Amitriptyline for Irritable Bowel Syndrome User Reviews (Page 4)

• StormyB
• March 7, 2015

"I have suffered with severe IBS symptoms for 25 years. It became really debilitating. I decided to have a colonoscopy and gastroscopy to make sure there was no other underlying problem. I was diagnosed with IBS. The doctor prescribed 1 librax in the morning and 1 librex and 1 Trepiline at night. He also prescribed VSL#3 which is a probiotic. This doctor saved my life. Since taking this medication, my IBS flare ups and symptoms are becoming a thing of the past, as long as I also watch what I eat."

• Crunc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 6, 2016

"After years of messing around with various diets, pills, etc - and getting down to 125 lbs (I'm a 51 year old male, 5'9") - Elavil has apparently cured my IBS-D. I still avoid dairy and spicy food (also have GERD) - but basically, I'm cured. I've also gained 25 lbs - which is actually too much. It does seem to increase your appetite. But - that's a trade-off I'm willing to make. I have no idea why I wasn't given this med by my GI guy. I was actually given it by my PCP for Anxiety, and I wanted something that wouldn't make my IBS-D worse."

• Ziphora
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 20, 2023

"I was prescribed this drug by a gastroenterologist for IBS. at the time I did not realize it was an antidepressant. Two years later I decided to come off it. I had bad panic attacks which I’ve never suffered from before. I am annoyed that I didn’t know how this drug would affect me. Now I have to take other antidepressants to stop my anxiety etc. Doctors should warn you of the withdrawal effects. Don’t touch it, that’s my advice."

• review...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 21, 2018

"Suffer from IBS that seems to be drug resistant , I've tried 30+ different meds (every class of psychotropics, all IBS drugs available including off-label drugs and even opioids) every diet, supplement and treatment available with virtually no response at all. Pain was extremely constant and severe, at some point could not work for over a year, would literally spend weeks hunched over in pain with very few short pain-free breaks. After seeing dozens of medical and other specialists, gastroenterologists and taking every test imaginable, there was no organic cause, it was just IBS, C and mixed, but pain was predominant symptom. Amitriptyline was one of the last few meds to try as I feared it may make constipation worse. It's not a perfect solution but 100mg a day definitely makes a notable positive difference. It took months to work for pain with higher doses being more effective. Rating it a 10 because nothing else has worked at all, and amitriptyline is moderately effective."

• Jenny
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 20, 2017

"Be careful if you have IBS-C as this can make it worse, particularly at high doses, try and take it at a low dose if you do for anxiety which is good for numbing in IBS in general. However seeing as IBS-C is basically an issue with bowels not moving fast enough you can imagine how adding a sedative essentially isn't really the best thing to add lol made mine so much worse after a year, anyways what works for some doesn't always work for others, good luck whatever you do :-)"

• Likea...
• June 20, 2014

"I started with 2 days of bad indigestion then nausea and frequent small movements all day soft but tiny amounts. After few days took amitriptyline and next day was completely fine and no motion all day. Down side had very dry mouth. Doctor said to try going back on. Voiceless which I had taken some time before and was okay for 5 days but then irritable bowel syndrome came back. So will try amitriptyline again."

• Soilder
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 19, 2018

"I've been suffering all my life with irritable bowel syndrome. Having gone to different doctors and being prescribed everything under the sun nothing seemed to work. Until one day my doctor finally decided to give amitriptyline a try. Looked like my last option. 10 mg at night as I need it does wonders. "

• Jnaomn
• April 26, 2016

"Before starting this most mornings I always felt sick to my stomach and whenever I went out always had to make sure a bathroom was nearby. My doctor prescribed this to me at 5 MG a day to start slowly I got up to 10 MG a day and that is what I take now the only downside I've had with this pill is it makes me very tired for this reason I take it at night. We experimented with taking 10 MG one night then 5 MG the next it helped the tiredness but I was willing to deal with the tiredness in exchange for less pain I still have to stay away from foods that make me sick and it doesn't take away all pain but has helped tremendously and I'm very grateful for it."

• KBkr
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 7, 2015

"Second medication I tried after years of issues, definitely helped but didn't help completely and issues have been slowly returning here and there. Works much better if I make sure to take it at the same time every day."

• hay
• October 30, 2014

"My doctor prescribed me Elavil 10mg for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Migraines. It helped tremendously with the IBS symptoms, the migraines are still there though, not with the associated symptoms such as the vomiting etc, but still severe head pain. Major disadvantage I found was it ruined my sleep completely. I have to actually take it in the morning or I can't sleep. Doesn't make me tired or groggy at all when taken in the morning although my doctor finds it strange that it ruins my sleep...therefore that maybe isn't such a common occurrence."

