I just want to post this to share information and experience; it is not an advocacy of taking these medications.
For 25 or so years I've been suffering from IBS-D with weekly or more bouts of bloating, pain, cramping, and nausea. Three times now, I've taken an unrelated medication that has drastically impacted the frequency and severity of the attacks.
1 - Zoloft 25mg. I took this medication for about 2 years during a particularly rough period in my life. This medication reduced my IBS flare ups by at least 80%. Attacks were reduced to mild discomfort and bloating. I was able to eat foods that I could rarely approach in the past, such as higher fiber vegetables, apples, and even onions.
2 - Metformin and Metformin ER – I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes about 6 years ago and this was the first line of medication I was prescribed. Both of these medications severely ramped up the frequency of diarrhea and mild attacks (I categorize this as low level discomfort aggravation as opposed to the knife twisting pain of a really strong attack that lasts for hours.) It got so bad that I started passing undigested medication within hours of taking it. Stopping this medication returned me back to a normal state within a few days.
3 – Phentermine 37mg – So I joined a weight loss program that prescribes this. And while I am thrilled with the results in lost weight and blood sugar control; I am floored by its effect on my IBS. It has essentially erased it from my life. I am able to eat vegetables (although I am still careful) and my bowel habits are incredibly regular. In six months I have had 2 minor flare-ups, both consisting only of low level bloating and discomfort that lasted 8-10 hours but did not much impact my day to day function.
I'll be stopping the Phentermine soon, which has me anxious as to what will happen to my gut once it is out of my system. To me though, this has been very illuminating. I believe that the common factor in the three medications is their impact on the speed and motility of my gut, with the Zoloft and Phentermine slowing everything down and the Metformin speeding it up.
So I guess my next step is in finding a more natural, holistic way of slowing my gut down without medications.
Regards!
J R
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Medications that impact gut motility and their effect on IBS
