# Need to get off tricyclic antid to get pregnant. Help needed!



## partypooper (Mar 22, 2000)

Hi, I am 29 and want to get pregnant in the next year or so. I have had IBS-D for two years now. A year ago, I started taking imipramine and it really helped to slow things down. Now I have to get off in order to get pregnant.Anyone out there been on a tricyclic antidepressant for IBS and then have to get off? If so, what happened? Did your symptoms come back full force or did the IBS remain in remission?Thanks...


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## Maedchen (Jun 3, 2000)

I think everyone is different in how they react when going off a medication. But just for your info, here is my story. I had been on imipramine for about 2 1/2 years when I too decided to get off to try to get pregnant. I should mention that I am C/D and was also taking this med to help with depression. I was also taking the anti-spasmodic dycyclomine (sp?). I had a weird withdrawal symptom, if you could call it that, in reaction to the anti-cholergic properties in both meds. My left eye would not dialate properly. Freaked me out to say the least. It happened about a month after I stopped taking the meds, lasted about 2 weeks then went away. It happened again about 2 months later for a week or so. I haven't had any problems since. That was the only problem I had going off the meds (it was enough). I wouldn't say my symptoms came back full force, the IBS did stay managable for about a year. (There were a lot of other things going on around the same time.) My IBS flared up about a year after I stopped the meds, D more than the C/D cycle. What I think happened was that I had had a cold and in taking the cold medicines, I aggravated the IBS. That set off a viscious cycle of D related anxiety. I went back on meds to help with the D, depression, and anxiety. My doctor prescribed Wellbutrin, since it is pregnancy category B. If you feel you need something to help you during this time, talk to your doctor about this med. (Just a note, I switched to a beta blocker this past year to help more with the anxiety as well as to help prevent headaches. It has also helped with the IBS, oddly enough. Unfortunately, it is pregnancy category C, so should I get pregnant I will have to discontinue using it.)I'm sure this is much more than you wanted to know. To help manage the symptoms of the IBS-D, I would suggest taking Immodium. I found that a quarter to a half of a chewable tablet was enough to calm things down for me. A nurse told me not to take Pepto because it contains salycides (sp?), like asprin, which are supposed to be bad to take if you are pregnant.Good luck to you. I hope everything works out the way you wish it to.


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Partypooper, I fell out of my chair and thought I would die from laughter after reading the title to this post????














I can offer you help on part of this problem, I also took imipramine years ago and if you reduce to a lower dosage you can put it down without bad effects. The IBS/D will probably return after a while and you will just have to endure with meds that your MD deems safe. Hope you have success, Norb


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## srhackett (Feb 11, 2001)

Talk to your doctor's PP - I am still on Remeron and pregnant. Let them help you decide. Depending on why you are on the AD's to begin with - they might put you on them during pregnancy anyway. I am not trying to be cavalier in anyway. I went thru this same internal struggle as I am 37 and really flet my clock ticking.


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