Anxiety/depression/stress

I was totally depressed when I was flaring at the beginning of the year. I was crying at the drop of a pin and pretty housebound because of the urgency and being too exhausted to do much of anything. I started on Zoloft and that did help quite a bit. There's another antidepressant called Pamelor that used to get me too constipated to take, (before I developed UC), so I think that would have been helpful with the diarrhea, but I tried taking it and developed an allergic reaction to sunshine so I had to stop it.

This is a nasty disease! I can imagine the stress of being in the classroom and getting the urge. Yikes! I'd be stressed too. I hope you get your flare under control.

Twingirls said...
I am a teacher and have been off school for almost 2 weeks and have been having a lot less issues. I find that when I am working I have my worst time from 5 to 8 am. I have a 45 minute drive to work. I may go a couple times before I get in the car and then stop on the way to work. I think anxiety about the drive and the stress about being stuck in the classroom causes me some issues. The beginning of the school year and my flare coincided. I was wondering if anyone found a medication for anxiety/depression that was helpful with this. Or if it would even be worth while.

Petty much the shared-uc-experience we all have. Morning-urgency and increased frequency are common when we have some mild-simmering inflammation left. Mornings are always the worst for us. Wakeup, go 3-4 times within a few hours. Early morning drives are the worst, I literally shake sometimes from anxiety.

First and foremost treat your lingering UC inflammation and get into a remission. It's not just anxiety but also inflammation causing urgency and multiple early am poops.

Anxiety is a self-feedback-loop. Once anxiety gets roots, it gets exponentially worse until what we fear ends up happening. Be prepared, distract yourself (sing along to the radio, or listen to an audio book). Anti-anxiety meds could help.

In the interim, Best you can do is wakeup extra early and try to empty out ab much as possible. Caffeine can stimulate bowel movements in some of us, if that's you then skipping caffeine can help. You can always try an imodium to slow down your bowels and buy yourself more time. Skipping eating in the early am can sometimes help, stimulates bowel movements in some of us.

What are you taking to treat your UC? I don't think it's a bad idea to take something for the depression/anxiety if you need it, but ultimately getting the UC symptoms under control may do more than anything else in easing the anxiety. Of course you're nervous if you're flaring and you're expected to uphold a certain schedule, drive long distances, work in a classroom full of people... the antidepressant may help relieve anxiety, but if you are still suffering from UC symptoms, how helpful is it really?

notsosicklygirl said...
What are you taking to treat your UC? I don't think it's a bad idea to take something for the depression/anxiety if you need it, but ultimately getting the UC symptoms under control may do more than anything else in easing the anxiety. Of course you're nervous if you're flaring and you're expected to uphold a certain schedule, drive long distances, work in a classroom full of people... the antidepressant may help relieve anxiety, but if you are still suffering from UC symptoms, how helpful is it really?

I was on 3.6 of lialda from June 2016 to August 2017. When the school year began this year I started a flare. I had another colonoscopy that showed some mild inflammation high up in the colon. Dr moved me up to 4.8 lialda and added budesonide. Still was having urgency in the morning and issues with nerves and long car drives. If I sit at home I usually go once or twice but add anxiety of car ride and have to got more. My dr stared me on 50mg of 6 mp and I am the one that after 2 weeks had horrible leg aches and 102 fever. Stopped for 2 days it went away tried again came back. Since being on break I really only go once or twice a day was only on 6mp for 2 weeks so couldn't be that. I just don't want to go to something stronger.

notsosicklygirl said...
That is interesting. It may be worth trying something for anxiety to see if it helps slow things. I don't know what's considered stronger, a lot of antidepressants have side effects and considerations, but it sounds like 6mp is not an option, and if the inflammation is higher up, rectal meds couldn't reach the area. I wonder if you would have the same issues with imuran? Did you try budesonide or Uceris? I think they release in different areas. My GI once gave me nortriptyline to try. It didn't help me, but to be fair, I could barely take it since my flare up was so severe at the time. Totally different from what you're dealing with... It seems like it's more common to give these types of meds with IBS vs. IBD.

Uceris which is brand name budesonide correct? I wondered about wether Imuran would do the same thing. My GI dr is confused with my case. He said the colonoscopy showed mild inflammation and was surprised the increase of lialda and uceris wasn't enough. He said if it was lower he would give me an enema. I was having diarrhea but the uceris turned it to very soft stools. Which is funny because until this I have always been constipated. He did tell me I could take Imodium and bentyl but those are just to help me get to work and do not fix the disease. He is willing to work with me so I will ask about the imuran. He said next step would be something like humira and unless there is no other choice I would rather not go there. I will talk to my general practitioner about an anti-depressant (my masters is in psychology so I know about side effects).

Thanks

Biologics like remicade/humira are likely next, if you cannot tolerate 6mp. Remicade is the only uc medication to put my uc into a remission. While in remission, i pooped once per day without urgency, and without any side effects from my uc. Remission is bliss, and you can forget about uc and the anxieties it brings. Really a remission is the uc treatment goal and what you should set your sights on. As then car rides and early mornings are total non-issues.