Dicyclomine and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Ibs...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 13, 2018

Dicyclomine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I am a very tiny 104 lb 21-year-old who's been suffering from IBS-D post-cholecystectomy. Now it's been a year since I deal with trapped wind, intestinal pain & bloating, diarrhea. It is literally my ileum & descending colon that I feel spasming horrendously, I can only imagine it feels like labor. I have a love-hate relationship with Bentyl. I'm an emergency Bentyl user (read the potential long-term use effects). This helps at least 90% of the time. And when it kicks in, I think, 'that attack wasn't that bad'. It stops the spasming and it decreases the pain, score 10, pain during drops to a 2 60ish minutes later. 8/10 because of side effects. Mine include blurry vision and confusion. I had to leave work one time because I was just confused, had blurred vision, and was having an anxiety attack. Believe me. Stay at home for the few hours or take it at night. I honestly hope I helped someone because IBS sufferers need to support each other."

• Sho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 13, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Dicyclomine did an awesome job at giving me regular bowel movements and gave me my appetite back almost instantly. Made me completely relaxed, almost a little too much so. Biggest drawback was that it gave me anxiety like no other when it wore off. Never had heart palpitations like that in my life. Woke up in a panic attack one night and called 911. I truly hope it works for you, just know if your anxiety starts to get worse, it might be this drug."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2023

Dicyclomine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I took 20 mg on the first day and 10 mg the next day, and it was too much. I felt like I was on a drug that was cranking up my nervous system. Bentyl caused me serious side effects: anxiety, pain in the lower abdomen, congestion in my nose like I had allergies, and cognitive impairment in the form of forgetfulness. Never again. This drug is not for me."

• Jul...
• June 16, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I had been taking this for a year, with no side effects. They made me kind of giggly and high, but just recently I've been having terrible side effects. I get dizzy, disoriented, anxiety attacks, insomnia, and terrible migraines. I had to be taken off of it immediately when it sent me to the ER with dilated pupils, blurred vision, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, and the major disorientation."

• Wha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 12, 2017

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I had been suffering from IBS-D and celiac disease since the end of 2011. Just recently, as in four weeks ago, I found out what was wrong with me. I have been taking dicyclomine for about a year now, and changing up my diet has really helped. With the new gluten-free diet and the dicyclomine, life has gone from sitting on the toilet to being able to enjoy life. However, just recently I have started to get anxiety attacks, loss of focus, and zoning out, as well as unusual thoughts. It really scares me when these things happen. I wish there was an alternative type of medication I could use because I do not like my mental faculties to be foggy. All in all, the medication helps with the cramps, bloating, and diarrhea."

• GP ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2022

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "This actually helped my stomach move things through at a proper pace. With gastroparesis, I stay constipated without the help of daily Miralax (sometimes that isn't enough), and when I do go, it's always one end of the poop scale or the other. But, with dicyclomine, things moved through perfectly, and I was regular again. However, I could not take it on an empty stomach as prescribed without it causing extreme nausea. I was able to take it with food. But, after a few weeks of taking it, I realized I was not only having really bad dreams but had been incredibly anxious and paranoid. When I stopped taking it, my mood returned to normal. I now only take it occasionally when things are particularly backed up."

• GP ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2022

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "This actually helped my stomach move things through at a proper pace. With gastroparesis, I stay constipated without the help of daily Miralax (sometimes that isn't enough), and when I do go, it's always one end of the poop scale or the other. But, with dicyclomine, things moved through perfectly, and I was regular again. However, I could not take it on an empty stomach as prescribed without it causing extreme nausea. I was able to take it with food. But, after a few weeks of taking it, I realized I was not only having really bad dreams but had been incredibly anxious and paranoid. When I stopped taking it, my mood returned to normal. I now only take it occasionally when things are particularly backed up."

• Moh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2023

Dicyclomine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I went into the ER for food poisoning. The doctor gave me Bentyl in my IV, and I was released a few hours later. I took another Bentyl, which the doctor told me to do. Then, 8 hours later, another one. I had debilitating anxiety and panic attacks for 3 weeks after taking this medicine. This medicine made me feel out of body. Never would recommend it."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 19, 2017

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "In 2011, I was admitted to the ER after vomiting blood. Performed an upper endoscopy (negative) and was discharged with antibiotics. From 2014 to 2017, I could not function. Vomiting/nausea, diarrhea, severe constipation, body tremors, in tears due to abdominal pain, and many expensive midnight ER trips with my worried boyfriend. I performed an H. pylori breath test (positive). I took antibiotics, but I was still having all my symptoms. I was fired for calling out sick. Referred to a GI specialist and diagnosed with IBS-C. Been on dicyclomine for 2.5 months (20mg 3x), religiously follow low FODMAP, and Miralax. I can function. Side effects: drowsy, headaches, nightmares, bloating/cramps, gas, anxiety, and mild nausea (Promethazine Rx). It's so worth it."

• Jos...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 25, 2022

Dicyclomine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Double-edged sword for me. I take it for Crohn's disease. If I start cramping up and take Bentyl, it does typically help with bowel spasms fairly well. On the flip side of that, it tends to make me a bit drowsy and kind of lethargic, and occasionally causes panic attacks and anxiety that last for a few hours. Kinda have to weigh the risks with rewards though."

• NW4...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2015

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I have now been on dicyclomine (Bentyl) for 3 weeks now, and it has its pros and cons. It definitely takes my stomach pains away, even without my pain medication if I don't have them on me. Most of the time, it gives me a relaxing feeling as well. But the only downside is the couple of side effects, sometimes it will make my nausea worse, so at times I will have to double up on my nausea medication, and there have been a couple of times where it made my anxiety worse. But I'm hoping these symptoms will fully go away the more my body gets used to it. I was on Librax, but the stomach medication in Librax didn't work for me, just the anxiety part of the medication in Librax helped, so there was no point in taking it. Thanks, Bentyl!"

• Dmo...
• September 1, 2021

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I got prescribed this for abdominal pain. Took the pain away...BUT! I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, and this medication irritated me a lot. Super dizzy, confused, face feels super hot, worse anxiety."

• NAa...
• February 11, 2022

Dicyclomine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Bentyl put me through a nightmare and caused an extremely severe anxiety and panic attack and had me worried I was losing my grip on reality."