Anti-depressants? Do they help IBD

IMO yes. Chronic health problems lead to anxiety and situational depression in many of us. Plus there is a lot of scientific evidence of the mind gut connection. Important chemical production, I think serotonin, involves the gut and we have lost a big part of it. So there is an actual chemical shortage in our brains that help combat stress/depression.

There are newer antidepressants that don't make you gain weight and don't affect your sex drive. I also think if you feel better your sex drive should improve too I take Viibyd and Wellbrutrin. I have fibromyalgia and was on Wellbrutrin before the surgeries. A second and different kind of antidepressant was added after the surgeries because I had a lot of anxiety and was depressed. I was on Citalapram but was changed to Viibryd recently. It depends on what your doctor thinks you need to take. They usually start you on a smaller dose and increase it if needed. The older ones like Prozac have been improved. If you do an Internet search you can read up on the different types. There are SSRI's which are serotonin uptake inhibitors (?)......citalopram generic for celexa is one of those and other kinds. It would be good for you to read up on the different types before you have the discussion with your doctor.

I did not have any luck at all in the past with antidepressants that are designed to help with fibromyalgia, another major health problem of mine. Cymbalta, Savella and Lyrica did not work well for me at all and I don't see any reason why they would prescribe them for you but they do work well for others with fibromyalgia.

I am on a stronger one, Viibryd, because I have fibromyalgia so I doubt if your doctor would put you on the same thing. If you tried one out and it didn't help you can always taper back off of it and try another. It usually takes a few weeks to help but I'd say a good month or so before you notice any real difference.

Good Luck

Hi there,

thanks for that, I also believe this to be the case. Last time I saw my doctor, we were discussing the colitis/chrons and I asked for anti-depressants and she replied 'lets deal with one problem at a time'. Dont think she understood that I wanted them to deal with the same problem!
I am going to ask her next time to try me on the one you suggest. They are refusing me B12 injections so I dont hold out much hope at the moment but I can try.

MrsBrightside,
My GI or Surgeon's never prescribe antidepressants it's always been my GP or the doctor that takes care of everything else. She is the one that sees me 4 times a year and prescribes my antidepressants and pain pills as well as my thyroid and other medications. The other doctor's don't want to prescribe those medications as they aren't around to follow up with you on them plus I don't think they keep up with what to prescribe. Please make an appointment with your GP or Internist to discuss these needs and to see if you need blood work. I wish your GI would have just told you that. I wouldn't necessarily ask for the medication that I am on. I've got other health problems and have been taking antidepressants for years. Your doctor will know what's best to prescribe. I hope you can get in soon.

I forget you aren't in the U.S. I don't know how the doctors prescribe in Glasgow - I don't even think the names of the medications are the same there. I guess you ask your doctor who you should see if she isn't the right one to prescribe you medication for your depression and stress. I wonder how depressed these doctor's would be if it were them with the IBDs, j-pouches, chronic pain etc. They would be stressed and depressed to. I couldn't be a doctor. Talk about stress. Whatever job I ever did, no matter how important it was, it never involved anyone's life or death.

Yes the medication may be called something else but they would be available. I think my GP would also be more likely to prescribe but I think my consultant could have a say in this if he agreed with me. Am still waiting to see the gastro consultant, its not the quickest process in the uk.
I am going to my GP next week however, and will ask to see a different to see their response to the anti-depressant question. And you're right, they would be very depressed if they suffered what we did, I wonder if they would be in work at all. I work full time and am exhausted but I muddle through

I hope you get some help MrsBrightside. Your name makes me