Sertraline for IBS

[rjc_ibs]

Is anyone else taking sertraline for IBS? I’ve been taking it for about 3-4 weeks now with no improvement and wondering whether to continue. To start with it gave me insomnia so I started taking it in the morning which solved that problem. Perhaps my mood has got slightly better but I still have pain, bloating and some constipation on a daily basis.

I’m also taking peppermint oil, 3x per day, which I’m not convinced about either - it seems to go right through, and I can feel it in my stool if that makes sense? I’m not sure whether to persevere with it - anyone have any thoughts?

In the past I’ve tried meberive (s.p.?) but not sure if I was on a high enough dosage. Does anyone know what the normal amount is? I remember having an MRI scan a few years back and I think they gave it to me for the scan in some sort of liquid, perhaps intravenously, and i remember it working at the time but not in the pill form... hence the question about the dosage as maybe I just needed more of the stuff!

Hope you are having a good day and thanks for reading my message.

Best, Richard

[FRreedman]

I am surprised you are being given Sertraline for IBS, as one of the most common side effects of this anti-depressant is diarrhoea. To try to counter the bloating and constipation, I would drink a minimum of 3 large glasses of water per day (tap or bottled), eat smaller mouthfuls of food and chew really well, and avoid all fizzy drinks and reduce alcohol intake. That should take three to four days to begin having any effect on you. Please note that if you stop passing wind for 12 hours you are probably obstructing and need to go to A&E immediately.

[Spencermm in reply to FRreedman]

I'm thinking on your doctor's reasoning for sertr aline.

Have you previously been on amitriptyline with no success?

Do you experience a lot of anxiety and stress?

In the US low dose amitriptyline (10 to 50 mg) is the 1st line med for ibs IF the doc is familiar with ibs, which isn't a given.

If you haven't tried amitriptyline it could be your doc thinks anxiety, stress may be contributing. If that is the case it takes 2 or 3 months for that med to reach full strength in your body. If, like me, you don't tolerate it well there are different meds in the same family that you can try.

Be well.

[rjc_ibs in reply to Spencermm]

Thanks for that. Yes, I have had amitriptyline in the past - I’m not sure if it worked but anxiety and stress are definitely a factor for me...

When I took the amitrip it was for around four months but it coincided with me taking 6 months off work when my daughter was born. I started taking it around 3 months before she arrived...

Time off from work definitely seemed to help (surprise surprise!) but the IBS pain came right back as soon as I went back again...

I think sertraline seems to have less side effects but as mentioned it doesn’t seem to have helped with the IBS as yet. There is some limited research that suggests it helps with IBS C - quite a small sample- around 50 patients jneuro.com/neurology-neuros...

[Spencermm in reply to rjc_ibs]

If you tolerate it well I would give it more time.

I envy people who tolerate it well, as I do not tolerate any med in that family.

[TheVoid]

I was on sertaline for anxiety and depression and was informed it may help with the ibs too. I was on it for a year and ibs was worse if anything. I take mebeverine tried peppermint capsules. I think the fodmap diet helped the most.

Good luck