Amitriptyline

[Podqkh]

I've been advised by my gp to stop taking my usual 4x daily codeine and start taking 2 Amitriptyline per night for pain relief of my spinal condition.

Can anyone that has tried this please advise , did it help you and what were the side effects etc. I'm worried about taking ADs as I was on them about 20 years ago and they just made me want to sleep all day.

Thanks.

[caringcarer]

I was prescribed amitriptyline for chronic back pain. I had to start on 10, then after 5 days 20, then after 2 further weeks 30. They made me sleepy and I have had weird dreams since taking them. Downside I am thirsty all the time and have a funny taste in my mouth. After a few months I needed to take 40 to get same relief I got from taking 30 previously. Not sure if back arthritis worse or becoming used to drug. Been on them now over a year. Back gradually getting worse but not sure how much pain I would be in without meds.

[Worrysaboutalot]

I am weaning myself off Amitriptyline in my consultants orders. As I was so tired and he said they can surpress your breathing overnight!

Which meant that whilst I was sleeping more, I was not getting good sleep.

[ammiee]

I was amitriptyline for a couple of years I personally found it awful to get used too and as soon as I adjusted they upped my dose to wean me on. I have fibromyalgia and I've gotta admit it helped so much more than pain killers did.

[Ibizafun]

Helped me but was totally constipated on them.

[Coroico97]

I’ve been taking 20mg for two weeks now. Still bent over and hobbling with pain. Not sure how much longer to give it before going back to the doctor. Sleep is a bit better though. Good luck to everyone for a good night’s rest!

[BeyondMyWits]

I found my sleep on ami was deep but not refreshing... so I would sleep painlessly, but wake up tired.

[IamEarthymama]

Autocorrect hates me!

[IamEarthymama]

Sulky, Sulky NOT Silky!
Though she does have a lovely voice, belying Welsh accent!! 😉☺️

[IamEarthymama]

I have neuropathic pain in my hip and what I have found difficult is the pattern of taking pain relief.
I want someone to tell me!!

I think I might ask the pharmacist for a review as she was so sympathetic when I spoke to her.
On reflection though my GP was a little silky after a pharmacy review a few years ago!! ☺️

I am very lucky in that my condition has been recognised and pain medication given.

I am struggling with the fact that it will be ongoing for the next how ever many tests, perhaps forever.
Maybe the Pain Clinic is the way forward, I will ask Physiotherapy to refer me.

Blessings to everyone in pain 🌺

[Podqkh]

I started taking it the evening of my op and I'm feeling a little brighter today. My sleep is better , and whilst the pain is still very much there , I'm feeling like my codeine is kicking in quicker and working for just slightly longer.

Hopefully this is a good sign.

[Coroico97]

I have been taking 20mg of Amitryptiline at night as prescribed for terrible pain due to bulging disc. Am having operation in a month (discectomy). Cannot stand straight or sleep. Have been taking it for 1.5 weeks and no improvement in pain levels. Hoping it will kick in soon? Terrible leg and lower back pain at night and can only lie on one side. Paracetamol and ibuprofen do nothing. Not sure how I am going to get through the month.

[TinselTitsAndGlitteryBits]

Your GP sounds rubbish unfortunately. So many of them are when it comes to chronic pain and pain relief.

It took me 6 years to get my condition diagnosed (which I only got by moving surgeries, where they still tried to fob me off at first), at which time two of my joints had deteriorated to the point of no return - and I'm now waiting for joint replacement surgery (for 2 out of 5 joints.)
I am in my early 30s.

What dose of codeine are you on? Does it help?Did she say why she wanted you to reduce it? Have you got a hospital consultant?
I find that the GPs tend to just want to get everyone off the opioids to get their numbers down - that's why they shove people onto ADs and nerve meds.

Amitriptyline only helped me with sleep, I was still out cold in the morning (like the hangover grogginess) and really struggled to get going, I also couldn't drive.

I just kept going back to my consultant telling him how much pain I was in, we trialled tons of meds before we got to SR morphine, oramorph for BT pain and paracetamol, plus duloxetine (another AD) before bed.
It works, enough for me to get about day to day anyway.

