Amitriptyline and Af: Hi all, hope you... - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

32,401 members38,735 posts

Amitriptyline and Af

Clivecsw profile image
18 Replies

Hi all, hope you are managing the best you can with this crap condition! Brain picking time - before I went down with the old afb ,I managed to develop chronic tinnitus - yes, it's as bad as it sounds.! Anyway, I was given Amitriptyline to help me sleep on real bad nights but the doc has told me to try and drop it now I'm on apixaban and bisoprolol, along with the other meds I'm on - anyone know much about this? Love to you all.!

Written by
Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
18 Replies

I copied this from a drug info site on line

Cardiovascular

Common (1% to 10%): Atrioventricular (AV) block, bundle branch block, electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormal, electrocardiogram QRS complex prolonged, electrocardiogram QT prolonged, orthostatic hypotension, palpitations, tachycardia

This may or may not be the reason your doc wants to stop this drug.

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply to

Wow, thanks Hoski, I'll skip it from now on- the whole medication bit is a minefield!

marcyh profile image
marcyh

My cardiol doesn't want me on amitriptyline.

6 Medications That Can Raise Your Heart Rate:

webmd.com/heart-disease/atr...

Antidepressant link to heart changes confirmed nhs.uk/news/medication/anti...

Possible side effect - pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest

cardiosmart.org/Healthwise/...

I have developed tinnitus since being on Eliquis and am having trouble understanding others. I'm curious if anyone is aware of this being a side effect.

marcyh

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply tomarcyh

Thanks for that marcyh, I think I'll skip the amitryptaline from now on; sorry to hear about you suffering with the big tin, as I call it; I've got mine for good but perhaps yours will ease off if you tried an alternative to apixaban? Good luck!

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly in reply tomarcyh

Tinnitus is a side effect of deafness, not the other way round . My very weak hearing aids cured my tinnitus so I should have your hearing checked 😊

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply toBuffafly

Thanks Buffafly, yes my hearing was partially damaged by a very bad virus some 3 years ago and the aids are actually set to boost the volume at that frequency- unfortunately I'm stuck with my tinnitus but it's just one of those things like this atfib that "you have to get used to"- I'm glad yours cleared up though!

marcyh profile image
marcyh in reply toBuffafly

Reading this about eliquis is what alerted me a while back.

drugs.com/answers/correlati...

And then there's this as well. Guilty on two counts for me - ACE inhibitor which was doubled at my onset of AF, as well as several years of amitriptyline, but off for the past year.

goodrx.com/blog/these-11-pr...

I've had my hearing checked and I have a sudden and dramatic dip which the audiologist attributed to an explosion or gunshot at some point. I'm not aware of either so it remains a mystery so far,

marcyh

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply tomarcyh

Hi marcyh, that's really interesting- I looked at that site about a possible connection between tinnitus and eliquis, oddly enough my tinn hasn't got worse (touch wood!) after starting the med, but I have had it pretty extreme for some three years now- hmm, nothing's predictable about any of this is it?!

Spoiler profile image
Spoiler

I cannot take that drug at all, but I am highly sensitive with my afib. No caffeine either for me. I took it once for neuropathy, but it triggered my afib.

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply toSpoiler

Thanks for that Spoiler, it's a crap condition we've got!

Crystalbowl profile image
Crystalbowl

I take Amatriptilyne 30mg in the evening for chronic severe post herpetic neuralgia pain following an attack of shingles in .January this year. I also take a range of meds for AF and heart failure, Carvedilol, Digoxin, Candesartan, Fuorsemide, Spironolactone and Riveroxaban and had a CRT-pacemaker implanted on 31/10. The Cardiac GP I have been seeing was not happy about the Amatriptilyne as he said it can cause erratic heart rhythms but my Cardiologist hasn’t commented. However, I think it does help me to sleep which is important as I have been an insomniac most of my life although I am not sleeping quite as well as I was so the effect might be wearing off. I also take max dose of Paracetamol throughout the day. I am not sure how much good this does for the pain but it might be taking the edge off it. I resisted taking any meds for years for my heart condition but was put on them when I was hospitalised in Madeira in January for a chest infection which sent my heart markers soaring. The shingles came after this possibly due to the stress of it all.

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply toCrystalbowl

Thanks Crystalbowl, I'm genuinely sorry you have to suffer so much with this horrible condition, but based on that I think I'll just have to skip the amitryptaline from now on- the very best of luck in dealing with your burden!

123Abc123 profile image
123Abc123

It’s possible, I believe, to get a hearing aid which produces white noise which can go some way into helping tinnitus.

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply to123Abc123

Hi 123Abc123, thanks for your response- yes I was provided with a pair of hearing aids that play white noise by the local NHS (they're like gold dust!) and they help on occasions; it's another of those chronic conditions that we are told to "get used to", much like the atfib!

Kaz747 profile image
Kaz747

I take 10 mg of Amitriptyline at night (for postherpetic neuralgia). My EP, GP, Slwwp Specialist and Pharmacist have said it’s such a low dose it won’t interfere with anything- except the nerve pain- and it does help me sleep.

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply toKaz747

Hm, thanks for that Kaz747; yes that was the dose I was taking on occasions- my GP actually advised me to come off it as it might interfere with the BP meds and now Apixaban and bisoprolol I'm on. It seems whichever doctor you talk to you get different advice! I guess we're all different and what works for one person might not for another- still, I'm sure the odd amitryptaline once in a while won't do any harm.

Kingsley09 profile image
Kingsley09

I use to take amitriptyline for nerve pain which helped me only 10 mg at night but I developed afib and had to stop the amitriptyline as it started to lower my heart rate to much and I ended up collapsing in town and was in hospital for 3 days so he very careful

Clivecsw profile image
Clivecsw in reply toKingsley09

Hi Kingsley09, thanks for that- yeah, it's a bit tricky with the amitryptaline isn't it? I was prescribed it to help me get some respite from my tinnitus but after developing afib the doc told me to try and drop it; I have done now, I was on the same dose as you. Interesting about the heart rate stuff- I used to beat at a regular 60 but after being put on bisoprolol I'm down to a crazy 42ish- not sure if that's a good thing?! Glad you got over your dodgey turn, best of luck!

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Amitriptyline and AF

Hi, I have had AF which was sorted by an ablation in June 2023, and have not had any episodes...
nmr1h profile image

Anxiety and af

Hi all not been on for a couple of days as I've just needed to take some time and get my head...
Benji20k profile image

AF and the mind.

As a relative newcomer to both AF and this forum I am really struck by how much our minds influence...

AF

I had an AF back in June this year. I'm about to return to work in the next week. I want to feel...
gwyn53 profile image

Squash and AF

Hi All, I'm new to this site. I was first diagnosed with AF 4 years ago. I've been lucky in that I...
AndyFoz profile image

Moderation team

See all
Kelley-Admin profile image
Kelley-AdminAdministrator
jess-admin profile image
jess-adminAdministrator
Emily-Admin profile image
Emily-AdminAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.