Amitriptyline Questions

tillytop

I know there are a few Amitryptyline users out there so I hope someone can answer my questions. This is not actually an arthritis related question at all, and is not for me but for my Mum but hopefully you don't mind me asking.

My Mum has just been prescribed Amitryptyline for ongoing nerve pain related to severe chronic sinus problems and a possible case of shingles. The initial dose is 10mg at night which can be increased if need be. If this doesn't help, I think pre-gabalin was suggested as an alternative.

What neither my Mum nor I understands is how it works - is it intended as a sleep aid, the idea being that better sleep make you better able to cope with the pain, or does it actually help with the pain in the longer term? The suggestion was that the Amitryp would not be a "forever" drug but that, if she started to take pre-gabalin, it would need to be taken continually.

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks!

Tilly xxx

minky67

Hi Tilly, I take it & as far as i know it helps to relax the muscles & aid sleep. Im not aware that they help with the pain.
there are others here that take amptrips for other reasons.
the dose can be anything between 10mg & 50mg for the relaxing/sleeping.Higher doses are used for depression.
Its best taken early evening to give it time to work, i take mine about 8pm & im feeling really tired by 11/12pm (It takes alot to knock me out or make me relax )
Ive been on them for over 3yrs & gp has never suggested coming off them.
I take pregablins too but those are for the nerve pain & i find there brilliant.
I hope there is something in there that you found helpful.
take care, debs

lavenderlady

Hi Tilly I have been on them for around 8 years and apparently my nan took them years ago and called them her little yellow miricles.
my understanding is they are an anti depressent but are also used to make you relax and help you drift off to sleep I take 3 every night and they do help me drift off , I take them for my arthritis and as I suffer with SMA ( lower motor neurone diesease ) basically nerve pain with weakness, they do help and I have only come off of them once to check my racing pulse was not being caused by them, I did notice the difference and am now back on 3 every evening, I think the idea is that it relaxes you and so helps with pain you would notice more if you was tense, since being on them I have got a different attitude in that I now have a "whatever attitude" to things thrown at me DRs think I have a great attitude to my numerous health problems , hope that helps your mum michelle

barbara12

HiTilly
Like the others have said, in much higher doses they are an antidepressant but are used at night to relax you and help you sleep.
I also take gabapentin for my nerve pain, this is an older drug compared to pregabalin
I do hope your mum get some relief from them, or at least a good night sleep
Barbara x

madwestie

Tilly like Barbara i also take amitryp and gabapentin, my Gp told me that the amitryp help your muscles relax so that when you move in bed it doesn't wake you up with the pain as much, the gabapentin work really well for me to help the nerve pain caused by OA in my neck. I hope your Mum gets on ok with her meds which ever she has.

Tracey

jilly

Hi Tilly I also take amitriptyline and pregabalin, I was told in small doses it relaxes you i take 2 about 8 o'clock. I was told they are'nt adictive either.
My sister also takes it for back pain, she cant sleep without it . hope it goes well for your mum..........jilly x

woodbon

Hi, I take 30 mg of Amatrip. They do help, I think although not as much as they did, I don't think. They are an old anti depressant which was discovered to help with nerve pain and some people find they stop migranes. I did have them for that years ago, but they didn't work on the headaches. I think the sleepness is a side effect, but is helpful if your not sleeping with the pain. Hope they help your Mum. I started on ten mgs and worked up, as the doc thought I'd get too sleepy!
Love Sue

salamander

Hi Tilly, It is very good for nerve pain, which can be very bad with shingles. It's not just to relax you but works on the actual pain. I took it for about a year for a very bad shoulder and it helped a lot.

frogmorton

HI Tilly

l take them too Tillly and she should give them a try....proper rest aidfs healing, l have always thought, so they will maybe help her.

Bless her she CAN come off them if she wants to but the dose of 10mg is very low and l am sure will do her no harm.

l take mine at 8pm, warn her to take them early as the first one l took at 11pm and l was asleep till 2pm the next day!!!!!

Love

Toni xx

elnafinn

Hi Tilly

I started taking Amitriptyline a good few months ago for IBSD, would you believe and they work wonders for me. The consultant told me that this med slows the body down and he did ask me if I was sleeping better with taking them and my reply was yes. These little miracle pills seem to have many uses taken in different strengths. I started off with 10mg and went up to 25mg. It is best to take them fairly early in the evening, as others have said, so you dont feel "dopey" on waking in the morning. I take mine about 8.00 pm usually and if I forget. then take it later, but it is not the end of the world!

Love
Elna x

tillytop

Thank you so much everyone for your helpful replies! You really are a brilliant lot!

Off now to give this info to my Mum but will be back on later to catch up on the things I have missed while pc was out of action. :roll:

Thanks again!

Love Tilly xxx

bubbadog

Hi Tilly, I think you have all the info you need, but just wanted to say I have been taking Amitriptyline for what feels like forever now a good 14yrs!! And my G.P told me it's main use is a muscle relaxant but it is also used as an anti-depressent and to aid sleep. So that is why I was given it as a sleep aid. I am on 40mg now and it does help. It is a really good drug!

tillytop

Thanks so much Bubbadog.

It's so good to get info from people who really know what's what (ie not the docs! )

Love Tilly xxx

tillytop

Bumped up for Sky.

lavenderlady

I'm also on gabapentin along with the amitriptyline all for nerve pain and to help with relaxing my muscles as I get bad nerve pain with my SMA, my only side effect is dry mouth so bad I carry a spray for my mouth that has glycerine in, and I always take a bottle of water with me everywhere I go, going to the dentist is hell as my mouth dries out so much I have trouble talking etc x

sharmaine

Hi
I've been taking amytriptiline for the past 3 years and it really helps with my arthritis. I take mine between 7-8 pm at night and if I forget later.
It does give you a dry mouth and I take a drink with me to bed and try and have a drink when I'm out too.

Amys are powerful relaxants and I've heard they're given to people from depression throught to high blood pressure. I certainly wouldn't be without them. Before my TKR I was on 3 a night and it helped me get through some pretty painful episodes. I take one at night now and if I'm in heaps of discomfort can take up to 3. Sleep is so important when yu have this condition.

I find that I have some very vivid and strange dreams on these tablets!
the first time I took them i slept from 10.00 pm until 1.00 pm the following day. My husband kept coming upstairs to check I was breathing.

Sharmaine

frogmorton

Me too Sharmaine!!

it was 2pm before l felt 'with it' the first day :oops:

I take 25mg though not at the mo as l am taking some antihistamine for an allergy l take it about 8pm

Love and good luck

Toni xx

liesa

Hi.
i take maximum dose 150mgs every night, my Dr old me they jumble the pain signals to the brain and they help you to sleep better, they are good for me but i now find myself lying in one position for to long which is causing pain stiffness again, have had a left knee total knee replacement which is failed, and now have degenerative hip arthitis and as i write am in agony in my hip, and still mega pain in my knees, feeling totally fed up x