Help with Amitriptyline

tjc123
tjc123 Member Posts: 139
edited 18. Sep 2010, 14:09 in Living with Arthritis archive
I have only been taking these for 2 days & I feel like my head is fuzzy,I don't want to do anything & feel shattered.
Should I stop taking this or does it get better?Any help would be great full.
tjc
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Comments

  • robertls
    robertls Member Posts: 2,304
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjc123 wrote:
    I have only been taking these for 2 days & I feel like my head is fuzzy,I don't want to do anything & feel shattered.
    Should I stop taking this or does it get better?Any help would be great full.
    tjc

    I've only been on it 1 week.......

    I was taking it just before Bed....

    And waking up like you say.........

    Someone here advised taking it about 8.00 pm...........

    Made a difference for me..........waking up feeling a lot better........

    What time are you taking yours???

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  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi TJC,

    I am not on then but its been suggested a few times. I have the pregabalin instead of the gabapentin and feel more tablets just are not a good idea just now.

    I talked to Toni about them a she has been on them for sometime and she assured me the feeling hungover and sleeping so much passes and you feel so much better.

    I really hope you stabilize on them and they help you soon. Sending a ((( ))) Cris x
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't take them but I do know, from reading numerous threads on here about it, that the best thing to do is take them earlier in the evening than you might think, as they take time to knock one out. Most people seem to settle for about 8pm. Hope this helps. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • patriciamary
    patriciamary Member Posts: 117
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi tjc123
    I have been taking them for years now. The feeling you are talking about does go away, eventually. But I still take mine about 8 or 9 o'clock and I feel that gives them time to work before I go to bed. So I suggest you try this and you will feel differently in the morning. They do help you sleep and as we all know a good nights sleep can leave you ready to face the day in a better frame of mind.
    Let us know how you get on.
    Regards
    Trisha
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi tjc :D

    I've been taking Amatriptyline for some time now....and like you found they made me feel so hungover and fuzzy headed I could hardly move next day.. until nearly lunchtime!.

    I found that by taking them earlier in the evening...no later than 8pm (for me), then I don't get the morning after tiredness but do still get the benefit of the help this drug gives with sleep and nerve pain.

    don't give up is my advice :wink: change the time you take it and see if it helps. If not, then ask the doc in case the dose needs changing; some folks are more sensitive to a particular drug than others....so if in doubt ask the doc or pharmacist.

    let us know how you get on?

    Iris x
  • silverbreak
    silverbreak Member Posts: 46
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjc123 wrote:
    I have only been taking these for 2 days & I feel like my head is fuzzy,I don't want to do anything & feel shattered.
    Should I stop taking this or does it get better?Any help would be great full.
    tjc
    Hi I used to take these but stopped after the trade off of dry mouth, drowsiness during day, etc out weighed the benefit. But in their blurb they do say:-'It may take between two to four weeks for the benefits of this medicine to appear, so it is very important that you keep taking it, even if it doesn't seem to make much '
  • nanarose
    nanarose Member Posts: 117
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I take 20mg a night, and take mine around 8pm, when I remember that is!
    If I take them later, I just can't get off to sleep for ages.
    I can't say I have had any side-effects other than a dry mouth with them, but I do know that when I accidentally ran out for two days, boy, did I know it, so they do appear to do some good.

    Best advice is to stick it out for at least a couple of weeks as others have said, and then see how you feel; hopefully they will help you.
  • tjc123
    tjc123 Member Posts: 139
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thankyou everyone your advice has really helped me.

    I have decided to carry on taking these for a couple of weeks & hopefully I will be feeling tip top before I go back to work on Sept 6th :?

    I will let you no how things go
    thanks again tjc
  • tjc123
    tjc123 Member Posts: 139
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    :( I took my tablet at 8.30pm...& here I am at 2.24am.....& I haven't been to sleep yet :!:

    I dont feel sleepy at all just agitated is this normal :?:
    tjc
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I know that they do take time to kick in - move your taking time forward to 7.30, or 7pm. See if that helps. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • tjc123
    tjc123 Member Posts: 139
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi DD

    I still haven't been to sleep :?: :?: :?:
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    :shock:
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • cebeem
    cebeem Bots Posts: 472
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjc123 wrote:
    I have only been taking these for 2 days & I feel like my head is fuzzy,I don't want to do anything & feel shattered.
    Should I stop taking this or does it get better?Any help would be great full.
    tjc

    Hi Tjc
    I take them from time to time only when the going gets tough ...I hate that fuzzy feeling...and from an experience years ago have found those types of meds that cause drowsiness knock me out like an anaesthetic.

