New to Amitriptyline

flowerpot

Hi All,

I keep dippingin and out of here as I am pre diagnosis. I saw my 5th Rheumatologist last week, after over 2 years of tests and waiting we are now down to two possible diagnosis He has started me on Amitriptyline to manage my pain as I am quite literally sick of taking codine, and the naproxen isn't cutting it. I have been started on 10mg, and told to keep taking it up in 10mgs every few days until the side effects the following morning are too much, then knock it back 10Mg, he said its likely to make me feel a bit fuzzy in the head first thing in the morning until it clears my system. As I have had amitryptiline before for depression he felt I should get on with it well, and I would see the benefits in a few weeks.

I am not feeling too clever in the morning but its always taken me a while to wake up, but since I have started taking it I have not been sleeping well at all, I seem to wake up about 4 hours after I go to sleep and never properly get back to sleep just doze. I tried phoning the rheumatology dept to ask them if this is normal, but they said they couldn't help as I am not "under their care". So before I struggle to get an appointment to se my GP I thought I would see if you guys had a similar experience, and I just need to give it a few more days, or if I should see the doc?

barking1

hi Flowerpot i have been taking amatrip 20mg at night for about a year now i found after the first week things settled down a little and my sleep pattern improved i still wake often with pain but i tend to go back to sleep easily ,hope that helps a bit xx JANE

traluvie

I take ami,
It may be that you need to get it in your system, i would give it till monday and if things are still the same i would make an appointment with GP to talk things through..
Hope it works for you..

bubbadog

I've been taking Amitriptyline for many years now and I still remember how I felt when I first started taking it, I felt like a zombie for the 1st week and I was very nauseous. Had to take anti sickness tablets to combat the nausea. It was like you had to get past the horrible feeling to get to the positive helping side. I've been on Amitriptyline for a good 8yrs now and I've had to increase the dose over the years but I still find it the best drug to relax me and help me sleep. So if you can get through the bad side do that and you will find it a great help after that.

Folara

Hiya flowerpot

I take Amitriptyline now at 25mg dosage. I started on it about 3 or 4 months ago and to start with really struggled. I was exhausted the next morning and didn't sleep well after being totally zonked out for about 5 hours.

After getting some advice from the lovely people on here I have 'experimented' with the timing of taking it. I now take it earlier than my other medications at about 7pm. This seems to get it into my system enough for me to sleep longer and not wake up feeling like a zombie.

Try to persevere for a little while but if it really isn't helping then see your doc about it. He may be able to give you something to help with the side effects.

Fols x

flowerpot

Thanks all, I wasn't sure if maybe I should up the dose as I know it is supposed to help you sleep. It seems to be a very strange drug doing different things at different doses! I will try taking it earlier tonight as I haven't noticed it making me drowsy an hour after taking it, I am just shattered from lack of sleep the night before.

barbara12

Hi flowerpot
I started taking amis around 2 years ago, started on 10 like you and now I am on 50mg...they took a couple of weeks to get used to, but then I slept very well, I take them at 7 oclock in the evening for bed around 10 10.30.
I do hope they start to work for you, a good nights sleep make such a difference.
Please let us know how you get on x

paulch

i HAVE Been taking 20mg for 5 yrs now , but its for nearve pain in my face from stroke i had, and can remember i was zombied for a while , but it will settle down. They also help you sleep too.

marrianne

Hi Flowerpot,It took me about 4 weeks amytrip 10 mg dry mouth tired dizzy etc ........but really am fine now ......very occasionally if I wke in the night and all else failed ........I did a couple of times take another 10 mg s but only if I hadnt to go out the following morning .It is best if you take them early as Barbara said about 7/8 ish Dont they say an hour before midnight is worth more than after ..........well anyway doing this I found I was fine in the mornings it has taken a few weeks for it to work on the pain though but I am sure you will feel the benefit in a few weeks to good luck Marrianne

flowerpot

Thanks to all for your advise, I have started taking it at 7, rather than an hour before bed and although I struggle getting off ot sleep at least now when I wake up I go off again more quickly :-) Now just waiting for that morning fuzzy head to wear up for I up my dose again. I have done some great things this week before 10am, including going to work without my laptop, first time in 9 years, putting my tea bag in my cereal, having a shower to get ready and putting my Pj's back on, and forgetting the dog's name. Other than that it's all good

Annah

I'm afraid it didn't work for me - even on 5mgs I was so zonked, I couldn't do anything. I tried it for 2-3 weeks before giving up, but my doctor says some people just can't tolerate it.

I was then on Citralopram for ages, which I tolerate really well. However, it gives me the munchies so that isn't good Now hoping to find another antiD that helps pain and doesn't make me eat more.

But what I wanted to say is that you sometimes need to try stuff for yourself to see what works.