Amitriptyline side effects??

keldi
keldi Member Posts: 53
edited 24. Aug 2011, 08:22 in Living with Arthritis archive
My GP prescribed Amitriptyline recently to help with the fibromyagia. He did warn me of the side effects and said that the low dose (10mg) I was on should not cause me any problems, but benefit the muscle pain and help me sleep. I was a little reluctant to take it at first but agreed as the pain was quite severe at this point. I took it for 3 days, an hour before bedtime and felt no effects at all, not even pain relief. I woke up on day 4 with a terrible thirst, headache and felt generally lousy - like I had got the flu.

As I was only working for 4 hours that day, I dragged myself into work and tried to make the most of it. It took a lot of effort not to fall asleep at my desk and to smile through the horrid way I was feeling.

Ever the optimist, I promised myself a nap when I got home from work at 1pm and thought that I would feel better. BOY DID I NAP. I was asleep by 1.30pm and apart from vague memories of being handed a cuppa and drowsily asking someone to feed the dog, I was out for the count until 7.30 am the next day. That was some nap.

I have not taken the meds since this episode and have felt much better. The muscles in my back did spasm quite a bit yesterday, but mentally I felt in control.

Has anyone else experienced this with Amitriptyline and do you know of an alternative?

I am still embracing the good days and hope that you are too.

Diane

Comments

  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Diane

    I take that drug and started off at 10mgs and went upto 25mgs as the lower dosage was not working for me. You may be taking it too late in the evening if only one hour before bedtime. Most of us on here tend to take it about 7 - 8 pm. It can make your mouth dry which it does me but that is the only side effect I get from it and for me, the good points of that drug well outweigh the bad.

    Why not try taking it a lot earlier than one hour before going to bed.

    Take care
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • liesa
    liesa Member Posts: 821
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i have taken amytriptiline for years now and have the highest dose 150mgs, i take it as im about to go to bed... more often then not i slept for the whole night but just lately i wake with sore hips and knees, my hip kept popping everytime i turned the other night, the only side effect i get from amytriptiline is a very dry mouth, i constantly have a bottle of cold water at hand throughout the day, not sure what the next step will be regarding the amytrip just cant stand broken nights with pain and soreness... i dont nap in the daytime, i love reading so tend to get drowsy from that not meds...lol
    good luck... maybe just keep it for times when u really need it?? i think its brilliant xx
    love and hugs
    8997C823B17A6252CBCA252F4BF2932D.png
  • joann1
    joann1 Member Posts: 263
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hiya Diane

    hope your doing ok, i once took amitriptiline by mistake, i was so tired instead of taking codiene i took my partners meds which was amitriptiline i only took 20mg and OMG they totally knocked me sideways the next morning i could barley remember my name, i just wanted to go to sleep my body was aching, head was throbbing and i felt so sick, my better half takes them for his migraines (poor thing has tried everything) he takes quite a high dose, not quite sure what though and he swears by them he thinks they are wonderful and to be honest they really help him they just dont work for me, he has said to me to request them off the doctor an to just keep taking them as they will help eventually, but think ill give it a miss.
    im the same as liesa my hip pops out through so all you hear through the night is me swearing (sorry mum) as im trying to get the thing to pop back in whicj good for me usually works afetr about 10mins
    Jo-Ann
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Diane :grin:

    I too take Amatriptyline.. 50mgs. I agree with Elna; it is best taken earlier in the evening (about 8pm) so that you benefit from it's effects overnight. Taking it later leaves me with a 'hangover' feeling all next morning!

    It's benefits, in my opinion, far outweigh any negatives.... like others, the only side-effect I've experienced is a dry mouth.

    Try taking it earlier in the evening before deciding it's not for you. :wink:

    Iris xxx
  • lavenderlady
    lavenderlady Member Posts: 409
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    the dry mouth is awlful I now have a mouth spray to spray in my mouth to relieve it I'm also on metformin which does the same thing so like you others i am always with a bottle of water, I take it around 2 hours before bed I do feel groggy around 4pm next day butmy ohter medication is the probably reason for it have taken amitriptyline for years now was on 3 now down to 2 to hopefully help with my galloping pulse, we shall see
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I am another that has had great relief from it...I am on 50g..and I take it around 7.30 and go to bed around 10....but I always have water at the side of my bed.
    At first I did feel groggy in the morning but not any more, I have been on then for around 18 months.
    Love
    Barbara
  • keldi
    keldi Member Posts: 53
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you all for sharing your stories with me. I think that I will give it another go and start taking it much earlier in the evening - and always have a bottle of water at the ready.

