# Doc, wants me to try Lexapro...



## Tamgirl21 (Sep 2, 2001)

.....I told him no way! I went to the GI asking for something to help my IBS-D. Thank goodness I kinda know my stuff b/c I have read numerous times that a side effect of Lexapro is D, am I right? Why is it that you go to the doctor for stomach med's they try to put you on anti-depressants. Whether I am calm at home or out, I have D almost all the time! Can't they just prescribe something for that!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Most of the antidepressants have BOTH Constipation and diarrhea as side effects and can act very differently in different people. Any of them may work for any given person with IBS regardless of which symptoms they have (it is very idiosyncratic and it can take working through several antidepressants to find the one that works) Lexpro caused constipation in 3% of people (1% in placebo control) and diarrhea in 8% of people (5% in placebo control) so compared to the placebo response rates it is fairly even in whether it causes constipation or diarrhea and it isn't a huge percentage of people either way. http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/lexapro_ad.htm for the data on that.Usually in IBS what is causing the diarrhea or constipation and pain is the nerves in the gut acting up. The antidepressants balance the nerves in the gut out. Tricyclics are usually a bit more prone to constipation than diarrhea, but it is not 100% with them either.Prescription antidiarrheals are not necessarily any more effective than Imodium. Lotronex is for IBS-D but not all doctors did the paper work to prescribe it.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I have IBS-C and I take a small amount of lexapro (5mg). It has not affected my IBS at all. The only thing I don't like is that I have no appetite and I've lost some weight, something that I cannot afford to do. It is the only SSRI that I've been able to tolerate. I am sleeping better and overall have less anxiety. Maybe you could try it. You could always go off of it if it makes your IBS worse. Good luck,Tiss


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## chixpix (Aug 10, 2004)

I also have only IBS-D (never constipation), and my doctor put me on lexapro. It has worked GREAT! It helps with the pain, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, etc. The only problem is that it might be giving me INCREASED anxiety, so I am going to talk to my doc about that. Very weird! They can do different things to different people so there's no way telling how you will react until you try it out. I will tell you from my experience though that it helped tremendously with the diarrhea. I also tried paxil before which was also great for the IBS, but it affected my libido too much :-/


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## karen3480 (Apr 11, 2002)

I was on Cellexa first which is Lexapros cousin...the first 1-2 days I did have (D) but as your body adjusts to the medicine things will get better. I'm on Lexapro right now it's awesome I no longer have cramping, and i've only had (D) 1 time in 3 months, I think it was because I ate something bad. My doctor is talking about stopping the medicine in Dec because she feels I'm fine now, I never want to go off this stuff, I've gained 15lbs and I do believe it's from the Lex but I rather be fatter than sick every day.


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## Zanne (Nov 22, 2004)

I have IBS-C. This is what I am currently taking.I take 6mg of Zelnorm, .375mg of Levbid, 150mg of Welbutrin XL and 10mg of Lexapro in the morning before breakfast. I take 6mg of Zelnorm and .375mg of Levbid before dinner. I then take 20mg of Lexapro before bed.I don't like to take all these meds, but at the moment it appears I don't have much of a choice. And it is helping. And not being in severe pain is worth it.


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## kevlaur (Feb 6, 2005)

I've been on lexapro for 6 wks, 10 mgs. Was feeling great for 3 weeks, then things went downhill. IBS flareup. Doc thinks it was too much insoluble fiber too fast, which my nutririonist recommended. Now i'm depressed again and my IBS is acting up. Does anyone have IBs who has had their gall bladder removed, and what are your effects. I found my IBS got worse. Don't know what to eat at this point. Tried zelnorm, after 2 days, horrendous pain, had to stop.


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## Vicky19 (Mar 17, 2003)

i take it and suffer from ibs D and diahoea is a side effect but IF you get that as a side effect, it lasts for a maximum of 2 weeks. I got that side effect and after 14 days, it went.It helped me with diahoea enormously.


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