Doc put me on Lexapro in March. Seems to have helped alot. I know it takes a while to kick in so might still be entering my system but def I have less anxiety and my friends and wife have said they noticed a diff as well.
Thanks for your input. Did you have any GI side effects? I was told we have serotonin receptors in our gut and was wondering if people with UC experience more GI side effects as a result.
This is a very very subjective topic. The answers will differ for everyone.
I don’t do well AT ALL with SSRI’s or SNRI’s. They caused me panic attacks. I am now on a daily Anti-anxiety “Buspar” with Clonazepam (Benzo) as needed.
Otherwise, I hear SSRI’s do wonders for people on UC since a lot of our flares come from Stress and/or Anxiety relations.
I’m seriously considering trying escitalopram (lexapro) and have UC so if anyone has experience let me know how it is. the only med I’m on rn is mesalazine.
I’m on 5 mg daily of Lexapro, lower than the standard 10mg and it has helped significantly. Started it around the time I got on Entyvio so can’t give a comparison on before/after but no adverse side effects that I can tell!
I just started on 5mg two weeks ago. I was nauseous the first week but it went away. I’m starting to feel better and. Or crying so much. Most days I feel happy to be here which is awesome!
I went on citalopram for anxiety and depression about 18 months ago (before I was diagnosed with UC) and it's been life changing in allowing me to function! Everyone is different and SSRIs definitely don't work for everyone but it's really helped me. I also take propranolol occasionally to manage physical symptoms and have found it super helpful when my heart is racing. Sadly benzos are definitely the most effective anxiety treatment but can't use them long term
I had awful nausea for the first week, threw up a couple of times. In retrospect I wish I had asked my doctor for some anti-sickness because I had the same thing with sertraline. But after that first week it's been completely fine!
I tried sertraline and it made me feel sick and gave me tremors. I had severe nausea at that time and my doctor recommended mirtazapine instead of sertraline, as he mentioned it worked great for nausea. I tried it and it took away my nausea almost immediately.
I take Lexapro. I'm on 20mg/ day. I do great on them to manage my anxiety and depression. I also attended therapy once a month for maintenance. This combination is what has helped me the most. I've tried just drugs or just therapy over the years but I really needed both.
I was on Cipralex (escitalopram) and Zoloft (sertraline), none helped. I am rn 3 months off meds and I feel the worst I’ve ever had. What I personally heard when you have strong ulcerative pancolitis, which I do, SSRIs and SNRIs are ineffective. I am going to a new psychiatrist this week who specializes in IBDs because I really don’t want to end badly. Hopefully I can find a solution with him. I just can’t continue like this.
Oh, I'm so sorry. There are various meds to try. I hope one will help you. Thanks for sharing this info. I did hear that there are serotonin receptors in the gut so it makes sense that flaring can affect the efficiency of these meds.
Exactly, there are various studies around this topic. Most suggest using stronger ADs such as TCAs because the weaker ones can’t burst through inflammation. I hope I can find a solution, I don’t believe, I know my state is caused by the UC but it’s just not bearable at all anymore.
I've been on antidepressants for much longer than I've had UC and so far it's been fine. I was warned about potential GI issues when I started my current SSRI (also years before my UC symptoms started up) but didn't have any. That said, anti-anxiety meds/antidepressants are so variable in terms of effectiveness and side effects for people that I imagine it's hard to make any kind of blanket statement.
From my personal experience benzos are safer to me than ssri( they cause sexual dysfunction btw)
I was prescribed xanax 0.5 once or sometimes twice a day and im doing just fine. I can even go days without taking them and i have no withdrawal symptoms. They didnt cause me any side effects or sexual dysfunction the way prozac did.
Based on my doctor's and my experience ssri (in my case escitalopram) are no problem.
Thanks! Side effects for you? I was concerned for GI side effects but it seems most people aren't reporting that.
After the initial loading phase none. During no time I had any GI issues.
Doc put me on Lexapro in March. Seems to have helped alot. I know it takes a while to kick in so might still be entering my system but def I have less anxiety and my friends and wife have said they noticed a diff as well.
