Amitriptyline and Pregnancy

[cloclo76]

My husband and I are ttc. I have been suffering from insomnia for a long time and take amitriptyline 10mg (the lowest dose) to help me sleep. i am now trying to count down the dosis to only 3 times a week. The advice about taking it during pregnancy is confusing. Some brands say that it's ok during the second trimestre, some do not recommend it and some are silent. Have you taken amitriptyline during your pregnancy? What was your GP advice. Your comments would be very much appreciated as I struggle to sleep now and I don't want to imagine during pregnancy!

[Alderaan]

I was taking 20mg daily for shoulder pain prior to pregnancy. The GP was aware I was trying to conceive. I was advised to stop taking it once I became pregnant.

[SarahJks]

I am 32yr old and I have been on Amitriptyline for 2years to manage my migraine and insomnia.I tried to stop this by lowering the dosage to 10mg but I cannot completely stop using it.I am trying to conceive as well .My Neurologist and Gp said there may be risk it is up to me to continue or not.I am so worried about this.is anybody took this entire pregnancy and have healthy baby?

[moggiek]

I took 50mg per day for all of the first trimester before realising I was pregnant. Completely healthy DS3 - who is now 27

[Yoyo1977]

Dr took me off paroxetine with no withdrawl time the last 3 weeks have been really bad crying all the time breaking down in work just not coping at all!! I keep thinking there is something wrong with the baby or that the baby has died it's awful :(
Dr put me on amitriptalyn and I haven't started it yet it's only 10mg but I'm worried and not sure as some people are saying they are ok to take when pregnant and sone say they are not good
Help advise anyone I'm 10 weeks and 5 days 37 years old and my 3rd child

[NorahM]

During my pregnancy with my son (who is now almost 10), I was prescribed this medicine in the US in a very low dose to combat awful daily headaches. I don't remember that I used it for very long though. Anyway, no adverse effects seen luckily.

[WeePoppy]

I take 20 mg at night for nerve pain too. I was taking a higher dose before TTC but the obstetrician advised me to try and reduce it. 20 mg is the lowest dose I can take without being in agony all night.
I have a few of chronic illnesses and do have to keep taking medication for them all, albeit at a reducded dose. The obstetrician told me that that she would rather see a "healthy" mum on medication than a poorly mum off medication... So I followed her advice.

[AJH246]

Hi guys, I am currently 14wks pregnant and just been prescribed 10mg Amitriptyline. I saw a team of pain specialists at a hospital who specialize in severe pain in pregnant woman. They prescribed me this and said it is fine and safe to take during pregnancy. I have also asked my GP, specialist, obstetrician, physio and all have said it is fine and safe. I have severe nerve pain in my hips. It had caused weeks of sleep deprivation and awful pain. It is all pregnancy related as have never had issues in the past.

[misstressed]

Help, am really worried. I found out i was pregnant today but am really worried as was hospitilised last week for severe sciatica (have two bulging discs, one is torn).

In hospital I had usual paracetamol, ibuprofen but also Oramorph, Amitryptiline, Naproxen and a Tamazapam suppository. On top of this i had a mri scan and then an epidural steroid injection, where i was put out and had Fluroscopy (x ray) during this.

At the time I was in absolute agony, basically unable to do anything, now i'm completely terrified about the risks to my baby. Could not believe it when the test showed as positive, as have had no pregnancy symptoms at all, whereas with dd i could tell straight away. I'm around 4 weeks pregnant.

sorry - tend to waffle when i'm worried.

[Excited2meetmyprincess]

I was on this for hemilplegia and my GP took me off it when I found out I was pregnant. However I have been suffering a lot more recently and now have to see my neurologist this week to decide of I can go back on it or take something else. So will know more once I've spoken to him x

[Tyners]

Hi,

I am suffering from chronic scitica through a herniated disc which has become horrendous since being preggers. I am 22 weeks along and after spending a week in the maternity unit where I was given morphine, tamazipan and co-codmol I have been discharged with 'safer' meds for baby - amitriptyline and co-codomol. I am still unable to move about very well and pretty much on bed rest with occassional physio exercises throughout the day. Hoping the ami will kick in soon - I believe it can take 2 weeks. Without the hope that the pain will ease off I would be very depressed. As it is I am crying a lot because of the pain and being miserable and not being able to enjoy pregnancy -I feel helpless...

I never took any meds before I was preggers and now I am rattling Around...lol...you have to do what is best for you and baby. Me being in pain constantly would put baby under so much stress that wouldn't help her either.

Relax - take advise and do what is best for you xxx

[staceyleigh]

Hi I suffer from fibromyalgia and have been taking amitriptyline form many years for the pain, insomnia and depression. I was told to stop taking them immediately by my doctor when I found out I was pregnant. Im now nearly 19wks, not sleeping, very depressed, anxious and in severe pain. I have an appointment to see the health nurse for pregnant women but she has told me the doctor should never have taken me off them and that I can carry on in pregnancy. Im very confused and scared that if I start taking them I will do harm to my baby, although they are happy for me to take tramadol and temazepan! which I haven't taken. I know nothing in pregnancy is 100% safe but just some clear medical advise which isn't conflicting with each medical profession would be good. Im hoping the specialist nurse will be able to spread a bit more light on this subject and finally be able to help me and put my mind at rest before I make a decision. I will keep you posted.

