Amitriptyline

lindalegs

Hello all,

The doctor has prescribed Amitriptyline for me this morning and I'm due to take my first dose tonight before bed.

This is to help with the frequent waking headaches I get (on average 10 per month) in the hope that it will help to control them.

(As it's a mild sedative, apparently, I should also get a good nights sleep as a bonus. )

I wondered if you can I get dependent on them with long term use? Whilst I long to get rid of these headaches I don't want to jump (not that I have jumped for years ) from one problem into another.

Will I also have to give up my weekend wine?

Can anyone help?

Luv,

villier

Hi Linda

I know that there have been a lot of people on here that have been on amitrip for years and I wouldn't surmise anyone would take it for that length of time if they were addictive, I was on them a good few years ago to try and help me sleep but to no avail so came off them. The answer to your wine question is everyone's different, I had a few glasses of wine one night at a birthday night out and the next morning had no pj's on :shock: apparantly had been sleep walking in the night and decided to have a wee paddle in a basin of water what a sight that must have been, do not despair I have seen a few saying that they just don't take them on the nights thay are having alcohol.............hope they help the headache's...............................Marie xx

elnafinn

Dear Linda,

Sorry to hear that you are suffering with headaches and have been prescribed Ami. My gastro prescribed them to me for diarrhoea and thank goodness they worked as they do not for everyone apparently. I took them for one year as he stated and gradually reduced them when it was time to come off them. If I remember I was on 25mg per night. I never became addicted to them. In fact I did not particularly like the whoosy feeling they gave me on waking, did not make any difference how early in the evening I took them, but as they worked re " the runs" I continued for the duration.

I have an alcoholic drink with or before my evening meal.

I sincerely hope they work re the headaches. The gastro told me they are prescribed for headaches. A med used for many symptoms in varying dosages.

Love
Elna x

lindalegs

Thank you Marie and Elna for replying

I've had these headaches for over four years now so I need something to help manage them as sometimes they can make me sick too.

I think you're right Marie in that a lot of forum people are/have been on them so I knew this was the right place for advice. Did I see a clip of you on Youtube by any chance

Elna I still occasionally have diarrhoea problems so maybe that's another advantage.

I think, after what you've both said, if I decide to have a glass of wine I shall leave off the tablet that night.

Thanks again.

Luv,

frogmella

Hi LInda,

I was on ami for a few months last year. I took them for a month before trying alcohol. I found that I could still have a drink but it meant that I was asleep even earlier. I checked with my friend who is a pharmacist and he said that it was safe to drink on ami so I went ahead!
Also, I found that I needed to take them about 13-14 hours before I was going to get up or it was hard work waking up. It did mean that I was often falling asleep by 9m though!
I switched to gabapentin after a few months and my GP told me that I would be able to just stop the ami (I was on 20mg) and start the gabapentin. Well, while I wasn't mentally addicted my body must have been physically addicted. I had awful withdrawal. I had the worst headache ever. So all I would say is that when/if the time comes to stop the ami then do so gradually.
I hope that it works for you. It worked on my nerve pain.

barbara12

Hello Linda I am sorry you are having these awful headaches
I take 50mg of amitryptaline...I take then around 6.30..to go to bed around 10..for the first few days I had the groggy feeling in a morning...but that went long ago...they really do help me to sleep.
I do know you can come off them by reducing the does...has for the drink..my stomach wont take it anymore ...that's down to the cocodamols..
I do hope they work on those headaches...(((())) xx

lindalegs

Thanks for your replies Frogmella and Barbara.

I'm interested to read everyone's dose and their reactions to Amitrip.

I'm on 10mg this week and have to increase the dose for 10mg each week till the headaches go ...................up to 100mg. :shock:

I took the dose at 11pm and went up to bed around 12.30am. I did drop to sleep more easily than normal till Mr Legs got out of bed for necessary reasons and then I lay awake for a long time wondering when do the sedative powers kick in?? I woke around 8:00 not with a headache as such but the pressure build up I get before one above both eyes, so one was on it's way. I felt woolly brained for about 15 mins and the headache didn't take hold as normal.

I suppose I have to be patient and wait till I've had a few more doses yet .......though I don't particularly like a woolly brain as I'm normally very clear headed even with a headache :roll:

The main reason I was asking about alcohol is because I'm entertaining at the weekend and it would be nice to have a couple of glasses of wine with everyone else. I shall see how I feel on the night though and decide whether to have my Amitrip or not/wine or not. After all you've said I don't think the wine will do me any harm ..............maybe just kill off a few more brain cells!

Luv,

villier

I'm glad Frogmella spoke to her pharmacist friend she bet me to it, I was going to speak to mine tonight, great minds I'm glad at least will put your mind at rest, hopefully kick in soon and give you relief xx

lindalegs

Thanks Villier

On hindsight I should've asked my GP when he was prescribing them but often these things don't come to mind till you've just left the surgery :roll:

Luv,

bubbadog

Hi I've been on Amitriptyline for years & years now! My body has been getting ammune to the dose so my G.P has had to keep increasing the dose! As for coming off them it is a whole lot better to slowly reduce any sort of drug rather than coming straight off them other wise you will have bad effects from it! It's like going cold turkey! As with any drug it's better to talk to your G.P or chemist if you have any questions.

lindalegs

Thanks Amanda. When/if I stop them I shall do it very slowly especially after hearing of others and yours experience.

