amitrypteline for IBS?

[whittaker20]

is amitriptyline any good for IBS?

[Hidden]

Not in my case, makes me 10 times worse.

[Capone666]

I have taken it for depression but not IBS

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

I've never heard of it being used for IBS (but that's not to say it can't be)

[Hidden]

Never helped. It made me numb in the muscles, made me sleepy but not IBS.

[Cat00]

I have been on it for years for other things but it is prescribed for IBS and gastric and bladder pain. I'm not how much difference it makes to my IBS because I'm not on the right dose but my IBS is better than it used to be, my bladder pain is awful though so I presume it's not working that well but who knows really, everything could be more severe.

[Dimoodles]

I have had IBS for years and nithing worked. I then read an article about probiotics and how they could help with IBS. I decided to try it and have never looked back. You need to use probiotics with billions of biotics, the drinks don't have enough to help IBS. It took about 2 weeks before I saw a diffence but I've had no symptoms since. It might be a pain having more tablets to take but its well worth it.

[MadmellyGT in reply to Dimoodles]

May I ask what the name of these probiotics please. Really need to sort my gut out. I suffer with IBS C and get seriously bloated daily. I look like I'm 7 months pregnant. Lol

[Luv2quilt]

I take amnitriptyline for esophageal spasms. It works well, but it’s not instant. If I take it right away with initial symptoms I only need to do it for a few days; worse, a couple of weeks. I find it helps my fibro since it makes me sleep more heavily and I don’t get up as much in the night. Hate the brain fog, though; even with half the dose ☹️

[athenadark]

No, it's just a very mild antidepressant. For IBS you can ask your doctor about mebeverine or buscopan, I find peppermint oil is great (buscopan do a range which is massively overpriced but you can get it in any health store) bisodol (a cheap heartburn remedy) and ginger tea for the nausea

I treat it as it appears but it's a your mileage may vary kind of thing

[valrene]

My Gp prescribed Mebervine a few months ago, really took all the bloating and pain away. Still have to watch what I eat though, supposed to take tablet 20 mins before food. If I get a bad tummy take 3a day before food for about 2weeks until tummy has really settled down, then only take a tablet after food if needed, until the next painful episode. As I don’t like taking so many tablets. Hope you get some relief.

[Skylightbluelinen98]

Hi Whittaker

if you have IBS it will not have any affect on you, but may make you worse. Amitriptyline is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder and neuropathic pain and for the prevention of migraine and chronic tension headache. Never heard of it being used for IBS. Low doses of amitriptyline moderately improve sleep disturbances and reduce pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia.

Hope this helps

[Ellenlow18]

Not heard of it in relation to IBS sorry

[magjam]

No. Had both for years. For me it's been finding out what triggers the IBS (lentils, and sometimes eggs)

[rag276]

hi, ive not taken it for ibs. helps with fibro and other muscle pain - makes me groggy and foggyas well. it can also keep me asleep a lot. its a cycle foggy and drowsy - then eases off so you can function again then they increase the dose and it starts all over again/ merry- go - round.but as I say not known it for ibs though it could help with the pains / cramps. sorry not much help.

[Ashnplants]

I was put on it for Fibromyalgia pain.

[JayCeon]

Incredible: I hadn't heard of it up to now either, and my 4 months of it didn't do anything except zombify me plus 7 further sfx.

BUT Cat00 is dead right - I've found evidence all over the place that it is defo. used!

1. cmljournal says you need to take it >8 weeks, 50-75mg plus psych. strategies.

2. dchft.nhs.uk says it's unclear how it works, complicated, research ongoing.

3. Dr. Blume on scarysymptoms says it's GI analgesic, may decrease spasm in your GI tract.

4. thehealthboard says it's esp. good for IBSD, you work up from 10mg(-150mg).

5. There are studies from 2008 and 2009 about it helping.

6. med.unc.edu says "there is recovery of more normal brain-gut function, possibly by helping the brain send down signals to block incoming pain impulses. Like other TCAs it helps more with IBSD, SSRIs with constipation. SNRIs may work too, e.g. duloxetine, venlafaxine, milnacipram. Also others antidepressants like trazodone.

7. mayoclinic's page on IBSD "frequently used to treat patients with severe or refractory IBS symptoms and may have analgesic and neuromodulatory benefits in addition to their psychotropic effects. In one trial, nearly 70 percent of patients receiving 10 mg of amitriptyline experienced a complete loss of IBS symptoms compared with 28 percent of those on placebo."

1. cmijournal.org/article.asp?...

2. dchft.nhs.uk/wp-content/upl...

3. scarysymptoms.com/2014/09/a...

4. thehealthboard.com/how-effe...

5. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

6. med.unc.edu/ibs/wp-content/...

7. mayoclinic.org/medical-prof...

(Interesting for me personally that I read that "agents that modulate ... serotonin" can help, as my supps do that.)