Amitriptyline

[Mummytron]

Hi
I'm about to start this at 10mg for nerve pain. (Actually I've been putting it off as I hate side effects)
Just wondered if anyone can offer any advice please?
I've read so much about it.
Thanks

I was prescribed it for nerve pain. I found waking up properly the hardest thing and often felt dozy up until lunchtime. I changed to Nortriptyline which I'm told is a "cleaner" drug (and more expensive!) I'm on 50 mgs a night, take it by 9pm at the latest and can function fine in the morning. Worst side effects are the dry mouth and constipation! Sometimes have a glass or 2 of wine but drink it earlier in the evening. In my head that means I'm not drinking alcohol at the same time! Works ok for me!

I took this for a nerve problem and I lasted two days, it made me feel awful. They affect everyone different though, maybe try it for a day or two and see how you get on.

I took this for my bladder (10mg) a number of years ago and it was an awful frightening experience, my whole personality changed in 3 days and I began to hallucinate and couldn't tell the difference between this and reality. I ended up in hospital until it was out of my system. I had little or no memory of the days I'd taken it. I've never reacted to any other medication like that and can honestly say I would tell anyone to steer clear.

I take 75mg a day for pain. I'm not sure if it helps. It's going to be a ball ache to come off.
Do they plan on titrating you up?

I take 25mg every night for an overactive bladder. I've taken it for over 10 years. For me it's great. I might only get up twice during the night as opposed to every hour. I tend to take it around 7 or 8pm. After a while you get used to it and I don't feel groggy in the mornings. I went through a spell of getting sleep paralysis and I think it may have been related to the drug. To be honest, I don't think I could manage without it. It has been a real life saver for me.

Consultant says it's for the mean time and that he thinks my pain will settle. I have an inflammatory arthritis and while that inactive at the mo I've been left with awful sharp pain that comes on by lunchtime which he thinks is nerve related. I'm not planning on increasing it. I'm struggling enough to take this dose. Terrified something awful is going to happen x

I took 20mg for a year for migraines. It was bloody amazing. The first pain free day was euphoric

Dulled my creativity, damaged my teeth due to dry mouth and reflux, and I gained 3 stone in the first 3 months (lost it when I came off the drug.)

NEVER AGAIN. It fixed my pain but the side effects wrecked my quality of life. I've been advised Nortriptyline is less troublesome but I've had enough.

There's always gabapentin if you don't get on with amitriptyline. It takes a while to work, but it's excellent and fewer effects (for me, anyway).

I couldn’t get on with it as it made me really sleepy so I switched to Gabapentin and found that worked much better for me without the drowsiness.

I've been given the choice of gabapentin or amitriptyline. Both scare the crap out of me

What scares you about them in particular? With ami the most common side effect is dry mouth, and then sleepiness.

Gaba is good, but takes a while to work. It can increase your appetite a little, but I've not noticed any other side effects at all.

They're both bloody effective drugs, you just need to find one that works for you

I found both gabas useless but it’s persknal. Please do ask about nortriptiline. Works in the same way, Costs a bit more but I don’t notIce my 30mg slowing me down even if taken at midnight.

I drink on it, had a few bad nights out but it’s gecsusw I drank too much knowing it wasn’t wise.

I'm just a wuss with side effects. Always think it's worse case scenario. Just had the shooting pain across my back so think I might have to go for it

I take gabapentin for nerve pain.
I have a lot of damage in my back.
I went up to 1200mg 3 times a day.
Now I'm on 300mg 3 times a day and I'm weaning off it. I've stopped weaning at this level as I am in too much pain. Next week I am having a paravertable block. for me I had no side effects from the gabapentin but weaning off it has changed my motivation. Well I did have one side effect which was a massive increase in energy levels when I took it. So it's made me slow and low since I'm coming down.
Nothing else. It's made me hold weight more but I'm only tiny anyway.
The amatryptaline I haven't started to wean off yet.
It will be shit as it will stop me sleeping.
I would try gabapentin to see if you have less side effects.
where is the pain?

My DH was started on this Friday, as yet he's not noticed any effect, 10mg. Reading this it looks like its builds up ? He's taking it alongside tramadol.

It's my lower back l5-s1 so where the pelvis meets the spine

I would try Gabapentin first over amatryptaline purely because amatryptaline has more side effects when you start it.

What's the plan to sort the pain out other then meds. Are you under chronic pain?

I took 10-20mg to help restless leg syndrome. Found it very effective and taking it in the evening I slept very well. I second everyone who says you may be groggy in the morning if you take it too late. I did drink while taking it, no bad effects but it can have them so be careful the first time so you know how much you can tolerate it. I would still be taking it if I hadn’t changed my Antidepressant to something I couldn’t mix it with. I hope it helps your pain.

I was on either amitriptylene, gabapentin or pregabalin for most of my 20s/early 30s. Unfortunately I also have ME and it exacerbated my fatigue too much. It's not something I'd be scared of though - you may struggle to get up in the morning for the first couple of weeks, but beyond that you'll probably be fine, I'd say they're amongst the least scary medications I've taken!

I take 40mg for pain and confess I do drink alcohol, but I've been taking it for many years, no noticeable side effects.

How long before it helped with the pain?

Also I don't need it for the sleep. My pain comes on from lunchtime so will it still help?