# anti-anxiety meds to help?



## 20472 (Feb 22, 2007)

Hi everyoneI've posted before with no response - but I hope someone responds this time.I suffer from severe constipation. (I will go 2 weeks with barely a BM). I have even had to take golightly before just to clear me out (after enemas, mirilax, all kinds of magnesium, supositories, etc- nothing working).I have been to many DRs and read many things on IBS. I know they give you anti-depressants as a "cure". So, it seems to me (since this apears to be a mental disorder- no medical evidence found on me) that I have anxiety/stress. So, it seems logical to take an anti-anxiety med to cure this. I have taken them before and said I'd never take them again, but I feel like I have tried everything, from over the counter, to prescription laxatives, to herbal pills, teas, eating right (which I do naturally anyway). I am in so much pain, and I just have to do something.Sooooooooo. Anyone else ever heard of this working. Or tried this? Taking something like klonopin, ativan, etc to cure the constipation? I know these things can probably be constipating on a normal person, but if your problem is anxiety then.. maybe these will help? I really don't want to take the anti-depressantsThanks to anyone who reponds!!!


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## 22299 (Apr 7, 2005)

I have taken Lorazapam for anxiety in general fo a while now. I find it has no bearing on my constipation. It DOES however help the anxiety that surrounds it. I am also currently taking Prozac. I know one of the side effects of that IS constipation. I am actually stopping it for a bit because of other side effect. I don't think anti anxiety med has any effect on constipation. At least not for me.


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## 20708 (Mar 28, 2005)

I believe that SSRI's (some antidepressants) actually help with constipation, as a huge percentage of the body's seratonin is in the colon. I'd been on Welbutrin for a while, but when my Dr. added Lexapro, it helped my constipation a little bit. Not surprising, though, as it added seratonin and lessoned my anxiety. I don't notice much difference at all, though, when I take Ativan/Lorazepam, although it certainly does NOT make me more constipated, which I would have thought it would do.Hope this helps a little.


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## 16636 (Sep 29, 2006)

It's not all a mental problem in that the colon is all tense because you're tense and so you can't pass stool. Chronic depression and anxiety will generally effect serotonin levels in the brain and gut, causing slowed motility, enhanced perception of pain, etc. It's definitely possible that people who are anxious tense up their whole body, including the rectum, etc. I know I do. Relaxing helps me have a bowel movement much more easily -- but it doesn't necessarily improve serotonin levels and therefore constipation in general.Dana


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## 20472 (Feb 22, 2007)

Thanks for the replysI am just scared to take the antidepressants because I have had bad experiences with them before. I need to think about what I'm going to do. After hearing what you guys had to say, not sure the anti anxiety meds will help afterallAlso I appreciate anyone else's insight on this subject


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## 22093 (Feb 19, 2007)

Hi Sickbelly,Please be careful when it comes to anti anxiety meds. They are very addictive. When my 19 year old daughter was diagnosed with inoperable cancer (2nd occurence -first operable) I was put on a high dose of Klonopin to help me sleep. I am now med free but what an ordeal I went through getting off of it. Horror stories about anxiety meds abound on the benzo yahoo group. I wish somebody would have warned me before I took my first pill. Take care,Deb


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## 16636 (Sep 29, 2006)

Klonepin is a great drug but needs to be handled very carefully. I used it for 2+ years to deal with my panic disorder and it was a godsend. My brother, however, abused it and wound up in detox trying to get off it. Of course, those are opposite ends of the spectrum, but still, in my opinion anyone on a benzodiazapine should be under the care of a psychiatrist with weekly monitoring.That said, there are "non addicitive" antianxiety meds, like Buspar, as well as several antidepressants that are known to address anxiety and depression simutaneously. I think there is a specific low dose antidepressant commonly prescribed for IBS. Not sure what it is. All these drugs still need to be tapered off if they're going to be discontinued. There's still withdrawal, which can be prevented if handled correctly.All things considered, if you're considering addressing your constipation with these kinds of meds, you should try Zelnorm if you haven't already, which directly effects serotonin in the gut. 6mg, 2-3x a day. If that doesn't work, you should consider adding Amitiza to that. Taken together, many people (including myself) have had luck...slthough nothing's perfect. But I'm having a great bowel movement every morning on 1 Amitiza and 3mg of Zelnorm taken before my meal. Finding the right combination of the drugs is just trial and error.Dana


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