Amytriptyline Nightmares and Preparing for Bed

sharmaine
sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
edited 30. May 2009, 15:12 in Living with Arthritis archive
I find I sometimes have nightmares if I take amytriptyline just before I go to bed! I find if I take it about 7.00pm - then I'm fine no nightmares. But taking it later I find it hard to rest. I also have to take co-drydamol before bedtime and wondered if I should maybe allow a couple of hours between the two? Any ideas?

Getting myself ready for bed is an art form. Not only do I have to take my meds before a certain time but I have to prepare my bed!
one pillow and one cushion under my worse knee; one pillow under my ankles and 2 pillows to sleep on.

I also find this combo of tablets makes my mouth taste awful so I need a drink next to me.

Getting up is another story!

Comments

  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, I take Amatripylne at night, and I find that I get odd dreams. Sometimes nightmares, but often just strange dreams! :shock: I think it says on the instructions that are in the box with the pills, that one of the side effects are nightmares.

    Sounds as if going to bed is a real chore for you. I hope you get a good nights sleep, Love Sue
  • eastmidlandsman52
    eastmidlandsman52 Member Posts: 27
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello there.

    I've had this treatment many years ago and the combo effect of the two drugs whilst helping you sleep and reducing your pain can appear conflicting. I have "Arfur" and his mate "Fibro" so these two awful conditions required two sets of tabs to help settle it.

    I would suggest that the maximum benefit is to take them last thing at night.Prior to taking the first tab,eat half of a plain biscuit and then take one of the tabs.Allow 1 minute for it to get into the stomach.Then eat the other half of the plain biscuit and then take the other tab.I would suggest the painkiller first and the "AmyT" second.

    Once both pills are down,use a non-alcoholic mouthwash (bit pricey I'm afraid) and have a "swish" for around 30 seconds before spitting it out. This should leave your mouth fresh and hopefully little after-taste of the pills.

    I think the "AmyT" can have a worst taste than the "Co-D" hence swallowing it first.By having the biscuit,you are giving your stomach something other than the pills to digest and hopefully will stop you having a mouth like the bottom of a parrot cage!

    I hope this possible way might help you out.

    All the best.
  • suzster
    suzster Member Posts: 1,328
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i have some very wierd nightmares, i also take amytripotyline but find if i take oramorph at night, when i have a flare up or pain is really bad my dreams get wierd and often, well more often than not they become nightmares, i always assumed it was the oramorph that caused the wierd nightmares, they are actually really scarey and i always wake up terrified. i take zomorph but that doesn't cause a problem!
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks so much for this advice. I will certainly buy the mouthwash. When my hubby says cheerio before going to work I can at least exhale! I haven't dared to breathe on him first thing in the morning!
    The biscuit advice is great and taking the co-dydramol first etc. Will give in a go.
    Sharmaine
    eastmidlandsman52 wrote:
    Hello there.

    I've had this treatment many years ago and the combo effect of the two drugs whilst helping you sleep and reducing your pain can appear conflicting. I have "Arfur" and his mate "Fibro" so these two awful conditions required two sets of tabs to help settle it.

    I would suggest that the maximum benefit is to take them last thing at night.Prior to taking the first tab,eat half of a plain biscuit and then take one of the tabs.Allow 1 minute for it to get into the stomach.Then eat the other half of the plain biscuit and then take the other tab.I would suggest the painkiller first and the "AmyT" second.

    Once both pills are down,use a non-alcoholic mouthwash (bit pricey I'm afraid) and have a "swish" for around 30 seconds before spitting it out. This should leave your mouth fresh and hopefully little after-taste of the pills.

    I think the "AmyT" can have a worst taste than the "Co-D" hence swallowing it first.By having the biscuit,you are giving your stomach something other than the pills to digest and hopefully will stop you having a mouth like the bottom of a parrot cage!

    I hope this possible way might help you out.

