Severe back pain/prolapsed discs/Amitriptyline

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Hi I wonder if anyone could offer any advice or have any experience.
I have a old injury (falling from a horse age 16/17) and then later manual handling patient's which has caused two prolapsed discs over the years.

The last 3/4/5 years (since late 30's) the pain in my back seems to be getting worse and the instances where it becomes 'unmanageable' or unbearable getting more frequent.
The pain is always present, it's usually around lumbar 4/5 (bra strap area) but can be lower back too (or both)
Xrays and mri scan have shown a partially 'bulging' disk at lumbar 5 (few years ago)
The most recent episode apart from now was hideous, one of the worst ever (April 2017, before that November 2016)
I was bawling in pain just getting out of bed to use the bathroom.
The GP was called and prescribed diazepam and co-codamol......finally the pain was relieved (mostly) however 2 days later I had a very bad allergic reaction.
I was plastered in itchy awful hives that made me want to rip my skin off.
The GP told me to immediately stop the diazepam and the co-dyramol and gave me co-codamol, the same reaction.
So I was then given Naproxen which seems to be the only Analgesic that I can tolerate.
It isnt anywhere near as effective as the former, but it does help make the pain more bearable when I have a bad flare up (approx twice a year sometimes more)
So I woke up through the night in hideous pain again last night and dosed up enough to be able to make a quick trip to GP (naproxen didn't seem to be doing the trick this time)
I saw a new GP who was covering emergencies and he suggested Amitriptyline as I can't take regular analgesics. He suggested this because he said that it is likely that the disc has popped out further and is likely 'pressing on' a nerve which is causing the pain.
I would almost take anything that worked to relieve the pain because it is absolutely bloody hideous, but I am not sure about Amitriptyline - I have heard that it's got pretty nasty side effects and it can make people feel pretty rubbish. I don't want to go from severe pain to all sorts of nasty side effects. Plus it's an anti-depressant and I hate the 'numb', emotionless, zombie like feeling that AD's give. Does this one do that? It is 10mg that I have been prescribed and told to take those with the naproxen, paracetamol and ibuprofen if required??

Any help would be so appreciated. I am at the end of my tether with it.

Dry mouth is likely with ami btw. It's annoying, but you won't care

I take 20mg of amitriptyline every night
Like others have said, there isn’t any anti depressive effect at such a low dose.
You will feel groggy for a couple of days. Stick with it. It is honestly a miracle drug.
I take my one around 8pm if I have to be up around 7am.
You can’t suddenly just stop it, and if I miss a night because I’m out and I forget, I really notice it the next day.
I’m also on baclofen and naproxen as well. Tramadol and diazepam as necessary for spasms and severe pain (but only happens maybe 4-5 times a year)

..... dahhhhhh - posted too early in error....
So far, so good with the Amitriptyline.
@SheRaaaaaa last night before sleep I took the Ami and 500mg Naproxen and 1 paracetamol 500mg which seemed to work relatively well.
Thank you to you all.....i am off back to sleep now!!

I can take up to 50mg of amitriptyline but am currently on 30mg. I have been taking it for years (migraines) with no side effects which is odd as I normally get loads. Perhaps I misread but why are you only taking paracetamol 500 once a day? You can take it twice up to four times a day and it is still the best painkiller. I also have back pain (10 years post surgery) and take para and ibuprofen most days with codeine for really bad days. Hope it helps you!

Watch your stomach with the Naproxen. Ask your doc for Lanzoprazole to help combat ulcers

I had a really good sleep (thanks to the amitriptyline I think) and I am feeling a little better. I feel a little groggy and 'spaced out', but I have been warned that is to be expected with the Ami.
The pain is a little better and I managed to get up and make some light food etc so all in all its fairly positive and I have only taken one tablet so it's early days yet.
Thank you all for your advice, I am pleased that I took it!

Wowwwww, this combination seems to be working so well for me.
I have previously been on my back for 2/3 weeks or so, barely able to move without crying in pain.
I have never had such amazing pain relief so quickly and able to move around freely without being in incredible pain before now.
If it is the Ami which I suspect it must be, it is a remarkable drug and I am so grateful. I have suffered so badly for so many years and it has previously floored me for weeks, but I am only on my second tablet (took the second one just over an hour ago) and already I can get around without too much pain.
I am soooooo thankful to the Doctor that prescribed them and all of you for persuading me to take them. The relief is bloody lovely.

It really bloody is. Miracle pills!

It's incredible stuff. You get such good deep sleep on it which can only help symptoms, and once you get used to them, you shouldn't experience and grogginess the next day, as long as you take them at the right time.

Really glad they're working their magic :)

Just to add in answer to a few questions from some people, paracetamol wasn't enough on its own, and used as a sort of "top up' when the pain was very severe or alone when it is not too bad.
When I have taken it as a too up, I've been a little concerned about the effect of all the drugs on my body, namely my liver and been cautious about overdosing or putting too much in at the same time for my liver to cope with. I guess that it's balancing the need for pain relief with not overdoing it and other medication has in the past been better than simple paracetamol.

You'll put on several dress sizes but you might not care. I didn't care about anything at all.

If you drink alcohol, do you forego the tablet that day?

Ami and alcohol can be bad together, I don't think you're supposed to drink on them. The times I did drink on them I had blackouts

Foregoing that day's tablet won't make much difference to the effect of combining alcohol with amitriptyline. It can take up to 10days after stopping the drug to completely eliminate amitriptyline from your body. Don't do it.

If I drink, I drink very little. I've had virtually no alcohol since Wednesday with the exception of a very small glass of wine with my food last night.
It was a real small glass.....not even half full and all it did was make me more sleepy/groggy. I wouldn't drink anymore than that on the tabs I am on and if I had a special event then I guess I would just skip the tabs or not drink.... I have not got any plans or special events for the foreseeable anyway!!