Amitriptyline for IBS-D

[applecat]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has had any results for taking amitriptyline with IBS d. As I'm going to start taking 10mg from tonight, but a bit worried about side effects...

Thanks

[Katie98]

Hi my diagnosis is still a work in progress but suspected IBS D. I have been on Amitriptyline for just under a year. I was on 10mg increased to 20mg. I didn't notice any side effects at 10mg but at 20mg I started getting dry mouth. They gave me some throat sprays from the GP and it sorted it out straight away. I didn't experience any weight gain. I didn't get drowsy at night when I took it but I was sluggish in the mornings. Overall don't worry too much especially with it being at a low dosage. Good luck!

[applecat in reply to Katie98]

Thanks for the reply! Would you say the medication has helped?

[Katie98 in reply to applecat]

No worries When I first started taking it I would say yes I noticed an improvement after a few weeks. I think its still helping now but because my condition might be a few things its perhaps not a perfect fit for me (and because I've been on the same dosage for a while now). But it did help get my pain under control and I've got family members who swear by it. Starting at a low dosage is good though because you can ask for it to be increased if need be.

[Hidden in reply to Katie98]

I was titrated up to 70mg and it helped with back pain initially but then stopped working. I’m down to 20mg now and aim to be off it in 2 weeks. The trouble is it just deals with the symptoms, if it even does that, I have found that getting my gut flora balanced has done much more. That takes perseverance and in my case took over a year but way better now. Good luck.

[Harley1020 in reply to Katie98]

Hello Katie, can you please advise on the name of the throat spray prescribed by your G.P. for your dry mouth after taking Amitriptyline. I am on 10mgs of Amitriptyline which has cured my IBS-d after 2 years, but have dry mouth which wakes me up in the night. My G.P. gave me a throat spray which does not work. The dry mouth wears off after I wake up and have a drink but its waking up overnight that bothers me. Many thanks.

[Katie98 in reply to Harley1020]

They gave me two. One was Glandosane (natural flavour) and the other was Difflam Spray (this is meant to be for a sore throat but it really helped).

[Katie98 in reply to Katie98]

Hope this helps!

[Harley1020 in reply to Katie98]

Hello Katie, thank you for your swift response to my query, greatly appreciated. I had previously tried Glandosane for my dry mouth, without success but will now try the Difflam spray. Thanks again. Mary

[Munchkinfeet]

Hi, happy to see this relevant thread, I started taking 10mg just last week after my first consultant appointment. I am undiagnosed IBD/IBS or both and waiting urgent referral for endoscopy and colonoscopy. (See my previous posts for symptoms)

I couldn't lift my head off the pillow after 10mg, so dizzy and drowsy. Eyes rolling, talking nonsense etc until about 3pm following day. Can't live like that with 2 young kids.

Phoned my IBD nurse. I cut back to 5mg 2 nights ago and had to take a laxative also. I had diarrhoea twice yesterday then felt very sick. Popped a cyclizine which didn't help. Then the pain started yesterday evening, it was excruciating and thought I would end up in hospital. Cramps and gurgling guts again this morning as normal.

So I think I have to put up with 10mg and be off my face until I get used to it, or suffer my pain. IBD nurse phoning me this morning to see what consultant says about it.

Martin2812 says quite rightly it just deals with the symptoms. There's no healing going on here. I am so fed up.

How did you get on with 10mg x

[mno123]

Hi I have been taking it for about a year. It definitely helps with the pain. The only thing I didn't like was it put weight on with it.

[Just-hanging]

Hi there

I’ve been on it for just over a year. I was given Amitriptyline for migraines and am on 50mg

It defiantly helped my ibs-d and is still doing so. I kept forgetting to take it a few weeks back and my flare ups got worse. But soon as I was taking it properly they have calmed again.

It’s not a miracle cure and i still get flare ups but no where near as bad as before

[spencerk]

Careful, this medicine madey eye floaters worse. If you have them, be careful.

