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Original poster

Anyone feel terrible straight away on amitriptyline?

42 replies

littlescratch · 03/03/2021 19:24

I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist, and he suggested a low dose of amitriptyline for chronic pain. The GP prescibed me 10mg per night and I took the first pill last night.

I woke up this morning feeling completely wiped, couldn't help falling asleep on the sofa for hours and have been feeling like a zombie all day. I wasn't expecting this as I was told 10mg was a low dose. I know it's early days but I feel terrible. I can't work like this.

Anyone else had this and what did you do?

OP posts:
Howdoin · 03/03/2021 19:26

I only took it twice, there was no way I could function like that. I have gabapentin instead.

rookiemere · 03/03/2021 19:29

I was ok on it, slept really well - had to be careful to take it roughly half an hour before bed time.

Crazycatstory · 03/03/2021 19:59

Please stick with it. Take it early (6-7pm). The sleepiness the next day wears off after a few days, and for me it’s worked really well (I take it to prevent migraine). I’m on 30mg, and increasing the dose after a month (x2) didn’t bring back the extreme tiredness I had for the first few days/week or so. It’s great for many types of pain, so worth giving it some time to adjust to.

Original poster
littlescratch · 03/03/2021 20:11

Thanks. It just panicked me because I was told it was a low dose so I wasn't expecting to notice much change straight away, and then it was like BOOM. I am taking it earlier tonight but I've got another doctor's appointment tomorrow just to talk it through. I think I'd feel better knowing how quickly I could come off it if I wanted to, e.g. whether I'd need to taper or not (as I've only taken it for a couple of days).

OP posts:
bellagogosdead · 03/03/2021 20:18

Yes, I also only took two doses.
I felt a bit better in the mornings, but felt awful in the evenings -sobbing like a come down.
I didn't sleep properly either- I didn't dream just zonked out and woke up in the morning as if it was two minutes later.
I know it's supposed to get better after a week or two, but I just couldn't face it.

Original poster
littlescratch · 03/03/2021 20:31

@bellagogosdead Did you just stop dead after two doses? Were they 10mg?

OP posts:
3CCC · 03/03/2021 22:19

I took it a bit last year. I didn't have any real side effects apart from some very weird dreams

Realitea · 03/03/2021 22:29

When I started taking it seven years ago, I just remember having a very dry mouth for a week or two. It’s incredibly helpful as a drug and I still take it now. If I miss a dose I don’t sleep very heavily and feel a bit wired the next day.
It cured my anxiety at just 10mg as I couldn’t have ssri’s.
Just don’t drink alcohol and take it!!

picklemewalnuts · 03/03/2021 22:31

The side effects really settle though. I have Fibro and wouldn't want to manage without it. I have 30 or 40 mg a day, take it with my evening meal.

It helps with the pain, helps me sleep. Stick with it a bit longer.

wifterwafter · 03/03/2021 22:32

Me. Took it years ago for depression. First day I felt woozy and lightheaded and by day three I was off my face. Never taken it since. I take pregablin for fibromyalgia now incidentally.

ElphabaTheGreen · 03/03/2021 22:35

I literally couldn’t move for the first week I was on amitriptyline.

Then when I surfaced it actually helped me to turn a corner in the intractable depression I’d had for over a year, cured my insomnia of years standing and made my migraines manageable.

Then during a routine check, the GP discovered it put me into AF and I had to come off it.

Depression stayed at bay, but migraines are barely liveable with and insomnia is crippling. I’d happily still be on it, had it not been for the bloody heart issue Angry

bellagogosdead · 04/03/2021 06:53

Yes it was 10mg and I just stopped.
I should say it was for pain that turned out to be tendonitis, at the time the Dr thought it was nerve pain, so I don't think it was the right treatment for me anyway.
A friend who has fibromyalgia swears by it.
Hopefully it will help you.

claireb7rg · 04/03/2021 07:02

I've been on it for 11 years for fibro. Currently on 40mg but was on 50mg for a good few years till 2 years ago.

I take mine as I'm.going to bed, don't remember ever feeling like you did and wiped out - wish I did tbh, am thinking of asking gp to go back up to 50mg.
I drink whilst taking it and don't remember having issues although I certainly can't drink as much as I used to any more 😂

emmathedilemma · 04/03/2021 09:13

I took it for nerve pain and was on a low dose with plans to increase it but I felt like a zombie with a permanent hangover so never got any further with it. I switched to gabapentin but it didn't really work for me.
To be fair, I tend to react badly to a lot of prescription drugs, if there's a rare side effect listed on the leaflet you can guarantee I'll get it!

sashh · 04/03/2021 09:17

I struggled until I was told to do this.