• Hullab
• July 30, 2018

"I've had IBS my entire life, with predominantly moderate to severe stomach pain and diarrhoea. Amitriptyline has helped with the IBS symptoms a lot; especially during a major flare up that I could not control with restricted diet or Immodium. However, I do get side effects taking this. I took it just before bed as instructed by the Doctor and was an absolute zombie the next day. I fell asleep on a BUS! I've never done that in my entire life, and it was pretty scary feeling so out of control. So I started taking it much earlier - around 6pm - and have had no drowsiness since. There are other more subtle side-effects; I feel sort of "spaced out" most of the time; a bit out-of-body. I think this is the anti-depressant side (I don't have depression) kicking in and I don't like the feeling at all. All-in-all, if you have severe IBS that's controlling your life, I would recommend giving this a go. If it had no side effects I'd say it was a wonder-drug!"

• base
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 16, 2023

"I used to go to the gym every day and ended up taking supplements/fat burners for a few months. I used to eat everything and anything from the street and restaurants, and I was very careless. My first attack was in 2020 and I probably went to the restroom 10-20 times. I was on antibiotics for a month (I don't know why I was prescribed - the infection was high), which further destroyed my gut. In a span of 6 months, I lost 25 kgs and had no answer to my issue (I tried allopathy, homeopathy, psychiatric medicine, Unani, yoga). Nothing worked. I came to this thread, read about Amitriptyline and, along with a few other medications, was able to get my life back. I have regained the weight, I still have bouts very rarely, and I can eat anything again (still a bit careful here), but the fear of going out is no longer there. This medicine truly is a godsend for IBS-D. I highly recommend it, but you need to be a bit patient in seeing the magic unfold. Also, I mix it with Sboulardi when the attack is severe. I can say I am 90% back to my previous life."

• Jen
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 12, 2020

"I like the positive effects of the medication, but hate the weight gain that seems to come with it. Using a 1200 calorie diet to lose the extra 15 lbs gained (for no obvious reason). Other than that, it's a good medicine for me."

• Anony...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 18, 2022

"I am 65 years old and have had IBS-D for most of my adult life. I saw many GI doctors who prescribed probiotics or heartburn medications that did nothing. I found I was able to function by controlling what I ate. As terrible as it sounds, fruits and vegetables caused symptoms, and I usually did fine with highly processed foods. However, a year and a half ago things changed and the symptoms got so bad it did not matter what I ate. I had excruciating pain, bloating, urgency, explosive diarrhea, and feeling like I was going to pass out, and I essentially became housebound. I saw another GI doctor, had the usual tests and everything was normal. He prescribed 10mg of amitriptyline. Being sensitive to meds, I am presently on 5mg. It started working on day one. I have had two flare ups in the last four months, but no pain with it. I am still experimenting with various foods but can eat almost everything. It has changed my life and I will be forever grateful to this GI doctor."

• raste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2023

"This review is for my daughter, who is 13 years old. She has suffered from SIBO/IBS since she was about 6 years old. It's been a nightmare. She has missed out on so much. We initially tried various prescription and over-the-counter drugs to manage her condition, but her symptoms of nausea, gas, bloating, burping, and dizziness have only gotten worse over the years. We then tried various natural treatments, with some results, but still not much better. My daughter (and myself) were feeling pretty hopeless and discouraged. Then I somehow read about amitriptyline in all my research and asked our gastroenterologist to prescribe it. These reviews on this website really strengthened my resolve to give it a try. We started on 5mg with a bit of improvement and have worked up to 10mg with more improvement. She takes it at 6 pm with no side effects. We will try to go to 20mg in small increments because I think she could benefit from some more. For us, it's been great so far!"

• Snowd...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 1, 2018

"I had been suffering with debilitating Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to the point where I was missing 1-2 days of work a week. Having gone through a colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, MRI and cat scan my Dr determined I had IBS. After I changed my diet and still had horrible issues every day I was prescribed 25 mg Amitriptyline. This medicine has been a godsend to me. I can now have a life! I don’t miss work anymore due to IBS, I can eat salad again, every day if I want to and I don’t need to worry everyday about an IBS attack coming on at in opportune times. I still have nights where I need to take my Librax for acute attacks but that’s not often. It also helps with my anxiety issues to a certain degree. Side effects for me include dry mouth/dry eyes, a bit of weight gain and I did find there was an interaction with my thyroid med (levothyroxine) which had to be increased."

• Shelley
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 17, 2017

"Started taking this a few days ago and the difference is unreal. No more pain, can eat what I want (no dairy and no gluten made no difference) I'm taking this med for nerve pain and this added bonus is amazing."