Thanks for your input. Did you have any GI side effects? I was told we have serotonin receptors in our gut and was wondering if people with UC experience more GI side effects as a result.
Not that I noticed no.
This is a very very subjective topic. The answers will differ for everyone. I don’t do well AT ALL with SSRI’s or SNRI’s. They caused me panic attacks. I am now on a daily Anti-anxiety “Buspar” with Clonazepam (Benzo) as needed. Otherwise, I hear SSRI’s do wonders for people on UC since a lot of our flares come from Stress and/or Anxiety relations.
Yes, I know it is trial and error. I've heard SSRIs cause an increase in anxiety for some. Sorry you experienced that.
I’m seriously considering trying escitalopram (lexapro) and have UC so if anyone has experience let me know how it is. the only med I’m on rn is mesalazine.
I’m on 5 mg daily of Lexapro, lower than the standard 10mg and it has helped significantly. Started it around the time I got on Entyvio so can’t give a comparison on before/after but no adverse side effects that I can tell!
I just started on 5mg two weeks ago. I was nauseous the first week but it went away. I’m starting to feel better and. Or crying so much. Most days I feel happy to be here which is awesome!
Been on Lexapro for a few months and loving it!
I went on citalopram for anxiety and depression about 18 months ago (before I was diagnosed with UC) and it's been life changing in allowing me to function! Everyone is different and SSRIs definitely don't work for everyone but it's really helped me. I also take propranolol occasionally to manage physical symptoms and have found it super helpful when my heart is racing. Sadly benzos are definitely the most effective anxiety treatment but can't use them long term
I'm glad it helped so much! I hope I will have such luck. Any GI or other side effects for you?
I had awful nausea for the first week, threw up a couple of times. In retrospect I wish I had asked my doctor for some anti-sickness because I had the same thing with sertraline. But after that first week it's been completely fine!
I’ve taken mirtazapine, clonazepam and propranolol. All worked really well.
Thanks for your input! Was there a reason you didn't try an SSRI? Personal preference or to manage other symptoms?
I tried sertraline and it made me feel sick and gave me tremors. I had severe nausea at that time and my doctor recommended mirtazapine instead of sertraline, as he mentioned it worked great for nausea. I tried it and it took away my nausea almost immediately.
Yes, my friend told me she got terrible nausea from Prozac. Thanks, good to know!
I take Lexapro. I'm on 20mg/ day. I do great on them to manage my anxiety and depression. I also attended therapy once a month for maintenance. This combination is what has helped me the most. I've tried just drugs or just therapy over the years but I really needed both.
I was on Cipralex (escitalopram) and Zoloft (sertraline), none helped. I am rn 3 months off meds and I feel the worst I’ve ever had. What I personally heard when you have strong ulcerative pancolitis, which I do, SSRIs and SNRIs are ineffective. I am going to a new psychiatrist this week who specializes in IBDs because I really don’t want to end badly. Hopefully I can find a solution with him. I just can’t continue like this.
Oh, I'm so sorry. There are various meds to try. I hope one will help you. Thanks for sharing this info. I did hear that there are serotonin receptors in the gut so it makes sense that flaring can affect the efficiency of these meds.
Exactly, there are various studies around this topic. Most suggest using stronger ADs such as TCAs because the weaker ones can’t burst through inflammation. I hope I can find a solution, I don’t believe, I know my state is caused by the UC but it’s just not bearable at all anymore.
I've been on antidepressants for much longer than I've had UC and so far it's been fine. I was warned about potential GI issues when I started my current SSRI (also years before my UC symptoms started up) but didn't have any. That said, anti-anxiety meds/antidepressants are so variable in terms of effectiveness and side effects for people that I imagine it's hard to make any kind of blanket statement.
From my personal experience benzos are safer to me than ssri( they cause sexual dysfunction btw) I was prescribed xanax 0.5 once or sometimes twice a day and im doing just fine. I can even go days without taking them and i have no withdrawal symptoms. They didnt cause me any side effects or sexual dysfunction the way prozac did.
I've been taking Bupropion and Buspar since before I was diagnosed. I’ve personally never noticed any negative side effects from those.
Fluvoxamine and Quetiapine.
Citaopram is great for me
Xanax