Amitriptaline

[onlyoranges]

Is anyone taking it? Has it helped and how many mg are you taking?

[LynnetteBird]

I had problems with weight gain (out of the ordinary weight gain for me - I did not have a weight problem before) and dozy morning feelings.

I've stopped the medication after 2 years, and have lost some of the weight (but not all of it yet.) my doctor has suggested nortriptyline instead - does anyone have any experience with switching? I really need to lose the 2 stone I gained on the Amitriptyline, but my symptoms have flared back terribly.

[textbook]

I was on amitriptiline for 3+ years then switched to Nortriptiline, which has helped greatly with the morning "hangover". I'm on 30mg per night for my IC, it allows me to function and deals with about 80% of the problem. I also sleep well 95% of the time. I love it!

Amitriptiline also coincidentally stopped all migraines while I was on it, but I've had them again (very infrequently) since switching.

[maggiso]

I take 10mg a night for pain due to nerve compression and CFS. I was advised to start on half a tablet (5mg) to start with (1week) to try and avoid the morning zombie ness, which might be a tip for others. I did not think it was much help at first,but after a few months I started to sleep better and have slowly got much better - mainly because my sleep (despite leg pain from the disc problem) is so much better. Reasonable quality sleep is important for coping with many chronic conditions, like CFS and fibro.

[Elibean]

I was prescribed it for interstitial cystitis (which has now calmed down and gone, unless I'm very careless with hydration/food). I don't know if the cystitis would come back without it, but to be honest it has helped me sleep so much better that I'm loathe to try....I should, though.

I take 10mg, initially took 20mg but now only take that if I feel twinges coming back or desperately need to sleep. I do feel groggy for a bit, but fine by mid morning and nothing that a cup of tea can't sort.

But when I was on 20mg daily, my memory seemed affected - and that freaked me out.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I take 10mg for nerve/muscular/joint pain. It helps me sleep brilliantly, although I am groggy in the mornings. Staves off the pain a bit in the morning as well. I did initially build up to 20mg as the gp suggested, which was more effective for the pain relief but, as I get up with school aged children and will be for another four years, I had to cut back as I wasn't convinced I was safe to drive.
I do get a lovely sleep in at weekends now though - no more getting out of bed because there's no point lying awake and in pain.

[Yseulte]

Very odd thing to prescribe for IBS as side effects can be abdominal pain, nausea and vomitting, increase/decrease in peeing.

[megletthesecond]

Prescribed it for IBS but even half a tablet knocked me out until well into the next day (I'm a working lp). So I gave up after 3/4 days. GP reckoned side effects would settle down after about 3 weeks so I asked him who would look after the dc's and do my job until then .

[Yseulte]

Lenuccia - I used to get a migraine a week until was sent by doc to have food intolerances and chemical sensitivities tested - changing my diet and avoiding chemicals there were causing problems cut my migraines to one a month.

I cut out gluten, dairy, yeast, chocolate, oranges, cheese and smoked foods and that had immediate effect. Also have to avoid hairspray (but not mousse or gel), most perfumes and some household chemicals.

[weebarra]

I take it for nerve pain resulting from my mastectomy. Only 10mg, but it works for me without too many side effects.

[MegGriffin]

i took it for sciatica but it didnt really help so was moved on to lyrica.

[Lenuccia]

Yseulte thanks - I do take triptans - the problem is the DR feels I have had to to take too many a month in the past two years (and no effect on dizziness) so need something propholactic.

[specialsubject]

like all drugs, it is very personal. It doesn't work in this house which is a big shame, because it is the go-to drug for the condition concerned and no-one seems to be prepared to prescribe anything else.

about 10% of the population get no benefit from it. About the same will get lots of benefit and no side-effects, the rest will be in the middle.

I really hope you are in the right category but there's not way to know without trying.

[CuddlesAndShit]

I have it prescribed for cfs/fibro. I only take it if I reeeally need a decent nights sleep, as I find that not only does it not help with the muscle pain but it actually intensifies it even more. However it does help me to drop off sooner and stay asleep.

I also get the groggy feeling the next day, no matter how early in the evening I take it.

I now have tramadol which does help with the pain AND the sleeping, but I try not to take either unless I'm desperate. I also rotate the two so I don't get reliant on either...not sure if that's recommended but it works for me!

[Yseulte]

I have migraines Lenuccia and it makes no odds with them. Have you tried triptans?

They work much better.

[hiccupgirl]

I was given it at 10mg does for IBS and anxiety. It helped for 6 weeks then I started having major panic attacks so stopped taking it. When I tried it again 2 months later I was panicking on day 2 so gave up again. It did help me sleep but I had a horrible dry mouth on it.

DH was given the same dose for fibromyalgia. He was told to stop taking it after 2 months when he collapsed at work and the medical opinion was that the amitripilene had trigger a seizure type event.

We both steer clear of it now.

[RictusGrimace]

I took it for sleep and pain when I had ME. It helped me greatly with sleep and I suffered no side effects (was only on 20mg) and I came off it gradually with no problems when I was better.

[Lenuccia]

I take 40-50mg for chronic migraine and migraine associated vertigo. Just been on it for over a month. It has lessened my dizziness and the intensity of headaches somewhat - but, I feel like a zombie unless I really sleep in (not practicable during the week). Terrible dry mouth, hair loss and slowed my metabolism down - so some constipation and weight gain (perhaps because I am not as active due to being zombified). Not sure yet if the minuses outweigh the pluses but nothingelse has worked thus far.

[Miiaaoow]

I've been taking it for a year or so. For insomnia and widespread pain. Started at 10mg, but have dropped to 5mg.

It makes me NEED about 10 hours sleep. If i get that - I feel ok. If i get less, I feel absolutely horrendous all day. Less than 7 and I may as well have been awake all night. It makes me feel like i've been poisoned.

I hate it. I feel like my health has deteriorated and I want to come off it, but Insomnia is a beast and I can't cope with poor sleep and GP has nothing else to offer, so I'm stuck.

Also hasn't helped with the pain.

Other side effects for me include weight gain, dry mouth and difficulty urinating.

I don't recommend it.

[Maiziemonkey]

on it for fibromyalgia/chronic back pain, was on 50mg but found the sleepyfying effects very disruptive to life quality and trying to study, so reduced it to 10, but keep going bwteen 10 and 20 as on 20 still feel groggy but have incresaed pain on 10, not convinved how eeffective it is but know it's in the mix.

[SinisterBumFacedCat]

Been on it for nearly 20 years. Pros are it makes a real difference to my neuralgia pain.
Cons are difficult to get up in the morning (that is probably just me, I have always struggled to get up!) and gradual weight gain. I also briefly tried nortriptyln but that gave me horrendous nightmares every night, and about 3 days of Prozac which stopped me sleeping completely and consequently left me in even more pain.
So ok

[DownstairsMixUp]

Sleep like a log on it but find it hard to get up and feel groggy which is unlike me as I can get up pretty easy in the mornings.

[Themodernuriahheep]

Triggered epilepsy in DM.

[stayathomegardener]

Yuselte yes to the dry mouth, although that was an understatement for me, used to wake up with my tounge like shoe leather.

[Wolfiefan]

I took it for back pain to help me sleep. It made the muscles relax and helped me to sleep sooooo much better. I did feel a bit groggier in the mornings to start with.