[Harley1020]

Hello, Amitriptyline of 10mgs works for me and stopped my problems with IBS-d after suffering for 2 years. I had numerous tests, colonoscopy etc which all came back as ok. The only problems I experience is dry mouth which wears off after waking up and having a drink. Sometimes also have constipation but I take Sunkist prune juice which I buy from Holland and Barretts (150mls) a day which works - my bowels now work normally. The first week I tried the Amitriptyline, I felt a little groggy the next morning which wore off. I no longer have this problem. Good luck with the tablets and I can honestly say they were a life saver for me and well worth trying.

[sweetsusie]

Have your doctor prescribe any of these 3 meds for you: Welchol, Colestipol, and/or Questran. These are wonder drugs to stop diarrhea in its tracks. I don't know about your other symptoms, but I had chronic diarrhea for years and years and I now take 6 tablets of Colestipol per day....I now have my life back!

[Florida68]

I changed doctors and he saw I had been on 10 mgs. He bumped me up gradually to 75mg. It worked for several months and then I started having severe pain again. He added Donnatol to my list. Insurance won't cover it, but his office contacted a Pharmacy which alllowed me get it for 30.00 for 60 pills. I have been sick for years with my stomach and it gradually got worse. Started in the my 20's and I noticed I was always sick about the time of my period. Now I realize that was the beginning. Teaching school probably didn't help as it is a very stressful job. Now almost 80, I still have it.

[janke]

I don`t want to alarm anyone but please take care with amitriptyline. I`ve been taking it for various things for nearly 20 years - I tried to come off it (very slowly) last year and that triggered severe insomnia (I literally stopped sleeping). In the end I had to go back on 75 mg to be able to sleep again. I am now back to 25mg and I suspect it is causing the problems I have with constipation but I`m too scared to come off it again. I have since discovered that lots of people have this problem when they stop taking it.

If you believe it is helping you fair enough. But if you think it isn`t making a difference come off it as soon as you can.

[pam1000]

I have been on this for a couple of years. It certainly has helped my IBS stopped the pain and it helps me sleep. Im on 10mg and have not felt the need to increase it.

[Kimmiejo]

Nope! I won’t take that it made me really sick. I do natural stuff like Kratom and no I don’t have any side effects to from it. But since I have been on it I have had no Diarrhea or the cramping that goes with it. I poop normal now I am not cured of IBS but it helps a lot so I can be more normal.

[applecat]

I've been on it for 7 days and haven't noticed any improvement. How long should I give it before giving up?

[clover1122]

I took 10mgs for the first time on Friday night and I was totally groggy, drowsy and spaced out until around 3pm on Saturday! I have 2 young boys so that won’t work for me! I am afraid to take it again.

Has anyone tried 5mgs?

[Shofor]

Hi Applecat - I know this post is really old but did you continue with the amitriptyline? I’ve been on it for 11 days 10mg and haven’t noticed a difference yet? Wondering whether to stop taking it

[SKWEKER in reply to Shofor]

Hi, sorry to interrupt an old thread, are you having any luck with amitriptyline? I took my first 10mg last night and had the dreaded D this morning 😕I'm hoping it's not a side effect of the amitriptyline as I'm really hoping it will help settle my stomach problems

[applecat in reply to SKWEKER]

I haven't been on amitriptyline in ages, as it didn't work for me! However, see it through for a couple of weeks or months as it might work for you

[SKWEKER in reply to applecat]

Thanks, I'll keep trying, I had to take immodium yesterday and normally that would bung me up the next day. I did have a covid vaccine last Friday so I don't know if it's a side effect. I really hope it's not the amitriptyline as I'm pinning my hopes on it. If it settles things down enough I might look at the low fodmap diet.

[BlueDevon]

I’ve been taking Amitriptyline for three years now 10mg.At first It really helped with my I.b.s d.I have put a bit of weight on and it does cause slight constipation but this is probably what you want if you’ve got loose toilet.Just lately though I find I’m having to take two at night because I’ve been anxious and having trouble sleeping.I used to be on fluoxetine but I think this is better.