Prescribed amitriptyline

[Foxymoxy68]

Hello, I’ve been suffering from daily headaches for as long as I can remember (I’m 54). I medicate with ibuprofen which helps but they keep coming back.
I had an eye test recently which didn’t flag up
any concerns and I spoke to my GP last week who ruled out anything sinister due to me having no other symptoms. He has prescribed amitriptyline as a preventative measure-10mg in the evening. I haven’t started them yet as I want to wait until a day where I’m not at work the next day as I’ve read they can make you very sluggish. Obviously everyone reacts differently to medication but I just wondered if anyone could share their experience of being on this medication. Thanks!

I started taking it yesterday as a painkiller. Totally knocked me out last night. Just taken tonight's dose. From my initial experience it's not something I'd want to take too often

Take it at about 6pm and it shouldn't make you feel too groggy. If you find it has too many side effects then ask to try nortriptyline - same drug family, generally fewer side effects.

@Redglitter you need to take it at least 12 hours before you get up the next day. Although I stopped taking it as even in 10mg I was a zombie 24/7

I was prescribed Amitriptyline for pain a few years back and it was truly wondrous. It helped the swelling go down, stopped the pain and helped me sleep at night. Take it.

Take it last thing at night.

Doctors seem to prescribe this at the drop of a hat for anything they don’t have an answer to. It seems to just knock people out so they can’t remember why they’re taking it in the first place

My doctor tried to give it to me instead of proper investigations for chronic cervicogenic migraines. I refused as the side effects list was horrendous & research said it wasn't effective for that kind of pain. I tried it for a few days but stopped as I became a zombie binge eater. Constantly starving.

I've now done my own research and after stumbling/ being taken advantage of by alternative therapies I've found a drug free option which is helping immensely. I'll always have the problem, but it's managed much better.

I take it to prevent migraines. It’s worked really well for me. I started on 10mg, and increased slowly to 30mg which seems to be the right dose for me. It made me really tired the first couple of weeks, but my GP told me that would improve, and it did. At the beginning I took it early evening, so I was able to wake up enough in the mornings. I take it later now, and have no problem getting up early. I’m glad I stuck with it, as it’s made a massive difference to the quality of my life as far as migraines go.

I was on it for a while due to chronic migraines, as a preventative. But due to 3 young DS and school runs to do, the timing of taking it was either too early for me which wasn't ideal with sorting bed times and doing what I need to get done in an evening, or too late that I couldn't drag myself out-of bed in the morning for the school runs. I gave up with it in the end. It's OK if you can allow it to knock you out with no plans either side of taking it so you can feel the full effects of it. But other than that, it can be a real struggle.

Just an update. I bit the bullet and started taking it early in the new year. It's been life changing. My headaches are all but gone and I sleep like a baby!

Just to add, it made me feel groggy the next morning for the first few days but is fine now.

I'm glad OP I take 20mg every day sometimes 40 and function fine on it and it's been a game changer for me too although I take it for different reasons.

Glad it's helped you too.