Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Amitriptyline for sciatica?

86 replies

IHeartGeneHunt · 27/09/2023 11:58

Can anyone who's been prescribed amitriptyline for sciatica tell me what it's like? Been given it today and the side effects look bloody awful but if it's worth it, I'll try it!

OP posts:

ToWonderWhyIBother · 27/09/2023 12:05

I've was given a prescription for this last week, Dr advised taking one an hour before bed, took it and yes I slept, for 10 hours but when I woke I had no idea who I was, where I was and what day of the week it was and I was still in pain. although not as bad. The Dr said if I was still in pain a couple after a couple of days I could take 2 !! Won't be doing that in a hurry.

My head felt like it was full of cotton wool until about 1pm, was great to have the best sleep in what seems like years of no pain, however if you work you will have to take it much earlier so you are awake in the morning and able to drive and concentrate.

Not sure if taking them regularly would ease the pain through the day and stop feeling so sleepy and confused, but will give it a try at the weekend and see if taking them for a few nights makes a difference.

Would be interested to know how you get on.

Beaverbridge · 27/09/2023 12:08

I was prescribed it for arthritis, knocked me out like a light. Was drowsy next day, felt drunk. Went back to ordinary pain killers!

etherealfae · 27/09/2023 12:09

i take them for migraines, made me somewhat sleepy at first but not anymore and never had any other side effects from them! But also will say they do f all for my migraines 😂

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health

Covidiokilledtheradiostar · 27/09/2023 12:09

it did nothing for me. After that I was prescribed pregablin and omg the relief from the pain.

Pandora55 · 27/09/2023 12:11

Mines for nerve pain. It's been very good. I take mine about 7pm so the foggy head feeling is passing by the time I'm off to work in the morning. I had some just general sluggishness and I gained a few pounds. But that soon faded away over the first 3 months.

defnotadomesticgoddess · 27/09/2023 12:14

I take them for vestibular migraines. I was told to take them by 7pm so that I wouldn’t feel dozy the next day. The first few weeks I took them I felt dozy but I am fine now, (been on them a year) although takes me 30 mins to get going in the morning where I used to be a morning person. They really help me sleep (I hadn’t slept properly in 8 years) which I think has helped my migraine issues. Dosage was 10mg for first 2 weeks then 20mg after that

GentlemanJack · 27/09/2023 12:14

I took it and it definitely helped me to sleep. I don't remember feeling drowsy in the morning. I got terrible wind though.

defnotadomesticgoddess · 27/09/2023 12:15

Oh and everyone medical told me to drink lots of water as they can make you constipated

mindutopia · 27/09/2023 12:17

It's worth a try. I took it many years ago for nerve pain and sleep issues. I eventually took myself off them as I'm not a medication person really when I felt my symptoms were well controlled/had resolved. But I personally never had any side effects and it must have helped as I continued to take them. I eventually no longer experienced the pain and just got on with life. That was 20+ years ago.

OldTinHat · 27/09/2023 12:23

I've been taking them for around 4yrs for nerve pain. The first few weeks were horrendous, literally felt soooo drunk in the mornings, but it passed, and I take 4 a day now with no side effects.

Original poster

IHeartGeneHunt · 27/09/2023 12:25

Thank you everyone, I think I'll try it.
Does taking it at 7pm make you drowsy straight away?

OP posts:

Pandora55 · 27/09/2023 12:27

IHeartGeneHunt · 27/09/2023 12:25

Thank you everyone, I think I'll try it.
Does taking it at 7pm make you drowsy straight away?

About an hour later I'm feeling drowsy x

londonmummy1966 · 27/09/2023 12:28

DD had them for a bit but really didn't get on with the side effects. If you've not tried it voltarol suppositories were a game changer for her. I think they are prescription only but GP was happier about those that the other drugs as she was only 17 at the time.

PragmaticWench · 27/09/2023 12:28

The worst side effects reduce over the first couple of weeks but for sciatica I found amitriptyline useless to reduce the nerve pain. The only thing that helped was gabapentin.

FlipFlopVibe · 27/09/2023 12:34

I slept 14 hours the first time I took them. Felt horrendous and couldn't function. Only took them a short time, didn't suit me at all. Nortriptyline is similar but less side effects

TigerRag · 27/09/2023 12:48

I took them for migraine. They did help me sleep which was great. But I was falling asleep at 7pm. And I always needed an afternoon nap

uncomfortablydumb53 · 27/09/2023 14:29

Yes I've taken them for nerve pain due to my Cerebral palsy for the last 2 years
They are really helpful for the pain and do help me sleep
The morning grogginess lessens over time
The only side effect I have had is 5lb weight gain
Pregabilin was magic for me but I gained 2 stone rapidly so stopped that
Give them a try, pain relief should start around 2 weeks, so not instantly
They're very safe

clipclop5 · 27/09/2023 14:42

19 year old DD has been on it for the past year, also for sciatica. It has helped but she’s got to a stage now where the benefit isn’t worth the side effects. The excessive tiredness has been the worst part, it makes her so groggy that she just can’t function before 11am. She’s also noticed that her body has developed a reliance on it and can’t sleep without it so it’s a double edged sword! In the first few weeks dry mouth was an issue but it did pass with time

caringcarer · 27/09/2023 14:50

I've been prescribed them for arthritis. The first one I took knocked me out and made me feel woozy. I couldn't drive whilst taking them. I only take them if the pain is really bad, so mainly in the coldest part of winter. I found after taking them for a week or more the drowsiness dies down. They do help numb the pain though. On a very bad day I'm not even able to get out of bed so they do help in that circumstance.

FLOrenze · 27/09/2023 14:54

I have taken it for a long time for Arthritis. I would give it a bit longer as it does take getting used to. I take mi e at 6pm. To offset the drowsiness in the motning.

HoraceTheLlama · 27/09/2023 15:01

Ive taken them for about 4 years for nerve pain, game changer. Don’t get drowsy or dry mouth anymore, but do get a bit constipated. Am on 50mg a day, was on 100mg at one point

Ibizafun · 27/09/2023 15:03

Constipation...

ThisWormHasTurned · 27/09/2023 15:19

I take them as migraine prevention and neck pain management. When I started, even one made me drowsy and foggy overnight and in the morning. Now I take 3 a night and I’m fine. Just took a bit of time to get used to them. Total game changer for me. I was getting migraine symptoms most days and now they’re about once a month and manageable. There are other nerve pain drugs out there though so don’t despair if this doesn’t work for you.

SinnerBoy · 27/09/2023 15:23

I had it many years ago and had to give up after a week or so. It didn't work very well and made me really wooly-headed, cause headaches and a dry mouth. It was given for a slipped disc.

I have a friend who's been on it for years, but this week, has been moved onto Duciltia. It can take two to three weeks for it to start working, apparently and you can't combine it with amitriptyline until it starts to work.

ConstitutionHill · 27/09/2023 15:27

londonmummy1966 · 27/09/2023 12:28

I second these.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread