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Original poster

Amitriptyline & side effects

39 replies

PopcornBits · 06/06/2017 23:46

I've only been on them a very short while and whilst they've done great at eradicating pain they're pretty terrible at increasing my appetite!
I also had a terrible episode of a water infection which usually I'm able to flush out.

This time it spread to my kidneys, I felt sick, shivery, had pain in my flanks and back. Nurse said that amitriptyline wouldn't of helped as it dries everything up. I've never had a water infection like it.

So firstly should I consider stopping them?
I don't actually know the cause of my pain yet as I've only just been referred to orthopaedics. But we suspect nerve. Is the fact that the amitriptyline is working suggestive of nerve pain too?

I don't want to stop it because the pain can be intense but I also don't want future kidney problems and massive weight gain!!

OP posts:

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 15:21

Anybody? Nobody?

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Queenofthedrivensnow · 07/06/2017 17:42

I don't know. I've been taking it for migraines for a year. It was life changing. It did increase my appetite but that wore off ages ago

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 17:53

It does wear off then?! It has been a massive help for me too, practically no pain!

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Maudlinmaud · 07/06/2017 17:56

I've lost weight on them. I'm also taking them for nerve pain.

Queenofthedrivensnow · 07/06/2017 18:04

I didn't really recognise it as causing the appetite until you mentioned it in the op but now I think about it dp was always teasing me that I was constantly asking about food! The appetite increase lasted about 4 months then it stopped. My eight has gone back to normal and I'm not constantly grazing now.

TheFairyCaravan · 07/06/2017 18:08

I've been on them for 11 years. I've never had an increase in appetite. The only thing I have to do is take them by 7:30pm, at the latest, otherwise there is no hope of me waking up the next morning before lunch time.

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 18:13

See I've read about the zombie effects it has but for some reason it does the polar opposite for me and I find it hard to sleep! I do hope the grazing stops I feel like I'm pregnant again

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AuldHeathen · 07/06/2017 18:30

I'm not on amitriptiline (was in the dark ages) but am on another TCA now. Neither time has it increased my appetite. in a way the dry mouth is so bad it puts me off eating though clearly I manage okay as am overweight!! I drink lots of water - really a lot, I take a water bottle everywhere I go and have to glug regularly. And I pee a lot too. It's just part of life. Last year I had a urine infection, probably due to being on this med. if I had a choice I wouldn't take it, but the newer antidepressants make me ill and I keep getting suicidal when I stop the ADs. Obviously your reason for taking it is different but if you had to choose between the pain getting worse or drinking a lot of water which choice would win?

Mummytron · 07/06/2017 18:31

Interesting...i just been given them for headaches and wondered about the side effects myself.

AuldHeathen · 07/06/2017 18:40

Something my psychiatrist said re-the other one is that the side effects aren't 'dose dependant' which leads me to wonder if being on a low dose for chronic pain rather than a higher one for depression doesn't make a difference to the severity of effects. Just wondering as don't know - you'd really have to discuss with your doctor.

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 18:50

Yes I'm not sure if taking less even changes the severity of the effects.

I would rather drink gallons of water and be pain free, I don't drink enough, maybe also why my water infection got as bad as it did.

I've managed to eat properly today, no over eating so I think this is it, I have to manage my diet if I want to be pain free.

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TheFairyCaravan · 07/06/2017 18:57

I take 100mg for pain management. I started off on 10mg. The side effects I've experienced havent changed as the dose has increased, they just increased the dose every couple of years or so because they became ineffective.

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 19:10

That's quite concerning really, that they become ineffective. Surely increasing to such a large amount there has to be a limit?

It worries me if they become ineffective, I wouldn't want to keep increasing the dosage and therefore increasing my dependency for them. That's no cure is it.

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PickAChew · 07/06/2017 19:21

It's never going to be a permanent cure.

If you've been on it less than a month, then you're not likely to be at peak effectiveness, yet. It's one of those drugs that is metabolised fairly slowly and builds up in the bloodstream.

I've taken 10mg for years, but take 20mg if I'm really struggling. My first month or so on that 10mg dosecwas night after night of vivid dreams. And yes, it did trigger the munchies for a while.

