IBS and antidepressants: anyone tried them?

Hey everyone, sorry if this gets a bit long-winded, but things have become pretty complicated and I feel like I need to lay out every single detail from the very beginning to make sense of it all. My issues actually started about three years ago when I began struggling with constant urination; I was hitting the restroom more than ten times a day and putting out upwards of three liters of urine despite only drinking about two liters...

That was just the start of a nightmare that has only intensified and continues to this day. I’ve gone through an endless gauntlet of tests, including brain MRIs because doctors suspected diabetes insipidus—they actually found a tiny 4mm nodule on my pituitary gland, though luckily it wasn't pressing on my optic nerves. After running a full hormonal panel, everything came back normal, which ruled out diabetes insipidus, though my cortisol levels were completely haywire due to the sheer stress of the testing process itself. The specialist told me the pituitary adenoma is benign and just needs monitoring to see if it grows, but they concluded there’s no actual link between that and the frequent urination...

Since then, the stress of it all triggered a series of issues: spasms in my Colton, chronic fatigue, and then a strange shift where my urine output actually dropped significantly. It went from being too frequent to being incredibly infrequent—sometimes I can go twelve hours without feeling any urge at all unless I take a diuretic. I’ve done every test imaginable... countless blood draws, hormone checks, colonoscopies, stool cultures, abdominal ultrasounds (which showed nothing except some indigestion and extra gas), and X-rays/scans of my stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Aside from some increased haustrations in the colon and motility issues—specifically some barium stasis in the jejunum area and delayed transit in the large intestine—nothing organic was found. My doctor basically told me it's all psychosomatic, meaning there's no physical structural damage...

After all those tests and dealing with these symptoms, I just broke mentally. I fell into a deep depression because of how much this affects my life; nothing brings me joy anymore, and I’ve become so lethargic and apathetic that even basic daily tasks feel impossible because I'm constantly obsessing over my health and some looming catastrophic outcome. I spend my days ruminating on how many times I've had to run to the bathroom, whether I should take a diuretic or not, the constant abdominal cramping, the bloating, having multiple bowel movements a day, and that nagging feeling that I haven't fully emptied my bowels... Since there isn't much left to try, I've decided to see a psychiatrist and start antidepressants just to try and dampen the physical symptoms...

So, regarding the medication, I've already tried Lexapro and Venlafaxine, but I had to stop both because they absolutely crushed my libido and caused erectile dysfunction, which is a major issue for me since I'm sexually active. Then I tried Ludiomil for a short stint, but it made my appetite skyrocket to the point where I never felt full, even after huge meals; I gained three pounds in a single week and had to quit. Right now, I’m on 25mg of Sinequan, which makes me very sleepy—not a big deal for me—and it hasn't affected my libido, which is vital, but it does increase my appetite, so I’ve put on another pound and I'm already wondering if I should stop taking it too...

If anyone has any advice regarding medications or maybe some ways to manage the cramping, I would be incredibly grateful for anything that might help me break out of this vicious cycle that’s been going on for three years. Sorry again for the long story, and please excuse any slips in my writing... if anyone has a suggestion for what might help, I am truly thankful in advance...🙂

crimsonraven263 said:Hello everyone. Please forgive the length of this post, but the situation is rather intricate and I feel compelled to recount every detail from the beginning. My ordeal started roughly three years ago when I began struggling with frequent urination; I was hitting the restroom more than ten times a day, passing upwards of three liters of urine while only consuming about two liters of fluid.

That marked the onset of an agony that has only intensified and persists to this day. I have undergone a litany of examinations, including brain MRIs due to suspicions of diabetes insipidus—they found a small, 4mm nodule on my adenohypophysis, though it wasn't pressing on the optic nerves. Subsequent hormone panels came back within normal ranges, effectively ruling out diabetes insipidus, though my cortisol levels were significantly elevated due to the sheer stress of the diagnostic process. As for the pituitary adenoma, my doctor suggested I simply monitor it to see if it grows, noting there was no established link between the nodule and my urinary issues.

Since then, the prolonged stress triggered spasmodic Colton, chronic fatigue, and a complete reversal in my urinary patterns—shifting from excessive frequency to a frustratingly low output, where sometimes I won't feel the urge to go for twelve hours unless I take a diuretic. I have lost count of the tests: endless blood work, hormone assays, colonoscopies, stool cultures, abdominal ultrasounds (which showed nothing beyond some indigestion and excess gas), and various X-rays and transit studies of the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Aside from increased haustrations in the colon and motility issues—specifically a barium stasis in the jejunum area and delayed clearance in the large intestine—nothing organic was flagged. My physician concluded that these are all psychosomatic manifestations; essentially, he claims there are no physical abnormalities present.

Following this exhaustive testing, and driven by the symptoms themselves, I succumbed to a deep depression. Nothing brings me joy anymore; I’ve become listless and apathetic, unable to manage daily responsibilities because I am constantly preoccupied with my health and the dread of some catastrophic outcome. I find myself obsessively counting how many times I've gone to the bathroom, debating whether or not to take a diuretic, and dealing with persistent abdominal cramps, bloating, and having multiple bowel movements a day without ever feeling truly empty. Ultimately, I felt I had no choice but to consult a psychiatrist and begin antidepressants just to dampen the symptoms.

Regarding the medication: so far, I have tried Lexapro and Venlafaxine, but I had to discontinue both because they crushed my libido and caused erectile dysfunction, which is a significant issue for me as I am sexually active. Later, I attempted Ludodil, but I had to stop that quickly as well because it spiked my appetite so aggressively that I never felt full; I gained three pounds in a single week. Currently, I am taking 25 mg of Sinequan. It helps me sleep, which isn't an issue, and it doesn't affect my libido, which is vital, but it also increases my appetite, leading to another one-pound weight gain. Now, I am once again contemplating whether to abandon the treatment.

I would be deeply grateful for any advice regarding medications or methods to alleviate these cramps. I am simply looking for any way to break free from this vicious cycle that has lasted three years. Again, please excuse the long-windedness and any errors in my writing; I want to express my sincere gratitude to anyone who might offer a suggestion. Thank you in advance.🙂

If you’re looking into antidepressants, you might want to have a serious conversation with your doctor about Wellbutrin. Unlike many other options on the market, it doesn't typically suppress your libido; in fact, it can actually serve to enhance it.

Thanks for the advice, I’ll give that a shot along with anything else that might work until I finally find the right fix... but I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out what might be causing this drop in urine output. I've already gone through all the standard tests, and nothing shows any sign of an underlying organic disease, which is frustrating because this issue has been wearing me down for a month now. I've been relying on diuretics almost constantly; there are rare moments where I feel okay without them, but lately, I can barely go at all unless I take one... has anyone dealt with something similar, or does anyone know what kind of specific tests I should look into next? Thanks in advance

Did you actually see a urologist and a nephrologist? Did they run any urodynamics tests? What about sphincter testing?

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