# Experiences with Nortriptyline?



## KnickBabe (Mar 24, 2009)

Hello All,I'm totally new to this site and this is the first time I'm posting here. I have just been diagnosed with IBS, after three years of suffering. I'm female and 29 years old. I'd like to explain my situation before my main questions to see if anyone else is experiencing what i'm going through, so apologies for the long post..My issues started when i was living in Virginia, in the US. I now live in London, UK.Three years ago, i had a urinary tract infection, for which my GP gave me a anti-microbial. From that day onwards i've been having horrible GI issues. My symptoms include broken/undigested stools (not diahrrea) and a horrible general ill feeling, a feeling of total sickness, doom and that something awful is carosing through my body. After a month of this not letting up, i had been through 3 different courses of antibiotics because my GP thought it was the UTI that was making me feel this way.. a urologist and finally a GI doc. After a stool test, they determined i had C Dificile.. for which they put me on another antibiotic. Two subsequent stool tests later, they determined that the C diff was gone, they also tested for parasites, Crohns dissease, Celiacs disease, all which were negative. Blood tests were normal. The draining "ill feeling" got worse as time went on, i couldn't go to work and all i'd do all day was stay in bed and cry. After having a colonoscopy, and a barium test, my GI doctor told me i was "Totally fine" and also at the time ruled out the IBS due to the nature of the stools. By now, three months had passed. I was frustrated and I gave up but a week later i told my mom to take me to the ER because i felt like i was dying. All the tests they ran there were normal. But one of the nurses told me to stay on broths for a week, then slowly add Bananas/apple sauce for 3-4 days, then to try rice and bread.. As soon as i followed this, i immediately started feeling better.It was a slow process but i stayed on my diet and slowly introduced new foods back into my diet. Usually it was 3 steps forwards, 1 step backwards.. so eventually by the 6th month, i was able to get back to eating normal foods and not feeling ill. Until two months later, the episodes happened again. The episodes don't usually occur with similar foods, it could be anything i eat. Usually when the broken stools came, the ill feeling wouldn't immediately be there, but i'd go on my BRAT diet, and after 3 days or so i'd be normal again. But as time went on, the broken stools came back sometimes a few times a month, sometimes i wouldn't experience it for 2-3 months. The times where two episodes happened too close to one another, like within the same week, the immense ill feeling would return, and would last for a week, sometimes 2 weeks, and would only go away if i stuck to my BRAT diet for a week and started introducing more complex foods. I had tried probiotics, but there were no results, I am definitely not lactose intolerant because there are times where i'd be totally fine with milk and pizza, but times there those things would cause the episodes to return. I refused to see another doctor considering my previous dr. experience, so i went on curbing my diet when needed.About a month ago, i had my symptoms resurface, and it hasn't gone away, i feel sick almost all the time. No matter how long i've stayed on my diet, even introducing bread is making me feel ill. So i decided to see another GI doctor here in London. Upon listening to my whole story, he says that though it is atypical, my symptoms fall into the spectrum of IBS. He immediately told me to start on 10mg of Nortriptyline, he explained that it was an antidepressant thats being used for people suffering from IBS, and its given in very small doses, and that it is efficient.A few days after i started the meds, i was still having the ill feeling but no broken stools, and right now im pretty much constipated. This i don't understand, because the ill feeling was always associated with the broken stools. Last week my GI doc told me to be patient and that it takes a week or two for the medicine to accumulate in my blood stream. The GI doc told me to start Fybogel (UK's version of metamucil) to help with the constipation. I'm still eating just bananas, rice and yogurt, and at times eat bland chicken but i can't tell if its making me feel sick or not. Im not feeling as bad as i did in the beginning but i'm still scared to try any other foods.Does anyone else get this "sickening" feeling that i'm describing? I felt like i had to almost convince my GI doc in Virginia that i was feeling this way. Please explain if you do and if anything else has worked on you.I know the doc said that the Nortriptyline may irradicate the symptoms completely, it may temporarily make me feel better or not work at all, For those taking it, how is Nortriptyline working on you? what are your side effects? Is it making you severely thirsty? Thanks to all who have taken the time to read my story, i really do appreciate it. I'm so tired of not being able to eat and feeling sick.. but I'm looking forward to learn more by reading other stories and sharing as well. Thanks all.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Welcome I don't know what you mean by "a sick feeling". Do you mean you are experiencing nausea? Your diet would make anyone feel weak so if that's what you are talking about as a "sick feeling" I would begin to change what you are doing with your diet. Also if one isn't eating enough sometimes one can have nausea.I would definitely start eating a bit more and put some veggies in there (well cooked to start) as that may alleviate some of the constipation issues. Btw bananas & rice have a tendency to bind stools up so you may need LESS of those now that the nortriptyline is kicking in. So try expanding your diet a bit more to include (definitely) more protein (lean meats, poultry or fish.. baked, broiled, grilled or boiled) and some well cooked veggies. I would just keep things low fat that's all.For more specific info on Nortriptyline see our Antidepressants, Antispasmodics, Antidiarrheals (RX) Forum here:http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showforum=35Hope you feel better soon.BQ


