Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

The gut sotres the majority of the bodies serotonin. Serotonin is what the gut uses to signal the brain about sensations including pain. So low doses of antidepressants can help pain in IBS and in some people it can effect the bowel with either d or c as well.

I believe it is important to use stress reduction techniques or the Hypnotherapy, which actually is safe and can work better on IBS, before going this route.

However they can help and be effective for IBS.

The Use of Antidepressants
in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
and Other Functional GI Disorders

http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=antidepressants+and+ibs+and+unc&ei=UTF-8&u=www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/medicine/fgidc/antidepressants.pdf&w=antidepressants+ibs+unc&d=Gh7lZm1aMJTO&icp=1&.intl=us

This is one reason why stress effects IBS.
For most IBSers it can really help to understand this as well as you can.

Posted on Thu, Jan. 19, 2006
Stress can wreak gastrointestinal havocStress doesn't cause irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal problems -- but it can make the symptoms worse.
The gastrointestinal tract is governed by the autonomic nervous system, the nerve network that serves internal organs and works mostly without our thinking about it. The autonomic system has two parts: the sympathetic nervous system, which activates in stressful situations; and the parasympathetic nervous system, the counterpart that promotes quiet activities (such as digestion).
When stress occurs -- work problems, disagreements, money woes or true danger -- the sympathetic nervous system goes into high gear. Your body responds in fight-or-flight mode, prepared to face or run away from danger, even if the "danger" is a traffic ticket or a teenager driving you crazy.
When the sympathetic system is in charge, in essence, your gastrointestinal system turns off. The body is not worried about digestion when it's geared up to respond to an emergency.
That is the motor side of things; yet the gastrointestinal system also has a sensory side. The autonomic nervous system sends sensory signals to the brain. During times of stress, our brains are looking for clues from all over; our bodies are more vigilant about sensing what is going on. Under stress, the gut feels more and does less. For anyone, stomachaches and diarrhea are common symptoms of stress.
So it's no surprise that stress can intensify symptoms of gastrointestinal conditions.
With irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic condition with symptoms that include abdominal pain, cramping, gas, diarrhea and constipation, the severity of symptoms varies widely.
For many people, managing stress is the first line of treatment, along with changes in lifestyle and diet. Medication can be helpful for people with more severe symptoms.

SOURCE: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/dfw/news/news_to_use/13661149.htm?source=rss&channel=dfw_news_to_use

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My website on IBS is www.ibshealth.com

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