# slowly losing the battle !



## hmc29 (Sep 26, 2013)

Hello ,
I am new to this site but not new to ibs! I am on here to talk or try to get to know people that have these issues. It seems to me unless you have this problem no really understands . Here is a little bit of my story. I am 29 and have been suffering from this since I would say 22. At first I was able to deal with it had a job and went to school and just burshed it off. Than the anxiety set in. Over the last 7 years I have struggled with this. I have lost plenty of friends and even loved ones such as boyfriend etc.I have tried diet elimination, anti depression, anti anxiety drugs and therapy.although I've gotten some relief from some of these but, my current state is that I am completely alone. I no longer have a job I have tried to fight back. I am still in school but scared i'ma lose that also . it seems like I'm afraid to leave the house. geez I want to be close to a toilet. I used to have a life and at this point I'm out of options and I really don't know what I'm going to do so I figured I could maybe talk with other people who have this and hopefullyI didn't help share my experiences or maybe they can help me please I'm really at my wits end


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Have you tried antidiarrheals to see what will get you some more control?

Usually Imodium 2X a day slowly increase dose until you find what gives you control but doesn't block you up too much

Or

Calcium Carbonate 300-600 mgs 3X a day with meals.

Or

Bile binding agents (prescription) like Questran?


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## hmc29 (Sep 26, 2013)

yes i swear i lived on pepto thats how i would get to work . because it helped with all other symptoms also but, i do not think its working any more and i have tried Imodium that helps with the loose stools but nothing else. What is your take on the anti depressant research and them saying it helps?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

95% of the serotonin in the body is in the gut nerves. There is evidence that something is off with various parts of the serotonin system in the gut in IBSers. Several drugs have been developed that work on serotonin receptors in the gut.

The problem with antidepressants is they tend to be idiosyncratic, so hard to generalize or guess which one may work for you.

Generally they are used more for pain issues in IBS than just stopping up diarrhea. Some of them (the tricyclics and the SNRI's) tend to be mildly constipating, but may not be constipating enough for some IBS-Ders to get full relief from the stooling issues.


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## piyykcir (Aug 3, 2013)

Anti depressants arn't just for depression. it has, if I remember correctly, a beta blocker attribute which helps with anxiety and stress, which is a trigger towards GI like problems. Most people who use it say it doesn't work after a few months, but there are cases where after a while u can be off them and function properly. It's never not worth a shot to try something that might help against IBS.

Good luck!


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## hmc29 (Sep 26, 2013)

well i have tried in the past and had relief from the stress of ibs but the side effects can be horrible. i really think if i could find the right one, i may be able if anything deal with it better. but i am so beyond fed up with this .


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## piyykcir (Aug 3, 2013)

hmc29 said:


> well i have tried in the past and had relief from the stress of ibs but the side effects can be horrible. i really think if i could find the right one, i may be able if anything deal with it better. but i am so beyond fed up with this .


There is something if your stress of IBS is related to nausea. I've been taking it for a while, although the effects on you might be different, you could try a drug called odansatron. it's expensive... I apologize for that, but it's for kemo patents who take the medication before the kemo for relief of nausea. You could give it a try.

I take it as needed as I'm so used to the nausea I just kinda live with it, but hwne it gets REALLY BAD I take it. in a scale of 1-10 I take it on a 5. and i'm usually a 3-4


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