My perimenopause has triggered an IBS flare-up. (C-type) Zelnorm hasn't worked, Librax turned me into a zombie. Looking at antidepressants because I want the IBS to STOP. Does anyone else suffer from IBS & related peri problems? Anxiety is worse too because of the duration..IBS' been raging since august.

Tay,

I tried Zelnorm when I had my major IBS flare and didn't care for it. I replied to you on another IBS related post. I have been using Lexpro for about a year now and have seen significant improvements in my IBS symptoms and haven't had any side effects. I intend to stay on the Lexapro until this peri journey is over then wean off. I am two years into this process (started having major peri symptoms with IBS as one of the first major problems to flare in Feb. 05). I am missing periods but have done more than skip one. Not sure how much longer this will go on but I couldn't stand it without something. I tried Zelnorm and such two years ago and have found that the Lexapro helped with the anxiety and IBS. I would recommend you trying it....it wouldn't hurt.

My IBS was so bad two years ago that I was bloated and couldn't eat and it hurt to even breathe. Had lots of tests, ultrasounds and an abdominal CTScan...just to be confirmed as IBS. I suffer more on my right side than on my left but had times when both sides of my rib cage hurt and even along the entire front. I've never had IBS hurt as much as it did when peri started. Good luck and God bless...

TeeJay

TeeJay you are an absolute sanity saver! No one who doesn't suffer IBS understands how difficult this chronic illiness can be! They hear it's 'non-life' threatening and think...'well it can't be any big deal'! HA! If they only knew how debilitating it is... I put it initally under here, because, for the first time, I now have anxiety. (Never had that in the past, even though I've had many IBS flare ups - I was dx'd about 20 years ago). ("Doc" explained it as "our guts have a nervous break-down and it's the progest that triggered it, that's the 'calming agent' of our hormones.) Last year I had 2 spotting 'episodes', I can't call them periods TeeJay, just had to wear a mini pad for a day or two then nothing. The anxiety began about this time last year when I was taking down the christmas decorations...felt fine one minute, then the next...I thought I was having a heart attack! Couldn't breathe, racing heart, hands shaking...felt light headed! It was awful. It eventually left, but began again in summer. Not the dramatic symptoms like I just mentioned, but, rather, this anxious feeling, especially in the morning. I have a 'running motor' feeling, almost like I'm lying on a vibrating bed. Then one morning I woke up with IBS. I hate not being able to wear normal clothes. I can't stand anything around my waist since it triggers spasms. After trying Zelnorm, then the Librax, I'm just about to pull my hair out! A good friend of mine is on Lexapro and she was the one who recommended it (permeno too). When I did some checking on it, I found it's also used to treat IBS, which is when I thought...2 birds - one stone??

How old are you TeeJay? I'll be 52 in a few months, and this peri-crapola can leave at anytime. Shhezzzz! Like I said in one of my posts - it's like hormonal war-fare. Know what I mean?

And believe me - I know exactly what you're saying about it being the worst episode you've ever had, because its the same for me too. It was bad enough before but nothing like now... The 'sigmond colon' (left side right above the hipbone) is so sore, and I have an almost triangle of a dull ache' area. Hipbone to bellybutton down and back over to the hip. Even my leg gets sore, but have you felt your muscles? Good gosh! My entire body is so tension you could bounce a quarter off it - yet, in my mind, I think I'm relaxed. The more I read about perimenopause, the more I see it all working together. Rather like our body is 'ganging up on us'....

Anyway, I sincerely thank you for your imput on Lexapro. I'm not a pill taker by nature, but between the IBS and peri - (sigh) lets just say I want a resemblence of my life back and if it helped you, maybe it will help me? From what I understand, for IBS, they use the lowest dosage, then increase as needed. I'm only 100 lbs, so I'm thinking maybe the lowest dose would be all I'd need to 'stablize' again. Do you only take it once a day? And did it cause or increase anxiety at first? How long until you noticed a difference? I've read it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month before people feel better...just wondering about you?

Tay,

I had only mild IBS before peri...but anyone that thinks IBS is not painful or that it can't be debilitating has never really had a major flare. I tend to have more soreness on the right side where the colon curves under the rib cage even though I heard it's more common to have it on the left. Yes I can relate to it making the surrounding areas sore and many times I could feel my actual colon spasm as it tries to digest and push food along across my abdomen.

The anxiety came about the same time as the IBS flare. All of sudden I couldn't sleep and my muscles began to twitch all over...all within the same month. My eyes became blurry and heavy..I could go on and on. My hands shook so bad for awhile that I could barely hold a cup when I was drinking.

My cycle is all over the board and while I've only skipped periods here and there I have seen a huge change in the appearance and duration. I have had only one spotting episode...but have seen the duration between periods more than double. I will be 48 next month and have had major peri symptoms for almost two years now. Like you...I welcome it to leave anytime.

I know exactly what you mean about hormonal war-fare. I take Lexpro only once a day (morning for me) and it took about two weeks for me to feel an improvement. I had absolutely no increase in anxiety or any other side effects.

Let me know how it goes for you...take care.

TeeJay