Medication advice
#212370 - 09/11/05 11:04 AM
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CindyG.
Reged: 01/26/05
Posts: 65
Loc: Mississippi
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Hi, I am IBS-D and I also have severe anxiety about my IBS.
I am going to the doctor tomorrow and asking to be put on some meds to help with cramping, gas, and also just to help stop the diaherra altogether. I am up for trying anything that might help. I have had IBS-D for almost 3 yrs and during that time I have let my lifestyle change dramatically because of it. Right now my activities are very limited because of the fear going out and having an attack.
Please any personal stories or comments would help a lot.
HAs anyone had any success with medications?
I have tried several different anxiety medications to try and get taht under control but they really havent worked..
THanks
Cindy
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My doctor prescribed me Bentyl for the cramping, but honestly, I've never used it... peppermint works wonders for me. But I've heard of other people really being helped by it.
Probably the best medication for my IBS has been Lexapro, for my anxiety problems. It still wasn't a "cure" - I have to follow the IBS diet pretty strictly, and I still have bad days once a month or so - but it made a HUGE difference. I know you said you've tried some anxiety meds, but there's just SO many on the market these days... it might be worth another try, if you feel that anxiety is a big problem for you.
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I also suffer from anxiety and IBS-D. For the D I take Immodium Advanced, and as needed I take Levsin, an antispasmodic. Both have worked well for me during attacks. I noticed the most improvement after listening to the IBS self-hypnosis tapes, probably because they are so relaxing.
I still get episodes of the dreaded D, and have been battling weight loss because of it. My episodes now seem to be stress-related. I worry a lot, and have generalized anxiety disorder. For a couple of years I was on Elavyl for the anxiety (which was prescribed by a gastroenterologist for IBS symptoms and to help me sleep) and it worked beautifully until I developed tachycardia and had to go off it. I just started Buspar in a desperate attempt to get a handle on my anxiety. I hope it works!
Good luck at the docs!
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Immodium every day as a preventative was a lifesaver for me - I only took one tablet every morning, but then I'm actually A so you may need more.
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Hey. I know how you feel. I feel a lot of my D attacks are anxiety related. I can be feeling fine but when I am out and I actually start thinking about my IBS-D . I freak myself out. I am wanting to try Elavyl, did it cos you to have a tachycardia ?
I am not on any meds besides Immodium right now. I am going to make a trip to the dr this week sometime.
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My daughter has IBS-D, and is taking daily immodium advanced, and levsin. The immodium helps some with the D, and the levsin for the cramps. She too has a lot of anxiety surrounding IBS, especially when out. She is also trying acupuncture and hypnosis, but its too early to tell yet if it is helping. Hope you find something that helps you to feel more comfortable.
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Mom of a 9 year old with severe IBS
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i find my ibs gets really exacerbated by anxiety, too. mostly the anxiety about having an attack. my dr. put me on donnatol, which does help, though the side effects (spaciness, dry mouth) are annoying. donnatol is an anti-spasmodic, or gut tranquilizer, but the phenobarbitol does help with the anxiety - i never get the heart pounding that accompanies stressful attacks.
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Let me first say that everyone reacts differently to meds.
I was actually on the generic version of Elavyl, which is Amnitryptaline (can't swear on the spelling). It's a tricyclic antidepressant which has been around for a long time. I'm very sensitive to meds, so I always start at a low, low dose (half the usual starting dose). I think when I got up to 15 mg I started have tachycardia. When I dropped back down to 10, I was fine. However, about a year later I started having palpitations. Was it from the medication? It's hard to say, but my general physician suggested I get off it. (I still get the paliptations, so it probably wasn't the med.)
The gastro guy told me that several of his petite women patients are on a low dose of Elavyl with no problem. The nice thing about it is that it somehow short-circuits or otherwise dulls the feeling of pain in the body. I liked the side effect of sleepiness, because I have terrible insomnia.
Talk to your doc about it and good luck!
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