# amitriptyline making diarrhoea worse?



## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

Have been on amitryptaline for 6 months now, at 10mg, to help with my IBS-D. It doesn't seem to be making any difference, am still getting daily diarrhoea. Has anyone had any success with this? Doc has suggested I now take 20mg a day, but am concerned as am sleepy enough as it is!Take loperamide every day but think am building up a tolerance to it. Scary as it seems the only thing that works!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Typically amitryptaline is more likely to be constipating, but the dose that works for IBS-D can be anywhere from 10 to 75 mgs a day.Do you take it at bed time? They usually recommend that so you are sleeping during the time it is likely to make you the sleepiest.You might talk to the doctor about desipramine. Is is a similar drug but some people tolerate it a bit better.


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

Yes, take it at night and sleep really well but then find it difficult to wake up in the morning and am sleepy for a while. Maybe the higher 20mg dose may help the diarrhoea, but 10mg hasn't made a difference. Wondering how long I'll have to be on Ami as am not keen to take it for years!


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## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

Friday,You sound like you are in a similiar position that I was in. I too didn't want to increase to 20mg of amitriptyline because of the concern that I would be too sleepy. My doctor recommended taking the amitriptyline in the evening at 5 or 6pm. At first I was quite sleepy in the evening. By morning as I was generally fine. Now, I always take my amitriptyline at that time and I have adjusted well and found the increased constipating side effect was a good balance for my D. I would stick with the amitriptyline for now. Although desipramine is similiar to amitriptyline except with fewer side effects as Kathleen has said, you may find that you will go through withdrawal from the amitriptyline if you were to switch. That can be rather nasty. Perhaps stick with the amitriptyline unless you don't adjust to the sleepy side effects over time.Jeff


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanks Jeff, that's really helpful, I shall try that and see how it goes. It's interesting how GPs never suggest these things and we find out through useful forums like this!Have you been on amitryptaline for long? I hate the thought of being on that and loperamide for life, but my Dr said that might be what I'll need to do in order to lead a fairly normal life! Maybe 10mg just isn't enough for me, so I shall try the 20mg and hope it works!


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## Jeffrey Roberts (Apr 15, 1987)

Hope that the information helps and the increase in medicine works better for you. I have been on amitriptyline continuously for at least 5 years, and was on it years ago for a few years as well. It sounds like your doctor is working with you, which is really helpful in order to find things that will help you.Give it time for adjustment and results. Let us know how you make out.Jeff


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## calibraa (Feb 23, 2008)

I have been taking Amitriptyline for almost 5 years now. Your diarrhea is not because of the amitriptyline, but because of the low dosage. Anytime I go below 75mgs a day I have problems. Right now I'm at 125... The side effects are not so scarry. In fact it is only my dry mouth - no libido or concentration problems. This is the only medication that works for me, hope they'll make it for the rest of my life. It has brought 80% of my normal life back.


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## baz22p (Dec 1, 2008)

I have been taking amitriptyline (at 25mg) for some time now. I've also tried loperamide - the tablets were 'uneventful', but the liquid was disasterous (made all my symptoms much worse). I think it is fair to say that different things have different effects for different people. Unfortunately, finding the right combination for you will take time and much 'trial and error'. I am still looking.......


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## Nickisusan (Dec 16, 2008)

Amitriptiline made me worse! i was first put on 10mgs which worked for a bit i always get anxious cause of my IBS and the one side effect from the drug was anxiousness...It made me constipated but very anxious it was a vicious circle i am now having withdrawl symptoms from this drug at the moment and avoiding situations that i feel my IBS starts.The highest dose they put me on was 30mgs which don't seem alot but made me even more anxious!


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

Am just reporting back on the outcome of my upping the dose of amitriptyline - to 20mg a night. Absolutely no change with the diarrhoea but seemingly more bloating and pain and also dreadful dizziness. Wondering if anyone else has suffered from this? I really don't want to take any more than 20mg (very sleepy all day) so perhaps will need to give it a miss and plod on with using loperamide each day...


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## ibseddie (Jan 20, 2009)

Sorry those meds dont work for you.Try Buspar, I was on in it last summer during a really bad time of anxiety.The trip causing that stress is over so I am back to no drugs and just dealing with IBS, do me that is easier than the drugs and their side effects, THEY SUCK!


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## gmc (Feb 25, 2009)

I have taken Elavil and Atarax for the past five years because of interstitial cystitis, and Elavil has absolutely no effect whatsoever on the diarrhea. I take 25mg a day at night, and am so sleepy in the morning that it is very difficult to get up, and I am usually an early riser. It does make me terribly thirsty with a "cotton" mouth, but nothing really alleviates that. I have just learned to live with it since I have to take it for the cystitis.


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## kitkat17 Lady of the Loo (Jul 21, 2005)

Did nothing for me except weight gain. Was to slow down bowel, but it slowed down everything but bowel. After 6 months and 10 pounds I went off of it.Wishing you better luck that I hadTake care


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## longsc12 (Feb 27, 2009)

i have IBS-D and have been on amitriptyline hcl for about two years now i only am at 30 mgs which i realize is not a lot but my doctor and i came to the decision to take one 10mg pill right before bed. then in the morning take another 10mg when you wake up and then another 10mg around lunch time. This ensures that you have a constant flow of the medication running through your system because one of the problems with amitriptyline is that it is not a long XR medication. it typically wears off noticably after about 8 hours, and in fact you can even feel depression rising if you skip one pill but thats also a benefit cause it makes sure you have a hard time forgetting. Of course i also take alprazolam .5mg 2x a day which is also helps a ton. hope that helpssteven


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## AimsL (Mar 22, 2009)

Hi everyoneI am a new member and been suffering with IBS D for about 1 year. I have the same as Claire 8604 - D in the morning but I also get flare ups from time to time after alcohol or rich food.GP has prescribed amitriptyline and I am taking 10 mg in the morning and 10 mg at night but only for a few days. So far I am sooooo sleepy and feel a bit like a zombie!Did others experience this and how long does it go on for? Do you get used to it?Thanks


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## cherrypie09 (Jan 20, 2009)

i was told to take amitriptyline at 1/2 a tablet to start then go up to 10mg at night, i was on them for 3 years, it didnt do any good, probably not on high enough dose, but they do make you light headed. I have had to come off them now at the moment, because of suffering with anxiety and are on 30mg mirtazapine. So i am only taking immodium and lactose free foods at moment.


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2009)

I have a horror story in regards to this drug.My sister died suddenly in 1983 and I was really upset , and my doctor , at that time , put me on 25 mg. Amitrip. I took 1 tablet before bed. Within one hour I was throwing up badly.Then I lost my memory. I didn't know my name , or my husband , or my 11 month old son.I was this way for one whole week.The doctor said I must have had a reaction to it. No kidding*Use extreme caution with this drug please. I don't want to see anyone under go the frightening symptoms I went thru for one whole week.For those of you that take it for Diarrhea , I hope it helps. But from what I am reading , it isn't helping you.In that case , I would discontinue it. My opinion only though !


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