Ive been prescribed amitriptyline for severe and debilitating sciatica - still waiting on mri to work out the cause but its assumed to be some sort of disc issue.
But fuck me, I CANNOT wake up with amitriptyline. It takes literally hours if concentration and focus to get out of bed.
Ive spoken to gp who advised taking it earlier, but I'm already taking it at 4.30pm and can't wake at 7am. My parents are having to take my kids to school, and im wfh for the foreseeable, because theres no way I would 1. Make it in for 9, and 2. Be fit to drive.
I started 4 weeks ago on 10mg, and have been told to increase every week until Im up to 70mg. Ive spoken to physio and the orthopedic doctor I was referred to, and they've both advised to just persevere, but honestly this feeling is worse than the pain - which hasnt even reduced much (but doc says it can 6 weeks for amitriptyline to work). The only thing its helping with really is sleep, because I cant lie down but the amitriptyline knocks me out enough that I dont notice. But then when I wake up I feel even more tired, and like I havent slept at all with this groggy hungover feeling.
All the advice I see online is to just take it earlier. But how much earlier can I take it im already at 4.30? Which gives me enough time to sort my kids and get them to bed before I'm knocked out.
Im at the end of my tether, both with the pain, not being able to walk or lie down, and now with this awful drowsiness and constant hangover feeling.
The mornings are honestly so dreadful, taking hours to wake up. I dont know what to do.