# my ADs make my GERD & IBS D worse



## sooze (Dec 8, 2002)

My dr prescribed me dothiepin and, on a really low dose, it was helping with my anxiety and depression, so he upped the dose. But it made my GERD & IBS D really really bad. The dose is back down again and I'm taking nexium, which helps. But if I stay on this dose with the nexium, will the dothiepin still be damaging my stomach and the nexium just masking its effects? Any recommendations for ADs that won't have these effects?Sooze


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## jjohnson (Apr 29, 2004)

Hi sooze,I used to take doxepin with fairly good results. Among antidepressants, it is the strongest antihistamine (so has similarities with Zantac) and may actually help your GERD. Amitriptyline is the strongest anticholinergic and seems to be the most commonly prescribed for IBS (at least here in the US.) It's also a strong antihistamine, but less so than doxepin. But these two drugs (called tertiary amines) are also the most sedating of the TCAs and some people find them unbearable even at low doses. Hope this helps.


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