Amitriptyline HELP!

[VickiKat]

Hi, I have been prescribed Amitriptyline for migraine induced dizziness and I have GAD too. I started on 5mg as couldn't take the side effects on 10mg. I got used to it after a week but had a dizzy spell on Friday so decided to go up to 10mg but after 2 nights I feel SO groggy and so dizzy I can hardly walk in a straight line and terrified I am going to pass out at any moment. I dont know if to go back to 5mg or just stop (but that would waste the pain I went through last week with the side effects. Or do I keep going with the 10mg and hope I get used to it. I didn't take 1 last night and feel just as dizzy today. Feel totally stuck - help please....thank you x

First of all, this sounds awful! Please contact your doctor.

I was prescribed Amitriptyline for migraines. 5mg initially helped. Then they didn't and I was given 10mg.
I found it very scary. On the second day I actually couldn't walk anymore. My legs were like jelly.

I went back to my GP and am now on sumatriptans which work very well for me.

Best of luck

... and sorry, i just referred to your migraine and not mental health issues.

Give it a couple of weeks for the side effects to settle down, that’s about how long it took when I increased from 10 to 20 recently

I am really surprised, are you positive that the medication is the cause?
I take 80mg of amitriptyline at night for nerve pain and have no side effects at all except drowsy at night but thats a good thing.
I appreciate we are all different but it seems an extreme reaction from such a small dose.

Thanks so much everyone. So I went to the GP and was told to stop the amitriptyline and switch to sertraline for anxiety and something to get me through the vertigo/dizziness - I hate taking pills but I am desperate as a bit stuck at home with terrible vertigo! I am no longer like a zombie and now can't sleep!! Here goes - thanks all xx

Maybe it just doesn't agree with you and you need to try something else.

Maybe take the Sertraline in the morning as it can disturb sleep.

Thank you both....

It will stop. All the side effects ceased within 2 weeks for me and I take 100mg. My GP calls it the sledgehammer approach to depression because the side effects are quite intense but they do stop I've found it worth persisting with.

I had similar symptoms to you, ended up being diagnosed with vestibular migraines. Primarily caused by stress/anxiety.
Anxiety meds help.
Also there are anti nausea/vertigo pills that are really good.
Also taking magnesium and cutting out caffeine helps