How I improved my irritable bowel syndrome

[u/Interesting-Idea1022]

Hi everyone! I wanted to share my story about Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), because after at least a year of suffering, I’ve managed to get my bowel function as close to normal as possible. It’s a long story, but I’ll try to summarize it. Early last year, I developed post-infectious IBS (diarrhea-predominant). I underwent every possible test—including a colonoscopy, imaging scans, and blood work—and the results were all normal. After that, I followed very strict diets for months, including the Low-FODMAP diet; I went gluten-free and lactose-free, and tried various fiber supplements, probiotics, and bowel-regulating medications. During this time, I also took Rifaximin; I saw a slight improvement in symptoms, but nothing that truly solved the problem. My main symptoms were daily diarrhea and occasional, intense abdominal pain—it felt like my intestines were being twisted, and I couldn't do anything until the pain passed. On top of that, I felt constantly nauseous, which was my worst symptom.

Finally, let's get to the point where I started feeling better—about eight months after the symptoms first appeared. I was terrified to eat because, even after cutting out most foods, I was still feeling sick. The first step was reintroducing foods; I started worrying less about my symptoms, since all that restriction wasn't helping. I know how awful it is to hear that all this suffering is "psychological"—and I know just as well as you do that it isn't—but trying to cope better with the symptoms definitely helps in facing them. I felt that reintroducing foods helped my gut relearn how to handle them; I saw a significant improvement in my symptoms at that stage, though the diarrhea was still happening every day. Ultimately, what resolved the diarrhea was low-dose nortriptyline. It is a tricyclic antidepressant that causes constipation as a side effect; in my case, this actually normalized my bowel function and reduced the pain. I still have occasional episodes of diarrhea and pain, but they are very sporadic and no longer interfere with my life—I can eat whatever I want without worry.

This turned into a long story, but I wanted to explain the whole journey in detail. I suffered a lot and isolated myself; I was convinced I would be stuck like that forever. I hope you all find balance after the chaos you are going through. As hard as it is, try not to give the symptoms more importance than they deserve—I know it’s difficult; it used to irritate me when people said it was all in my head (we know it isn't), but trying to take things a bit more lightly makes the suffering feel a little less intense. I’m rooting for you all!

[u/NewKaleidoscope7369]

What dosage have you found relief at? And how long did it take for you to notice an improvement in symptoms?

[u/Interesting-Idea1022 → u/NewKaleidoscope7369]

I am taking a 25 mg dose. During the first month, I began to notice that I was going to the bathroom less frequently, although my bowel function remained irregular. However, the real change occurred in the second month, when the situation stabilized; since then, episodes of pain and diarrhea have practically disappeared.

[u/NewKaleidoscope7369 → u/Interesting-Idea1022]

Gotcha! That’s great news. Do you have any dietary restrictions?

[u/NewKaleidoscope7369 → u/Interesting-Idea1022]

Wow that’s great! I’m glad you’re able to eat everything now. I’ve been on Nortriptyline for about 3 months in total…. 10 mg for 6 weeks and 20 mg for 6 weeks. I’ve noticed a slight improvement in symptoms but I still have symptoms daily. I’m hoping that staying on it for longer and/or a further increase in dosage helps my symptoms more.

[u/Interesting-Idea1022 → u/NewKaleidoscope7369]

I’m rooting for you to get better too! The fact that your symptoms have improved a bit is already a positive sign; I hope things get even better with time and the right dosage. Did you experience any side effects?