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## KnickBabe (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi BQ, thanks for replying..that "ill" or "sick" feeling that im describing is not nausea, its just a general ill feeling, gosh its so hard to describe!! the best description i can give is it feels as though i have a fever, like the feeling is all over my body, but i never have a temperature. i just feel like something is sucking the life out of me, and i only feel like lying down, and crying. and that feeling only comes whenever i have a bad flare-up... right now since iv'e been sticking to my diet i haven't had the "sick" feeling in about 6-7 days. I actually feel closer to normal today than i have in over a month, it may mean that the Nortiptyline is working... but i have also just been eating bananas, rice yogurt and i just introduced bland chicken... and thankfully THAT hasn;t made me sick... but work is so stressfull right now, i can not afford to feel sick so im not experimenting with any other types of foods that may make me feel sick untill next week..the fybogel is definitely helping my constipation situation... so next week i definitely plan on adding more to my diet..are there any suggestions for easier foods to try? maybe cooked carrots? pasta?thanks in advance..


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

First off.. if you are feeling like you have a fever...(but don't have one) I would urge you to talk to your Doc about that and ask him to run some bloodwork. I mean LOADS of things can cause that feeling.. everything from Lymes Disease to Fibromyalgia to thyroid issues etc... not to frighten you... but it would be good to to have him check your white & red counts and check for Lyme's & do a thryoid panel & check you for Fibro as well as ask for a SED rate to be done. Let's make sure nothing else is causing that feeling.As far as your diet....see my post above for some ideas... also.. for veggies.. well cooked green beans,... peas.... carrots.... anything veggie as long as it is cooked well. Sure try some pasta... just watch what you put on it.. (Like I wouldn't smother it in oil or too much cheese.. but like a light sauce maybe with stewed tomatoes might be good) Experiement when you do not have to go work.. like on the weekend or the nights during the week before you have a day off. But on foods you have tried that seem ok.. start getting them into your diet on a daily basis.Keep us posted honBQ


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## KnickBabe (Mar 24, 2009)

Two weeks ago i had my blood drawn and the doc pretty much ran all tests possible, I do have thyroid issues but I am on synthroid for it... and ahve been on it regularly, he had those levels checked as well and those were normal... he did say my b12 was slightly low (i don't eat red meat) and so he had my blood drawn again, I see him tomorrow so i'll know what the stool test and second blood test results will be.... he said he may want to give me b12 shots just to be sure that isnt causing me problems...the fever like feeling and not actually having a fever- i can directly associate when i have a major flare-up, and USUALLY has gone away once i stuck to my diet.. but this time it lasted for about 3 weeks... too much to bear, but now is definitely better... i think i remember cooked carrots was definitely agreeing with me.... i havent had normal food in so long im not even craving it as much now... but im sure i'll start eating like a starved woman once i start introducing tastier foods, and i'll gain back the weight i lost this month...im really scared to introduce the new foods because i dont want to get that sick feeling... ever... but i will start trying next week.. thanks so much for your suggestions..


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Just eat then.. and you should feel better. BQ


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## lkel (Mar 25, 2009)

Hi,I can relate exactly to your "sick feeling". I'm having it right now. It's so frustrating, these vague symptoms--I want to be outside working my garden, but if I exert myself much I get that sick feeling & have to go in & rest-sometimes for hours. I'm having a significant flare up after several months of fairly normal functioning. Your experience really struck a nerve w/me because it sounds so similiar to mine. I'm going to see my MD on Wednesday & I'm trying to compile all my symptoms in the right sequence so he'll get the picture. He diagnosed me w/IBS about a year ago, but I think he's just not sure what to do next. I'm on 30mg of Amytriptiline, a low dose antidepressant, but I'm not sure it's helping. I'm afraid to quit taking it because I tried lowering the dose not long ago & felt very sick. Have you tried mashed potatoes? That's my #1 comfort food-when I can't eat anything else I go back to it & stay on it a few days till I feel better, then add in bread & rice, etc., which is what I just did for the past 2 weeks-and I feel better, but not well. Do you ever have chills with your feverish feeling? I've been going through this for 4 years & am so tired of it. It does suck the life out of you. I just don't have my usual spark anymore & that makes me sad. I'm on HRT also (post menopausal) & I wonder if that could contribute. I've been reducing that dosage starting this week, so we'll see.Thanks for sharing your story. It makes me feel a bit better that I'm not alone in this mess. I'm going to look into the flavinoids & supplements reccommended by another member of this list, but after I get normalized again. Oh, I also just started the hypnotherapy CDs, so we'll see what that does.Good luck,Luann


