Why I Stopped Taking Donnatal for My IBS (and Perhaps You Should Too)

Image source: Jonas Tana

Irritable bowel syndrome, is a painful condition that -- as the awful name suggests -- affects the bowels and digestive system. I struggled with crippling I.B.S. for several years before I knew what was wrong with me. It took years of relentless Internet searches for me to "self-diagnose," but the actual doctor diagnosis came when I underwent surgery for endometriosis, which is common among I.B.S sufferers.

After having surgery, the constant pain in my gut had actually subsided for the first time in years. I'm not even kidding when I say years.

Unfortunately, to my severe disappointment, the relief didn't last.

About four days after surgery, the typical pains that come with I.B.S. reared their ugly heads and I was in excruciating pain.

When I went back in for the post-operation checkup, my surgeon told me that some of my pain was related to I.B.S. and that they'd noticed a lot of spasms occurring during the surgery. This came as no surprise as I'd already read about it online and was certain that I.B.S. was accompanying my endometriosis issue.

In a few short minutes, the surgeon told me that I.B.S. was basically something I'd live with for the rest of my life and that the only way to manage it was with medication. He then mentioned something about I.B.S. being "psychological."

Suffering like this for the rest of my life? 

So there really is no hope for me ever getting to feel better again? 

I won't actually get to live a normal life? 

Those were my biggest fears and hearing that I'd live with this kind of constant, relentless pain forever hit me like a ton of bricks and I nearly broke down and cried right there.

Nothing more was said about I.B.S. or what causes it or what my options for relief were. I was given a prescription for the medication Donnatal and sent on my way.

 Being extremely sensitive to medications (even over the counter), I was hesitant about taking this medicine I'd never heard of.

"It's not going to make me feel crazy or anything, is it," I asked.

After assuring me that he wouldn't give me anything that made me "feel crazy," I left with little more than my piece of paper with the prescription written on it and the instructions to take four tablets a day.

I didn't even know a thing about the medication, but being drained of all hope and still clutching my stomach from the incessant pain, we picked up the Donnatal and I immediately took 2 tablets, which would be half of my daily dose.

By the time I made it home (about 15 minutes), the drug had apparently already taken effect.

Donnatal, it turns out, is a barbiturate.

Barbiturates are nervous system depressants that have a sedative effect. I found this out shortly after my first dose.

 I attempted to feed the cats and dropped the container, dumping cat food all over the floor. I was trying to talk to my sisters and boyfriend and realized the medication was making it difficult to function, so I was hurried to bed.

I slept for the most part of two weeks. Just waking up to take the prescribed dose four times a day was a struggle. I literally felt paralyzed. At one point, I remember laying in bed -- while my loving boyfriend played video games to stay awake and watch over me -- and wondering if I would ever be able to get out of bed again.

But I kept taking the Donnatal.

It just takes time to get into your system and 'work', I'd read.
Being committed to relief, I kept believing it would eventually take effect and I would get used to the side effects. People told me that the extreme tiredness would eventually subside as my body got used to the Donnatal.

My loved ones also thought I'd eventually get better, find relief with the Donnatal, and no longer be so sensitive to the sleepy side effects.

I can't say how many weeks I went on like this, but I believe a month or two is when I couldn't take it anymore. I was not getting relief. The intense pains that came during the daily flare-ups were not less severe. The number or length of time a severe flare-up would last did not decrease.

Why am I still taking these? They're turning me into a zombie. I can't leave the bed hardly and I'm still in the same exact pain I was to start with.

The only difference was, I was sleeping like a hibernating bear. At first that was better than being awake and dealing with the discomfort, but the pain would just wake me up with or without Donnatal.

The only positive effect I can recall was that the duration of my anxiety attacks (another crazy friend that likes to accompany I.B.S.)  were shorter.

I quietly decided on my own one day that I would only take half my daily dose, two tablets. I was absolutely terrified that if I completely stopped the medication, somehow the pain would get even worse. We were convinced that the medication had to work if it was prescribed to me. Somehow, it would start working and I would start feeling better. It just had to kick in and as long as I could just bear it and keep taking the stupid little tablets, I would get the relief I desperately prayed for.

But if I stop taking them... It could all backfire. But what people didn't understand was that I truly wasn't getting any relief.

Desperate to find relief anywhere, I started searching the Internet hoping for a "cure for I.B.S." I was surprised (and a bit skeptical) when I started reading that people were claiming to actually have found relief by using random, natural products that didn't require a prescription.

