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Will anitdepresants help if UC is caused by stress?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/24/2010 3:30 AM (GMT 0)
I am recently diagnosed and dont have much info or even a GI. So I have lots of questions. Anyone have experiece with anidepresants for UC? I know it is wuestionable that stress is a cause.
Posted 5/24/2010 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
Stress is a trigger for my UC. I've been anxious all my life. I've been on a low low dose of Effexor XR for the past year and it has been wonderful! It absolutely helps to keep my gut relaxed and happy. Of course it does have side effects. Discuss with your Dr. to see what would be best for you. Good luck!
Posted 5/24/2010 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
Antibiotics trigger my flares. I do take Lexapro for stress. It hasn't had much affect on my colitis, but it has helped reduce my stress substantially.

Stress can be a major factor for some though. If it is for you, then antidepressants can help and they don't harm the body the way anti-inflammatories do. However, there are some major side effects when tapering off of antidepressants. I've read of many people getting brain zaps. They don't seem to be dangerous, just very unpleasant. For this reason alone, I wouldn't advise taking antidepressants unless stress really is a trigger for you or you have some sort of anxiety disorder.
Posted 5/24/2010 7:01 AM (GMT 0)
I have mood instability which is bi-polar, I guess. There is an anxiety dimension to this that appeared after I got UC. My torso was on fire and my hands and feet were numb at the prospect of it coming back while in remission, or not healing if I was in a flare. I am certain that anxiety caused a relapse for me. I'm on lamictal for an anti-depressant commonly taken with bi=polar illness. And I started Zyprexa, a mood stabilizer with an anti-anxiety component. Zyprexa is a weight gainer and I saw that I was gaining weight so my p-doc switched me to Geodon which turned me into a zombie. The anxiety broke right throw and it scared the daylights out of me. So I went back on Zyprexa and all is well for now except the weight gain issue. It's not a large price to pay to be free of anxiety. Also sleep is very important and I have a supplement regime for that with klonopin as a fall back. I haven't had to use klonopin for anxiety episodes though and I'm glad for that.

Don't underestimate the power that anxiety has in all of this and do what it takes to keep it under control.
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