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## KnickBabe (Mar 24, 2009)

Hi Luannsorry it took me so long to reply, work has been crazy.... Thank you so much for posting... finally i've found someone who feels the way i do... Yes i feel chills at times when i get my "feverish" feeling, but not all the time... i DO feel like the life is being sucked out of me.. sometimes i get an immense draining feeling in my legs.. but mostly the "sickening" feeling just makes me want to lie down and cry... the feeling just runs all through my body... and im so frustrated that i can't describe it any better than that..I've been on nortriptyline for 3 weeks now and although the consistency of my BMs are normal, (almost constipated) im still getting that sick feeling if i veer from my "diet"... whats really strange is that i tried mashed potatoes on friday night.. and saturday all day i was in tears.. so potatoes are a big no for me i guess. I'm going to try well cooked carrots tonight..after last friday's appointment my GI doctor said that my b12 levels were low so he prescribed me weekly b12 injections, i already took one dose and i have 4 more left. he said that low b12 counts may cause something called pernicious anemia which has symptoms of GI issues. unfortunately they stopped making the test that tells you if you have pernicious anemia or not!! but anyway, currently, because i am only eating bananas, rice, yogurt and well cooked bland chicken, im NOT getting the sick feeling. how have you been on just plain chicken? are you eating normally right now? have you tried just eating bland foods? are you seeing a GI doc? Im so glad we can share stories..kirti


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Could be what was IN the mashed potatoes too. Like using butter or milk might be the problem. Or the type of milk or butter/margarine.Also you could look into trying some digestive enzymes that may help you. Also remember that since your intestines aren't used to some of the "new" foods you are reintroducing that alone can cause me to have a sicky feeling as well. Heck.. having ANYthing in my intestines can cause that sometimes,.. but I find that can happen to me much more frequently when I'm trying to climb back up from the BRAT diet to bland. So.. I wouldn't toss out the potatoes yet. It just may mean your body is trying to adjust to more food (as in ANY food) in there again. (Also I used instant mashed potatoes first before I graduate myself up to "real" potatoes. For the love of Mike... my gut is SUCH a Petunia & Drama Queen sometimes! )Also sometimes... these sensations we feel... can all fall under the "visceral hypersensitivity" umbrella and we need to ignore them.But keep at it and keep trying different things. Hope you feel better.BQ


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

Best to stay away from instant potatoes. I worked, once, with a woman from Idaho, who worked in potato processing while putting herself through College. What she had to say about how they made instant potatoes in those days--having everything to do with black spots and lots of edible bleach--made using them, even when just restaurant cooking, very difficult.Mark


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## KnickBabe (Mar 24, 2009)

hey guys, thanks for respondingsorry i wasn't clear earlier, i actually had potatoes at home, and microwaved them so i baked them myself. i added a tad bit of salt and a tiny pat of butter. I know that i've been ok with oil and butter because i use a little bit when i grill the chicken.my mom gave me a rice recipe thats better than just plain rice yogurt and salt.. (this is an indian recipe and is usually made for people with tummy problems, diahrea to be specific) she told me to heat a smal amount of oil in a non stick pan, add half a teaspoon of cumin powder, a dash of turmeric powder, then add 1 serving of cooked rice, add salt to taste, stir for a few minutes and then when the rice is heated through, add 2 tablespoons of yogurt. stir till its mixed in and then take it off the stove. This has worked wonders for me and doesnt make me feel sick... and it actually tastes good. i've grown up eating this whenever i got sick so its a comfort food for me... but i think im going to try cooked carrots tonight... lets see how that goes..i think you're so right bq, the fact that any new food i introduce may give me problems, i guess i just have to be patient.... now that a huge load of responsibilities are off my shoulders i can concentrate on my tummy again..


