Amitriptyline - 2 hours before bed?

knuckleduster
knuckleduster Member Posts: 551
edited 15. Sep 2012, 11:47 in Living with Arthritis archive
My doctor has prescribed amitriptyline 10mg tablets. When I went to take one last night, I noticed the instructions said "take two hours before bed".
Is this normal and why?

Lovely day today, going open garden visiting to make the most of the sun. :D
Hubby's birthday tomorrow and our daughter's on Monday. Having a joint pub lunch celebration on Saturday. Our daughter will be 25 and she wasn't impressed when I said she will be half way to 50! :roll:

Janet

Comments

  • LolaCrayola
    LolaCrayola Member Posts: 152
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It has a strong sedative effect. I take mine after 11pm when I finish work, or between 8 pm and 11 pm when not working. the later I take it, the more tired I am next day. It is trial and error. It can wipe you out until you get used to it. It is a great drug for me.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That advice is entirely normal, most on here take it between 7 and 8pm as that lessens the possible 'hungover' feeling the next morning. It's strong stuff (as tjt recently found out!) Good luck with it, I hope it helps. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,773
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I take mine no later than 8pm else i will be shattered the next day :wink:

    love

    Toni xxx
  • suzygirl
    suzygirl Member Posts: 2,005
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I take mine after dinner as it takes a while to work on me and I try to avoid the sluggish feeling the next day.
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi I take mine at 9pm as I go to bed at 10
    but I am going to try 8pm as I am so very tired the next morning.

    Juliepf x
  • frogmella
    frogmella Member Posts: 1,111
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was taking mine a good 12-13 hours before I wanted to get up the next day, otherwise I felt awful in the morning.
  • Harlansmummy
    Harlansmummy Member Posts: 89
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was advised to take mine 12 hours before I need to get up. I take mine between 6 and 7, then go to bed about 10
    Twenty-something mother, home educating my wonderful son and currently TTC.

    My particular flavour of arthritis is yet to be confirmed
  • knuckleduster
    knuckleduster Member Posts: 551
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you everyone for the advice. I do have the added complication in that I have to take thyroxin and my doctor said it would make the amitriptyline work twice as efficiently. So last night I cut the tablet in half and I had a good nights sleep without feeling too hung over when I got up.

    Have a good weekend everyone.

    Janet x
  • lavenderlady
    lavenderlady Member Posts: 409
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I too take thyroxine and ammitriptaline, my DR tried to take me off of the ammo as i was getting a brain fog and was so scared as my nan and mum both have/had alpzhemiers the pain returned with a vengence I didnt realise just how much these tiny pills helped me he had to put me back on them and I now take them a lot earlier which seems to have helped
  • paulch
    paulch Member Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    :) Yes i too take 1-3 Amitriptyline 10mg about 8pm mostly for face nearve pain, They do work but make you sluggish.
  • sugarbuttie
    sugarbuttie Member Posts: 225
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I take 25mg amitriptyline at 6pm and go to bed at 10pm. I have to get up at 7.15pm during the week so if I take them any later than 6, I can't get up the next day. I would agree with the 'take 12 - 13 hours before you need to get up advice'. If you have to get up at 8am...take the tablet 7-8pm the night before etc.
  • Mat48
    Mat48 Member Posts: 1,075
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I took this for about 8 months - varying doses between 10mg - 30mg depending whether I was flaring or not. I found it did help me a bit and also lessens the desire to pee in the night which keeps me awake too (it is sometimes used to stop kids from bedwetting). I now don't use it much but took one last night in an effort to combat pins and needles and aching hands. I found today that I was really sluggish although I took it early at 9pm so am going to have one tonight now as I get longer in bed tomorrow because it's Saturday. It is pretty harmless at this low dosage but the main side effect is hangover and exhaustion the next day. I found that as my body got used to me taking it regularly the feeling of hangover wore off a bit. Mat x
    If you get lemons, make lemonade
  • numptynora
    numptynora Member Posts: 782
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    9pm is my deadline if I take them any later I wake up with a head, If I forget to take them I wake up with a lot of stiffness and pain, mostly in my hands, have managed to bring them down to 50mg p/n
    Numps x
    Pets come into our lives, and then leave paw-prints on our hearts.
  • claire1234
    claire1234 Member Posts: 20
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have also been given these but at 50mg each and not sure if i should stop them as i have to take mine at lunch time so i can sleep at a normal time as when i take them at 8pm onwards i am still awake at 3am and then in bed till lunch the following day and then have the hangover felling unsure if it the pills or sleep for that one any one any suggestions what i could do
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