Of course I couldn't believe it would ever really work, but desperation does wonders. I got ahold of coconut oil, after reading that it gave people relief from I.B.S.

I started taking a tiny bit of the coconut oil everyday with my half-doses of Donnatal and slowly started noticing that the pain was a tad less severe. I was able to move a bit more.

I kept taking the Donnatal, ignorantly believing that it was finally "working" until one night after the severity of my I.B.S. problems had subsided for an entire week.

I wasn't in the clear at all. I was still down most of the time, but I was able to move from the bed without unbearable pain striking.

After about 9 - 12 months (if I recall correctly), I'd started taking only one dose of Donnatal and only before bed. I needed to function during the day. I couldn't bring myself to drive a vehicle while taking Donnatal. I felt too foggy headed. I felt a bit clumsy, even from the single dose.

There was no way I could keep taking Donnatal and function. So as I continued to take the coconut oil and later added aloe vera to my daily routine, I got to where I'd only take the Donnatal if I was having a flare-up. It didn't take much longer for me to see that it wasn't giving me any relief. And if there was any relief there, it wasn't enough that it kept me from crying for hours on end.

I finally quit calling in for my prescription all together and left the single, last tablet of Donnatal in my purse for "emergencies."

I never ended up needing to take the useless tablet. I continued to take aloe vera and a little coconut oil until I was able to begin making a real recovery.

For me, the side effects of Donnatal were way too strong. I wasn't able to adapt to the intense drowsiness that came with a single dose, and had I gotten any relief from it, I would've just continued taking the single dose before bed. Unfortunately, Donnatal wasn't a successful remedy for my pain.

Note: Barbiturates like Donnatal can be addictive. 
When I later learned that Donnatal was easy to become addicted to, I was glad I'd stopped taking them when I did. Disappointed that their addictive nature was never mentioned when they were prescribed to me at 18 years old. I am lucky. I stopped before my body had become dependent on them, but other people have reported immense suffering from withdrawal symptoms when they go off drugs like Donnatal. This is one of those cases where the pros and cons must be carefully outweighed.

So Who Does Donnatal Work For?
I never did get the chance to discuss other medication options with the surgeon, but there are some people who can tolerate the side effects of medications like Donnatal. I've read other user experiences online and some people have been able to get relief from spasms, nausea, cramps, and anxiety.

I've read that Donnatal worked wonders for nausea and vomiting. Vomiting and nauseousness is often a symptom of I.B.S. and it can become a regular problem.

Another side effect of Donnatal is constipation. That's good news for the person who suffers with I.B.S.-D (diarrhea), but very bad news for the person with I.B.S.-C (constipation.) With that said, it's important to keep in mind that if your I.B.S. is already causing constipation, Donnatal might not help and could worsen the problem.

On the other hand, some people report relief from the intestinal cramping that I.B.S. causes.

 I just wonder if perhaps the Donnatal is more useful for the vomiting and diarrhea and spasms that don't come with intense pain.

From the people I've talked to (mostly other I.B.S. sufferers) and stories I've read, Donnatal seems to be a hit or miss.

The above is just one person's experience with Donnatal for I.B.S. I decided to discuss my experience here after a reader asked me what happened after I had surgery. I know I didn't discuss the Donnatal in the past when I was dealing with this because it simply didn't help me, so I didn't consider my experience useful. I don't intend to discourage anyone from taking their prescribed medications for I.B.S. and if Donnatal has worked for you, please do let us know in the comments section.

So, have you been prescribed Donnatal? What was your experience? Am I the only I.B.S. sufferer who's had such minimal success with Donnatal?

Note: While I have made a major recovery from the debilitating condition I once had, I do still suffer from occasional flare-ups each year. However, now that I've become extremely familiar with the various remedies for IBS, I'm able to manage it with natural remedies. I can usually take one of my go-to remedies (aloe vera or an essential oil blend supplement) and stop the pain from escalating to the point that I can't go on with my day. I usually have to take it easy and be very still for a little while, but I'm always able to get enough relief that the pain and discomfort doesn't keep me in bed.

As for managing the I.B.S., I use a variety of remedies that support a healthy digestive system, like garlic. I especially love aloe vera, though as it has given me the most relief.

I've discussed virtually every remedy I've used here on Healthy, Happy, Wholesome, so if you're interested, scroll through the articles here and subscribe for more updates.