ambien & IBS(?!)

[water]

Just wondering if anyone else has ever used ambien for over 2-3 years and developed slowly worsening IBS.

Mine is so awful I just cut out practically everything from my diet. Already stopped wheat and dairy months ago, and this week eliminated soy,nuts,beef, chicken, lamb, eggs, high fructose corn syrup. It is from this study. I am getting very discouraged because there is not much left to eat easily and tummy is still unhappy.

However, I accidently took 2 ambien last week and woke up with the WORST diarrhea. I began to wonder. THis so far un treatable IBS is from ambien? I researched and found out it is a major side effect. But usually this is in the first months. Last night I went sleepingpillless, slept very little but this morning, for the first time in MONTHS, a stool came out solid and happy.

I am stunned and relieved and a bit devastated. Ambien has been a life saver for me, an extremely light sleeper who can never fall asleep. I love this med and it has worked from the beginning. But my IBS is also very debilitating, also including gas, upset tummy, nausea, and other lovely symptoms. I am SO tired of spending half my day on the potty. I see my mdoc tomorrow and will ask her about other sleep aides. I will go ambienless tonight as well to check again. It is quite possible I am jumping to conclusions too quickly and this is all a major coincidence.

[melissaw72]

Maybe you can make an appt with a gastroenterologist ... I have IBS also, but it is both ways so it can be unpredictable. The gastro might really be able to help you out. I wouldn't restrict mostly all from your diet, but that is just me. What are you able to eat? I would think fruit would cause diarrhea in and of itself (?). Also, maybe you have something other than IBS, ie, celiac, colitis, etc. Not saying you do, but seeing a gastro would help diagnose you, then treat it how it helps you.

[water]

What are you able to eat? I would think fruit would cause diarrhea in and of itself (?). Also, maybe you have something other than IBS, ie, celiac, colitis, etc. Not saying you do, but seeing a gastro would help diagnose you, then treat it how it helps you.

Been eating rice, potatoes, bananas, very bland food. Not much fruit. My appt. with my mdoc tomorrow is all about IBS. She is wary of gastro's, partially because she knows no one in my area that is any good. She, however, is spectacular. I am pretty sure it is not celiac or colitis. I have a wheat allergy but I don't eat any gluten at all and have not been for over a year. I think if I had colitis my ibs would be even more severe? BTW: I did have a colonoscopy two years ago and was clean.

This is the first morning in ages I did not wake up nauseous. AT this point I'd rather not sleep than live with a ruinous intestine. I'm sure I could easily change my mind soon.

[melissaw72]

What are you able to eat? I would think fruit would cause diarrhea in and of itself (?). Also, maybe you have something other than IBS, ie, celiac, colitis, etc. Not saying you do, but seeing a gastro would help diagnose you, then treat it how it helps you.

I think if I had colitis my ibs would be even more severe? BTW: I did have a colonoscopy two years ago and was clean.

I'm not sure about colitis vs. IBS ... I've never had colitis. It *probably* would be more severe but your DR would know more than I do. I'm glad the colonoscopy was normal. When you had that done were you having the symptoms you are having now?

[larkspur]

It could also be Lexapro messing with seratonin receptors in your gut.

[water]

It could also be Lexapro messing with seratonin receptors in your gut.

Exactly. I thought the same. But this did not happen when I started Wellbutrin in Nov. 2008 and then Lex in Spring 2009. It has worsened in the last year and I always assumed this was a food allergy.

I just had my second dump of the day. Solid. Again. A few cramps, probably from Corn Chips for dinner last night and a breakfast of turkey sausage, tomatoes, onion, vegan mayonnaise. Unfortunately my stomach craves what my stomach resists even when I eat an elimination diet.

edit;

Oh, there is another factor I am avoiding. Aplenzin. I switched from Wellbutrin 300 XL to Aplenzin 522 (likeb450 XL Well.) I hope to god it is not the aplenzin or rather the increase in bupropion.

[Guest]

I looked it up and it is possible that Ambien could be contributing to your IBS symptoms (http://products.sanofi.us/ambien/ambien.html#section-7.1). Diarrhea is listed as one of the side effects. The rate was higher than that of placebo so it's a definite possibility.

There are a couple of things I've learned in dealing with IBS (the girl, my mom, and I all have IBS.

• Be sure you have fiber in your diet. It sounds counter-intuitive but adding something like Miralax or Fibercon add bulk and will give you a more formed stool.
  
• Try the BRAT diet. It is bananas, rice, apples, and toast. Be careful about the apple. It needs to be raw. Not apple juice or apple sauce or baked apples, or anything other than raw. Oh, and use white rice. I know it isn't very nutritional but it's good for stopping you up and that's what you need.
  
• Sometimes I've had to take Imodium. I don't do it often and when I do, I only take 1/2 of a dose.
  

[melissaw72]

I can not have too much fiber in my diet or I get extremely constipated with terrible gas. I have had IBS for about 10 years or so now, and have come to learn that fiber isn't my friend.