I'd ring the surgery again and ask for an appointment with another Dr, just get them to explain. If the amitriptyline isn't working, they'll have to change the med - but you are going to need to kick up a bit fuss, unfortunately.

Wish you well

[AdditionalCharacter]

I've been taking it for just over a year. The first two weeks were awful, I was extremely tired and barely functioned. Have been fine since, allows me to sleep. I used to be a very light sleeper, but now I sleep like a log.

I'm on 50mg, started off on 10mg, and increased as per GP orders.

[Garysmum]

I have used Amitriptylene as a sleeping med - I was on 20-30 a day for sleep for a decade at aleast. It made me very drowsy the next day but after some months it was ok.
I then tried it as an anti-depressant - but could not get up to a reasonable dose as the side effects were horrific and I was asleep all the time.
I agree with the PP about codeine and gut function - but to me amitriptylene is just as bad above 20mg.
I have a chronic condition and would absolutely use it again if it didn't interact with something else I'm on. I am stuck with codeine, tramadol and morphine, which I loathe

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

I’ve been on ami for years for pain and depression.

I’ve noticed the higher the dose the better the pain. The difference between 50 and 100 is transforming.

[theqentity]

I found it transformative at relieving chronic pain. I take 20mg a night. Prior to taking Ami I had flu-like aches in my limbs and joints most days, this pretty much disappeared those.

[Podqkh]

@RainbowZebraWarrior no , at my surgery (a large one) you get who you get. I have just started seeing a new physio , he seems fantastic so far , he said he'd refer me to the pain clinic. Hopefully this goes somewhere.

I am aware that I have been neglected in the last two years due to covid limiting services everywhere. It's now got to a point where I've had to find the energy to make some noise about it all.

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Sorry this night sound like a daft question, but do you not have a consultant/ see a particular hospital dept for your condition.

My GP understands bugger all about my condition so sets told to butt out of pain meds reviews. They are done by specialists in Rheumatology and other depts.

You could ask for referral to a Pain Clinic too if you're apprehensive.

For full disclosure, I take codeine daily and amitriptyline at night for my conditions.

[MrsRubyMonday]

I hated it, left my lying on my sofa crying at TV adverts, they messed with my mental health so badly that any pain relief was not worth it.

[Podqkh]

@LittlePearl that's great.

I'm really glad I started this thread as I have trouble with f2f conversations due to constant pain , it's really helpful to be able to read your replies and respond at my own pace.

[LittlePearl]

It's worked brilliantly for me, though I find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, regardless of when I take it. But then I've never been a lark.

20mg knocked my sciatic pain on the head completely. Have now reduced to 10mg.

[Podqkh]

@EKGEMS thanks for your comments and I'm glad it helps you. I'm going to ask my husband to pick mine up from the pharmacy so that I can try it starting tonight.

[EKGEMS]

I've taken it for 30 years for interstitial cystitis at bedtime. I use it because it means I only need to use the toilet once a night vs six or seven times-it makes me sleepy and helps with any bladder pain I have. The drawback is it did cause me to gain a little weight when I started but not any issue now

[SpinningTheSeedsOfLove]

@Podqkh

Thank you so much for you for your responses. I'll definitely check out that thread.

My concerns are that I'm coming off of codeine and I know I'll get cold sweats etc , and that my gp has said to take ibuprofen only during the day and Amitriptyline at night. Also , my pain med review was a telephone consultation with a gp I don't know , it felt rushed. And with the amount of pain I'm in I find it hard to be assertive and push back.

I have spinal stenosis which has worsened recently and my codeine and paracetamol combo just doesn't do the job anymore.

In that case you could cut down and come off the codeine gradually, and introduce and increase the amitriptyline gradually.

You could do this slowly and simultaneously. I have done this fairly recently, as codeine messes with my gut function. My Rheumatologist suggested it so I didn't just go 'off piste'.

[MrsPelligrinoPetrichor]

@MyrtlethePurpleTurtle

Amitryptiline is no longer used as an anti depressant

It is.