Why do so many of us take anti-depressants?
#142168 - 01/24/05 06:28 PM
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jessica28
Reged: 08/10/04
Posts: 294
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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Is our IBS making us anxious and so fourth, or is the anxiety causing our IBS? It just seems wierd that so many of us take things such as lexapro, zoloft, prozac. I too, take prozac. Any comments on this one?
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my dr. put me on effexor and indicated it was NOT for depression. the study he found was that these drugs sometimes help relieve the anxiety (tightness/spasms) that seem to occur when you have IBS. I have only been on them a short time - I hope they work - any luck with you???
What are you on and how many times a day do you take them??
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I took anti d's (prozac) a few years back. While they did slightly help my C...... I gained a lot of weight on them, getting off of them was horrible, and I really believe they then caused my C to be worse than it was before starting. I read a great book called The Prozac Backlash that talks about the possibilty that some of these drugs can make problems worse down the line! Hope this info helps a bit.
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So, your doc put you on effexor. Actually, I am about to go on Effexor. I alternate between constipation and diarrhea issues and could not find an anti-Dep that did not cause diarrhea or constipation. My doc said that this was probably the closest as it combines 2 diff types of anti dep ingredietns I guess you would say - one causes diarrhea the other constipation - so I guess they both kind of cancel each other out. Anyway, I was wondering if you were an IBS-D, C or A?
Thanks
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Dana
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I took prozac for a few years...... it did help my C a little bit, but when I decided to get off of it, my C was worse than before I started.
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Because I could use some!! All the AD's I've been on have just worsened my already chronic C.
Thanks
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Oh ya, let's see here...Lexapro and Zoloft. Basically, if you suffer from C, you are going to want to stick with the SSRI variety of antidepressants like Zoloft and Lexapro. Stay away from the tricyclics (elavil, Remeron) as they will make your C worse.
Remember SSRIs to help with constipation
tricyclics to help with diarrhea
Hope this helps. You can do a search on the web or just tell your doctor that you want to go on an SSRI to help control your constipation.
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Dana
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Jessica, how long have you been on the prozac? And what dose? My doc is thinking about this one for me.
I think it works both ways. My doc says the gut has it's own "brain" with it's own serotonin and that taking an AD can help regulate the serotonin in both the brain in the head and the brain in the gut. They are connected.
Thus, the AD helps with both the symptoms of IBS even in people who don't have depression. But for those who do (and who wouldn't having to deal with all this pain and symptoms) it also helps with depression. From what I've read, the lower dose helps with IBS, and if you also have depression the higher doses are recommended.
Check this out web page and this web page from the library.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hi Jessica, I don't take ADs but I do suffer from anxiety. I believe my personality is what causes my IBS. I stress over everything, even the most stupidest and simplest of things. And now I stress about my bloat and gas daily, which is probably what only makes it worse! I imagine we'd be hard pressed to find someone on this board who doesn't have an anxiety problem??
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~ Live life, don't let life live you ~
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Just like with fiber, I think we are all different with these drugs. Yes, tricyclic AD's were bad for me too...I took Doxepin for a couple months and trying to have a BM was near impossible. I was on Paxil CR for about 2 years, but switched to Prozac about 5 months ago. The Paxil was making me wake up all night long, the Prozac now allows me a restful sleep and I like it much better. It hasn't effected my weight, IBS, or anything, just my sleep. I am finally not waking up every hour. I have more anxiety versus depression, but I like it. I've tried Lexapro and it made ME really dizzy, so I had to stop. It just seems weird how so many of us are on these. I used to think maybe the Paxil was causing the constipation, because the whole thing really started around the time I started taking it, but have come to found out that is not the case. This really sucks you guys!!! Ahh!! At least we are not alone. People think you are crazy when you tell them you take AD's and you've been backed up for days or something...crazy world we live in. With any of these drugs you have to be careful going off on them, because people react differently. When I went off Paxil I got VERY sick and it was awful, but I have taken other ones and just stopped and nothing happens...Drugs are great, but at the same time they suck because of all the side effects!!
Jessica
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For me it was a little bit of both, and a little bit of neither. 
I was starting to think that my anxiety was causing my IBS. I've had anxiety problems a LOT longer than I've had full-blown IBS. (Anxiety started when I was 7; IBS symptoms started appearing when I was 12.) If that were strictly the case, though, logic would dictate that my IBS symptoms would basically disappear when I went on Lexapro, which hasn't been the case, despite careful diet, etc in addition to the medication. So I'm left to believe that my IBS is a physiological problem, not simply a brain-gut connection.
As for the IBS making my anxiety worse, THAT was cured with the Lexapro, thank goodness.
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My doc says that IBS, depression , & migraines are all related to some type of chemical imbalance, so it's no surprise to have all of these ailments. She said the problem is that not enough studies have been done to actually solve ("cure") the problems or to understand how they interrelate.
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I am predominantly C. (what is A??) I am also taking miralax once a day in the evening along with librax (once before every meal - but does not seem to do anything). I just want to get rid of gas, gas and more painful gas. I am taking effexor 2 times per day
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The best of both worlds , us A's get D *and* C. Can't win! Haha.
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I just took my first lexapro...I am only taking a 5 mg dose. At night. Does it matter when you take it, and if you take food with it?
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Harmony
#142551 - 01/25/05 01:19 PM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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Nope! It doesn't matter if you take it in the morning or at night. I started taking mine mornings, and looking back on it, I should have done nights - it made me really sleepy for the first month I was on it.
If you find it makes you a little queasy or heartburn-y, take it with food. Otherwise, you should be fine there too. 
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Thanks! Hope you are doing good today!
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