Low dose of amytriptyline for migraine prevention. Effective? Weight gain?

[parrotonthesofa]

Hi all,
I've been prescribed 15mg / day of amytriptyline for migraine prevention. Id be interested to hear people's experiences with it. Is it effective? Did it cause you to gain weight? Not sure whether to take it or not.

@parrotonthesofa
Am starting off on 10mg to see how we go. All my migraines and headaches are 100% directly linked to period and ovulation. Been battling them x 6 years now (am 51 and def well into peri). To be fair to GP, she has thrown all manner of options at me over the years. Way back in the early days, oestrogen patches definitely warded them off but the efficacy of this waned really quite quickly. I'm now on HRT for other peri symptoms (working well) but it still isn't touching the debilitating, pukey heads twice a month for days. I'll update as the month goes on. Good luck

@parrotonthesofa also, pharmacist told me moderate drinking is fine (despite the label on the meds) IF it suits the individual. I've had a couple of nights where I have not caned it, but have had a couple of glasses. No noticeable ill effects.

Ok great thanks.

Yes falifornia update me on how you get on! I'm starting tonight, fingers crossed it works as I am so sick of my life being ruled by migraine and headache

I have taken it twice both for quite short periods. Three months and one month. So no withdrawals or weight gain. It's been life changing. I went from a constant stabbing pain every few minutes for 6 years to it completely going ( disclaimer I also take low dose epilepsy tablets for a few months).

Took it again for a month after a funny episode which landed me in hospital after my first AstraZeneca vaccine last April and touch wood, not had a single migraine since. Mine were infrequent but increasing debilitating and I'd be sick and praying for a quick death after the first ten minutes. I honestly understand how people drill into their heads.

I've been prescribed it in drop form. The neurologist told me to start with 3mg and work up to 15 over two weeks. I just went to take it and it was a little tricky to get the drops out of the bottle so I dropped them onto the back of my hand and then licked it! It tasted disgusting and now my tongue feels v odd and numb! How do people take it if you have it in drop form? Should I dilute in water then drink it!

Dilute in water if you want. I got used to the numb tongue and horrible taste, came to like it after a bit 🤣 I used to put the drops on a teaspoon and take them then drink lots of water.

Ok will try with a teaspoon! Hoping I get to to like to too then because 🤮

@parrotonthesofa How are you getting on? I took 10mg nightly for nerve pain and I did notice whilst I was taking it that I didn’t have one single headache or migraine, it was fabulous! 😁 I also slept like the dead every night 😀 I wasn’t on it long enough in the end to notice any weight gain but unfortunately it ended up making my tinnitus worse so I had to stop it. It also gave me a horrible dry mouth, which didn’t go away until I stopped taking it (I was told it would disappear after 2 weeks) 🥴

Oh that's encouraging theoriginal! I started on Thursday with 3mg now on 6 and have no side effects yet but I have to work up to 15mg so we'll see.
I had a migraine on Sunday and Monday and am currently feeling headachy but I guess I'm not on a high enough dose yet and prob takes a couple of weeks to start working. I hope.

Yes, it helps with the frequency of my migraines, I don't get them as often as I did. Also helps with my anxiety. I have slight weight gain around my tummy and waist but that could also just be me getting older 🙈 if I take them early enough in the evening I don't feel so groggy in the morning

Im on this for occipital neuralgia but also have migraine. I recently posted abt side effects so maybe read that thread, I will see if I can find it. Im on 15mg now, originally went up to 20mg but side effects dire. Reduced to 15 which seems better.
Dry mouth goes after a few weeks, stoned feeling, lack of care and daytime sleepiness a big issue for me still, GP review in two weeks. I put on a stone in 10 weeks and my sex life is dead. Sleep is great, pain much reduced but big price to pay. May look to switch. My GP said absolutely do not drink on this. Takes 4 weeks to get the full effect on dose.

15 days in here - no headache (yet) and I've ovulated which normally results in a blinding one. No dry mouth, feel a bit stoned when I get up but after a strong cuppa I'm good to go. Have started to take it earlier in the evening (after a couple of very late nights resulted in two VERY slow mornings). I keep some in my handbag in case I'm out and take at around 8-9pm, which seems to work best for me the following day. Weight stable so far (using parcel scales at work - classy) but I know it's early days. How are you doing @parrotonthesofa ?

Sounds promising @Falifornia ! I've had two migraines since I started which is pretty standard for me but I’m still on a v low dose, my neurologist told me to start at 3mg and work up to 15mg. I'm currently on 6mg, no side effects so far apart from there's been a couple of times when I haven't woken during the night to go for a wee which has been nice! We'll see, I'm hoping the migraines will reduce once I'm on the full dose. My period will be the real test but I tend to feel bad for days.

I take 10 - 20mg for nerve pain. It’s really made a difference to me,. I also sleep a million times better with it.
I tend not to take it on the rare nights I have a drink but usually as it would be too late for me to reasonably wake up in the morning.

I've got a horrendous migraine today....Definitely not working for me yet.