My 50 year-old husband has had ibs-d since surgery to correct a hiatal hernia (and GERDs) three years ago. He has been severely bloated and has 20-30 BMs per day. He's tied to the house and cannot go out when he has eaten anything within a few hours. He was miserable (and made me sad just to see him in such a state)! We've since relocated and his new gastroenterologist has ordered every test under the sun. He was diagnosed ibs, but his (useless) doc keeps telling him to take imodium (which doesn't work at all).

Two weeks ago he had surgery on his back (unrelated) and his neurosurgeon prescribed dilaudid for pain. Surprise!! :bouncing: It completely stopped all ibs and he has normal bowel function. He professes that the excruciating pain of spinal fusion was worth every minute- just to have relief from ibs!!

Now he is recovering and we are desperate to find a dr. who will help. He currently also has an Rx for Lexapro and will likely request our family doc change it to one of the tri-cyclics.... We have a friend (not nearby) who swears by methadone as a treatment for his ibs- validating our experience. However, the thought of such an addictive drug is unnerving - even tho my husband believes he can handle it and it's worth it!

any thoughts, help, suggestions?

I would definitely go with the tri-cyclics... Tofranil worked very well for me with the diarrhea.

lexapro caused more of it.


As far as the methadone for pain.. Opiates like that are constipating, and that probably was the big reason for his relief from that. And obviously its a pain medicine, so its going to block those pain signals from being sent to the brain.

Here is the way I look at medicine like that.. because I have found the most relief from Xanax(anti-anxiety, relieved the nerves and spasms), is if you need something to function, why not take it? Some diabetics have to take insulin for the rest of their life to function, why not something that helps you live. There is a difference between addiction and dependance. If you are dependant on something to function in society and not addicted to something for the high, I see these as two completely different things.

I just actually scheduled an appt. with a psychiatrist as they are more aware of the usage of medicines like Xanax and I'm hoping that he'll work with me and get me on a dose of that long term.. I know many many people that took the lowest dose possible of the medicine and never needed to take more for up to 7 years. Yet they are one of the hardest medicines to get these days. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the "new and hip" anti-depressants out on the market. I just read a website today that said medicines like Xanax, Valium, Lithium, and Ativan are highly addictive.. and then it went on to say that anti-depressants are NEVER addictive. Never? Hmm... thats a pretty bold claim if you ask me.

I sincerely hope you get the relief you are looking for for your husband. It would be nice to just find a doctor who understood what it was like to go to the bathroom 15 times before he had to go into the office, then maybe he'd understand and be more willing to work with people.