Antidepressants for IBS

[Cat68]

I have been given sertraline to take as my anxiety has become much worse since starting to have IBS symptoms. Has anyone tried these do they help without making IBS worse. I've only taken a small dose and seems to have triggered diarrhoea 🙄

[Oxygen_guy]

Hi first of all I sometimes suffer from anxiety but my GP wouldn't give me anything for this. Just a website that I don't think is Ideal. But if you're taking the medication and it is giving you diarrhoea then first of all read the information leaflet and if you still feel unhappy then tell your GP your concerns and see if another form of medication can help you.

[Cat68 in reply to Oxygen_guy]

Thanks seems to have settled down was bit worried about making my symptoms worse. Why won't your doctor give you anything for anxiety is it to do with your IBS?

[Oxygen_guy in reply to Cat68]

To be honest I don't know the reason for not being given medication for my anxiety. I spoke to a locom doctor months ago and all she sent me was a link to a anxiety website. I did mention it again on a conference call but still no luck. I will probably ask again but because I deal with Patients myself and work on call and long hours I just haven't had the time. Because doctors are only do over the phone conversations it's hard To speak to anyone.

[Rice333]

Sertraline did the same to me ,GP changed them for gabapentin they do nothing for me .Good luck Andy R

[Cat68]

Did gabapentin not help?

[Rice333 in reply to Cat68]

Maybe a but honest my opinion No

[Orchid99]

Hi, which type of ibs do you have? Because that depends on which type of antidepressant would be better for you. SSRI are usual given to people with ibs c and tricyclics for ibs d

[Cat68 in reply to Orchid99]

Haven't been given diagnosis yet have an appointment with consultant in few weeks but seems to be a bit of both

[Orchid99 in reply to Cat68]

I have slow transit which gives me constipation and overflow diarrhoea, I wish I was one way instead of both. Hopefully you will get some answers when you speak with your gastro.

[Cookingca]

Hi I take amitriptyline for my Ibs -d / mild depression I have been on them years I am supposed to take 20mg but I only take 10 as find 20 makes to groggy the next day. I do take breaks and have stopped them at the moment my gp is not bothered about if I take them or not says up to me to work out what's best. Check the side effects of what you are taking and they can take up to 6 wks to have any effect. If your still not happy like others have said try gp again xx

[Cat68 in reply to Cookingca]

Thanks think I will try something else I don't like the stomach related side effects on top of my IBS symptoms

[ivesy in reply to Cookingca]

How did you find stopping? I’ve been on them for 10 years and every time I come off I end up feeling awful 😞

[Cookingca in reply to ivesy]

Ok i just reduced it slowly one every other night and then stopped. I am not to bad with out them I do need then to sleep settled but my mom is not well and need to be able to hear her.

[Michelle46 in reply to Cookingca]

How long were you on them?

[Cookingca in reply to Michelle46]

Over all about 14 yrs dr never reviewed them . A temporary practice nurse did say that taking 20mg would be better to settle my flare down and it has so been reducing the dose again .

[mariakar]

I was given a mild dose of SSRI for a little more than a year plus benzos (librax) for four or five months. Extremely helpful, that combination really kicked from month one. I had tried several gastroenterologists, done all the endoscopic tests, but it was my neurologist that managed to deal with my condition in the end. After all those years, it finally sank in that the gut-brain connection is REAL. So is the struggle.

It's not that I don't have flares anymore, I do. It's my attitude towards them that has changed.

[Cat68 in reply to mariakar]

Thanks I definitely agree brain-gut connection, having problems with my stomach is effecting my mental health which is not helping my stomach catch 22 Hoping I can change my attitude eventually

[Arkus in reply to mariakar]

I totally agree about the brain-gut connection, and how little its understood by the medical profession.

[Rossan]

Hi,I was on amitriptyline for a while and it really helped with my fatigue, wooziness, headaches & brain fog. I would recommend it.

However, I was later given sertraline and *hated* it. After one month of being on it I had the worst flare-up of my life (was hospitalised) and have gone from mild symptoms to feeling chronically ill. NOTE: I am not suggested this means sertraline caused my worsening symptoms, but it sure as shit did nothing to help. Also the side effects coming off it was *horrendeous* - took 2 months to gradually reduce it.

Read the very common side effects of sertraline on the leaflet, circle them, and show that to your doctor. Keep a symptom/food diary too and explain you think they triggered diarrhoea.

I got a second opinion from another doctor & they were surprised saying sertraline isn't one of the recommended antidepressants for IBS. So don't be shy about challenging this with your GP.