Luv,

mrsshazbat

I was prescribed 10mg Amitriptyline 2 or 3 years ago for tension headaches but they also knock me out so I've had the odd one if I've been struggling to sleep which, admittedly, isn't often. Despite everything going on with me at the moment, sleep isn't a problem for me! I haven't had a 'proper' headache (I'm also prone to migraines) for about 3 years now though.

jenzie06

Hiya
I've been on Amitrip for about 12 years. I came off them to have Harry as the docs couldn't agree if it was safe during pregnancy. I was on 10-20mg a night (taken about 7pm, if it was later then I would struggle to wake up in the morning). I just stopped taking it (as advised by doc) and went through withdrawal, which was horrid. It felt like I had ants under my skin and I shivered and shook. It was only afterwards the doctors thought I should have come off them slower D'oh!
Hope they help your headaches soon.
Jen

elnafinn

That is awful Jen that you were not informed to come of the Ami slowly. I was on the 25 mg for one year and came off them gradually with no problems at all.

Elna x

lindalegs

Hi Mrsshazbat, Jenzie and Elna,

Well I nearly gave up on them as after my Tuesday night's dose I woke with a stinking headache at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning It did eventually go during the day. I was unsure whether to take last night's dose because we have our grandson and also our elder son and g/f are here from Oxford today.

In the end I did take it and woke headache free so I'm glad I stuck with them.

Maybe they are starting to work afterall.

Luv,

elnafinn

So pleased for you Linda that the med worked and you were headache free especially with a VIP present, your grandson. Such a wonderful tonic, aren't they? I was of course very sorry that our grandaughter was not quite well enough to go to school on Tuesday but that meant that she was with us ALL day, instead of only a couple of hours after school. She was such good company.

Love
Elna x

barbara12

Hello Linda
I do hope they continue to work on the headaches...you enjoy having your little grandson and son round.....I will have everything crossed for you xx

fibrogal1

Ive been to see a pain management guy today,he said Amyl is an old drug and is phasing me off them and onto fluroxetine which ive had before.Hes changing the Gabapentin for Pregablin he says it works in a similar way but better.Trammies still in place.So I hope I stop feeling so zonked out during the day!

omelia

i ased my doctor about the ami i was takeing she said it is not addictive i take two on flair ups and one when i don't.i take them about 10.00pm i still wake with the pain but on ami i go back to sleep, before i had them i'd wake up with the pain and that was it i stayed up .with all this good advice remember every ones body react diffrently i'v known some people see things on them some it does'nt help at all good luck i hope they help

applerose

I've been on Ami for a fortnight now. I was prescribed 10 mgs to help me sleep. I was told to take them an hour before bedtime but was finding I couldn't get out of bed in the morning. I'm now taking them 2 hours before bed. Still feeling a little woozy first thing but no side effects other than that. The leaflet that came with it says no alcohol but I had a glass of Baileys the other night because I'd forgotten but didn't seem to affect me at all. Hope it sorts your headaches out.

lindalegs

Elna He is pure magic and is our little lodger tonight. I know what you mean about Lola and you always said I'd love being NannaLegs, you were so right!

Barbara I'm loving him being here, he and Mr Legs are having a little nap!

Fibrogal1 Hope your new meds help

Omelia I take mine about an hour before bed and don't feel zonked when I wake but I go back to sleep better after getting up for toilet duties in the night.

Applerose I'm going to have a glass of wine tomorrow night when my visitors come and then decide whether to pop a pill or not.

The bad news is I woke with a headache this morning :roll: but it did wait till 8:00 and went away quite quickly with the aid of Paracetamol.

Right grandson Legs is awake now so must dash for baby gazing duties. See y'all later

Luv,

barbara12

Barbara I'm loving him being here, he and Mr Legs are having a little nap!

Awwwww xx

freesia

Hi there..

I've tried Amitripyline... It certainly helped with the nerve pain, and helped me to sleep.... and didn't give me headaches.

BUT, FOR ME, (as everyone is different) Although I slept through the night, which was lovely, I retained urine terribly and had trouble weeing in the morning, which was abit uncomfortable

Also a did gain a little weight, but this doesn't happen to everyone.

I decided with my GP, to come off them due to the urine retention problem, and I now certainly miss that good nights sleep..

Wish you well xx

lindalegs

Hi Barbara and Freesia,

A lot of us are on/were on Amitrip it seems. My bladder still wakes me but then I'm only on 10mg and I don't increase it till next Monday evening. I woke with a headache at 6:00 a.m. this morning and it forced me out of bed which was quite miserable in this cold snowy weather. I don't think it working for me yet.

Luv,

ritwren

I hope they do help you Linda and you don't have to increase to such a high dose as 100mg. I've been on 25mg for a few years now and find the side effects managable. Good luck.

lindalegs

Hi Ritwren and anyone else still following this thread,

I, foolishly (on hindsight), had 2 glasses of white wine on Saturday night and then took my 10mg Amitrip :roll: My thinking was that if I didn't take one after drinking alcohol I would always wonder if I could, plus I'm on the lowest dose at the moment so it would be a good time to try.

I began to feel sick during the night and ended up in bed all day yesterday, vomiting with a bad headache. Serves me right I know. :roll:

I'm fine today but didn't take my dose last night and I'm now wondering whether, as the doctor instructed, to increase the dose tonight or not :?

HELP!

Luv,