ArizonaWill said...
Hi, I've had IBS most of my life, but assumed a lot of it was due to anxiety from a very stressful career. Well, I am retired now. A doctor suggested I take PAXIL for anxiety, which I did. This, plus changing my diet, using a lot of fiber pills, self-hypnosis for IBS, and having a spiritual life have helped a lot. My IBS went somewhat into remission, in that I can have days where my stool is normal looking and no cramps.
However, PAXIL over the long term causes total lack of sexual desire or function AND puts on weight! These are known side effects. So I have had no libido and gained 30 pounds in 4 years! Yikes! Finally, I realized I had to get off this poison because it was ruining my marriage (who wants a husband who never wants sex and gains weight like a Blow Fish?). So I started tapering off the drug in December.
Now my IBS is back, and each day my stool resembles firm but small "Frito Chips" (sorry for the gross analogy) and thin shards. I admit this isn't the end of the world, but I can only guess that going off this anxiety medication is really freaking out my subconscious and my brain chemistry. On the conscious mind level, I am calm except for the dang IBS coming back.
Anyone share this type of experience? I read that for normal people going off Paxil, diarrhea and stomach upsets are common, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised, eh?
In my next life, I refuse to come back unless I definitely do NOT have IBS. Having a poo poo dysfunction is embarrassing.
Me too. Exactly all of the above. Weight gain, no sex drive (even ordered playboy, I might as well been looking at a wallpaper cataloge), affect sex life with wife, some dizzy vision ( I could deal with it if it fixed my ibs). I was on Paxil for 3-4 months worked really well then it stopped work. Now I'm tappering off and my belly is upset. Trying Luxapro (sp?) next. Amatriptaline (sp?) and zoloft did not work for me. It's pretty bad when I get excied about
having a