A Frustrating Combination of IBS and ADHD Medication

It never fails to frustrate me how the simplest thing can aggravate my IBS. A lot of the time, I get it and just accept the slight frustration. But it’s even worse when it’s a thing that’s meant to help you is what’s causing the frustration.

Diagnosed with IBS and ADHD

In 2024, after a particularly rough patch of concentration and motivation issues, I was officially diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD. It never struck me as something I saw in myself and it was a bit of a shock. As I worked through my diagnosis, I read some of the more recent research on how it manifests in women and realized it was pretty dang close to me. I’ve had the same reaction to every diagnosis I’ve received as an adult - “of course, it all makes sense now!” - and this latest was no different.

My psychiatrist and I decided that the best course of action would be continuing therapy to better work on my life skills and emotional regulation issues. She also suggested that I consider medication to help me better focus. I was slightly unsure but decided to give it a shot. So, in the summer of 2023, as a 38-year-old woman, I started taking Vyvanse. It’s far from a perfect medication, but I felt leaps and bounds better with a clearer head.

My bowels reacted to the new medicine regime

This, combined with vitamin D supplements from my primary care doctor, made me feel like a productive normal human being. We made the decision to increase my dosage at my next appointment. But, as is often the case when living with IBS, my brain and emotions were ready to go but my bowels were not. The first few days, I wrote it off as standard growing pains with a new medication. I’ve been on lots throughout my life and many have caused IBS flare-ups.

As my dosage increased, so did my stomach issues. It got to a point where I literally couldn’t remember the last time I actually went to the bathroom. I felt, and probably looked, like I was carrying a bowling ball in my stomach. Pressing on it was hard and uncomfortable. I tried stool softeners, glasses of Miralax, my regular doctor recommended go-tos for constipation, and nothing was working. I even tried with coffee and multiple meals at Chipotle.

Medication caused painful constipation

It wasn’t long before the stomach pains started. I didn’t want to eat, there wasn’t any more room, and everything I did eat gave me the dreaded wet burps. Was having a clear mind really worth this pain and discomfort? I decided to try the nuclear option and recognized it was time to buy suppositories. Of course, I couldn’t find them in the store, getting anxious as I walked around the stomach relief aisle with my stomach desperately in need of some relief. I found them, rushed through self checkout, and went home to finally have a bowel movement.

The first suppository didn’t work. I remember crying to my husband that I was just never going to go again and I’d end up in the hospital for it again. I decided to try again the next day. I took a Swiss Kriss pill before bed, an old faithful for me, and tried it in the morning. Finally… success! It wasn’t a lot but it was something. I felt relief. Maybe my stomach and my head could both be clear.

Suppositories offer relief

I kept myself regular by increasing my fiber in different ways. When I asked my psychiatrist about it, she said “oh yeah that’s a pretty common side effect, you either can’t go or go too much.” If only I knew about these side effects earlier.

A few months later, due to a nationwide shortage, I switched my ADHD medications. I was so nervous that it would start a new cycle of constipation and looked wearily at the box of remaining suppositories on my nightstand. Thankfully, this new medication didn’t cause any issues. In fact, I find it’s easier to go to the bathroom these days! It might be because I’ve gotten better at listening to my body and not put off going for some silly reason, it might be because of the medication speeding things up for me, who knows.

All I know is that I’m thankful that my ADHD and IBS have learned to coexist. No more anxious trips down the stomach relief aisle for suppositories these days. Sure, I know they’ll likely come again at some point but I’m going to ride this regular wave for as long as I can.