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Could this be IBS or side effects?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Beingella
Beingella

I'm a teenage girl and my doctor has diagnosed me as either having side effects from fluoxetine or irritable bowel syndrome.  

My symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, bloating, fatigue, dizziness,

memory loss, joint aches, headaches, weight loss, gas, insomnia and weakness. They've gone on and off for 2 years.

Also I don't have celiac, parasites or cysts. This has been going on before the fluoxetine plus I have anxiety. My nan has severe IBS as well. I really think this is IBS though.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • terry81278
    terry81278 Beingella

    Posted

    Hi Beingella,

      Firstly memory loss has nothing to do with IBS, neither is joint aches or headaches, so I would ask for a better check-up, you don't say if you have had a full examination, colonoscopy, or endoscopy, or scan, 

     If you have been taking Fluoxetine you may be suffering more from anxiety and related symptoms, i would go back and ask to have a full medical... 

    • Beingella
      Beingella terry81278

      Posted

      Thanks! I have a history of not being able to concentrate or remember things so I think not really digesting food impacted it. I haven't had an endoscopy, colonoscopy or scan, but if things not improve I'll definately try to get one.
  • dak3931
    dak3931 Beingella

    Posted

    Hi Beingella,

    this site and forum is a great way of finding out how we can all have differing  extremes of symptoms but with IBS they seem to follow a common theme.

    certainly some of your symptoms are what one would expect with IBS and yet others do not seem to be such as the memory loss and insomnia albeit these could be as a consequence of the anxiety over your condition.

    Long bouts of diarrhoea will definitely have an impact on you due to the loss of fluid, that if not replaced will result in fatigue.

    In my experience I found that by controlling the major symtom (bowel movements I was then able to feel more confident in myself and this led to a reduction in the anxiety suffered by many with IBS.

    i take mebevrine to control my bowels and together with a stricter diet, I find this is working.

    Try and rationalise your condition,  take small steps to improve your major symptoms and hopefully this will benefit all you round.👍

    • Beingella
      Beingella dak3931

      Posted

      Thank you so much! Yes my nan and I have very similar symptoms eg quite severe diarrhea. I have trouble with sleeping as I twitch weirdly while asleep all the tim since I was born (RLS?) but insomnia is mild and memory loss worse than it. Yes the diarheea makes me very tired and I need to drink a lot. My doctor put me on colese yesterday and it seemed to help.
  • philippa61759
    philippa61759 Beingella

    Posted

    Try coming off fluoxetine slowly and see if your symptoms improve.  But, If your symptoms were there before you started your medication, it may well be IBS. 

    Joint pain, headaches, fatigue, nausea and stomach pain can all be IBS symptoms along with anxiety and bowel disturbance.  Though, these symptoms can overlap with other things.  The memory problem could be a side effect of fluoxetine or anxiety.  Memory loss in itself is not related to IBS..  You can look up the symptoms on the IBS Network.

    Tests don't show IBS because it is a functional disorder.  They only serve to rule out other conditions.  If all other investigations are negative then you may well be diagnosed with IBS.  But, by all means get a formal diagnosis from your doctor to be on the safe side.

     I was diagnosed with IBS in May after three months of tests that showed nothing.  Although, my joints and muscles have always been dodgy, I noticed that they suddenly got a lot worse very suddenly last year.  I put it down to a bad reaction to chiropractory and massage but the problem never went away.  Blood tests didn't show up anything as to why I have bad joints.  So, I am assuming this may well have been an early symptom of IBS prior to my stomach pains beginning.

    The blood test left me black and blue and in severe pain for two months.  Even now the pain hasn't fully gone.  So I rather suspect the blood test and chiropractory stressed me out so much that It triggered IBS.  I even developed Costochondritis (rib cage pain) which related to stress and can occur along with Irritable Bowel.

     

    • Beingella
      Beingella philippa61759

      Posted

      Thank you! My doctor prescribed colese and said that if it helps; it's IBS. Day one and I feel better already. I've stopped having diarrhea and have energy. All my aches and cramps are still here though. I've had symptoms for 2 years now, but a terrible four months. Ive always had a lot of trouble with memory and I thinks it's caused by being tired. I also have had trouble with concentration in the past. I think I've inherited it from Nan as we both have the same type (D) and level (moderate-severe).
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