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Original poster

has anyone any experience of using amitryptiline for chronic nerve pain?

27 replies

Piffle · 12/05/2008 20:37

doc has prescribed this for me after my SPD has come back with vengeance. Am in constant agony. Also on co codamol. Am teary with pain. Cocodamol 1 tab barely touches it. I am left with nerve pain despite my pelvis being aligned nicely.
am not coping at all. Burst into tears at docs.
anyone?

OP posts:
saltire · 13/05/2008 07:52

I take it for chronic muslce pain not nerve pain. I find it ok, it helps with sleep, I'll be honest and say it doesn't take the pain away, even with the pain killers. However, it makes it a bit more bearable. The pain could also be causing you te feel down, I know mine does. I only take 20 mg of the Amitryptline every night but the past week have increased it to 50 as I feel so down at the minute.
Have you tried taking Ibuprofen as well as the co-codamol? It sometimes helps me (even though i am not supposed to take co-codamol)

Tiggiwinkle · 13/05/2008 08:03

My sister took it for severe nerve pain after suffering from shingles. It seemed to help her quite a bit, although did not take the pain away completely.

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 08:56

50% reduction is best hope. Normally cope without pain relief as could do day to day things without pain. For some unknown reason it just went horrendous yesterday and I'm no wimp have very high pain threshold but was weeping and chewing on rags to cope.
took 10mcg amit last night with 2 co codamol. Was tripping out with an hour. Not unpleasant but weird. Feel sort of slurry today bit spacey. Did help with pain enough to sleep well though. Is the amit something that needs to taken regularly to build up effect or can you use it for acute phases?
am feeling ok so far today but not planning on doing much!

OP posts:
Blandmum · 13/05/2008 08:58

Off licence use but very well understood, and can be an excellent treatment for nerve pain

Blandmum · 13/05/2008 09:00

The key thing being that it is 'nerve pain' and to get that treated with pain killers you can end up off your face. We discovered this with dh. He went to the hospice and they gave him different meds for the different types of pain that he is in.

mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 10:16

Hi Piffle I take it for nerve pain along with pre gabalin and lots of other painkillers. I have severe chronic SPD (am now in my 12th year!) I take 25mcg but can up it to 50mcg when bad. It does make you feel spaced out at first and gives me amazing vivid dreams.
I had a bad day yesterday too, had to get DH home from work so I could go to bed. I am no wimp either- have had two symphysis pubis fusion ops and didn't take anything stronger than codiene and paracetomol.
Hope you soon feel better.

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:17

oh MB thank you for taking time out to post that.
The off your face aspect is a difficult one as I am highly drug sensitive
the bonus is that it sorts out my self medicating with alcohol but feels like swapping one for another IYKWIM

I am in charge of a very active 14 mth old and losing faculties is not an option.
Doc mentioned SS or HV getting em some day to day help as well.

Am a bit ermmm have dp who works long hours 2 hrs commute each way. He cannot take time off reasonably to help.
My mum possibly cna but not long term as she still needs to work ( she works as a live in carer for elderly terminally ill patients)

What is worrying me more is that my bones seem to be fixed ok but am still in massive pain
I think I may need a scan or xray to determine why...

OP posts:
themoon66 · 13/05/2008 10:19

My friend uses Amitriptyline for nerve pain. She has a complicated ear problem and is in absolute agony some days. She takes the Amitriptyline to sleep at night and says it does work for her.

She cannot take normal painkillers like Ibuprofen as they upset her stomach too much.

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:23

oh mum poor you
they mentioned the op to me but said it led to greater risk of hip replacement by age 50.
Eeeks and that success rate was less than 50%.
Can I ask about your nerve pain.
Mine is knne groin and thigh, plus some front of foot hip and lower buttock
When all together I lose the will to cope.
Leg feels pins and needly, dull as well as sharp burning pain. then also I get a heavy dead feeling as if it does not work properly. Which it doesn't
but evne when pain is ok, I always have severe groin pain if I move in certain ways
It takes some bloody managing

OP posts:
fleximum · 13/05/2008 10:24

Amitriptylline can be very good for chronic pain. You do need to take it regularly to see best effect and at night is definitely best as it can make you very drowsy, especially if you are someone who is sensitive to these things.
If things are still not resolving and your doctor cannot find a fixable cause for your pain, suggest a referral to the local chronic pain clinic as they often have some very good ideas both for treatment and ways of coping.