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Mark I don't want to know even _1 quarter_ of what goes on in ANY food processing plant. This way I can still eat some... lolKnick.. I would skip the skin on them patatahs for right now though. Raw carrots are higher in fiber than many veggies so keep that in mind... but well cooked might be fine though for ya. I always use them when I'm doing the bland "climb up". And they too now have become a "comfort food" for me. You might also look into the protein enriched pastas with a lite "sauce" for something different. (sauce: idk.. be creative.. whip something up with a low fat chicken broth base....)The rice dish sounds actually very good.







Might have to try that one myself!BQ


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## lkel (Mar 25, 2009)

GaKK! I just lost my reply post!, So I'll try to remember







SI haven't replied lately because I couldn't bear to sit at the computer while I'm feeling so GOOD!!! For the past week& a half I've been outside cleaning up my garden beds & getting the horses cleaned up & ready for riding season(if mud season will ever depart). So I just wanted to catch up & compare notes again. Kirti, thanks for the rice recipe, it sounds yummy. My favorite spices are Indian, like cumin & turmeric & now that I been experimenting w/yoghurt & it seems to sit well, I'm going to try it soon.I don't go to a GI, I have a pretty solid relationship w/my MD & he's fairly open minded. He always says if the science is there, he will go along w/alternative treatments, so when I mentioned Probiotics, he asked me to send him the new studies on Bididobacterium & so I started Proctor & Gamble's new Align product a week & a half ago. I also started Activia, Dannon's new yoghurt w/probiotics.(not a very scientific study, but so far, I'm feeling great & it tastes really good!)







Also started taking 300mg calcium carbonate w/vit D, magnesium, zinc, copper, mang & boron alternating w/my regular calcium citrate(for osteopenia). Who knew such a simple thing could reduce my 4-5 daily BMs to ONE a day-Wow! The BMs are still unformed-will work on that next.Am also ratcheting up my diet from mashed potatoes to a bland, but more varied diet. I can eat chicken, rice, cereal, fruit & fish, just not too much at a time & without skipping meals. I'm still only drinking filtered H20, but am tempted to try some herb teas soon. One other thing I tried w/this bout is something my doc suggested long ago--don't wear snug fitting pants!--I gained about 10 lbs over the winter-eating way too many xmas cookies--so even my fat pants were "snug". I'm wearing sweats or the top snap undone(no one can see me out here in the boonies) & it makes a big difference-what a relief







How did you feel after your B12 shots? I have alway wondered if I could be deficient there too. In the 10 days since I started to feel good again, I've had about a day & a half of zapped energy level--it's very frustrating to be starting out on new projects, then wham! - no energy & then loll around the house waiting for a change. Does this sound like whinning? I am VERY thankful for my good days!I'm on day 8 of the IBS100 Hypnotherapy Cds & it's very relaxing, but will reserve judgement till after more sessions.So, thank you all for all your good ideas & suggestions--it's working, at least for now.Luann


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

So good to hear this Luann. I'm happy for you!BQ


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## KnickBabe (Mar 24, 2009)

Luann,So happy to hear that you're feeling good!!! ive been doing ok so far... i still feel tired since im not eating much, but i definitely don't have that sick feeling and ive added steamed carrots (added it to the lightly fried rice recipe), i even treated myself to a few bites of very mild cheese (deux de montage, the BEST cheese at M&S!!!) and that was saturday... and guess what!!! no sick feeling!!!! today i tried steamed spinach (it was tasty too!) with my grilled chicken so i'll cross my fingers that i dont feel sick tomorrow.. its so hard, people at work keep telling me to try more but im sticking to my pace, ive worked too hard to not feel sick.. but luann i know what you mean by that TIRED drained feeling.. i definitely feel it some days.. but all you can do is rest and take it slow.. about the B12... i don't feel a DRASTIC difference yet.. but i've only been taking it for 2 weeks.. i get my 3rd shot this friday.. but the fatigued feeling is gone.. i'll keep you updated.. im definitely interested to know how you continue to do on Align, my husband was researching probiotics and he came across their website and definitely read very good reviews.. this has definitely been a very humbling experience, on the days where the sick feeling was really bad all i could think of was that god didn't care about me, what did i do to deserve this? but i know thats not the case and i can get through this... i just completed a HUGE project at work where i had to mentally be 100% THERE... and i completed it with flying colors even though in the beginning, 3 weeks ago i was extremely weak and really depressed... but I DID IT!!! Best of luck Luanne, please keep me updated and I'll do the same..Kirti


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