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anti-depressant for UC symptoms.

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Posted 7/29/2013 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
A while back I saw a post, I think on here, about an anti-depresant that was helping with urgency. I have a friend who doesn't know what she has but she is having a lot of urgency and D. Her lovely husband informed her she was doing it to herself because she was anxious sometimes. Well that's silly, she isn't making herself sick, but when she said that it remidned me of the thread.
Anyone remember?
Posted 7/29/2013 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
amitriptyline? non-generic is elavil I believe
Posted 7/29/2013 8:24 PM (GMT 0)
Also look in to Wellbutrin
Posted 7/29/2013 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Some people do have diarrhea that's IBS based rather than having a bowel disease.
Amitriptyline and nortriptyline are two meds that might help. I don't like the feeling of nortriptyline...I tried for sleeping, ugh the next day.
Depends on how much anxiety one has and if the side effects cause problems.

Another suggestion could be an antispasmodic...I use dicyclomine.

Your friend might also consider food changes that might not agree with her digestive tract. Does she have an intake of artificial sweeteners? That could also help in adjusting diarrhea. She could also try fibre supplements and probiotics. That might help as well.

q
Posted 7/29/2013 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
I use amitriptyline as an antispasmodic. It is for ibs though, not IBD. Doesn't help with the diarrhea, only the urgency. Also had to play with the dose a bit.

Quincy did nortriptyline help with urgency otherwise? Maybe I should look into switching. I take amitriptyline in the evenings, but I could sleep for days because of it.
Posted 7/29/2013 8:50 PM (GMT 0)

summerstorm said...
I have a friend who doesn't know what she has but she is having a lot of urgency and D. Her lovely husband informed her she was doing it to herself because she was anxious sometimes. Well that's silly.


No actually, it isn't. I remember, since my early teens as and when it was test time at school/college, I would be making about 10 trips/day (and I didn't have UC then). Even now, when I am stressed or get anxious, I make a trip.

If she in flare, there is no better alternative than Bentyl. If she decides to go with anti-depressant, it will only play around with serotonin levels in the gut and I don't know exactly if it will fix the issue.
Amy*** will lead to decent weight gain (side effect) but if she goes Nortryptyline route, she will not gain weight with even lower dose (with potency, Nor*** is used at lower doses than Amy***).
Also, ask her to get ready with headache. I got pretty bad ones with only 20mg that I stopped in just one month.
Posted 7/29/2013 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
jane C....I took it for sleep but I was pretty much out of it the entire day afterward. I have those feelings anyway with out meds sometimes, so I'm not going to add a med to do it on purpose.

I don't have urgency when I'm not flaring...so that's not an issue for me.

The dry mouth, which I already have, OMG..horrible. And my dry eyes, not such a good option.


I can't imagine it as an antispasmodic...maybe a much lower dosage?
q
Posted 7/29/2013 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting-I may look to switch once things calm down a bit for me.
I started at 10mg (did nothing) and take either 50 or 75mg every evening. I am always exhausted though, which started when I started taking this but could be a number of things. And haven't been able to wear contacts for more than 6-8 hours a day lately but am trying to ignore that right now :)
Posted 7/30/2013 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
She doesn't really have flares and it doesn't correspond to any foods, she kept a diary, and it happens at random times. Not stressful times, she doesn't really have a lot of stress anyway, what her husband was talking about was how she gets on the phone with her friends and, like most girls do, gossips about the craziness in everyone elses life!
She was originally diagnosed with something with her bile ducts that was making her have problems, but it turns out that wasn't it. Then it was diverticitus (i know i spelled that so wrong!) but there is no evidence on a scope.
So anyway, I wasn't asking about the anti-depressant for the anxiety, she did ask her GP for that at one time, because her husband suggested it and she told her no she didn't need it. But because I had read on a thread that one of the meds had the bonus of helping stop D.
I will look into the couple yall mentioned, thank you!
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