Escitalopram for Irritable Bowel Syndrome User Reviews

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2012

Escitalopram "Lexapro has SAVED my life! I was struggling with extreme irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, took every medicine for it. Lexapro was the only thing that has helped me. I now feel like a normal person! If you are struggling with IBS, please give Lexapro a try. I take 10 mg once a day, but START AT HALF THE DOSE. I started at 5 mg for two weeks then went up to the 10 mg. This eliminated getting bad side effects, the only side effect I got was a little nausea for the first couple of days, but then it went away. Good luck to everyone, I hope Lexapro will help you all as much as it has helped me."

• lad...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 17, 2014

"I had terrible symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. When I would go out to eat, within 20 mins. of eating, I would have terrible diarrhea. I could chew gum or drink something in the morning getting ready for work or school, and I would have diarrhea. I would, on occasion, have bowel accidents within a few feet of making it to the bathroom at home when coming in from going out to eat. The first time I was put on escitalopram for nerves, this was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I felt 'normal' for once. I did not want to bite people's heads off, and the diarrhea was gone, that department was normal for the very first time since my teen years. I started taking escitalopram in my early 40s. This medication is a Godsend."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 2, 2019

"After getting IBS suddenly out of nowhere. And then trying every “natural” treatment under the sun, I knew I had to try something new, especially since I work in a field where I can’t just go to the bathroom when I need urgently. I started taking escitalopram at 10 mg and felt a little dizzy for the first few weeks, but it has been amazing, it has dramatically decreased my IBS symptoms and I feel so much more at ease!"

• ibs...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 21, 2017

"My life before this godsend medicine was awful-agitated, stressed with no reason, and lightly depressed. I couldn't think straight. After 2 months of taking this drug, I felt it relieved all my symptoms. I take only 10 mg of Cipralex. Please, all IBS sufferers, I know how painful and embarrassing IBS can be. Please don't give up, try this. You might not feel relieved right away-maybe in 1, 2, or 3 months-but it will work. Don't give up. I hope IBS sufferers find this helpful. Thank you all."

• Spi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 23, 2018

"Ever since I entered puberty, I started having issues with my stomach. I would have severe morning sickness to the point of going into school late. Anything that made me nervous or excited, like exams or vacations, meant I was going to be sick or unable to eat. I was constantly aware of where the bathroom was no matter where I was. I didn’t go out with friends much. Then I started taking Lexapro. It has changed everything. I finally feel like a normal human being. I can eat breakfast again. I can go out with friends. I still get nervous, but it doesn’t shut down my life anymore. Thank God for this drug."

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2019

"I was actually prescribed escitalopram for depression, but I have found my IBS, which I've had since I was an early teen/half my life, has gotten better! I manage my symptoms with the FODMAP diet primarily, but it's difficult to follow 100%. I can now tolerate corn products without a problem, and the ingredients in a KIND bar do not bother me at all. My digestive patterns have really calmed down. I don't love the side effects (I am only on 5 mg and deal with drowsiness and crazy, long, weird dreams!), but I like worrying less about eating perfectly - but I still don't touch milk, garlic, or onion!"

• Ann...
• September 20, 2016

"Lexapro changed my life. I have had IBS since I was a teenager. It caused me great anxiety and fear of going anywhere because I just knew I was going to need a bathroom urgently. When I turned 40, it got so bad I could not make it to work without having a horrible stomachache, which would cause me to panic and have an anxiety attack. Within a week of taking 5mg Lexapro a day, I was a new person. I feel more like myself on it than off it. I have been on it for 4 years. I tried to go off it once, and the diarrhea returned. The side effects for me were low libido, a little weight gain, less irritable but anger more severe, tired after taking, which coffee cures. The side effects decreased over time. Overall, the benefits far outweigh the side effects."

• lov...
• September 17, 2015

"I was prescribed 10 mg of Escitalopram for anxiety/depression and took half a pill for a week to get started. I have had IBS my whole life (diarrhea right after eating or several times a night/day), which morphed into severe gas and bloating with the onset of my depression and anxiety due to work-related stress. I felt great after 2 weeks, very zen and not irritable or unhappy, and unexpectedly, my IBS symptoms also improved significantly (though bloating never fully went away). I was told it could make your stomach upset, which worried me, but I had no symptoms except very low libido. Due to the low libido, I decided to stop taking it, but within 1-2 weeks of stopping, the IBS bloating is back."

• Sha...
• April 6, 2021

"IBS pain. I took probiotics, Gas-X, Tums, Miralax, Citrucel, antispasmodics, nothing helped. Blood and urine were fine. Endoscopy and colonoscopy were fine. I had some 10 mg Lexapro on hand that I was prescribed for SAD but didn't like the side effects and stopped taking it. But after reading articles on the brain-gut connection and serotonin and how IBS is sometimes treated with a very small dosage of antidepressants like Lexapro with good results, I decided to try taking a very small amount, 1/4 of a 10 mg tablet, and I am definitely getting some relief from the pain."

