard appointment allows.
Twenty unhurried minutes and a comprehensive assessment. A written treatment plan is included, along with any prescription, sick note or referral letter arising from the consultation, at no extra charge.
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It means the diagnosis can usually be made from your history and photographs, and that treatment can be arranged safely without examining you. Where a condition is not marked treatable online, it is because examination is the diagnosis — listening to a chest, feeling an abdomen, examining an ear or a joint — or because a procedure or device is needed.
Yes, where there is a genuine bacterial infection — cellulitis, impetigo, bacterial urine infections, confirmed strep throat. We will also frequently tell you that you do not need one. Most sore throats, coughs, colds and earaches are viral, and an antibiotic gives you the side effects with none of the benefit.
If your problem turns out to be genuinely outside what we can do remotely, the doctor will tell you straight away, point you to the right service, and refund your fee in full. We would rather do that than fill twenty minutes to justify the charge.
Call 999 or go to A&E — do not book an online appointment and do not wait for a reply to an email. For urgent problems that are not emergencies, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, online or by phone, and can direct you to the right service.
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