[water]

so far, not so good. I went on the elimination diet for 3 days, only the day without ambien was a day without ibs.

then even tho I did not go to services, I fasted on yom kippur because it was so easy. barely been able to eat anyway. But at the break fast I ate every fucking thing I wanted. I did not take an ambien that night or last night. no diarrhea yet. none. at all. no sleep, but no diarrhea yet. looking bad for ambien right now. I am going to stop the med altogether for another day or two. then take it and see what happens besides no sleep.

[water]

The test continues. No diarrhea, no ambien. Last night no sleep. very weird dreams at the forefront of my head but I woke up all night long. I know that only because I would dramtically toss aside the covers and turn. I don't think it was even the hot flashes. Now I am wondering if the activiating side effects of bupropion and lex are worse than I thought and the ambien has been masking them for 2-3 years. What worries me is that I wasn't really ruminating last night or having suicidal ideations. My mind was just racing racing racing. Been up since 5am. And yesterday was exhausting - worked all day and I even drove to work which is a bit terrifying because of the traffic, people, city conditions. Drove home in the rain with half working windshield wipers.

Maybe I need to create a new go to sleep routine. I want my ambien!!!! But I do NOT miss the diarrhea, gas, bloating, farting. If the listed symptons are a side effect of long term use of ambien, maybe I can take one as needed. sigh, yawn. the kitty is happy. she thinks I am going to feed her.

[inmyhead]

I had an identical situation to your vis a vis diarrhea. It didn't matter what I ate, the drug was more powerful. I stopped ambien, no GI problems. Started ambien, GI problems. It was definitely the ambien. That side effect was far too intense to continue using the drug.

[water]

I had an identical situation to your vis a vis diarrhea. It didn't matter what I ate, the drug was more powerful. I stopped ambien, no GI problems. Started ambien, GI problems. It was definitely the ambien. That side effect was far too intense to continue using the drug.

Thank you so much for sharing. I haven't found anyone else with the same problem and I was beginning to think I it was only me and I am just crazy. heh

It sounds like your side effect started when you started ambien, is that right? I don't know how I have been taking this med for so long. I can't remember back that far but the IBS must not have been as severe in the beginning. I am going to see if the pharmacy knows when I started ambien. I think it was 3 years ago. ugh

[inmyhead]

I had an identical situation to your vis a vis diarrhea. It didn't matter what I ate, the drug was more powerful. I stopped ambien, no GI problems. Started ambien, GI problems. It was definitely the ambien. That side effect was far too intense to continue using the drug.

Thank you so much for sharing. I haven't found anyone else with the same problem and I was beginning to think I it was only me and I am just crazy. heh

It sounds like your side effect started when you started ambien, is that right? I don't know how I have been taking this med for so long. I can't remember back that far but the IBS must not have been as severe in the beginning. I am going to see if the pharmacy knows when I started ambien. I think it was 3 years ago. ugh

It didn't happen at first. I wouldn't have been able to continue if it was an initial problem because the side effect was, er, explosive. The side effect happened later (don't know how much later) and like you, I initially didn't suspect ambien.

[water]

Thank you!! I keep thinking something else must be the problem. Called my pdoc today. Her assistant had Never ever heard of anyone developing this symptom on Ambien after so long. But my pdoc, with all her faults, has seen thousands of people over the years. We can't be the only ones.

and yeah, mine were so explosive my kid could hear them in school two blocks away. :-}

[Artemisia]

Seeing a gastro might not be a bad idea if you can find one recommended. It does seem like it may the Ambien, though. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth" and all that. I'm sorry that it's so inconvenient...

P.S. You really haven't changed any meds or supplements recently, right?

[water]

For some reason the gastro field in my area is severely lacking in humane doctors. The doctor that did my colonoscopy a few years ago was a complete and utter ahole. Even my mdoc can't find someone for me. But this study at Univ. of Wisconsin is extremely helpful and very easy to follow.

This is the the main website.

I am following the PDF on the right column, An intergrative approach for dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

I would like to find a gastro but in the meantime my mdoc is very educated about food allergies, med allergies, IBS, etc. Her son managed to find out that he was highly allergic to red onions but not white onions. I am not yet ready to be that picky. I have been following this extremely narrow test - no nuts, beef, pork, lamb,cheese, wheat, eggs, soy,.....

So far so good but last night I completley lost my control. Which happens. WHich I have learned not beat my sef up about it. Only serves to worsen the situation. So, my kid cooked dinner. This ab fab mac and cheese from scratch with garlic and parmesan. Late last night when I was venturing to inspect the dinner dishes remaining after a 13 year old manages the cooking, I lost my extreme control. Ate the mac and cheese. big no no mostly because of the cheese and the wheat.

Normally I would be up in the middle of the night twice. Now? No dumpy at all. a bit constipated. slightly upset stomach. I do belive dairy and wheat are better left by the wayside for me. But no diarrhea. None. I am stunned. Of course I had a terrible night sleeping. Off to take a mid morning nap.

I take no supplements for now. Weeded out everything lately but my AD meds. I did change my Wellbutrin 300 XL to Aplenzin 522 xl. Which means the dosage of bupropin is higher. It could be that but I dont; think so. Maybe I need to hire Detective Inspector Daigliesh.

[crtclms]

But Daigliesh is so morose.