Help with meds???: Hi I'm currently on... - Anxiety Support

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Help with meds???

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Hi I'm currently on amitriptyline for anxiety has anyone else been given this for anxiety. Not sure if this is a good med to take. Would appreciate some advice. Thankyou

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Jeff1943 profile image
Jeff1943

Amitriptyline is good for treating both depression and anxiety by increasong the amount of the happy hormone called serotonin in our bodies. It's been around since the 1960s so diesn't hold any surprises, it went out of fashion when prozac came along but has now cone back into fashion as it has less sude effects than the new anti depressants.

However, it can make you feel a bit sleepy if you havent had a good nights sleep, makes you mouth a bit dry and long term can make you put on weight. But it does the job - when the time comes to come off it come off very gradually tapering down over a few months.

in reply to Jeff1943

Thankyou so much for the advice. I wasn't sure what these tablets where for. I definitely could do with a good sleep. X

alfie19 profile image
alfie19 in reply to Jeff1943

Amitriptyline is good for both anxiety and depession being in a low mood.

I took Prosac for years then gradually came off it as my weight increased too much.

I take 10mg Amitripylene at night when I feel I need it but when you first take it you have to allow 6 o 8 weeks to feel a difference the side effect after several months is that it can make your skin itch so I came off it but my skin is still very itchy but this is down to another issue I have an allergy to flour and too much sugar this is what I have had to find out myself as I had been trying to lose weight but was craving for something sweet so had a binge on cakes the itchiness gets worse with anxiety and stress so finding a new way to cope is a new challenge for me.

Slimming World did not help so now changing my diet for no carbs eating plenty and veg fish and a little rice which can all be cooked in the microwave.

Have replaced potatoes with sweet potatoes these are great roasted or mashed and greeted chopped up into casserole..

Jeff1943 profile image
Jeff1943

Alfie, you are using amitriptyline as a sleeping tablet and although it can make you sleepy that's not really what it's for - it's for anxiety and depression in which case the dosage is three or four 25mg tablets a day. When it's working a maintenance dose of two 25mg tablets a day will suffice.

Your dosage of 10mg when you need it is far too low a dosage to be effective against anxiety and/or depression (according to the Notes that accompany this med) and the only reason it is given in such a low dosage as 10mg is for stopping nerve pain. Maybe clarify this with your doctor.

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