[Fluffeh]

I read that in excess of 90% if it is metabolised by the body and of Te amount that may pass into breast milk, it shouldn't have an effect on the baby. It was on the site that has a list of medications and their effects on breast feeding/breast milk.
My obstetrician is happy for me to keep taking it when breast feeding :).

[BionicEmu]

Monthly I was taking 200mg of amitryptyline a day for both pain & depression. When I found out I was pregnant my GP wanted me off them immediately, so I reduced the dose over 3 weeks. It was a nightmare, severe depression hit me very hard, I was having hallucinations etc. I don't think these were withdrawal effects, just a consequence of not taking the medication that worked for my illness. What withdrawal effects have you been having?

Anyway, I was referred to the peri-natal psychiatrist, who put me straight back on them. I am now almost 37 weeks pregnant and managing ok on 150mg a day. My obstetrician is aware & happy that I am taking them.

I have been warned that baby will have to stay in hospital for a couple of days for monitoring (although I am also taking 90mg dihydrocodeine 4 times a day for pain, and there's a possibility of withdrawal from that too.) Other than possible withdrawal, which I have been told breastfeeding may help lessen, my psychiatrist & obstetrician have reassured me numerous times that there is no other risk to the baby.

[Fluffeh]

I take this at 100mg each night. I was seeing an obstetrician as well as an endocrinologist, neurologist and neurosurgeon and they all agreed it was safe for me to take.
I trust their judgement and believe they were honest as I did have to stop taking some of my other meds when ttc.
I'm 24 weeks pg now and so far so good :)

[kri5ty]

pregnancy helped with the majority of my symtoms which i am greatful for, just the insomnia i cant cope with.. i want my lovely beautiful tablets back!! lol

[mopsytop]

Oh I didn't see that - duh! It is really hard at the moment. I am finding it hard to cope tbh. It's just the past 3 weeks that it got really bad. Hoping so much that by week 15 or 16 it calms down. They are hormonal anyway so I suppose being pregnant is not helping. My doctors thought it might have opposite effect - i.e. improve things - but how wrong where they. That's why I am not feeling so hopeful about week 16. But acupuncture may help I suppose?

[kri5ty]

mopsytop the previous posts are over a year old i just googles the thread and posted in it to see if there was any new news!

I stopped taking it as soon as i foud out i was pregnant, befor emy GP told me to, but i went back as i was not sleeping at all, and they just said i couldnt take it... to be honest i dont think they really knew, so were just going with the guidelines, i may write to the consultant who originally prescribed it me, and see what he says

i feel for you with the migraines, i used to have them, and i am very greatful i havent had one for a few years, there must be nothing worse as you cant take much now :(

[mopsytop]

EmmaKate I don't know where you got your information? Any GP/specialist I have seen said it is safe in pregnancy, but obviously they can't do trials with it, so they can't say it is 100% safe, as they basically can't say that for anything. But as far as they know from lots of women taking it over the years, it causes no problems. It is not contraindicted. But it is a bit worrying that your GP is giving you entirely different information. This is why I am worried about starting it again ...

[mopsytop]

hi kri5ty am having exact same dilemma - I take it for migraine relief - I normally take 20mg/day. Stopped at 5 weeks pregnant (when I found out) - hadn't stopped before as had literally only just started trying so had no idea would get pregnant so fast.

The past 3 weeks my headaches have been so bad, have had to spend so much time in bed and finding it really hard to cope with the pain (and the stress of missing work also) and am debating whether or not to start it again. My doctor said it should be fine, and the migraine association also advises it as safe. But it's just so hard to know what to do.

Also debating acupuncture but need to find a reputable practitioner...

[kri5ty]

MissusTulip thank you so much :-) i have come to the conclusion that my insomnia will be causing more harm to the baby anyway... 1-2 hours sleep a night cannot be good!

I have tried everything else in the past, as i didnt really want to take medication for it, but after years of different things and drugs, Amitryptline was the only thing that worked!

Again thank you :)

[MissusTulip]

hi all, bit of a tardy contribution but I'm a shrink by trade, and the advice is that it is to be used with caution but it is not contra-indicated in pregnancy - so it is safe to use in general, provided you're monitored by your doctor. The recognised side effects in pregnancy are described in the relevant appendix in my bnf as 'tachycardia, muscle spasms and irritability in the neonate with imipramine' - translation: increased heart rate, muscle spasms and irritability in new born with a related drug, nothing there for amitryptline.

Amitryptline is quite an old drug and therefore it has been used in more pregnant ladies than newer drugs and we have more data on it, so it is one I'd offer the choise of to patients with depression, actually as one of my first choices of antidepressant. 10mg is a teeny dose and if it helps you sleep and improves your overall health then it'll be of benefit to you and baby. I've used it at 75 - 150mg for depression in pregnant ladies okay.

it's a hard choice and I hope that helps you decide what is best for you - medication, acupuncture or any of the other suggestions people have found helpful.

good luck!

[kri5ty]

I know this is an old post... but has anyone taken it recently?
I was on it for insomnia, stopped when found out I was preg, but still not sleepimg and can't cope, I'm 14 weeks so just in my second trimester

[kri5ty]

I know this is an old post... but has anyone taken it recently?
I was on it for insomnia, stopped when found out I was preg, but still not sleepimg and can't cope, I'm 14 weeks so just in my second trimester