Does anyone take amitriptyline for pain relief?

[changeagainandagain]

Sorry no traffic on health boards, just wanted to hear from anyone who takes this?

I've been given it for pelvic pain to try and calm down endometriosis pains during lockdown.

I've never taken any antidepressants in my life and concerned about the effect and sleeping?

I'm up in pain unable to sleep, which is why I'm thinking shall I take the plunge and start the packets I've been give by the GP?

Has anyone had success with this as a pain relief option?

I took it at night as migraine prophylaxis and it’s really effective.

It really helped me to get to sleep.

Give it a go! I was hesitant before but it’s made a real difference to me.

@Upsetmidwife thank you I think I'm nervous as it's an antidepressant? If it was called a pain killer I'm sure I'd feel differently.

Are you off it now, that's my other question, about getting stuck taking it.

I took it for endo and found it helpful - mostly because it allowed me to sleep and not be constantly woken by pain.

I take it for pain.

Be warned, you need to give it at least 2 weeks.

Week one you will feel OK, week two you will start getting side effects and not feel well, this is when people often give up, but keep at it by week 3 you will feel the benefit.

Thank you, does it have any mood changes related to it at the low does?

I take it for nerve pain. It has been very effective.

My 11 year old dd takes it for pain in her pelvic area mostly brought on at night. She has been taking it for around 6 months now on 10mg dose. Whilst I can tell that there's a difference to her pain, she doesn't get 'sleepy' from it weather that's down to mix with her other medication I'm unsure. I feel she has become more moody and short tempered but this is difficult to tell if it's age related like puberty or down to being on total lockdown as she has a younger sibling who we are shielding. Not sure if this has been any help whatsoever ever. Oh and we are also closely watching her weight as it can cause weight gain, nothing yet and obviously this isn't something we have made her aware of.

I take it for pain to help me sleep. It really does help. I was concerned about the antidepressant side of it but it's been fine!

Sounds like it 100% worth a go, I'm not sure what's holding me back I'm in pain. Not sleeping 🙄

Is there a space on mumsnet for endometriosis? I follow lots of people on Instagram but would be good to chat to others.

@Stressedmummyof4 oh I'm sorry that must be hard when she's so young, so they know what's causing the pain?

It is an old fashioned antidepressant and is used at much higher doses for that purpose.
I have found it really helpful for " climbing the walls pain" that no painkiller would touch.
I started at 25mg once daily for a week, now take 10mg very occasionally.
It took three days for the pain to reduce dramatically.

I really recommend EndoUK as a place to get information and more support (if you haven’t been on it already). There are online and real life support groups. Your local support group will almost definitely also have a community on Facebook too.

www.endometriosis-uk.org/get-support

@changeagainandagain she's been having these problems since she was 6 .

It all began with recurring UTI's then the pain started. She has MRI's every few years to check things but last year the diagnosed her with Vulvodynia.

She also gets some relief from Instilligel, which is a anaesthetic gel, mainly used for patients who have catheters fitted but it has impacted significantly on her life.

Constant sleepless nights lack of sleep constant pain, having to sit in the bathroom with her at 2/3/4 in the morning as she can't pee or has to sit on the side of the bath with a cool shower spraying around that area of her body for hours at a time, unable to take part in sports, missed school exhaustion low mood and having to try and explain such a personal problem with a school, who can't do anything really to help her she has to be sent home regularly as obviously she can't administer the gel on her own and unfortunately at times can make her have leakage with being numb in that area. She finds sitting in class uncomfortable.

I'm proud of her everyday with the things that she has to overcome, unless you experience this type of pain I think it's very hard to even explain to someone the impact on your life.

I took it for nerve pain but I just couldn't cope with the side effects and it made me foggy. I drive a lot for work and didn't feel safe driving on the high dose I was given so I had to give it up.

Ah, madcatladyforever
That's exactly the reason I have an untouched pack sat in the drawer.
And why I've been awake half the night, again...

I was admitted to hospital last year with severe headaches. I couldn't move and they though I had a stroke.

After lots of tests and investigations, it was stress. I was put on this, to keep my headaches at bay and see if they helped with my anxiety. They did the trick. I took mine at night and slept really well.

I did come off it and they came back. So I am on it again, really help my anxiety as well as the pain.

That's sounds horrific, stressedmummyof4

I’ve been prescribed them for pain, from Ehlers Danlos syndrome and fibromyalgia. I took them for a week or so and couldn’t deal with the side effects. They didn’t do anything for the pain (probably didn’t give it long enough) but I was being physically sick multiple times a day and my mood was awful.

I have been prescribed amitriptyline but even 5mg (half a tablet) at night makes me 'foggy' the following day.

But I'm very susceptible to medications, even on low doses. I guess everyone's metabolic function is different.

Certainly worth trying, though.

@Stressedmummyof4 I've never heard of that it sounds awful for the poor girl? Is there a cure.

Thank you looks like I'll need to persist for a month to really see the benefits or side effects.

I've just gone in the pill as well so weight gain from all sides!! I'll manage that, it's the last of my worries for now.

Thanks for the tip on the endometriosis website, I've been on thee but hadn't realised there were local groups, I've joined mine.

I took it years ago for pain - I couldn’t deal with the side effects. It made my throat and nose very dry and I would wake myself up multiple times a night snoring. Was exhausting.

@changeagainandagain @MockneyReject

No cure they've described it as problems with nerve endings which causes the pain. I hadn't heard of it until last year either.

I've joined some Facebook groups which have helped with some tips and like you we got the medicine and I hummed over it for a week but then watching her writhing around in pain we had to try something. She's due to start high school in August so it's a really important time for her I'm just hoping that we are on top of this by then.

I didn't get past a few side effects on it but tolerated nortryptaline, it's 'younger, sister drug' a lot better. So that could be an option if amitriptyline doesn't work out for any reason. Second what a pp said though, it takes a few weeks to start working and you have to try it properly. I gave it up too quickly I think.

Ok thanks, I'm glad there maybe an alternative. I'll try not to overthink and give it time.

I'm assuming if I get my operation in the next few months it may help with recovery phase as well?

I take it on and off for nerve damage after c section.

The side effects I have are grogginess in the morning. Takes me ages to get functional first thing.

Dry mouth which took me ages to recognise but increased my eating

Impossible to lose weight. I was eating 1200cal a day and would only lose half a kilo every three or four weeks