Bevispas contains mebeverine hydrochloride 135 mg, an antispasmodic used mainly for irritable bowel syndrome. It relieves the cramping, abdominal pain, bloating and disturbed bowel habit of IBS by relaxing the gut muscle directly. It treats symptoms rather than curing the condition, and it is usually taken before meals.
What is Bevispas?
Bevispas contains mebeverine hydrochloride, 135 mg per film-coated tablet.
Mebeverine is an antispasmodic, but it works differently from hyoscine butylbromide — the ingredient in Hyospasmol and Scopex. Rather than blocking nerve signals to the muscle, mebeverine acts directly on the smooth muscle of the gut wall, relaxing it without interfering with normal gut movement overall.
That distinction has a practical consequence. Because it is not an antimuscarinic, mebeverine does not cause the dry mouth, blurred vision and urinary difficulty associated with that group, and it does not carry the same cautions about glaucoma and prostate problems. For people who need an antispasmodic regularly — which is the reality of IBS — that tolerability matters.
It is usually taken 20 minutes before meals, because that is when IBS cramping is typically triggered.
What is Bevispas commonly used for?
Bevispas is used mainly for irritable bowel syndrome and related conditions:
- IBS, addressing cramping abdominal pain, spasm, bloating and disturbed bowel habit.
- Chronic irritable colon and spastic constipation.
- Functional gut disorders where spasm is a feature.
- Abdominal cramping from other causes, in some circumstances.
It is worth being clear about what IBS is and is not. It is a genuine, common condition in which the gut is oversensitive and its muscle behaves abnormally, producing real symptoms. It is not caused by damage or inflammation, and it does not lead to more serious bowel disease. Mebeverine eases the muscle component; it does not cure the condition, and symptoms usually return if treatment stops.
That is why IBS management is broader than a tablet. Diet, stress, sleep and identifying personal triggers all matter, and for many people they matter more than medication. A doctor or dietitian can help with that — the low-FODMAP approach in particular has reasonable evidence behind it.
IBS should be a diagnosis, not an assumption. Its symptoms overlap with coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease and, in older people, bowel cancer. Getting the diagnosis confirmed matters before settling into long-term symptom management.
How Bevispas fits into this medicine category
Bevispas is an antispasmodic, alongside hyoscine butylbromide but working by a different route:
| Group | Examples | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Direct smooth muscle relaxants | Mebeverine (Bevispas), alverine | Acts on the gut muscle itself |
| Antimuscarinic antispasmodics | Hyoscine butylbromide (Scopex, Hyospasmol) | Blocks the nerve signal to the muscle |
| Antiemetics | Metoclopramide, Adco-Contromet | Nausea and vomiting |
| Acid-reducing | Antacids, H2 blockers, PPIs | Reflux and heartburn |
| Bowel medicines | Laxatives, anti-diarrhoeals | Constipation, diarrhoea |
For occasional cramping, either antispasmodic type may suit. For ongoing IBS, mebeverine’s lack of antimuscarinic effects often makes it the more comfortable long-term option. See the digestive, stomach and nausea medicines hub.
What to check before using Bevispas
Take it before meals — typically about 20 minutes beforehand — unless your label says otherwise. Timing matters because it works best in place before the trigger.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor before use if:
- You are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- The medicine is for a child. Mebeverine is generally not recommended for younger children.
- You have porphyria, a rare metabolic condition where it is avoided.
- You have not had your symptoms assessed. This is the important one — see below.
Get the diagnosis confirmed if you have not already. IBS is diagnosed on the pattern of symptoms and by excluding other conditions. Certain features point away from IBS and need investigation rather than symptom treatment:
- Bleeding from the bowel, or black tarry stools.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- A change in bowel habit that is new and persistent, particularly over 50.
- Waking at night with pain or diarrhoea.
- Anaemia, or a family history of bowel cancer, coeliac disease or IBD.
- Fever.
Follow the dispensing label. This page does not set doses.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Mebeverine is generally well tolerated. Side effects are uncommon, which is much of its appeal for long-term use.
Allergic reactions are rare but possible. Stop and seek medical attention for rash, hives, itching, or swelling of the face, lips or throat.
It treats symptoms, not the condition. If symptoms are not controlled, the answer is usually a broader review — diet, triggers, stress, and whether the diagnosis is right — rather than simply continuing.
Review long-term use periodically. Ongoing symptom control is reasonable, but it is worth revisiting with a doctor rather than repeating indefinitely without review.
Watch for the features listed above. Any of them appearing after an IBS diagnosis warrants going back to your doctor, not adjusting the tablets.
Seek medical attention for rectal bleeding, black tarry stools, unexplained weight loss, persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, fever with abdominal pain, or a new and persistent change in bowel habit.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Digestive, Stomach & Nausea Medicines guides
- Read: Hyospasmol used for
- Read: Adco Contromet used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Bevispas used for? Mainly irritable bowel syndrome — cramping abdominal pain, spasm, bloating and disturbed bowel habit. It contains mebeverine.
How is it different from Scopex or Hyospasmol? Those contain hyoscine butylbromide, which blocks nerve signals to the gut muscle. Mebeverine acts on the muscle directly, so it does not cause dry mouth or blurred vision and carries fewer cautions.
When should I take it? Usually about 20 minutes before meals, so it is working before cramping is triggered. Follow your label.
Does it cure IBS? No. It relieves the muscle spasm component. Symptoms generally return if it is stopped, which is why diet and trigger management matter alongside it.
Can I take it long term? Many people do, and it is well tolerated. Review it periodically with your doctor rather than repeating indefinitely.
When should I see a doctor instead? For bleeding, black stools, unexplained weight loss, waking at night with symptoms, fever, or a new persistent change in bowel habit — particularly over 50.