Take it for 2 weeks, you will feel awful the day after but after but in 2 weeks your body is used to it and you get fewer side effects.

I did it, luckily I wasn't working at the time, now I just take it as part of my routine and have no side effects.

SinisterBumFacedCat · 04/03/2021 09:21

I used to take it for pain, I would feel like this the day after I started it or increased the dose but my body would get used to fairly quickly. After a few years it stopped touching the pain so I moved onto Gabapentine.

Genehuntsfanclub · 04/03/2021 09:59

I was put on it a few years ago for hypermobility pain with possible fibro. I was a total zombie , had terrible mouth ulcers and my appetite went through the roof. Next tried naproxen which gave me Gastric reflux and the most horrendous stomach pains so had to stop that. Also tried Gabapentin which made me so out of it I didn't feel safe out by myself walking or cooking as u was so spaced out. Pregablin (25mg) left me asleep all afternoon during the school holidays and unable to function. The only medication I can tolerate is cocodamol which I can only take when the pain from the hypermobility syndrome (EDS as it's now known) Osteoarthritis in my left hand and foot ( bit strange) and now I have Degenerative Disc Disease between L4-L5. I have read though that hypermobility can cause chemical intolerance which would explain why I'm so sensitive to medication and also can't drink alcohol as I am tipsy/ drunk on 2-3 mouthfuls of wine! Confused

Mamamamasaurus · 04/03/2021 10:17

I also have fibro and wouldn't sleep without it. I take 60mg around 6pm and it works wonders for me. If I forget a dose, I literally have 2-3 hours sleep, tops.

The first two nights I took it, I fell asleep sat up, DH found it hilarious. From the 3rd night onwards, I found that it just helps my body to relax and actually rest. I've been taking it for 2.5 years now and have gradually increased the dosage, with my GP's advice.

My advice would be to try it again and don't take it too late (general advice is around 12 hours before you're due to be up).

dontdisturbmenow · 04/03/2021 13:43

Yes, really struggle at first, and even passed out on a work out the day after my second dose. Had problems with my vision and dry mouth. However it achieved what I was taking it for, sleep.

As the symptoms eased, so did the good night sleep. Now even in 30mg, I don't sleep that well and although I don't feel awful the next day, I feel groggy enough to not make it worth it overall.

SabrinaTheMiddleAgedBitch · 04/03/2021 14:48

If you can persevere past the initial side effects it does get easier. I take mine between 6-7pm as I get up between 6-7am and after the first week I managed fine.

AtticusF1nch · 04/03/2021 16:58

I take 10mg from time to time lately. It's just for a trapped nerve in my arm which isn't particularly painful but it's annoying and wakes me up in the night right now

I take it at about 9pm and I usually sleep at about 11:30-12. It works in that I do sleep through the night and I feel fine the next day - bit slower to get going but that's about it

daisychicken · 04/03/2021 17:23

I take it for fibromyalgia, started on 10mg, tried for 2-3 weeks and had to drop to 5mg (1/2 tablet) because I was total zombie.

Agree with not taking it later than 6pm but be prepared to be asleep by 8-9pm!

I've been taking it for about 9-10 years now and upped to 10mg about 2-3 years after I started taking it and have stuck with that.

joystir59 · 04/03/2021 17:24

My little dog has done very well on it bless him.

PickAChew · 04/03/2021 17:36

It takes about a month for your body to get used to it. The hungover feeling is normal at first. I had vivid dreams for a few weeks but then they went and I started to have the best sleep I'd had in years. I take 10mg but occasionally double up and do tend to feel a bit floaty, the next day, when I do.

LeaveItToWeaver · 04/03/2021 18:25

I've been on it for 15 years for chronic pain following an accident, started on 10mg but now up to 70mg. As PPs have said, the best thing is to take it early in the evening (allow 12 hours until you plan to get up, ie my alarm goes off at 7am so I take it at 7pm).

I spoke to my GP a couple of days ago about the possibility of changing to an alternative as it's become less effective, and he said new prescribing guidelines from NICE are to no longer offer Gabapentin or Pregabalin for nerve pain.