I’m stuck in a vicious cycle of horrible daily IBS (mainly IBS-d but sometimes mixed and with a whole host of other gut symptoms including very regular nausea) and then awful anxiety stressing over the symptoms and generalised anxiety about other stuff so each feeding off each other and all in all leaving me feeling like a worn out dishcloth with diminishing quality of life.
Gastroenterologist has tried me on both Amitriptyline and Nortriptyline but after months on these (tried at different times) I couldn’t get over the zombie like feeling they left me with (and that was on just 10mg).
GP has tried me on Citalopram and Sertraline but these leave me with a worsening of the gut issues (diarrhoea, nausea etc). GP says all antidepressants make gut issues worse and I will have to basically push through a month or so before it settles (that is so much easier said than done).
I have tried many non-pharmaceuticals such as hypnotherapy, CBT, exercise and so, so many other things but they don’t help.
The anxiety/IBS is now so bad that I feel I really do need some kind of medication as I am struggling so much on a day to day basis.
Has anyone tried antidepressants to help with breaking this vicious cycle of gut issues/anxiety?
I know we are all different and respond to meds individually but has anyone found something which helps without causing any exacerbation of symptoms?