Amitriptyline and sleep

[xoxo39]

I have been prescribed 10mg of amitriptyline to help with sleep as I haven't slept more than a couple of hours over the last week. I feel so sleep deprived and I don't feel anxious but my brain is just not switching off to sleep.

The first night I took it at 10pm, by about half 11 I was asleep but woke up 2 hours later having a night sweat and couldn't go back to sleep, I was gutted as really hoped it would work. I also felt sick and dizzy.

Did it work for others at 10mg for sleep? What would be the best time to take it and do I need to take it for a while before it benefits my sleep.

Really worried I'm never going to get any sleep again!!

I also have a young baby and although partner can take over night feeds temporarily I really need to get to a point with it were I can get up to do a feed during the night.

Someone give me hope please

Very similar situation here (though no baby).

First couple of nights, no difference in my disordered sleeping and I felt even worse than usual the following day. Sort of hungover until about lunchtime.

I forgot to take a dose the third night, but remembered on 4th and 5th nights. Those nights I slept better than previously and did not feel as hungover the following day.

Last week I did the same, 2-3 nights on 1 night off, because I was driving/had a big day planned and did not want to risk being 'hungover' those days.

My sleep is improved sufficiently that I make it to the end of the day without becoming incoherent with exhaustion. I'm getting 5+ hours, rather than 4 hours. Still not enough, but improving.

I'm not sure I'll manage to take it for longer than 3 nights on the trot, because it gives me a dry mouth. By day 3 the dryness was unbearable and even woke me at night - rather defeating the purpose of taking it!

@Dilbertian

Very similar situation here (though no baby).

First couple of nights, no difference in my disordered sleeping and I felt even worse than usual the following day. Sort of hungover until about lunchtime.

I forgot to take a dose the third night, but remembered on 4th and 5th nights. Those nights I slept better than previously and did not feel as hungover the following day.

Last week I did the same, 2-3 nights on 1 night off, because I was driving/had a big day planned and did not want to risk being 'hungover' those days.

My sleep is improved sufficiently that I make it to the end of the day without becoming incoherent with exhaustion. I'm getting 5+ hours, rather than 4 hours. Still not enough, but improving.

I'm not sure I'll manage to take it for longer than 3 nights on the trot, because it gives me a dry mouth. By day 3 the dryness was unbearable and even woke me at night - rather defeating the purpose of taking it!

That's really helpful thankyou. How many mg are you on? I've read so many people saying they had an amazing sleep off 10mg and I'm so jealous. Sounds like it's worth perservering with from what you've said, can't be any worse than last night when I didn't take it and didn't sleep at all.

Also what time do you take it at and go to bed?

10, like you. I take it around 9pm, with the aim of being in bed before 11pm to read and wind-down for half an hour or so. Sometimes I'll sit up with dh in the living room, watching tv, reading, etc, but if I feel myself dozing off I head up to bed rather than nap on the sofa.

Because I have tended to sleep for 3-4h and then struggle to fall back asleep again, I'm wary of going to bed too early.

The first couple of times I took it I definitely felt a sort of drunk-ish feeling a couple of hours after taking it, though I slept no better and even felt worse the next day. Since then I have neither felt it take effect nor felt particularly rough the next day, and my sleep is marginally improved.

I take it for depression rather than sleep so am on 100mg but it knocks me out like a light. The dizziness is a common side effects when starting it but for me it went within the first week.

Take it with a good gulp of water to get rid of the sickness and strangely enough sleep on your left side. Not sure why it works but it does.

I take it as a migraine preventative. I think you need at least 20 mg to help you sleep. With 10 mg I had no effect and migraines continued, with 20 mg I started to sleep more deeply and ia now controlling the migraines.

I used to take 100mg, not for sleep though. I built up slowly over time starting from 10mg. It never made me feel sleepy, but when I came off I had insomnia for about 10 days.

the dry mouth was awful though

I couldn’t sleep on Les than 100mg

I'm on 20mg and it doesn't really seem to affect my sleep, as far as I can tell, unfortunately.