• dru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2013

"I think escitalopram 10 mg is great for irritable bowel syndrome. It reduces the symptoms when I take the medicine. I have been taking this for 4-5 weeks. I was suffering from irritable bowel syndrome 4 years ago. All treatments failed. Lastly, this medication gives me relief. My side effects were 1. acidity 2. nervousness 3. urge for latrine when I felt stressed 4. poor appetite, muscle twitching, etc. I am quite relaxed now."

• LK8...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 27, 2019

"I have suffered with anxiety and depression for years, and about 18 months ago, I got severe IBS out of nowhere. I was 32, mine is IBS-C dominant, and the pain and bloating was unbearable, which made me more depressed and anxious. After suffering for around 10 months and trying everything, my doctor convinced me to go on Lexapro, which I was reluctant to do as I had been on it for years when I was younger, and withdrawals coming off are hard. Within around 2 weeks, my symptoms disappeared. I was almost symptom-free for 3 months when I came off of them as we started trying for a baby. Unfortunately, my symptoms have returned without it, and I have decided to go back on it this week as I'm in a lot of pain. Looking forward to them kicking back in again!"

• Ade...
• March 28, 2017

"I had IBS for nearly 10 years. Escitalopram 10 mg daily was a miracle for me. When I started taking it, within 2 days my cramps were completely gone, and as I had the diarrhea-dominant form of IBS, the constipation that is a side effect of it was good for me."

• eri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 14, 2020

"I agree with @Gregory123. It's been 4.5 months now since I quit escitalopram (Lexapro), and my IBS has gotten so bad, I can barely function anymore. I don't remember having IBS before I started taking escitalopram. I definitely think if you already have IBS, then escitalopram can help, but if you don't have IBS, then be cautious because escitalopram affects the serotonin, which causes IBS problems with the bowels. I'm considering starting escitalopram again just to get rid of the IBS..."

• Kit...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 7, 2024

"Lexapro (escitalopram) helped calm my anxiety and depression and lessened my IBS-D symptoms. Unfortunately, both times that I've taken it (for years at a time up to 20mg), my weight went up significantly. I gained 50+ pounds both times. I noticed that my appetite increased, I constantly craved carbs/sweets, and my metabolism seemed to slow down. Also, after about 4 years, the med stopped being as effective as it once was. I was experiencing breakthrough anxiety and depression. Lexapro did help dig me out of severe depression, but the weight issue didn't make it a good long-term fit for me. Also, I had to taper very slowly off of this med the second time around because I experienced lots of withdrawal symptoms (dizzy, brain zaps), etc. the first time that I stopped it too quickly. After stopping, the weight takes a while to come off. Note: I also took Desipramine (up to 20mg) alongside Lexapro, which helped my IBS symptoms. A TCA alone could help your IBS-D."

• Ton...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 2, 2021

"I have been on Lexapro for about 6 years, in that time, I have had terrible IBS-D. I decided over a week ago to go off antidepressants, as I have moved houses that used to be toxic for me mentally. Kids can be cruel sometimes... Anyway, from the first day I stopped taking Lexapro, my IBS-D has completely gone."

• cak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2022

"I have IBS that manifests as dull pain on the left of my belly button. My pain was constant and strong enough that I couldn't concentrate on any activity because of the pain. It wasn't the worst pain, but it was constant, and it lasted for months. I took Cirpalex as well as Sulpiride. After 1 month and a half, the pain got 50% better. After 5 months, I stopped taking both medicines, and the pain is still at 50%. I don't know if it was because of the medicine or changes in diet. So my pain now is at 50%. More manageable. I am still looking for other solutions, diets, other antidepressants, etc. Side effects: slight headache the first week, feeling sleepier, and reduced sex drive. Didn't see any change in my mood."

• Gre...
• December 10, 2017

"I took escitalopram 10 mg for 6 months for a light depression that I could easily cure without medication. As soon as I stopped the drugs, I got IBS, it’s been 4 years now, and it only gets worse. It’s when I discovered that this drug was effective that I understood that my IBS came from it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2016

"Helped to put my IBS-D to where I wasn't running to the bathroom every 15 minutes."

• LDJ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2023

"I was given this for anxiety, but have been noticing my stomach doesn't bother me as much, and I have 2 to 3 bowel movements a day. Seems to have helped both."

• SKa...
• August 6, 2020

"This medicine, escitalopram, was extremely harsh on my body, it caused me side effects of severe IBS, blood in stools, sore throat, and blocked nose."

• Ema...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 26, 2022

"This medicine is the cause of IBS for me, but it's good for stress and depression."

• was...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 14, 2023

"It is not for IBS itself, but is good for the bad symptoms that caused me stress."

• Sal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2021

"I pooped 8 times within 30 minutes about 4 hours after taking it."