anyone heard of LEXAPRO for abdominal pain?

[kritter74]

I’ve been a C-5 quad for17 years and have always had trouble with my digestive system –you name it. Recently had a lower GI because of sharp abdominal pain and “quivering” in my abdomen. Doctors found nothing wrong and I lived with the pain until I found a doc who could do better than shrug his shoulders…I found one (good man) & he suggested I try Lexapro. I found it unusual to offer a psych drug for a gut problem…the doc explained that the class of drugs, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, had helped folks with similar problems. I couldn’t find anything to support this online, has anyone heard of/or used this drug? I don’t want to be doped up or get dependant on a drug—but the problem only seems to worsen. Any advice would be appreciated!


Thanks,

K. S.

[mjschaef]

I don't know about pain treatment, but I am about to begin a research study into the effects of Lexapro on SCI.

It hasn't started yet, so I don't know much... just that I will be taking the drug 5 hours before a PT session (3 one hour sessions per week), where I will be using the Lokomat (weight assisted treadmill training).

Apparently, there is some reason to believe that the drug helps a damaged spinal cord. Since your GI troubles are probably linked to your SCI, I think it could help you... though the study is only enrolling incompletes, so if you have a complete injury, the effects may be less beneficial. Can't say for sure. Perhaps Dr. Wise or one of the research hounds on here can dig up a published study.

[David Berg]

It's really not uncommon to use anti-depressants to treat pain problems, at least with neuropathic pain, which I know a little more about because of my research on central pain syndrome. This is an oversimplification, but think of it this way...in depression you're trying to calm the nerves and suppress signals in the brain. In neuropathic pain you're also trying to calm the nerves and suppress signals in the brain and elsewhere.

[firesmurf]

i just wanted to mention that I have been on lexapro now since before my sci and i really cannot say that it is at all 'helpful"? in any real way?but i was on it BEFORE this happened so who nows,but it has been about three years now and my SCI happened about two and a half years ago.

but quite honestly,when I get some really totally off the wall brand new symptom or other neuro wierdness,I am willing to try just about anything just to see if it actually would work for me.who knows,it could work for ya.i would at the very least,give it a shot.if there is one thing I have learned during this ongoing nightmare,its that you at least have to try something before you can totally discount it.you just never know what will and will not work til you actually try it on "you'.good luck and let us know how it all goes.Marcia

[David Berg]

I should've also mentioned that most commonly (at least from what I hear), when used for neuropathic pain the anti-depressants are combined with an anti-convulsive, sich as Neurontin or Lyrica.

[znop]

Hi mjschaef:
I see you are from Chicago area. so am I. I live in so.suburb of lansing, Here is one of my posts. E-mail me if you want

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=65947

Ps. Lexapro did absolutely nothing for me, but does not mean it won't work for others