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 19:38

I'm on 20mg already. 10mg does nothing for me. I also have the vivid dreams.

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Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 19:39

I've only been taking them for 3 weeks so maybe that's why I'm eating ferociously

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lyrebird1 · 07/06/2017 21:45

I ate everything taking amitriptyline! And was really tired. I haven't any ideas regarding your kidneys, but there is another drug, nortriptyline, which is really similar in terms of pain relief, but tends to have fewer side effects.

I have tried both (for different things so can't compare for pain relief) and nortriptyline was much better for the weight gain and the tiredness (for me anyway)

Ditsy1980 · 07/06/2017 21:50

Exh was on this for depression. Massive appetite increase, horrendous vivid nightmares and suicide ideation. He was taken off it pretty quickly and swapped to another AD.

However, I work with a woman with Fibro who takes this. I never knew until recently it was used for pain relief also. She has none of the side effects exh had but she does get the zombie effect and often moans about how she is in bed for 8pm as if she takes it later she can't function the next morning.

Queenofthedrivensnow · 07/06/2017 22:00

10mg did nothing - 20mg was instantly effective.

Rosieproject1 · 07/06/2017 22:15

So glad you posted OP. I had no idea these were linked. I've been on it for 18 months and it's helped my back pain greatly but I've put on 2 stone since and turned into a right pig, been beating myself up about my lack of willpower having never been overweight before and hate how I look with the extra weight.

Have also had 5 or 6 bouts of cystitis and rounds of antibiotics and my GP has never mentioned a link.

I have loads more dreams but actually sleep properly for the first time in literally years of lying awake in pain (back). Have to take at 7.30 but still wake in the morning in zombie state and always tired.
I absolutely can't sleep without them and never quite know what to do about nights out, say if I'm driving and obviously not going to take them at the usual time so do people take them late at night after a night out?
Also not a big drinker but not supposed to drink alcohol with them so how does that work for people if they want to have a few drinks one evening? I'm never sure.

Thanks for sharing OP

Rosieproject1 · 07/06/2017 22:19

Ps have also had my dose raised from 10mg to 30mg as effects seemed to wear off. Worrying to hear that Fairy Caravan.

I'm aware that I'm completely dependent on them now and unable to sleep without them. Does anyone else find that?

Due a review with GP so this is timely.

Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 22:24

I'm not sure what people do if they want a drink in all fairness. I don't drink so I can't really say. But I can see how frustrating that might be if you want to enjoy yourself.

This other AD then, nortriptyline is that also good for nerve pain? I mean I'm glad there's an alternative if it does work for that.

I think in order not to keep getting cystitis you need to drink lots of water, more than normal because the amytriptaline will dry everything up!

Obviously the increase in appetite seems to vary greatly for everyone and I suppose nobody can know for sure until they've been on it for a while and adjusted properly.

I have another appt soon with the GP to talk about whether I need to up my dosage. She had mentioned that if amytriptaline didn't work she would put me on gabapentin but warned me that, that had more worse side effects than the amytriptaline! She never mentioned nortriptyline to me. I wonder why that is?

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Original poster

PopcornBits · 07/06/2017 22:31

Rosie when you say the effects wore off, were you feeling more pain or something?

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Rosieproject1 · 07/06/2017 22:46

Hi yes the pain came back gradually. I saw my GP who said I was on a low dose so could "play around with my dosage ", suggested raising to 30 or 40 mg. I've been on 30mg nightly for a few months and better again. Not completely pain free but enough to sleep.

GP advised to take it 12 hours before you want to wake up.

I was originally prescribed Gabapentin but didn't take them after reading about the side effects.

Klaptout · 07/06/2017 23:05

I've been on these for years, I tried the nortriptyline, but found they didn't help the nerve pain, though less drowsy the next day.
The Amitriptyline are also used for children who wet at night.
Something to do with switching the bladder signals off.
I find I'm not waking up for a wee in the night, but I need to drink lots in the daytime as I have a dodgy kidney, had the dodgy kidney before I started the amitriptyline so I don't think there is a connection.
I get a lot of UTIs and kidney infections, but it's not got any worse with those tablets.

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