    I break them up...take about a quarter of one and see how it affects me a quarter is usually sufficient for me! and then after 2 nights leave it off for the night or up it to half depending on how you are coping with it!

    Hope that helps!.....but thats how it works for me! You may be different!

    *wishes * CB
  • happymegs
    happymegs Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjc123 wrote:
    I have only been taking these for 2 days & I feel like my head is fuzzy,I don't want to do anything & feel shattered.
    Should I stop taking this or does it get better?Any help would be great full.
    tjc

    Been taking these 10mg about 7-7.30pm with 50mg tramadol and then 100mg slow release tramadol during day suits me fine when I forget I can't sleep and pain wakes me up. I have tried lyrica patches, no good, and then on to gabapentin and then pregabalin but these tabs made me feel so bad sick, tired and dizzy as if I was drunk even down to speech slurred, but since being on amatrip/tramadol I am much better and am sleeping and managing to do some light housework without hurting too much. The pain nurse said that I must be very susceptible to medication and every one is different.
  • tjc123
    tjc123 Member Posts: 139
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    :D Ive had 3 hrs sleep & I feel ok.
    So I am going to take my tablet sooner tonight & see how things go.

    Fingers crossed tjc :|
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh I hope it works. Have you read thro the entire thread? There are some good suggestions by various people, all worth a try but not all at the same time! I sincerely hope you are feeling OK, and enjoy what's left of today. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • munglebungle
    munglebungle Member Posts: 30
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjc123 wrote:
    I have only been taking these for 2 days & I feel like my head is fuzzy,I don't want to do anything & feel shattered.
    Should I stop taking this or does it get better?Any help would be great full.
    tjc

    Hi, i was on Amitriptyline a few years ago and i had similar symptoms but also felt really depressed. When i went back to the pain clinic about 6 weeks later they changed me on to Nortrypiline and i have been on this now for 4 years.
    I take this in the morning as if i take it at night i cant sleep. I only take 10mg (sometimes 20mg) and it doesnt effect my performance on a daily basis.

    Hope this helps.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello tjc, how are things today? Did you get some sleep last night? I hope so! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 9,161
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Tjc.
    i have been on anitriptine for 2 years and now they have stopped working i'm taking them to help with the aching in my legs but they are not working any more so i asked the doc if i could come off them
    i was taking 3 10 mill a night for a month now i'm on i a night till i finish them in sept.
    i take it just before 8 o clock i do not like the feeling you have with them but i had a good nights
    sleep.
    take care and i hope things are going okay for you. joan xx
    take care
    joan xx
  • tjc123
    tjc123 Member Posts: 139
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi well.............I was still wide awake at 3.30am.I fell asleep about 4ish & up again at 7.30 am.

    I am a my wits end I am so tired but just cant sleep because my insides are on fast forward. :cry:
    I dont think these tablets are for me,will I take 1 tonight :roll:
    I will be the phone first thing tomorrow to see my GP.

    tjc :cry:
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi tjc, what happened today? Did you see your doctor? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • cebeem
    cebeem Bots Posts: 472
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    HiTjc123

    Are you taking any other meds they could be giving you the fast forward feeling.
    Also caffeine based products will fight what amitrip' is trying to do!
    so decaf everything and coke and minimum choc late at night!

    Hope that helps some.....I am the worlds worst sleeper even when the pain is not bad....but found these new generic meds they now give out really dont hit the spot and the propranalol for the BP might as well be smarties!

    *CB*
  • tjc123
    tjc123 Member Posts: 139
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks everyone for all your replys
    :D

    I am now back in the land of the living.After seeing another GP it was decided that I should have been gradually taking off Gabapentin not to stop taking them like the last GP said :x
    It had nothing to do with the amitriptlyne at all & I am glad to say things have settled now & I am sleeping like a baby.

    Thank goodness
    tjc
  • elielass
    elielass Member Posts: 8
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have been taking them 50mg for some time now and they do help with nerve end pain.
    Try to bear with them, as they can take some time to get into your system properly. Take them around 8pm/9pm to get the full benefit and to stop feeling so rotten the next day, the later you take them the groggier you will feel the next day.

    Good luck.

    ann xx
  • elielass
    elielass Member Posts: 8
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tjc123 wrote:
    Thanks everyone for all your replys
    :D

    I am now back in the land of the living.After seeing another GP it was decided that I should have been gradually taking off Gabapentin not to stop taking them like the last GP said :x
    It had nothing to do with the amitriptlyne at all & I am glad to say things have settled now & I am sleeping like a baby.

    Thank goodness
    tjc


    Oh my goodness I am so shocked that you were just taken off gabapentin. These are built up gradually, and are meant to be stopped in the same way.
    Some docs just dont have a scooby, do they?

    ann xx

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