Aibu to ask your experience with amytriptaline

[NewBeginnings77]

Was put on this about 10 days ago for absolutely horrendous itching and hives (awaiting dermatology appt). My GP did want to try me on it a couple of years ago for fibro but decided on Duloxetine instead as Im in a safety critical job. The ami is a last resort atm after GP has tried everything else without success and me wanting to rip my skin off constantly. Ive been signed off work due to it until Occ Health can assess.

So, I am not getting the sleepy effect at night. Ive gradually moved it earlier each day and am now taking around 5pm, but still wide awake until 2 or 3ish. I believe this is quite unusual?

Even then sleeping in til 11 or so, I am still feeling utterly wiped the next day, and just not motivated. My fibro pain has ramped up 4fold, and I feel just a second or two out of kilter of life around me. I can barely function and would be quite happy just watching tv and dozing all day. Which is just nuts.

Ive read that it can take up to 6 weeks to stop feeling zombie like, I'm only on 10mg should I give it 6 weeks ? I'm not going to be allowed back to work in this state, luckily have a good sick pay provision, but am fed up of feeling shite and in pain thats worse than before I started. It has stopped the itching but I'm not sure which is worse at this point. Help!

I found the sleepy effect wore of within a couple of days of taking it. But given you feel sleepy the next morning, maybe try taking it in the morning so you feel sleepy at night?

That’s an unusual reaction. Speak to the GP and a pharmacist.
Is there a reaction with the other meds you are on?
Was nortriptyline considered? That doesn’t help with sleep but does settle everything down.

Sorry, didnt mean to enable poll, wanted experiences/advice more than anything. I guess YABU = give it time YANBU = stop taking it and ask GP for an alternative (suggestions welcome)

The problem would be that Occ Health wont allow me back to work if I am having grogginess due to solo working in a safety critical role. I also work shifts which complicates it, switching between early and late

Is the itching spontaneous chronic urticaria?
I had that for several months and nearly lost my mind.
I have fortunately brought it under control by stopping histamine foods.
I still have it atva low level in the evening and a piriton does the trick.
Didn't hear of amtripyline for it.
My son takes it for Trigeminal Neuralgia which is awful.
My husband took it for tension headaches and found it helpful, but stopped as tinnitus was a side effect.

Some of those sleepy side effects hit some harder than others.

Have a GP appt Thursday as cant get in with usual one tip 5th July, but unfortunately with one of the less good ones re fibro etc (pain clinic referral was changed to physio by him which has done sweet FA). Wasn't offered nortripyline, will have a read on that, thanks

I have suffered with that in the past but this is different, mast cell syndrome has been mentioned but awaiting dermatology appt atm. 4 months on waiting list so far. Loratadine keeps the urticaria at bay, GP has tried various meds and creams for this without success 😢

I’d stay away from it. I had it for headaches/to help sleep. I had no idea it could cause constipation so never connected the two and just put up with the constipation for about 3 years. I did notice it caused a dry mouth and it was this that made me finally give it up as it was miserable. The change in my digestive system has been amazing and it wasn’t even really working for the headaches so I’m annoyed I took it so long.

i also decided to go cold turkey when I gave it up, not realising you shouldn’t do that, and got horrendous nightmares, itching and a few episodes of faintness. A psychiatrist I know calls it a dirty drug and said they’d never take it - and I have to agree!

Oh that sounds horrendous. Bless you. Im on other meds that make my bowels very loose (metformin and rifampicin) so not had that issue, though I wish mine would firm up a little cos loose is just as bad 🤣

It's not even touched the fibro either, thats worse than its ever been which isn't helping my current non functioning state!

Ah - in that case speak to your dr and /or pharmacy and see if something else can be given. Shift working and solo working with something designed to induce sleep inducing drugs isnt something I can see any oh signing off on. Everywhere I’ve worked involving shifts it’s been a huge no. Good luck.

Interestingly, I finally realised it was helping my bowel and bladder issues. It reduced the sensitivity so early morning rush was no longer an issue.

It’s like my whole body is irritated- everything hurts, everything is loud,it’s like having every nerve exposed. So something that slows all that down has been amazing.
ThoughDH is still bloody loud.

I found the groggy side effect did not wear off and had to discontinue it. I was taking it for fibromyalgia and I use meditation and Chinese medicine to manage pain instead.

Thanks. I did take it a few years back for muscle spasms with 0 side effects so really wasn't expecting this tbh, its utterly floored me

Pleased that works for you. My fibro was manageable prior to this except in a flare, mainly cos I'm a stubborn cow lmao.

I started on 10mg to help with poor sleep. I took it before bed but was still wide awake at 2 or 3am. Then very groggy in the morning. After a few weeks GP said take 2 tablets. I had to play around with times and now take it at 4:30pm to feel tired by 9pm. I’m now taking 3 tablets though, on GP’s advice (3 years on), as 2 weren’t really working anymore. I do get up at 6am for work though.

I was out on it for horrendous nerve pain after I'd had a knee replacement. I was told it could take weeks to take effect but both the nerve block and sleepiness kicked in within days. I weaned myself off of it after a couple of months as I didn't want to get addicted. Fortunately my nerve pain had gone, but I was pleased how well it had worked for me.

That's interesting thanks. I have to be up at 4 when on earlies, and everything else Ive read has said 1-2hrs after taking to feel sleepy, its just not happening for me! Useful to read its a good few hours for you though, and gives me some hope there is a longer window than I've read that I may be able to play around with.

I was told to take it 12 hours before I want to wake up.

I have read that, and while I'm off work have time to try and stabilise it. I brought it right fwd to 5pm (not wanting to be up at 5am, I just couldn't get to sleep!) Will try even earlier for the next couple of days and hope that helps. Im hoping someone can tell me the increased pain will subside also as it's utterly awful atm

I started taking it a few years ago for neck and shoulder pain. It really helped. I am still taking it as I found it helped with sleep. I take two tablets at around 9pm and then manage to get to sleep at about 11.20 to 12. I then manage to sleep through the night, which I definitely wasn't before. It really seems to have cured my insomnia.

I take it. It doesn’t make me feel sleepy during the day, or at night tbh, but it just allows me to stay asleep despite itching and not wake in the night.

I couldn't stay awake on it. As per the instructions I'd take it before bed but was falling asleep at 7 the following evening

I was prescribed Amy for nerve pain when I had Shingles. I took one, went to bed and had such terrible palpitations I genuinely thought I was having a heart attack and was going to die. Needless to say, I didnt take any more.