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Hi Casey, I read your post re: lexapro and it is very good to hear such positive results. I am supposed to starting SSRI - celexa and have put if off after taking 1/2 tablet and feeling drowsy for the day and weird - your post talked about you feeling normal again - not since 6 or 7. That is such an inspiration - thank you for your encouraging post. Debbie IBS-C
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Hello, Your anxiety sounds very familiar - I have SSRI"s sitting in my cupboard and stopped after 1/2 tablet. That is what my anxiety is like - "oh no, I felt tired and weird". 1/2 tablet. I long to feel good again and to feel some sense of peace. I pray that I can get past my anxiety and take the SSRI for a good length of time to see the results that "Casey" has. Debbie IBS-C
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I have heard many many people say what Casey is saying. I have friends who are on "meds" for life and they life a very fulfilled life and have no "hang ups" about taking the mediciation. I am told by my medical practitioner exactly what Casey experienced. Once you feel "yourself" again - the anxiety of taking the meds will go and you will be at peace with taking the meds. Debbie
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Thank you Debbie. I haven't fulfilled the prescription yet but I appreciate everyone's insight. It is very helpful and I am still considering it. It does seem silly to "suffer/survive through every day life" if there is a way it can be avoided. I just have to get past the long-term thing and think about now I guess.
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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You are very welcome. I understand only too well what the suffering if like - I do feel that my physical IBS distress causes alot of anxiety for me personally. I lived a very fulfilled life until my IBS distress hit and now feeling pain and discomfort everyday and never sure what to eat has caused me too much to bear. AS a result I have limited my intake severely to certain foods and my health suffers as does my mental health. I really really pray that you find peace with the Lexapro and give it a try - I am not at all oppossed to meds - I just want to figure out if my IBS symptoms are related to an actual food intolerance or not. Bless you - hugs and prayers, Debbie
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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Okay, so the final conclusion is that I decided to start the Lexapro. Short and simple reason, I decided that despite having my IBS reasonably under more control now more than ever, my anxiety is preventing me (as Oprah would say) from "living my best life."
So I took one before bed last night, not sure if I should expect d but I have the week sort of planned out with my husband on stand-by and ready to jump in for some planned events (others I would have to just skip). Took 10mg at 11PM...did the hypno, fell asleep, and at 1AM woke up with gas pains. This is not common for me in the middle of the night so I know it was medicine related. These excruciating pains continued, I was sweating, feeling jittery and a little dizzy, and after about 45 minutes, I finally had horrific d several times, which actually made me feel so much better. Then I started with the chills and basically layed in bed and couldn't move, afraid I would vomit or if I changed position get d again. This went on till about 3:30 AM.
I am posting immediately now upon waking hoping for some advice. My stomach feels terrible, I feel nauseous, but not nearly as bad as last night, so I'm hoping that some oatmeal and Acacia will settle me down. Some questions:
1. I can't even phathom at the moment how I am going to knowingly take another pill tonight...like self-torture. For those of you who have gone through this, you said a week of this? And did you have it as severe? I can't comprehend how this powerful pill will eventually HELP my IBS if it is giving me such a terrible attack that I haven't had in months. Does it eventually reverse and HELP with your d? I'm so confused and apprehensive to go through a week of hell only to have maybe less anxiety (that's the whole point) but with more physical symtoms, it seems counterproductive. 
2. Would you just eat all SF this week? I plan to do that today to see if it makes a difference tonight.
3. Would you take immodium or peptobismol? My plan was to take immodium to counteract the d, but honestly, if I had not been able to "go" so thoroughly last night, I'm pretty sure I would have vomited and be still lying there with ridiculously painful stomach cramps. (I kind of "fought off" the vomit if you know what I mean as I hate to do it.)
4. Is Lexapro sort of "time-released" so that I may expect more of these attacks all day? Or will they just come more likely at night shortly after taking it?
ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED! I FEEL GLAD THAT I MADE THIS DECISION AND WANT TO STICK IT OUT BUT THIS IS HELL. I JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT GO AWAY, BUT THAT IT REALLY HELPS THE IBS (PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL) IN THE LONG RUN. THANK YOU! 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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alright here are som pointers...
First of all do not strat taking 10 mg right off the bat, that is alot for your body to get used to at once.
I did 5-7 days at a half pill (5mg) and the nausea was minimal.
I take mine in the morning, that is how my doc said to take it, but apparently it doesn't matter when you take it as long as its a the same ish time each day.
Second, yes eating SF all week is an ok plan and take the immodium and pepto if you have to, the yucky feelings will start to go away aftyer a bout a week, and by 2 weeks you should be good to go and starting to feel a bit of an ease up on the anxiety.
Give it time and just push throught it, think of all the times you felt horrible with ibs, if you can brave that for so long, you can brave a few days of icky medicine feeling, at least knowing that it will go away soon.
Hope that helps.
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I had asked the doctor if I should start out with 5mg and work my way up and she said no (although I wasn't entirely happy with this doc anyway). I just called and spoke to a nurse who herself had taken Lexapro. She said she awoke the first night feeling like she was "on drugs" (true I suppose!) and very jittery. I kind of had that too but to a lesser degree. I was just so overwhelmed with the stomach pains.
Are you d, c, or A and do you understand my confusion as to how a pill that can cause bad d (watery, explosive  ) will eventually yes, help with anxiety, but supposed to help with the d a bit too right?
When you take it in the morning, no reaction? The nurse said she takes hers in the morning too so that it doesn't interrupt her sleep. I guess for me though it's more convenient to be deathly ill when everyone else is asleep and I have no repsonsibilities! 
I feel nauseous now but nothing else thank goodness. And I ate oatmeal with bananas for breakfast. I am going to eat as if I have a stomach bug (which it feels like) and see how tonight goes. When you say about a week, does it lessen each day? For example, will tonight be as bad as last night? Ugh, I dread it but I appreciate your encouragement. You're right, all the other hellish episodes of IBS had no "goal" in mind and I survived them. Thank you for your responses.
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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I always take my meds with food as it lessens the chances of nausea, also I dont know if you can break your tablets in half but I take half a tablet in the morning and half in the evening that way I get a full dose but its gentler on my tummy. Hope you get some relief soon x
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