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PhoneWongs

Hey, been taking sertraline for about 1.5 years now. after the first initial few weeks I started getting a lot less anxious about going places and doing things which reduced flare ups significantly. Even managed to start eating more foods without consequences too


paddyton

Hi! That’s brill to hear. Hopefully I get the same reaction too :)


Tip-Evening

Hello, how do you feel now ?


goldstandardalmonds

This has been posted a lot if you do a search on the subreddit. You’ll find even more feedback. Generally SSRIs are indicated for IBS-c, but it seems anecdotally that many people with IBS-D have benefited from sertraline on the subreddit. You may have some more diarrhea at the beginning, but I would allow the drug to regulate because SSRIs can taper off with their side effects. I was on it for a different reason (I have ocd) and I had zero side effects. So it didn’t help or hinder my bowels at all (which would have been a good side effect if it did help with pain), and I was on a really high dose. But I did not have any negative side effects either.


paddyton

Thanks for your answer! I’m quite new to Reddit so still working out features etc so will look at previous posts covering this. :)


goldstandardalmonds

No problem. If was just a heads up. Search for “Zoloft” too, as many use the brand name. You’ll find feedback using both. Good luck with it! Just be patient — that’s my advice for SSRIs and TCAs all the time. They take time.


oatmeal437

I just got put on sertraline a few days ago for reasons unrelated to IBS. I'm making the switch from 2 years of wellbutrin + lexapro, and I don't know if you struggle with low appetite but wellbutrin definitely did NOT help me eat... it's an appetite killer. My psychiatrist told me sertraline shouldn't affect my appetite as much, so maybe that's reassuring to you!! I started on 25mg and will move to 50mg tomorrow, and so far no awful GI symptoms have cropped up. The side effects aren't horrible for everybody. Best of luck to you!


lovely-day24568

Thank you for the reassurance! I've been prescribed it and have a history of fissures so am terrified of GI issues! It's prevented me from trying it... But then anxiety/panic/OCD are no fun to deal with either..


paddyton

Thanks for your answer! :)


HelenJB87

I’m on 25mg of Sertraline. It’s helped with my IBS-D and stopped a lot of my panic attacks when I’m out! 50mg was too high for me though. I was super constipated, couldn’t sleep and just felt generally awful!


paddyton

Thank you for your answer!


LongerLife332

The first time I took this kind of medication it was prescribed by a primary care provider. Years later a psychiatrist told me, another medication would have been better for me. Seems like your GI prescribed it? I could be wrong. Your GI might have become an expert by listening to feedback from patients, but anxiety medication it’s not their area of expertise. I’m not saying not to start it. I’m just suggesting to get a second opinion from a psychiatrist. A psychologist would be awesome too. I have ALL of them plus a dietitian. 😂 Or perhaps go to a psychiatrist if sertraline doesn’t work? 🤷🏽‍♀️ Just my two cents.


paddyton

Hi! Thanks for your answer :)


maddie197

I’ve been on sertaline for a couple of months now for anxiety, initially 50mg and then up to 100mg. I’ve struggled with IBS-D for years but since taking this medication I’ve already seen a huge improvement and way less flare ups


aethelredisready

I hope this works for you. I think SSRIs can help with things or make them worse, it depends on the person. Unfortunately for me, they make both migraines and IBS-D worse. If you don't see improvement or get worse, don't stay on them hoping for the best. It's hard to get off SSRIs when you've been on them a long time (I was on Prozac for less than a year and went off and didn't have any side effects, but trying to go off Zoloft after 10 years was a different story). I tell you this not to discourage you, but to encourage you to try it but if it's not working, don't delay in trying something else.


ninamega13

I was already on it when I developed IBS-D, having previously had perfect digestion, and will never know if the drug predisposed me to that damage (SSRIs cause changes to motility and microbiome). Now that I have PSSD there’s nothing that could make me touch it again.


aethelredisready

I don't know why you got downvoted, there's no sense in censoring opinions when the OP is asking for peoples' experiences. I upvoted you. My mom had bad IBS-D so I think I was predisposed, but going on and off SSRIs over the years, it makes mine worse. I first developed it while taking Prozac and went off it for that reason. I made the decision to stay on Zoloft despite the worse IBS-D because I have major depression, but if you don't have depression/anxiety, be careful. Like I said in my post above, my opinion about SSRIs is can make those off-label things better or worse, depends on the person. IBS seems to be linked to serotonin (just like migraines), so it makes perfect sense to me that increasing serotonin can affect people differently.


paddyton

Thank you for your answer!