I have IBD, which involves a lot of gas, nausea, and bloating. I haven't tried anti spasmotics but am on low dose antidepressant(Elavil 40 mg) and Lyrica, which is useful for many problems(diabetic pain, nerve pain, anxiety) I was only on The Elavil for 20 years and it worked very well, before I was on the Lyrica. Hope this helps you.

Hi, thanks so much for your reply. Are you saying the Elavil worked really well? Im at my witts end. Im on Align, IBgard, antispasmidics. Some days are ok, some terrible. This whole thing sort of came out of left field.

Were you really on Elavil for 20 years??

have you found anything that works. I have ibs-c. when I don't go I feel fine but by the 3rd day I'm bloated and then I go. I'm like you after I go about 2 hours later I get gas and burning sensation pain. feels like I'm having an appendix attack along with gastritis as stomach hurts also. takes a day or two before I feel good. It is a constant circle. feel good, go to the bathroom,have pain .then feel good again for a day or two. I've tried several different diets nothing seems to work to good. and now I have cloudy urine. they treated it with antibiotics for 14 days like a UTI but it did nothing to clear up and gave me more ibs. culture ruled out bacteria. curious how they can have a dipstick showing white cells but culture no infection. what now.

Stitch, let me just say that I was delighted to read your post! While I am in sympathy of your symptoms, I feel this crazy because it seems like no one has the same thing I have. Until I read what you have. My gastroenterologist has told me there are other people like me but I’ve never met anyone. I’m fine until I go to the bathroom and then the cramps start. It can be a half hour an hour or six hours. It’s maddening and depressing. They have done every kind of test except for a colonoscopy because I had one 2 years ago. I have had bouts of this before but not as long as this one. The last one was in March and the gastroenterologist gave me Align. That worked... until a few months ago. Needless to say I understand how you feel. It’s especially distressing not to know how you’re going to feel when you make plans. He did give me the FODMAP diet And I’ve been told to go gluten-free but frankly I’m not sure that makes any difference.

I have done so much reading about diets for IBS/IBD. there is the SCD (specific carbohydrate diet} anti inflammation diet, anti fungal/yeast diet, and fodmap diet. I have tried them all. They all have different views and different foods to eat but basic thread they most all agree on is no processed food,no grains, no sugar, no dairy except for yogurt, no fired or spicy food. I can't eat the cruciferous vegetables they all like especially broccoli. My food list has boiled down to eating rice or oatmeal, carrots, lettuce, spinach, peppers,olives, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, squash, strawberries, blueberries, banana, red grapes, papaya, protein is yogurt, fish, turkey, chicken, eggs. I drink green tea, peppermint tea, almond milk, and water. I also use coconut oil and olive oil . Oh and my oatmeal is a gluten free oatmeal so the only gluten I am getting is in the rice, Even though this has helped it has not completely cured the problem. I love how they all tell you about stress but try living with this condition and not be stressed out.

I feel for you. It’s a very stressful situation. I think when they cannot find any anatomical problem, they give you antidepressants. But there’s a good reason they do that. They’re finding more and more there’s a brain gut connection. I’m on 25 mg of Amitriptiline and I supplement that with a half of a Clonopin at night. It works perfectly. If I take Clonopin during the day it also works but I don’t like to because it makes me tired. I’ve had bouts of this kind of thing, pain after going to the bathroom, for years. But this is the longest amount of time it has lasted. It’s very frustrating. Have you tried Amitriptiline?

no I haven't. I use to get panic attacks years ago and went through a lot of drugs. they tried Zoloft, paxil, and a bunch of others all of which made things worse. I don't remember amitriptiline so I'm sure I didn't get that. I was put on xanax which is the same as your clonopin being a tranquilizer . It was great for anxiety . I still take it today when I have a lot of stress to deal with and I feel the anxiety running high like trips to dentists and doctors for sure. It does make me extremely tired . I have used it a couple of days now but it has not helped with the pain nor the cloudy urine. So I know there is something going on and I'm trying to stay calm about it and get in to see my primary. Usually when I have the pain on the right side and lower back with the cloudy urine it turns out to be a UTI. they put me on antibiotics and we are good to go in about a week. But this time the culture didn't grow bacteria and the antibiotics did nothing to clear it up and now the IBS is worse from the stress and antibiotics. Last time when both sides flared up and I had cramping , pain, gas, nausea all the symptoms I was referred to a gastroenterologist. He just did some blood tests. Said I did not have the gene for gluten but I could still be gluten intolerant. I also had pernicious anemia and told to take b 12 for the rest of my life. given the fodmap diet and told i had IBS. Not all that helpful I thought of at the time especially for the pain.
Now this time I have bot been able to see primary and got one doctor who thinks I need a ct for kidney stones and put me on some antibiotics. and told to go see primary. second doctor did dip stick also and culture, put me on different antibiotics and said i needed an obgyn exam. and told to go see primary care. Had 3 different dip sticks tests and cultures showing white blood cells and trace of blood but cultures grow no bacteria. So Here I am nothing improved, still have pain especially after going to bathroom for movement. cold sweats now and then, gas bloating cramps nausea and now you can add some fear. Still waiting to get in to see primary.

Not much to add. I did look up the cloudy urine deal a few weeks ago, and it did have several causes besides UTI. I mainly deal with IBD, but then it will switch to IBS. No idea why. Was given a kit to do a comprehensive profile, meaning three different containers from QDXPath. Unfortunately, I had done the kit the day before I fainted and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. At that point they said those samples were too old to send in. Might be something to ask about. Empathetic hugs to all.

Amitriptyline is the same as Elavil. It’s a tricyclic antidepressant. It is of the older type with less side effects. I was diagnosed with vulvodynia in the 90s. It was the worst pain and experience I’ve ever been through. At that time, they gave women desipramine which is also a trycyclic. At higher doses it worked and after a few months I was able to go back to work. I believe the amitriptyline for IBS is given along that same line of thinking. To cut it’s a tricyclic antidepressant. It is of the older type with less side effects. I was diagnosed with vulvodynia in the 90s. They gave me Desipramine, a tricyclic.. I believe the amitriptyline for IBS is given along that same line of thinking. To cut the pain signals between the brain and gut. I am only at 25 mg but as I said I supplement it with a half a Klonopin. I’m beginning to think it’s the Clonopin that’s working more than the Elavil. Most frustrating part is the impact to my daily life as I am sure it is to everyone on this forum. Friends don’t understand irritable bowel; they think it’s just diarrhea or you have a stomachache were you ate something that disagreed with you. They don’t understand the pain can be excruciating almost like period cramps or giving birth. For no reason. So the anxiety and frustration just makes it worse. My doctor did give me the FODMAP diet but frankly I just don’t believe in that. Nor do I have the inclination to try to seek out every single ingredient in everything I eat. I am trying to stay Gluten free. But I’m not sure I believe in that either. But I believe the stomach spasms after a bowel movement and while most people don’t feel that, or continue to feel that, some do. They call it a hypersensitivity. I’m still fighting this battle trying different medications. As I said earlier in my post, I’ve had bouts of this since about 2007 but they lasted maybe three weeks at the very most. This one has been going on and on. I wish everyone the best in their hope to find a pain free life!