# Question



## NinaAngela (Mar 4, 2005)

For anybody who's ibs has been helped by antidepressants, how much would you say it helped on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best)?? I was put on a low dose tricyclic. I have IBS-C, but i didnt make it past the 1st 3 days because of really bad side effects. I'm nervous to try again with something else, but i feel like i have so much anxiety/stress, and nothing else i've tried for it has helped. I've even read some ppl say that it took away they're symptoms completely. I've pretty much been through al the medications/diets etc. and while they helped a little nothing substantial. Angela


----------



## 20327 (Jun 5, 2005)

I tried Elavil for only 1 week, and had to stop due to horrible side effects. Then I tried Paxil but after 6 weeks had not noticed any relief in IBS symptoms nor in anxiety level.At that point, my doctor added Lorazepam, a different kind of anti-anxiety medication. THIS HELPED A LOT! I would wake up (prior to Lorazepam) will inexplicable feelings of fear and anxiety that made my entire body really tight. I would have to breath very deep to lower my heart rate, which was racing. All of this reaction had no discernable cause! When I had such symptoms, my IBS was also bad, being "D" and messy and uncomfortable. With Lorazepam, this all stopped immediately. No break in period of days or weeks. It was GONE. I have now taken it for several weeks and I yet to have another anxiety attack, and my intestinal system is rather stable. No "D", just firm stools like the average person. I still have to guard my thoughts because no drug is going to erase the effects of negative fearful thoughts, but I am much more calm. In fact, one bad side effect is that some days I feel very tired/sleepy. But it is worth it in comparison to being really shaky and tense about "D" and pain.Has it cured IBS? No, but so far so good. I take it one day at a time. I rate each day along with a diary of my food intake and emotions and medications (in case this helps in the future). Since combining Paxil with Lorazepam, every day has been color coded GOLD. GOLD = a GREAT day, much like a normal person takes for granted (intestinally speaking). So you might ask your doctor about Lorazepam, if the anti-depressants don't help. Lorazepam focuses on anxiety.


----------



## mxwe (Apr 7, 2002)

My understanding is that tricylics are in the antihistomine(sp) family. When I tried them they made me sleepy with know energy. I was to on Paxil and it helped. Now I am on Cymbalta combined with a small dose of Zyprexa. Zyprexa is not normally prescribed for depression, but has shown it does help with some people. It definitely has helped me.If I was you, I would try one of the newer anti-depressants.MXWE


----------



## 18739 (Jul 22, 2005)

You might want to read this article about anti-depressants and it also gives you some alternatives to use instead of using them. Here is the link http://www.mercola.com/2005/jul/23/antidepressant_drugs.htm


----------

