Hi Inny. I can relate to your frustration. How long have you been taking Lexapro? It takes a while to have any effect.

I have suffered through IBS since I was in my early 20s (I'm 36 now). I tried many diet plans to try to control my IBS. The only thing that ever worked for me at all (before I started taking an SSRI) was the Eating for IBS diet in combination with daily yoga practice. The diet didn't work all the time though. I had fewer attacks, but the IBS was still a problem on a regular basis.

It turns out that anxiety and stress have the biggest impact on my IBS. When the anxiety is lessened the IBS symptoms go away.

I took Celexa for over a year to deal with anxiety and panic attacks and as a wonderful side effect, I noticed that my IBS got better. Now I'm on Lexapro -- and once again it has had a positive effect on my IBS.

There are a lot of seratonin receptors in the GI tract. Some of us have very sensitive enteric nervous systems. The vicious cycle of IBS is that just living with it and worrying about when the next attack will hit causes stress, so the IBS get worse, etc.

Lexapro can take 3 or 4 weeks before you notice positive benefits. Give it a fair shot and monitor it closely with your doctor. You never know -- it just might have some positive effects for you.

Cheers. I hope you find some relief.

P.S. I take Lexapro at night too. I chose to do it that way because for the first 10 days it was upsetting my stomach and I would rather deal with that at night than during the day. That side effect has gone away though. Lexapro has a cumulative effect. It doesn't act instantly or just for a few hours. It needs to be in your system at consistent levels all the time. So, the time you take it probably doesn't matter. Your doctor probably suggested taking it at night just in case there were any side effects at first.