    Diane
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Diane :grin:

    Hope you get on better second time around! :wink:
    Let us know how you get on please?

    Iris xxx
  • monnie
    monnie Member Posts: 1
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi everyone, i`ve only been involved with A.C. these last few months and so i`m new to this forum.
    I`ve found this topic very intresting as i was prescribed Amitriptyline awhile ago by my G.P. First it was 10mg and didn`t find much releaf, i`m now on 25mg but can`t say it`s having much inpact, like some of you i still don`t have a good night, but in the morning after breakfast i`m sombie like and can sleep another few hours, so the morning has gone before i can do anything. I was told to take it 2hrs before bed but after reading some of your comments i am going to take it early.
    Now the dry mouth, it`s terrible isn`t it. I did some research and found chewing gum has helped a lot, you don`t have to chew it for long just a few min.
    Thats me for now,
    monnie
  • weejean
    weejean Member Posts: 346
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Diane

    I have never taken Amitiptiline but my husband was on it for years to help his back pain (he has spina bifida). When he first started taking it he was very drowsy and everyone thought he was drunk but that only lasted a few days. He also had a very dry mouth and carried a bottle of water everywhere he went. They worked wonders for him as he was sleeping right through the night which made him much more able to cope during the day. He was taken off them a few months ago to see if he could do without them but to be honest he is thinking of going back to the doctor to see if he can go back on them as he hasnt had a proper nights sleep since he came off them. My husband took his about 7 oclock and went to bed around 11 and slept right through every night. Hope this helps. Keep well xx
    Big Hugs
    Jean xx
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Monnie

    Welcome to the forum :grin: x

    Hi Diane,

    Hope it will be more successful for you taking it earlier. I haven't been on it nut I do have a horribly dry mouth form some other meds or something and its not nice is it?

    Guess i might have to start having a drink beside the bed, seems like a good idea actually :wink: Fingers crossed it will work better for you and help. Cris x
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,880
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Diane

    I take it too 25mg and l take it no later really than 8pm.

    First day l took it l slept till 2pm :oops: but now l take it will no problems at all just as you said a bit thirstier than usual. Seriously l upped my fluids and it has been great.

    If you feel brave enough to give it another go please do....it is very effective and a godsend for helping you realax and sleep and therefore allowing the body proper rest.

    Hi Monnie good to meet you as well

    Love

    Toni xx
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've taken Amitriptyline for many years now and it's taken a long while to settle down with the drug it still makes me feel drozy most of the time I'm afraid. :(
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Morning Diane :grin:

    Hope you had a good night.... and if you tried the amatrip that it's been effective without any zombie hangover this morn :lol::wink:

    Welcome Monnie! hope to see you posting around the forum. :!: :grin:

    Iris xxx
  • tj66
    tj66 Member Posts: 54
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Diane,

    I have bin takin it for about a year now - I take 150mg at night time - following advise from the lovelies on here I now take it at 9pm and go to bed at 11pm. Last week end I took my tablets at the same time and was delayed in going to bed till about 12- wow I couldn't stringe a sentence together. When I forget I'm tossing and turning for over an hour.

    So Im in agreement with the others take it nice and early so you don't sleep in the following day. Oh and they make me quite hungry so have put on a few ponds - or it could be that i like chocolate too much.

    Good luck

    Tracey xx
  • liesa
    liesa Member Posts: 821
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've had some really awful times when i hate taking meds and go into a 'angry not taking any anymore!' and strop of to bed really fed up at having to take so many medications just to relieve pain and i refuse to take the medications amytriptiline at night along with cocos, and im climbing walls with pain! i hate the thought of being addicted t medication but hate the pain... the amytriptiline knicks me sideways which is eally good but getting up in the night for a tiddle im like a zombie, twice last week i walked into a ladder.... and hubby usually has to wake up with me cos im all over the place, thats my real downful with amy but as said before cant stand pain
    love and hugs
    8997C823B17A6252CBCA252F4BF2932D.png
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi I forgot to add I take 40mg of the zombie making drug!! :lol: Have to laugh otherwise I would full a.......ZZZZZZ! :lol:
  • Ilovemystaffie
    Ilovemystaffie Member Posts: 29
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I`ve stopped taking amitriptyline because it increased my fatigue evn more.I suffer from ankylosing spondylitis hence have fatigue anyway.

    I was only taking 10mg,still waking during the night,but feeling worn out,no motivation and headaches.
    Since I`ve been on infliximab the problem is even worse!

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