Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Trazodone- any one used it or using it?

If you have C-IBS, this drug has a possible constipation side-effect, in addition to lots of other side-effects. It's actually an older class of anti-depressant, but one of its side-effects is causing drowsiness, so it's used sometimes to help people sleep.

As an MD myself, I think that ambien is a much better choice if a person needs a sleep Rx for the occasional night's use. It has few side-effects and no residual effect the next day [as long as you can sleep for at least 7-8 hours after taking it, b/c that's how long it takes to wear off]. Big bonus is that if you're C, it actually causes mild to moderate diarrhea in some people [not all drugs cause the same side-effects in all people. That's why every person has to try each drug for themself].

BTW, ambien is currently not recommended for longterm use but that's only b/c the company didn't originally seek FDA approval for this purpose. Since the patent is running out next year for ambien, the manufacturer of ambien [Sanofi] is doing the clinical trials currently to have the data to seek FDA approval for longterm use, which would then give them another 17 years of brand name marketing of it. However, it would also be available as a generic drug starting next year, which is of course a good thing in terms of cost.

If the trials data is as good as is expected, it's very likely that the FDA will give its approval. Many people have been taking Ambien already on a longterm basis [as prescribed by their MDs for chronic insomnia] with few to no problems. Hope this helps.

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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-

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