Which antidepressant for IBS?

7Lil, maybe the answer isn't in finding a doctor who wiill treat me with a unique drug. My body is not drug deficient...it might be serotonin deficient for some reason,
like maybe I cant make enough or too much.

maybe the answer would be to find healthcare people who view me as an individual...where do we get that.

questforhealing mentioned that a few times, do you know where he is? how do I find what he was talking about?

Dbab, Thanks for that link..  I read it and it was pretty much word for word what my doctor at Cleveland Clinic told me..   It is very interesting how are bodies work and don't work..  What effects some people does not effect others.. Thanks again...

I will firstly admit to not having read through the other replies, sorry, i just popped on for a quick peek before bed, but i saw this and thought i'd just reply.

I am in the UK and i take at times, an anti depressant called (here in the uk) Citalipram. I know it goes under a different name in Canada as a friend of mine there has taken it. This med is especially for IBSers. You don't have to have depression to be prescribed this as most doctors know of its helpfullness with IBS. I find it calms me and my tummy, helps dramatically with the anxiety, and i am of the state of mind where i hate to leve the house, supermarkets cause me tremendous problems, but with Citalipram i find it takes the edge off and really does help.

Hope this helps you

Indigo

I have suffered with anxiety and depression and this has always makde my IBS worse. I don't think that anti depressants completely take away the symptoms of IBS but they can certainly help. My anxiety always makes my IBS worse but since taking effexor, my IBS symptoms have improved and I don't suffer as badly as I used to. I know people have different opinions on meds but different things work for different people. We can't all respond the same to every treatment so I think that whatever works for a person is a help to them ... meds or no meds.

Hi Sarah,

Anti-depressants can cause GI side effects and usually subside over time, as far as causing IBS I have not read anywhere that it does.

For people that do not have IBS, if you are experiencing GI side effects after starting the drug; if the drug is stopped, then your side effects should go away.

The different types of anti-d's are usually rx'd depending on your type of IBS and symptom. SSRI's are usually better for people with constipation type IBS and tricyclic are usually targeted to the diarrhea type. That's basing only on treatment for IBS and not for depression or anxiety.

I hear that a majority of people with fibro have IBS. Intestinal muscle strength and also spasms can cause the symptoms that go along with IBS in the functional sense. Since fibro affects the muscles, it would almost make sense why the majority of fibromyalgia patients suffer from IBS also.

Take Care

Hi I am new here. I have been taking Celexa for over 2 yrs (mild dose of 10mg) for PTSD. about 4 months ago I started having problems with chest and gut pain. The doctors did all the gull bladder tests and said that's fine. about ten days ago I was rushed down to ER at the hospital I work for with dizziness, chest and stomach pain and pretty much out of it. First they looked at the heart and said it looks like an 18 yr old :) I am 54. So then the gastroenterologist did ct of abdomen, colonoscopy and xray of small bowel. He said everything looked fine and he could only diagnose IBS. BTW I spent five days in the hospital going thru these tests and have no appetite for almost a month. Anyway the gastro prescribed Elavil 25 mgs and right now they are having me take it and the celexa. I have been doing so for 5 days and I feel pretty crappy. I've read that the Elavil can cause constipation and that is mostly what I have. Wondering if anyone else out here has this combo and if so , how long does it take so you don't feel so beat down. I realize that both are in small doses but I have barely ate for near a month. I have lost about 20 lbs in a little over 2 months and I am a small person to begin with. :(
Any info would be appreciated. Sorry it's such a long post.
Hollybg