GI side-effects with Sertraline?

[CathyT]

Hi everyone,

I've been on 50mg of Sertraline (zoloft) for about a month now. I also took 2 weeks before that, getting up to that dosage. At first I got constipated.
But now I have constant horrible gas and diarrhea. I hope its just a temporary bug.
I have fibromyalgia and IBS. My IBS (diarrhea) was controlled with calcium, but its no longer working. I can't believe that a person can actually make this much gas (upper and lower)! I don't want to have to take pepto bismol all the time.
I've read that low dose sertraline is used for IBS patients.
Have any of the rest of you developed some GI problems after starting an antidepressant? Thanks.

[houghchrst]

I have but usually they went away after a period of time. How long have you had the gas and diarrhea? Constantly taking the pepto can make the problem worse or at least exacerbate the problem. I would call the pdoc see what is said and if you do not get a satisfactory answer then call your regular physician. Actually calling both may be better so that they can be on the same page with any treatment. Maybe raising your calcium.

They may also want you to do an at home stool sample test to rule out any kind of bug.

[CathyT]

Thanks Christina,
I'm going to wait a little while longer, since it might just be a short-lived intestinal bug. My IBS had been doing great, but maybe this flare-up would have happened anyhow. My body always seems to start falling apart in the Fall. My doctor put it in a humorous light by saying "Oh........you're deciduous!" haha Yes, I'm deciduous.
I'm trying to not take the pepto too much. Most of these symptoms started up last friday. Whenever I eat, I get cramps. I have so much gas, I'm surprised I don't start to float away like a helium balloon!
I know our GI tracts secret neurochemicals. I wonder how ADs affect our GI tract.
I'm wired weirdly.........so this may be just something funky for me.
I'm still having those muscle twitches. At times, it almost seems like tics. I never had those until I started the sertraline.
I really want this to work, so I'm hoping everything eventually subsides.
Thanks for your response Christina.

[Nana4&cntn]

Cathy,

I would also hang in there for a bit, maybe 2 weeks to makw sure it isn't a virus of some sort. I use gas-ex, and it works well when you have a lot of gas! Believe me I do have a lot. They make those little strips like the listerine strips that melt in your mouth. I would call your docs and ask what they think.

Good luck,and take care,
Kathy

[CathyT]

Thanks Kathy.

[Nana4&cntn]

Cathy,

I am praying for you! I sure hope it isn't the Zoloft.

Keep in touch,
Kathy

[CathyT]

Hi everyone,

Well darn. The sertraline (zoloft) was doing great except for the diarrhea. I've had liquid diarrhea 3-5 times a day for 3 weeks now. I'm slowly going down on the dose. I was on 50mg, and I'm working my way down to 25. When I was at 25, I was feeling emotionally better, but without the diarrhea, so hopefully this might help. Too bad the changes take so long though.
I called the doc and left a message about my going down slowly a little on it. I hope he doesn't want to change the med, since I just got it refilled yesterday!
I've had diarrhea with my IBS for about 13 years, but its never been this bad. I'm sure its from the zoloft. I hope this doesn't mean all the other SSRIs will also cause diarrhea.
Don't you just hate that, when something works really well for some of your problems, but then it causes a new problem.
I called the doc about the diarrhea about 10 days ago, and he said to hang in there, that hopefully it would resolve. But 3 weeks is getting a bit crazy. Its hard for me to even leave the house because of it. Plus, I think all this diarrhea is making my other meds not get absorbed.
As a side-effect, maybe diarrhea does clear up in people with normal GI tracts. Maybe my IBS is what's causing the bad reaction with the zoloft.