Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, but they could be helpful for people with anxiety and IBS. These medications make the gut more active, so they may be better for those with IBS-related constipation.
Anti-anxiety medicines can be helpful for some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), particularly those who also have emotional distress.
Walking, running, swimming, and other physical activities can reduce stress and depression. They also help your bowels contract in a more normal way instead of overreacting. Mind-body exercises. Meditation, relaxation breathing, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong can all trigger your body's relaxation response.
Tricyclic agents such as amitriptyline and imipramine were initially prescribed to IBS patients with significant depression. Today, they are frequently used to treat patients with severe or refractory IBS symptoms and may have analgesic and neuromodulatory benefits in addition to their psychotropic effects.
Anxiety and anxiety disorders don't cause IBS, though they might worsen symptoms of the condition. A 2021 study suggests that certain mental health conditions — namely anxiety and mood disorders — share genetic pathways with IBS.
About 50–90% of IBS patients also have associated psychiatric ailments; most commonly anxiety disorders and depression.
Brand names: Lexapro
Escitalopram has an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 from a total of 19 reviews for the off-label treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 58% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 5% reported a negative experience.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved tenapanor (Ibsrela)—a 50 mg, twice daily oral pill—for the treatment of individuals with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C), according to a press release issued by its manufacturer, Ardelyx.
LINZESS® (linaclotide) is a prescription medication used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults and functional constipation (FC) in children and adolescents 6 to 17 years of age.
They can also improve diarrhea by slowing the flow of food through your stomach and intestines. Anti-anxiety drugs. Your doctor might prescribe these if anxiety triggers your symptoms. Clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan) can help take the edge off.
SilicolGel relieves users of all the most common symptoms associated with IBS.
Linaclotide (Linzess®) and Plecanatide (Trulance®) work by increasing fluid secretion and gut movement. Both have also been shown to reduce abdominal pain by decreasing activity of pain sensing nerves. Both drugs treat overall IBS-C symptoms and are FDA approved for the treatment of IBS-C and CIC.
IBS Clinical Trials “Pipeline” Boom in 2023
Promising pipeline therapies include Olorinab, Blautix, ORP-101, Rifamycin controlled-release, and several other treatments.
SSRIs and TCAs change levels of serotonin in the GI tract and improve IBS symptoms and abdominal pain. Both change central nervous system (CNS) response to pain perception and might reduce activation of pain center and reduce pain processing. TCAs increase oro-cecal and intestinal transient time, so are used in IBS-D.
Prozac is also the SSRI that is least likely to cause nausea and stomach upset. There's also some weak evidence that Prozac is less likely to cause sexual side effects.
Diarrhea is another common side effect of Lexapro. In clinical studies, about 8% of people taking Lexapro reported diarrhea. It may go away on its own, but it's possible that it will persist. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that doesn't go away or gets worse while taking Lexapro.
The psychiatric management of IBS more effectively uses a collaborative approach between a mental health practitioner and a primary care clinician or gastroenterologist. Psychiatric treatment includes the use of pharmacotherapy with antidepressants or anxiolytics, psychotherapy, and attention to psychosocial stressors.
In the current study IBS patients scored higher in neuroticism and conscientiousness and scored lower in agreeableness and openness.
Common stress-related gut symptoms and conditions include:
diarrhea. constipation. loss of appetite. unnatural hunger.
When you're feeling stressed, nervous, or upset, your colon will spasm. These spasms can make you experience stomach cramps and discomfort that trigger your IBS symptoms. Cortisol can also affect the levels of good bacteria in your gut to cause IBS.
If irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is causing you frequent discomfort, you should see a gastroenterologist, particularly if you are over the age of 50, as you may have other digestive issues that should not be ignored.