[jeenobeano]

Hello everyone. I just stumbled on this web site and have a million questions. Here's my story...I've been trying to have a baby for the past 8 months. Also for the past 8 months, I've been weaning off my anti-depressant (Effexor XR). In April, I had a very early miscarriage (about 5 weeks). During that very short-lived pregnancy I suffered from symptoms that at the time I thought were pregnancy symptoms: nausea; severe stomach pains, like someone punched me in the stomach, that kind of floated around my abdomen; severe lower back pain; bloating; constipation. Anyway, I lost that pregnancy. The next month I had a very not-exciting period (that is, the symptoms were normal for me). The next month, during PMS-time I had all the "pregnancy" symptoms I had during my brief pregnancy: again with the nausea, the severe moving-around-my-abdomen stomach pains, the back pains, the constipation. I was convinced I was preg, because I'd never experienced that stuff before my pregnancy. But lo and behold, I was definitely not pregnant.Before my pregnancy, and before weaning off Effexor -- I had no PMS to speak of. Now, however, for the full 2 weeks before my period I always get the symptoms I've just described. And furthermore, for the first time ever, I'm experiencing all these symptoms even though my period isn't due for weeks, and I'm in agony. I'm SO bloated. I'm SO constipated. Thank you if you're still reading this. My questions are these: 1. What do you think, is this IBS? 2. Can IBS be triggered by hormonal changes like pregnancy or an impending period? and 3. Can IBS be triggered by the cessation of an anti-depressant like Effexor??Thank you thank you all.Yours in pain,Jeeno :-(

 

[jeenobeano]

One more thing -- these symptoms don't seem to be triggered by anything I eat/drink or don't eat/drink. While they do seem to be least troublesome first thing in the morning, the discomfort waxes and wanes and moves around my body all day, but is sort of always present.Another thing -- I do get some relief when I "pass wind" (ew, gross) or go #2.Thanks again.

 

[jeenobeano]

One more thing -- these symptoms don't seem to be triggered by anything I eat/drink or don't eat/drink. While they do seem to be least troublesome first thing in the morning, the discomfort waxes and wanes and moves around my body all day, but is sort of always present.Another thing -- I do get some relief when I "pass wind" (ew, gross) or go #2.Thanks again.

 

[Modgy]

Sounds very much like IBS, but you should go to your doctor and start the process of getting a diagnosis.If you have read these boards for any length of time you will learn that just about anything can trigger IBS, and just about anything could help you depending what the particular cause was FOR YOU. Hormonal changes are definitely implicated in IBS...many women get better, or worse, with their period; many women get better, or worse, with pregnancy.Stopping anti-depressants could also have been a trigger for you. Some people are prescribed antidepressants to treat their IBS. This is because they act on serotinin, much of which resides in the gut. Possibly what you are experiencing is an aspect of withdrawal.

 

[Modgy]

Sounds very much like IBS, but you should go to your doctor and start the process of getting a diagnosis.If you have read these boards for any length of time you will learn that just about anything can trigger IBS, and just about anything could help you depending what the particular cause was FOR YOU. Hormonal changes are definitely implicated in IBS...many women get better, or worse, with their period; many women get better, or worse, with pregnancy.Stopping anti-depressants could also have been a trigger for you. Some people are prescribed antidepressants to treat their IBS. This is because they act on serotinin, much of which resides in the gut. Possibly what you are experiencing is an aspect of withdrawal.