Amitriptyline for IBS

[Applecrumble24]

Have had IBS D for 20+ years. Have read a recent study about the benefits of amitriptyline for IBS D.
Have been prescribed 10mg daily. Anyone had any experience with it?

I have used it for IBS and worked brilliantly. I now only take 10mg once a week as since starting WW that has also really helped my symptoms.

I can’t take it, if I never got 12/14 hours solid sleep I’d feel like a zombie next day, and it was only the odd night I’d sleep for that long, I usually sleep for 6 hours if I’m lucky, I had to stop taking it to function!
my husband takes it every night as a migraine prevention and he’s fine with it

It’s unusually and not listed on the packet insert so I’d rather not say as it’s quite identifiable to anyone who knows me.

It wasn’t serious or life threatening, just unpleasant and interfered with some activities. It improved after stopping the meds.

I used to take Amitryptyline but it has been linked to increased risk of dementia (by a UK study) and now avoid it

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321632

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/news/2018-05-04/new-evidence-shows-some-anti-depressants-can-raise-dementia-risk

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/news/2018-05-04/new-evidence-shows-some-anti-depressants-can-raise-dementia-risk

It’s important to remember that all drugs have side effects - even Paracetamol has a risk of liver issues if taken at safe doses long term. It’s really important to weigh up quality of life vs risks and decide what’s right for you individually. The doses of amitriptyline taken for IBS and nerve pain are very small compared to the doses taken for an anti depressant effect. Personally I would not be able to function without it due to severe and debilitating pain caused by interstitial cystitis, IBS and lupus and I really consider it a miracle drug.

I was prescribed 10 - 20 mg many years ago by a now long retired doctor. I remember him saying that it can help to steady the bowel. I was told I had ibs for many years but after having my gallbladder out the symptoms got a lot worse. Like another person commented I had a sehcat scan and was diagnosed with severe Bile Acid Malabsorption. It took me about 10 years to get diagnosed as it's not very heard of by a lot of people and I saw different gastroenterologists over the years until I found one who mentioned this condition and referred me for the scan.

I used to take 25mg for muscle pain. Helped me sleep too but had to stop taking it as it gave me palpitations.

I'm on it for IBS. Asked for it because the IBS made me get super anxious about going out. It's helped me be much calmer and has also improved my IBS. I found even if my stomach was okay, if I was going to a new place or doing something out of routine, I'd start to panic and that would make my IBS kick in. Now I'm much more relaxed and perhaps that might be another reason why it's helped.

Like others, I find it made me very sleepy at first but I'm used to it now so less sluggish in the mornings. I take 30-50mg at night. Less if I have a quiet day, more if I know I'm going to have a long or stressful day.

I took it for a slipped disc (50mg) - didn't notice any effect on my IBS symptoms!

Have you tried any products with thiamidol for this? I had the same problem and the Eucerin Anti-pigment range really helped.

This is exactly the same as me.
Did you start on that dose or gradually increase it?

It didn't agree with me - I was on 10mg and it made me incredibly tired - I needed to sleep 12 hours a night or so to feel human.

My IBS is much better managed now than it was. This is a combination of significantly reducing my stress levels and changing my diet.

I bought "the low fodmap diet" on Amazon and it had lists of all the different foods in the front - I was able to spot one list in particular that made me really quite unwell, and having cut them out completely (I explain it as being like lactose intolerance), I am much better than I was.

I hope the amitriptyline does agree with you though.

Meds wise, I found a combination of mebeverine (for stomach cramps), omeprazole (excess acid) and simethicone/"windeze" (for trapped wind) was the best combo, topped up with loperamide if I was having real trouble with diarrhea/moderate trouble and had a long car journey or whatever.

I don't find buscopan as good as mebeverine - I just take it on top if the others don't work.

With the diet and lifestyle changes above I have got to the point now where I don't take medication regularly any more and it is a lot easier. I feel lucky I have got to this point and it does take careful management.

I’m on 10mg for insomnia (which didn’t help) but it’s had the most beneficial effect on my IBS of anything I’ve ever taken. I have a fairly complex bowel problem at the heart of my IBS but amitriptyline has been a game changer for me. I’ve got a medication review soon and I’m going to beg to stay on it if necessary

I tried 10mg but it didn't help my IBS (did make me feel awful/suicidal for a couple of weeks whilst first took it).
Gave up after 6 months.
I then did a very strict exclusion diet and reintroduced slowly.
Found out I am intolerant to citric acid! It's in fecking everything and never would have worked it out. Complete game changer. As long as I don't inadvertently eat it I am fine. My DSis did the same and she can't touch garlic or wheat (fine with gluten).

I have similar IBS symptoms and am very triggered by anxiety. I was on Amitriptyline for pain for a very short time but didn’t notice any difference in my IBS. However, when I went on Sertaline for anxiety when my mum was unwell, I noticed massive improvements. It gave me stomach cramps occasionally for the first few weeks but after that settled there was a real difference as I wasn’t nearly so anxious.

I started on 10mg for the first month then upped to 20mg, moving onto 30mg a couple of months after that. When my MIL died and it was a stressful time I went up to 50mg. As I say, I usually take 30mg or 40mg most of the time and only take 50mg when I know I'm likely to be out of my comfort zone.

Thank you for the suggestion. Am willing to give anything a try! So will look this up.

I am on 10mg for IBS and so far I've seen a huge improvement. It isn't a cure, but I've gone from having Diarrhoea 5 days out of 7 to maybe 1 day in 7. It definitely helps with sleep too. The first few weeks on it were not fun and I felt really depressed, but that's gone now. I don't drink alcohol so can't comment on that, but if I was going to be drinking I just wouldn't take a tablet that night.

My child is taking this after extensive tests for debilitating ibs symptoms that developed suddenly. The conclusion after all tests were negative was a problem with the nervous system - gut brain axis dysregulation.tried every other possible ibs medication with no relief. Started on 10mg amitriptyline with immediate relief building up to 30mg. Not cured but in comparison to before she has her life back. So depends on the root cause of your ibs…

This sounds like mine.
fingers crossed for the same improvement!

I take 10mg for migraine prevention and just thought I'd comment regarding side effects:

• Much improved sleep!
• Drowsiness between the time of taking it and going to sleep, but after a few weeks this went.
• mild grogginess/drowsiness in the mornings until about midday then first few weeks then this gradually improved and isn't a problem anymore.
• Very dry mouth which is annoying.
• More dry eyes (already have dry eyes).

I’ve had IBS for decades and have tried everything to try and ease/improve the symptoms.

I started taking Amitriptyline and did start seeing improvements but it also made me feel quite zombie-like so I started looking into side effects etc and noticed that it’s an anticholinergic medication, these are linked to a higher dementia risk and as my poor mum suffers from Alzheimer’s this really worried me so I stopped taking it.

I suppose we all have to weigh up the pros and cons of the meds we take but for me it’s just not worth the risk even though my IBS is daily and all consuming at times.

I’m still looking for something which will help, it’s an ongoing journey.

@Iwillgiveyoumyfinesthour
Both my grandmothers have dementia so I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the fact I’m going to get it regardless.
So the benefits for quality of life now are worth it for me.

Applecrumble24 We definitely all have to weigh up what is the best way forward for us regarding medication. But as my mum’s carer I didn’t feel comfortable continuing taking the (potential) risk as dementia absolutely terrifies me.

In saying that IBS is a horrible condition, I hope you get relief from your symptoms.