• lifec...
• January 19, 2018

"After enduring chronic, excruciating abdominal pain for months (and taking virtually every test known to man - including, but not limited to, a colonoscopy, endoscopy and MRI scans), my GI diagnosed IBS-D (nervous mind = nervous stomach) and prescribed Amitriptyline. Within 4-5 days the constant, unrelenting pain, bloating, discomfort, and diarrhea significantly subsided. The relief brought me to tears. (The only negative reactions included dry mouth, some weight gain, mild constipation, dizziness, and middle of the night panic attacks - however, I'm not sure if those midnight attacks were related to the medication in any way)."

• sammy
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 25, 2022

"I have suffered with IBS diarrhea for about 13 years and nothing helped me. until I came across this site and found amitriptyline was recommended for IBS d.. I asked my doctor and he agreed so started at 10mg and gradually increased to 30mg which is still a low dose for amitriptyline. I'm soo much better its unreal. No more rushing to the toilet and avoiding going out due to being worried. I even started suffering panic attacks that ruined a holiday. I have just had a bad flare up so will increase to 40mg best thing I have ever done and combined it with the Fodmap diet. I have my life back give it a try no side effects either!!!"

• Nixstar
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2018

"Like many others here I suffered IBS symptoms for years and tried many types of natural therapies and diets with minimal success. It got bad last year - severe gut pain, cramping, gas, dizziness & more. Gastro specialist recommended this treatment following tests. Started on 5mg morning & night and felt flat. Switched to 10mg at night and no more symptoms!! I had my first Xmas of indulging and put on weight. Still have some bloating. Can enjoy a daily coffee & a little choc "

• Valle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2015

"It was both heartwarming and very frustrating reading all the posts on the amazing results that sufferers of IBS found from this medication. I suffer from a disease called Chronic Radiation Enteritis, which is a possible late effect of having radiation to my abdominal area when I was 12 -- I am now 53. After only 2-3 days of taking the drug, I became extremely anxious, moody, and eventually a general feeling of hopelessness settled on me that was absolutely horrible. I have taken the 30 pills as asked, but not only did it not help my gut, but made me generally miserable for the entire month. So IBS people, I am so happy for you, and pray that something will come along that will help me even half as much as the testimonials I read here."

• Redmu...
• May 13, 2016

"This has worked very well for me.I Still have bouts now and then, but nothing like before the medication. I take 25 mg per day. If I am having cramps and/or frequent loose stools, I'll take an additional 12.5 mg (split a 25mg tab) during the day. I take the 25 at night, which also aids in sleep. Only negative side affect is some mild to moderate urine retention. This is in part due to also having BPH. But the goods outweigh the negatives."

• Tigger
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2022

"amitriptyline 10mg, did nothing for me apart from making me sleep for longer & also it made me dream some weird stuff. Other side effects were it also made me feel more depressed & tearful, making me feel tired all day, I had a dry mouth, I put weight on within 2 weeks of taking this. I was put on amitriptyline for IBS, but I was still bloated, it also made me more constipated. I had read all the reviews, thought I would try it, it may work for some but did nothing for me, these did not help me in any way. Thought about increasing the dose, decided against. So I am still looking for another alternative."

• Seni
• October 18, 2018

"I started getting really sick after starting college. It got so bad that I would be sick for a day to a month. I saw a specialist who had me do blood tests, stool tests, allergy test, colonoscopy, endoscopy, cat scan, ultrasound, and a hida scan. She came to the conclusion that I have Ibs-d. We tried several medications and came to amitriptyline. It seemed to help, but then I started getting sick 1-3 times a month. Wasn’t sure if it was working so stopped. The day after I ate something that really messed up my stomach and I ended up sick for a month. My doctor had me start taking it again but double the dose so I went from 25mg to 50mg. So far I’ve gotten sick once while taking the 50mg. Only side effects I’ve had is dry mouth and it makes me really tired. I think it helps my IBS, but I still need to be careful with food and stress."

• Babu
• July 17, 2022

"After seven months of diarrhea, was referred to a GI doc. He prescribed 25 mg of amitriptyline. Diarrhea completely stopped after three days. After two weeks I dropped the dosage to half a tab (GI’s advice) and stayed on for six months with only two episodes during that time. My six months was up in early March so stopped taking with no episodes for the next six weeks. Then allergy season hit. Within two days of taking Aerius for allergies, the diarrhea was back. I didn’t make the connection at first, but looking back at my health diary I noticed that my first bout with daily diarrhea began in May 2020 when I started taking Aerius for allergies. I went back on amitriptyline, and at next appt with GI, he said that it is okay to only take it as needed, which is what I do. I’m so thankful to have found this doc."