    All the best.
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm pleased I'm not the only one who has these wierd dreams/nightmares. I'm going to try taking the co-dydramols with a biscuit then the amy's. I'll also try the mouthwash.
    Thanks everyone - hopefully I'll sleep like an angel tonight and the demon nightmares will disappear! I'll let you know.
    Sharmaine
    suzster wrote:
    i have some very wierd nightmares, i also take amytripotyline but find if i take oramorph at night, when i have a flare up or pain is really bad my dreams get wierd and often, well more often than not they become nightmares, i always assumed it was the oramorph that caused the wierd nightmares, they are actually really scarey and i always wake up terrified. i take zomorph but that doesn't cause a problem!
  • linmad
    linmad Member Posts: 18
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    sharmaine wrote:
    I find I sometimes have nightmares if I take amytriptyline just before I go to bed! I find if I take it about 7.00pm - then I'm fine no nightmares. But taking it later I find it hard to rest. I also have to take co-drydamol before bedtime and wondered if I should maybe allow a couple of hours between the two? Any ideas?

    Getting myself ready for bed is an art form. Not only do I have to take my meds before a certain time but I have to prepare my bed!
    one pillow and one cushion under my worse knee; one pillow under my ankles and 2 pillows to sleep on.

    I also find this combo of tablets makes my mouth taste awful so I need a drink next to me.


    hi, gp told me to take amytriptaline about 60-90 minutes before i intend going to bed, give it chance to start working, i also suffer the very dry mouth associated with loads of pain killers and now get "artificial saliva " in aerosol spray on my prescription and keep one beside bed, but also use mouthwash before bed as well to help also always sucking on mints sure that does my teeth loads of good ( think not :lol: )

    Getting up is another story!
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Just to let you know that I've had a good night's sleep, minus the nightmares the biscuit and sequence of taking the meds have worked. When I first started on this combo of drugs I was out like a light and the first month I couldn't get out of bed until 10.00 am! I suppose your body gets used to them and I now get up at 7.00 am. I currently take 2 amys a night and I can stretch it to 3 ..but I only do that when I've had a flare up.

    quote="sharmaine"]I'm pleased I'm not the only one who has these wierd dreams/nightmares. I'm going to try taking the co-dydramols with a biscuit then the amy's. I'll also try the mouthwash.
    Thanks everyone - hopefully I'll sleep like an angel tonight and the demon nightmares will disappear! I'll let you know.
    Sharmaine
    suzster wrote:
    i have some very wierd nightmares, i also take amytripotyline but find if i take oramorph at night, when i have a flare up or pain is really bad my dreams get wierd and often, well more often than not they become nightmares, i always assumed it was the oramorph that caused the wierd nightmares, they are actually really scarey and i always wake up terrified. i take zomorph but that doesn't cause a problem!
    [/quote]
  • jaspercat
    jaspercat Member Posts: 1,238
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, since reading this I have decided to take my Amitriptylline early, I usually take mine at 10pm and lie awake for hours, I don't drop off about 2am, I have some weird nightmares too, had one about a snake the either day, first it bit me and then tried to crush me, I always have a drink by my bed too, I take a bottle of mineral water love Jaspercatxx
  • mash65
    mash65 Bots Posts: 834
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i too have terrible nightmares on 40 m of amptripyline.
    ive dreamt ive been having my leg cut off in my sleep.
    i think it was the fact that my knee was so pain ful,my dream became, please cut it off then it wont hurt no more :oops:
    but ive had night after night of them,being chased by crocodile is a favourite(not)but i wake up just as its got me trapped under a rock.
    i wake up gasping for air.
    i tend to take mine an hr before bed but i too lay awake for ages before i get to sleep.
    if i take them early evening wouldnt i be falling asleep before i get to bed :?: its hard enough to get up stairs as it is :oops: debsx
  • suzster
    suzster Member Posts: 1,328
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i've had lots of dreams about ghosts and other equally scarey things, i always wake up terrified. they are very vivid, more vivid than my dreams used to be.
    i think if i wrote down my dreams i'd be sent to the mad house, they are very strange!!
    i take my tablets abouyt 8.30pm them usually fall asleep about an hour later.
  • jaspercat
    jaspercat Member Posts: 1,238
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, well I took my Amitriptylline at around 7pm, still couldn't sleep probably, I think I will give in and just put up with it, when I first started taking it it always made me sleep, but not now, if I wrote my dreams down I would join you in the nut house love Jaspercatxx

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