Amitriptyline for episiotomy scar pain?! (nerve pain??)

[TheDetective]

Just asking if anyone has been prescribed this for scar pain, particularly episiotomy and pelvic floor pain?

I'm a bit as to why I have been prescribed it to be honest.

[fridayfreedom]

It is an antidepressant but can be prescribed for nerve pain at a low dose ? 10 mg.

[TheDetective]

25mg once at night is what has been prescribed :)

I've just read that it can make it hard to get up in the morning. Well, I have a 3 month old, and find the mornings hard enough getting up in the first place.

Not sure it is going to be useful for me...!

[scotswoman]

My dp took it for nerve pain for about 6 months but at double your dose. It was impossible to wake him at all and he eventually came off it but had to gradually decrease over a few weeks.

[AliceWChild]

No and I have such pain. Have you had other stuff? Gyne physio type stuff?

[ArbitraryUsername]

It's very common to prescribe amitriptyline for pain. It does work for a lot of people. I was prescribed 50mg for arthritic pain. Tried to increase it to 75mg but the side effects (principally the wold'd driest mouth) were too much. It wasn't giving me much pain relief or helping me sleep so I no longer take it. I know other people who get a lot of relief from it though. It takes 3+ weeks for the pain relief effect to really work.

It makes you sleepy and can make it hard to get up in the morning. Usually you start off on 10mg and titrate the dose up. Starting on 25mg is likely to make you feel crap. You will be able to get up easier if you take it in the early evening (and maybe start with a smaller dose). You have to titrate the dose back down to come off it. The withdrawal effects were horrible for me.

[HeathRobinson]

I saw a woman on Embarrassing Bodies last night who had her episiotomy scar removed and restitched, as she was in terrible pain. Is that something you might consider?

[cravingcake]

I was prescribed it for ongoing back pain (suggested by physio after months of sessions). I have been taking it for about 3 months or so. The first 10 days to 2 weeks is when the side effects are the worst so if you can stick through it it does get better. I am on 10mg a day but also have citalopram (another anti-depressant) which with the two together really does knock me out at night time, which has been great for my insomnia.

In all honesty it hasn't made much difference to me in terms of pain and discomfort. I also have a painful episiotomy scar - I had a 4th degree tear 16 months ago with my DS and I'm still in discomfort daily.

However, my physio said it does help 1 in 3 who try it so it may be worth a go for you. Otherwise the only thing I've found helps is ibuprofen and paracetamol.

[CMOTDibbler]

Its one of the drugs that work for nerve pain, but each of the drugs work for some people. I tried gababpentin for nerve pain, but the side effects were intolerable before it helped, but am now on pregbalin which seems to be going well

[Saltire]

I take it for pain, and take 10-20mg a night. it reacts differently with different people, for example I don't feel it takes my pain away that much but does help sleep, which with my FMS can be a problem. However I have a friend with the same condition and she takes it for pain and swears by it.

[sashh]

You need to stick with it for two weeks.

After a couple of days you will feel like you have the flu, but continue with it, and by the time two weeks are over you will be back to normal, just with less pain.

[2old2beamum]

DS age 14 rakes 25mgs twice a day for neuropathic pain it certainly works no more screaming for hours It did however make him dozy at first.

[vitaminC]

Traditional pain killers are often quite ineffective in treating nerve pain, so anti-depressants or anti-epilectic drugs (or sometimes a combination of both!) are often prescribed instead, as these are usually provide much greater relief.

The doses prescribed for this type of use are much lower than the doses generally prescribed for anti-depressant use!

[brokenk]

Hi I was on amitryptyline for 2-3 months
as for pain relief
I was taking 10 mg at night

I would not recomend that medicine to anybody
It does help as pain relief for me for episiotomy scar but
1 the side effects are quiet bad and its not only dried mouth Im talking about
2 In my opinion to take that drug for pain in episiotomy scar its the worst thing you can do because even if it will help the pain IT WONT FIX THE PROBLEM

Id been there and Im kind of the same or even worst place now 2 years later
It was also a terrible pain in episotomy scar and doctor also gived to me ami to help with pain .....
Anyway my advice is come back to your doctor ask for some tests things bacterial infections check for candidas a smear tests etc
ask for second opinion

[dementedmom]

I now take 50mg a day, after gradually increasing from 10mg, along with 3 other medications, all of which also cause drowsiness BUT, after a short while the drowsiness does ease. I have a little one, and although at night time I am pretty much knocked out and don't disturb easily (thankfully, DP understands and on the odd occasions the little one does disturb, he deals with him), as long as I take the Amitriptyline at about 5-6pm, then I find I don't struggle that much in the mornings to get up. I know they say to take at night before bed, but it honestly doesn't matter. I would make sure you take it a good 12 hours before you have to get up.

The drowsiness is pretty shite at first, but the most of it passes and the benefits I now get from them far outweigh the negatives. But I would advise in the first few weeks that when you feel really tired, don't fight it. Sleep/nap when you can.

Honestly? I find the dry mouth side effect more annoying. Especially when out and about, stuck in traffic or something. So make sure you carry a bottle of water with you at all times, too!

[Mutteroo]

Hate Amitriptyline! But it's fantastic with Pregablin (a medication specifically for neuropathic pain) in easing my nerve pain. Side effect with all these meds are awful but manageable and also tail off over time. Actually all bar one and that's the terrible memory. Ten years on & its just as bad as it was when I first started out, but I'm sure it would be a lot worse if my pain was off the scale all of the time.

[Sunshinewithshowers]

Used to take mine around 7pm, else felt groggy the next day x

[brokenk]

So can I ask you guys
apart from thoes medicines did you ever tried to do anything to fix the problem
corective surgery or different treatments
Has anybody been succesfull
or that 's just it drugs till the end of life
sorry Im so sceptic at the moment but its been two years
I personally can recomend aveeno sachet for bath and also ask your doctors for tests for candidas or even some treatments for that can ease a bit the pain
and from my experience arnica and manuka honey didnt really help at all

[Jux]

I had it for a few years for ms pain. In low doses, anti-depressants work almost like magic for nerve pain (that's what my gp said!).

[gingeroots]

My mother was prescribed capsicum at a high concentration for nerve pain following shingles .

She had to put a pin head amount near the site of the pain ,4 times a day .
It's effectiveness builds up over time .

I think it also comes in patches www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?condition=Pain&medicine=capsaicin&preparation=Capsaicin%20179mg%20cutaneous%20patches