If you're not already, keep a symptom/food diary for when you meet with the consultant.

Best wishes xx

[Cat68 in reply to Rossan]

Thanks for advice I replied below x

[Sapphireblu]

I was given setraline and had a very bad bout of diaorrhea ended up in hospital, I had tremors so bad I couldn’t concentrate ,the doctor couldn’t understand why I was given them as that is a known side effect, they actually took them away and told my doc he shouldn’t have prescribed them.

[Cat68 in reply to Sapphireblu]

Oh that's not good think doctors just hand out with no thought.. don't think she told my IBS symptoms very seriously x

[Cat68]

Thanks for the advice sorry to hear about your bad experience on them. I'm going to stop taking them had diarrhoea and a lot of pain during night will wait to see consultant and decide if I want to try something else xx

[Edgar77 in reply to Cat68]

Setraline g put me on another planet my purples were dilated which I was told is a bad sighn. I only lasted 3 days.

[Cat68 in reply to Edgar77]

Oh mine are dilated is that a bad sign as well

[Edgar77 in reply to Cat68]

My sister in law who is a senior nurse said it is a sign of brain damage!

[Cookingca]

The trouble is some dr's mine include don't take ibs very seriously my gp just tells me take as many immodium as needed to control it take my painkillers I have for my arthritis for the pain I have buscopan & meberine on prescription but not immodium as you can buy them over the counter. Have been put on the waiting list to see a gastro dr as lost 3 stone during my last flare up in 6 wks . Semi settled again now but not interested xx

[Arkus in reply to Cookingca]

I've found Imodium to be a tremendous help managing symptoms, but be careful about taking too much.

[Cookingca in reply to Arkus]

Yes that is a concern how much do I take nobody has ever advised how many most I have taken in a day is 14

[Arkus in reply to Cookingca]

I read that taking too much Imodium can cause heart arrhythmia. How much is too much I don't know. Also there is an opiate ingredient in it. I would find out more if I were you.

[Cookingca in reply to Arkus]

Thank you I think i will look into it don't need more problems.

[Cat68 in reply to Cookingca]

Thank hope you get to see someone soon

[Cookingca in reply to Cat68]

Thank you I am more interested in getting my mom in for tests as her gastro dr wants to rule out cancer as said her troubles are not quite normal for her condition that she has.

[Arkus]

I was given Zoloft (sertraline) for clinical depression 27 years ago. The doc told me I would be on it for life, like taking insulin for diabetes. Ten years later another doctor suggested I tried doing without it, and it worked. I've been off it since. Initially, along with the depression, I had difficulty digesting dairy and wheat with the attending diarrhea problem. No one suggested any brain/gut connection years ago. I think the medical people are still in the early stages of understanding IBS. GPs don't give it much attention or help. It's up to us to figure everything out.

A word about sertraline from my own experience, I hated having to take it, although it stopped the anxiety and panic attacks. It gave me sleepless nights and a dry mouth.

I'm still managing IBS.

Good luck finding solutions you can live with!

[Cat68 in reply to Arkus]

Thanks for advice good you are now managing now managing without them. Agree haven't had much advice at all on how to manage symptoms x

[Scinder]

Hi, I also take steraline for anxiety and I found after a week weeks my IBS settled down. I still get bloating and wind pains, but I am alot calmer and do feel better. Maybe give it a bit of time and see if it settles down abit. I hope you feel better soon

[Cat68 in reply to Scinder]

Thanks good to know it could get better. Did you have worse symptoms when you started taking them not sure I can cope with the side effects

[Scinder]

Hi, I didn't have any side effects luckily. My anxiety was so bad I couldn't function so my IBS took a back seat for once! I still get anxious and my IBS is still around, but compared to where I was I am much better. I still can't go far on my own as I get panicked about having a flare up.

[Cat68]

Having anxiety is awful pleased you are doing better x

[kathy775]

You could look into saffron (Life Extension, 2 small capsules daily) ... said to be as effective as fluoxetine, if not more ... try googling "saffron" and "webmd" and you will see compelling reviews from users. I use it myself. Can be used as an adjunct to SSRIs, but always check with pharmacist on contraindications, interactions. Best wishes

[Cat68 in reply to kathy775]

Thanks will have a look

[delboy62]

HI CAT 68I started on 25mg daily and Ibs is now much improved still have D but now found that is improved by reducing fat intake as I have no gall bladder. good luck and hang in there kind regards.

[Cat68 in reply to delboy62]

Thanks 😊 did you have side effects at first?