is it advisable to use SNRIs for IBS?

[WillowJ]

I'm offered a wide variety of antidpressants for nerve pain, for IBS, especially Duloxetine.

I think it is SSRI which people sometimes report catastrophic failures with, sometimes bad reactions to only 1-2 doses? Whereas Duloxetine is an SNRI.

It looks like there is some evidence for this:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002524/

Wikipedia says this article says it "reduc[es] pain" in neuropathy "without treating the underlying nerve damage", but that part is not in the abstract.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15927394

Lisa's survey says: Cymbalta 38%+/36%- helpful/harmful for ME/CFS

 

[Unim]

Seems like there are similar online reports with SNRIs as with SSRIs, so I'd suspect the risks are similar for both.

I had a rough time on an SNRI, Effexor, and even 8 years after still have lingering problems like anhedonia and my own personal Exploding Head Syndrome alarm clock. Most people may do fine, but not a decision to be taken lightly.

 

[Nielk]

I react badly to anything ending with "RI"

 

[WillowJ]

thanks so much for sharing your experiences, @Unim and @Nielk

 

[alex3619]

I had my IBS reversed by a tricyclic SNRI back in the 80s, I think. I still get gut issues now, but nothing like IBS. I do not recall the name of it, it was too long ago.

My one and only attempt at an SSRI almost killed me.

 

[adreno]

For IBS? No.

 

[WillowJ]

thanks much for sharing your experience, @alex3619 and for the advice, @adreno

 

[alex3619]

I think this is very much the lemon rule. Caution is always required in case you are sucking on a lemon.

 

[acer2000]

IMHO the only thing that ever helped my "IBS" was the FODMAP diet.

 

[Insomniac]

By chance, I tried Savella just last week. That is an SNRI.
I was on Seroxat before. I thought that Savella would help my fibro pain, and maybe even make me feel less depressed about the illness.

So I tried to transfer to it and got a high pulse and nausea.
So I am staying on Seroxat 10 mg.

I don't think SNRI's help IBS. I think they are just thought to help the pain in FMS and neuropathy.
I have constipation domnant IBS. It did not help it.

 

[justy]

Never done an SNRI - but devastating side effects from SSRI 6 years ago - I went through literal hell for two years after two doses and still have residual anxiety and agoraphobia/panic symptoms.

 

[caledonia]

Knowing what I know now and have been through, I would avoid SSRI's and SNRI's like the plague. While I was ok while I was on Zoloft, except for typical side effects, when I tried to taper off, SSRI withdrawal syndrome severely screwed me up for the better part of a year and almost killed me. Now I'm trying to taper off Zoloft again and it's going to take at least 3-4 years to do it safely.

I've done a lot of research on this problem. A person can have severe long lasting adverse effects from an SSRI or SNRI any time they start, stop or change doses of the medicine. This is vastly under reported. There are thousands of people trying to get themselves straightened out over at the Paxil Progress forum.

If you've had your SNPs done via 23andme, you can check which CYP enzyme metabolizes the medicine and see if you have mutations for that gene. A quick google search reveals that Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is metabolized through CYP2D6 and CYP1A2.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duloxetine

If you have mutations for CYP2D6 and/or CYP1A2, then that would be an indication that you could have trouble with it.

The 4R Gut Rebuilding Program should be helpful for IBS. (see the link in my signature)

 

[WillowJ]

thanks so much for all the advice, everyone.

I will look at your video, @caledonia , thanks.

Sad that so many have had such difficult experiences. Thank you for sharing them with me (that is what my 'likes' mean--not that I 'like' you have bad symptoms; am sad that you experience this, but thank you for posting).

 

[WillowJ]

If you've had your SNPs done via 23andme, you can check which CYP enzyme metabolizes the medicine and see if you have mutations for that gene. A quick google search reveals that Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is metabolized through CYP2D6 and CYP1A2.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duloxetine

If you have mutations for CYP2D6 and/or CYP1A2, then that would be an indication that you could have trouble with it.

Also thank you for this. I was trying to sort this info out, but having difficulty finding what I needed from all the info available.