[Guest]

I want to get this info out to help fellow IBS sufferers. I have found something that really works for me and I want to share it. I realize IBS is very individualized; what works for some, does not work for others. Nonetheless, I want to briefly tell my story so others may benefit. I can credit my "cure" to what I've learned from this BB. Thanks to so many: Eric, Guy, Flux, Persistance, Odeal, and too many others for me to list. For nearly a year I have been a member here, under a few different names. To start with, in many ways I share much with other IBSers. I got IBS about a year ago. What caused it, I don't know. I was mostly a D, undigested food, some strange pains, very rapid transit time, ribbon stools, morning probs, etc. Starting a year ago I began seeing doctors. I had every expensive procedure they can run. Every test. All normal. Tried every vitamin, mineral, & herb remedy. Spent hundreds of dollars. None worked. Had limited success eliminating usual triggers. Tried fiber, Colestid, enzymes, Bentyl, Levsin, & Zoloft (big mistake here). No change. Then I was put on Elavil. Although I had no depression, my doctor thought that my light sleep and insomnia might me related. Elavil can help with sleep probs, plus tricyclics are often used for IBS. The Elavil made a big difference once I got to 75 mg per evening. Probably the Seratonin re-uptake connection, based on deeper sleep. Anyway, had serious dry mouth problems, but otherwise no bad side effects. Then, based on what I learned here about Remeron, I asked to try that. It is an HT-2/3 blocker, and it also causes drowsiness. The thinking was that if I could get into deeper sleep again, and at the same time have the 3 receptor blocked, then my gut might settle down. Again, the Seratonin connection. Hmmm??? Well, the change has been significant. Better than with Elavil. Almost NO SIDE EFFECTS that I can notice yet. It didn't take long at all. Went from much improved on Elavil to almost back to normal on Remeron. I know this is not in my head. I've tried dozens of different things, like I mentioned above. At best, with a few of them, there was a very mild placebo effect which never lasted. I am sure now that my improvement is significant and is not temporary. Looking back, it really seems that the Seratonin connection was the key. I believe the relationship of Elavil and Remeron to deep sleep and Seratonin was the answer for me all along--and maybe others out there. So if you can't wait until Lotronex hits the market (next month?), try Remeron. Hope this story isn't too rambling and helps others. Best of luck. And thanks again to so many of you on this BB that have helped me. I have learned a tremendous amount from you. Again, MANY THANKS. CRob

 

[eric]

CRob, I am really happy to hear you found something successful and wish you continued progress

. ------------------ http://webpotential.com/ericibs/index.htm

 

[kitty2]

That's great that you found something that helps you! I find it so amazing the wide range of things that can trigger IBS. The human body is so complex!

 

[Guest]

CRob,I'm glad to hear you found Remeron to be effective. I'm hoping to find out whether it will work for me. I've got an appointment with the doc next week where I will plead my case for a Remeron prescription. My symptoms are similar to yours; I'm an IBS-D with persistant sleep problems, so here's hoping! In the meantime, below is another Remeron abstract of interest.--------------------------------------------Clin Psychiatry 1999;60 Suppl 17:28-31; discussion 46-8 Antidepressant treatment of the depressed patient with insomnia.Thase MEDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, PA 15213, USA. Sleep disturbances are an integral part of depressive disorder. As such, they are a part of all contemporary sets of diagnostic criteria for major depression and of all major symptom-based rating scales for depression. Insomnia is a particularly frequent complaint, and it is reported by more than 90% of depressed patients. Although the "kindling" or "illness transduction" model of depression remains hypothetical, there is evidence that people with recurrent depression have more pronounced abnormalities of sleep neurophysiology than those experiencing a single or initial episode. Therefore, early relief of insomnia in a depressed patient, in addition to alleviating other symptoms, may increase adherence to treatment and increase daytime performance and overall functioning, while complete relief of insomnia may improve prognosis. Stimulation of serotonin-2 (5-HT2) receptors is thought to underlie insomnia and changes in sleep architecture seen with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). This is the reason why hypnotics or low-dose trazodone are commonly coprescribed at the initiation of the treatment with either the SSRIs or SNRIs. On the other hand, antidepressant drugs with 5-HT2 blocking properties, such as mirtazapine or nefazodone, alleviate insomnia and improve sleep architecture. In depressed patients, mirtazapine produces a significant shortening of sleep-onset latency, increases a total sleep time, and leads to a marked improvement in sleep efficiency. Antidepressants with preferential 5-HT2 blocking properties are therefore a good treatment option for depressed patients with marked insomnia. --------------------------------------------Remeron may have therapeutic uses beyond treatment of depression. Besides D-predominant IBS, Remeron may be useful for treatment of anxiety disorders, and may even be of use in treating symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Remeron has multiple sites of action; it acts as an antagonist of alpha-2 andrenergic receptors, as well as an antagonist of 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors. unlike selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Zoloft, Remeron does not inhibit reuptake of serotonin, so Remeron does not produce the sexual or GI side effects characteristic of SSRIs.

 

[Guest]

CRob,I wish you continued success......------------------LET'S ALL PRAY FOR A CURE TO THIS IBS SOON!BETTIE

 

[Guest]

Guy, I hope your doctor let's you try it. In my post above I simplified the process I had to go through. Because of it's cost mainly, I had to go through a bunch of other stuff first, so my doctor could do a justification. Interesting that I still have almost no side effects from it. My system is usually very sensitive to prescription meds. Now the big question for me is whether to try Lotronex in a few months just to see what happens.CRob