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:27

yes it was very good to go to sleep on and I slept well whuch is going to make a huge difference to how I cope in the day.
I just worry about school run if I am feeling a drug hangover. Have friend taking dd atm

OP posts:
fleximum · 13/05/2008 10:28

Your body usually adapts over time to the drug so morning hangover should become less of a proble with time.

mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 10:29

Piffle my pain is exactly the same as yours. My right leg is "dead" most of the time but it hurts like hell iykwim. I had no choice but to have the op as I had such a loose pelvis that as soon as the physio realigned it , it popped back out again. I had first op 2 years ago but the plate became loose and the graft didn't take. I had second op in Jan by a really good surgeon who teaches other surgeons. It is going well at the moment but I need the SI joints fusing as well.
I notice from your profile you are in Sth Lincs - we are in Rutland if you want you can have my email address in case you need any support when the pain is bad etc. Sometimes it helps just talking to someone who knows what the pain is like.

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:31

mum thank you
I am very frightened of surgery as have had masses over time
ectopic
appedix (last year when preg with ds2 perhaps what helped cause this SPD actually)
plus lots more for various freaky thngs

Plus I really want/need a breast reduction and want that to be my last ever surgery

OP posts:
Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:32

I think I might push for a scan then or xray?
cannot afford £30 2 x week with physio as am already paying cleaner as cannot do much housework.
Arrghhh
doc mentioned applying for DLa actually...

OP posts:
mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 10:34

Maybe if you got referred to a hospital and had some x rays and scans you might find you don't need the op. For lots of women physio works well. I tired everything before I had the surgery, my "baby" was 9 when I had the first op. I would definetly ask your GP to refer you somewhere for a second opinion. My surgeon is in Notts if you want his name.

mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 10:36

Sorry meant to add he did the recent op - first op was done by a butcher!

Stripteasle · 13/05/2008 10:37

My mum was prescribed it for a neuralgia type pain she had, and it seemed to help.

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:38

I used private physio from 6 mths postnatal (am now 14 mths) and she got me so pelvs was stable ish, but pubis was still up and forward on one side, which she said could be reolved with certain gentle exercises which have done religiously to great effect.

Then had to swap to NHS due to cost and they advocated more exercises wich were agony.
I think therefore they are the problem.
I might go private again just to check whether alignment has regressed again.

OP posts:
mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 10:38

I don't pay for my physio- get done on the NHS! Did pay to see surgeon initially cost £120 but then went back over to the NHS.
I get DLA higher rate mobility and middle rate care. I would apply you have got nothing to loose!

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 10:42

my nhs physio is a pelvic specialist and treats a famous racing car F1 driver.
But think he was too ambitious
My female physion was not worried abuut touching and pressing my pelvis frequently to establish movements, but the NHS guy never did only my lower back.

Am a bit

OP posts:
mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 10:47

Have you tried an osteopath? I had a brilliant one but we had to move so I couldn't keep going. He got me realigned but it fell out again!
Where is the physio who is a pelvic specialist as I go to a very small hospital and all they do really is core stability with me!

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 11:59

I was doing good with light pilates exercises.
But nhs physion pelvic guy gave me bigger stretches and said cycling lightly would be ok
It patently is not.
Back to sq 1
NHS really push recovery. FFS he wants to discharge me next appt

Might try osteo again... was no use last time acute pain though

OP posts:
mumoftwo37 · 13/05/2008 13:02

I would push for a x ray or something then. You might end up doing more damage. I have a pilates DVD which I will start when the physio says too. Some girls on another site have had recovery with using a cross trainer lightly. I can not believe cycling would help mind you couldn't get my leg over the saddle lol!

Original poster
Piffle · 13/05/2008 13:04

yeah it was the GP's rest for 3 days totally that made me laugh
Can your husband take a week off
Erm no
Oh... but you need to rest...
Yes but he is in Trieste in italy
D'oh

OP posts: