Hi All,

Wondering if I could get some advise and experiences from people with IBS-D. I have been passed from doctor to doctor for the past 5 years but within the past 3 months been diagnosed with IBS.

Last few years I have had the following symptoms revolving between each other.

• Loose bowel movements

• Movements straight after eating

• 2 loose stools first thing in the morning

• flatulence

• generalized stomach pains (mainly lower stomach but sometimes feel like it is sitting just below my ribs).

• Stomach acid roughly once or twice a day.

Roughly 5 years ago I was told I had a Hiatus Hernia and was on Omeprazole for 6-12 months then had a review endoscopy where I was advised this has been resolved and no longer need to be on Omeprazole. Ever since to be honest my stomach has been slowly getting worse and worse through the years. Recently after being diagnosed with IBS I was speaking with my Gastro specalist who has advised Mebevarine to resolve the pain but does not resolve the diarrhea and issues I am still mainy having.

He has advised amitriptyline on a very low dosage (assume 10mg) but I am very skeptical of going onto this as many moons ago was on an anti-depressant and that knocked me around for a good year. I also have 2 kids (aged 6 & 3) so do not what to be a life-less zombie with them and want to enjoy parenting them through life! I am also 30 years old and married and reading do not want to affect my sex drive for my wife as she has quite a high drive and do not want to disappoint!

Has anyone been on this and had issues or concerns or do you advise anything else. I am considering taking a probiotic and seeing if this can alternatively help!

I look forward to hearing peoples responses.

Matt

Hi there Matt

Not sure if I can help you much but as long long term ibs sufferer and in the last few years IBS D is a big problem too me was going toilet 3 or 4 times a day very smelly projectile poo loose which really mad me quite depressed taking lopermide 2 or 3 times a day , my doctor put me on Colestyramine sachets after referring me too a specialist which has helped greatly but have to keep increasing my dosage

This product is for soaking up bile acid which is created in the small intestine

Have tried many different diets non work for me but think the bile acid is somehow linked too high chloresteral and might need to move onto a low fat diet but are awaiting a phone call from my doctor

To be honest have little faith in my GP my previous doctor was ok but she left the practise and have never met my new doctor just spoke on the phone

Hope this might help in some way but think everyone ibs can vary so much

Regards Andrew

Forget too mention burbing a lot , wind and urgency and acid reflux

I understand your hesitation to start the amitriptyline. At 10 mg the only symptom that is going to bother you for 4-6 weeks is tiredness. After that, you won't even know it's there. It is highly unlikely to affect your sex drive. The IBS-D might be the issue with that more so than the medication.

Your choices are unfortunately limited in the UK. You might speak to your doctor about Ondansetron starting at 4 mg daily. You can increase that to 24 mg daily if it does not constipate you. There is a UK Ondansetron study reported for UK patients with IBS-D. It was found to be effective for diarrhea, but not so much for pain. Amitriptyline on the other hand might help take the edge off pain with constipation as a side effect. Ondansetron can be taken as needed. Amitriptyline has to be taken daily.

I have been tested myself for BAM and was prescribed Colesevelam for a little while until I got my SehCAT scan but this came back as normal and have been advised I do not have BAM. (Horray?)

@Jeffrey Roberts Thank you for your advise on this I have been very dubious about speaking to my Gastro specialist regarding these, he did say he would keep them on back order and if I ever want to try them he will prescribe them. Within the last few days I have just started a probiotic once a night to see if this improves things. I just have to keep positive on it as I believe this could take 6-8 before any major effects may occur!

If this is not the case I may look into amitriptyline as it looks to be a very useful tablet for IBS especially IBS-D.

On 4/13/2026 at 6:58 AM, Matty_1995 said:

Hi All,

Wondering if I could get some advise and experiences from people with IBS-D. I have been passed from doctor to doctor for the past 5 years but within the past 3 months been diagnosed with IBS.

Last few years I have had the following symptoms revolving between each other.

• Loose bowel movements

• Movements straight after eating

• 2 loose stools first thing in the morning

• flatulence

• generalized stomach pains (mainly lower stomach but sometimes feel like it is sitting just below my ribs).

• Stomach acid roughly once or twice a day.

Roughly 5 years ago I was told I had a Hiatus Hernia and was on Omeprazole for 6-12 months then had a review endoscopy where I was advised this has been resolved and no longer need to be on Omeprazole. Ever since to be honest my stomach has been slowly getting worse and worse through the years. Recently after being diagnosed with IBS I was speaking with my Gastro specalist who has advised Mebevarine to resolve the pain but does not resolve the diarrhea and issues I am still mainy having.

He has advised amitriptyline on a very low dosage (assume 10mg) but I am very skeptical of going onto this as many moons ago was on an anti-depressant and that knocked me around for a good year. I also have 2 kids (aged 6 & 3) so do not what to be a life-less zombie with them and want to enjoy parenting them through life! I am also 30 years old and married and reading do not want to affect my sex drive for my wife as she has quite a high drive and do not want to disappoint!

Has anyone been on this and had issues or concerns or do you advise anything else. I am considering taking a probiotic and seeing if this can alternatively help!

I look forward to hearing peoples responses.

Matt

Hey there . I read this and could have written it for myself word for word. After eating I get very urgent explosive poops then when I think im done I have to go again. Its frustrating because I know a few triggers but on some days they dont bother me . I too am on 10mg of Amitriptyline but after few months had to discontinue it as it was making me act out active dreams where I was swinging my arms and stuff. I also take a acid reflux pill before bed as I tend to get AR during the night. Here are some things I've found that helps my ibs.

Don't overeat at meals , no spicey foods, limit beef, limit pasta, meditation helps, eliminate or reduce coffee, try to reduce stress. Again sometimes these bother me, other times no. Im also starting to have a few accidents when im out and its getting more difficult to hold it while seeking a washroom. This part is starting to play with my head i sorta feel like I have ptsd after these embarrassing episodes. I wish I could get better.

Hi there

I have had ibs issues over the last 30 years and over the last 10 years ibs-d which gradually deteriorated over time going to the toilet 3 or 4 times every moving with really stinky diarrhea which was a nightmare and very embarrassing at work , but after my doctor communicated with the gastro specialist I am know on colestyramine oral sachets and my issues have improved 98 % but have to take the sachets dissolved in water 3 times a day before meals and have researched this and it seems that it is excess bile acid the causes the problem and the sachets absorb the bile acid , but this is only my experience and so this might not be the solution for you but is worth considering but your doctor needs to communicate with the gastro team

Ok thank you I'll look into it. I wonder if my acid reflux meds are causing all my problems

Also take acid reflux meds and tried stopping them for a while was no help and just began too get lots of acid reflux again but might be worth a try for you

After reading up on ibs it seems to be more an inflammation problem more than a food problem. Have u tried anything else that works other then what you mentioned. Im trying to find info on a supplement called Balance by Sense Naturals

No my doctor referred me too the gastro team and they put me on the drinks also have know gone back on mebervine anti spasmodic to hopefully avoid constipation better off avoiding the diarrhoea though which is def the worst problem

13 hours ago, Robandy said:

No my doctor referred me too the gastro team and they put me on the drinks also have know gone back on mebervine anti spasmodic to hopefully avoid constipation better off avoiding the diarrhoea though which is def the worst problem

I just need to take something that will calm my stomach down and if I need to go i can hold it long enough.

Yes I understand but my doctor tells me that it is a very complex issue and atm a am very happy with the treatment I am on sometimes I can physically tell when my stomach is tightening up .

Hope you manage to find a treatment that improves your issues but if things don’t improve get your doctor to refer you too the gastro team

49 minutes ago, Robandy said:

Yes I understand but my doctor tells me that it is a very complex issue and atm a am very happy with the treatment I am on sometimes I can physically tell when my stomach is tightening up .

Hope you manage to find a treatment that improves your issues but if things don’t improve get your doctor to refer you too the gastro team

Yeah I've been to a gastrointestinal guy. He just wants to address diet all the time . I always watch what I eat . I need a diff perspective