Nortripyline 10mg : Does anyone have any... - Endometriosis UK

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Nortripyline 10mg

Em0000 profile image
12 Replies

Does anyone have any experience with nortriptyline as a nerve blocker?

I'm having pain everyday, and don't mentruate so the gp has given me nortriptyline to help the pain. Did this work for you?

I've had amytriptaline before and i felt like a complete zombie.

Thank you in advance.

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Em0000 profile image
Em0000
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12 Replies
AllthatGlitters profile image
AllthatGlitters

Hello I was put onto amatryptalyne for my pain with fibromyalgia, it didn’t work for me so I’m now on nortryptaline 40mg each day for nerve pain, it doesn’t help my endo/adeno pain though. I have been given naproxen, codeine and tramadol for pain. When my pain is severe I take tramadol, which takes the edge of the labour like pains I experience. Have you been given anything else to help you with pain? X

Em0000 profile image
Em0000 in reply to AllthatGlitters

Hi! Yes, I've been given 800mg ibuprofen and tramadol too, I'm a few months away from my second laparoscopy and cyst removal, so pain is really starting to build up again. Has it helped with your nerve pain at all?

AllthatGlitters profile image
AllthatGlitters in reply to Em0000

It has helped with my pain from fibro but it’s not helped in anyway with my pain I get from endo/adeno x

Lusciouslips profile image
Lusciouslips

I am on 40mg , and sadly it doesn't work for my endo or adeno, but it does take a little edge of my fibromyalgia.

Ethel-Cloud profile image
Ethel-Cloud

Hiya, I have also been prescribed Nortriptyline by my pain management consultant. I was told to take it at night. But I feel in a state of sedation even when I wake up. I took it for a little while though, and definitely felt it was helping the sharp stab / nerve associated pain. I have recently stopped taking it just because I was useless in work in the mornings. My husband takes it for nerve damage in his leg and just functions as normal !? Have you started taking it yet? I am going to give it another go though, it might just take a while to get used to.

I also take Naproxen - which helps loads, especially for those sudden unpredictable flare ups! It upsets my stomach a bit the next day. Do you take magnesium at all? (That's if you are ok to take it.) I have been taking it, and it seems to help with overall symptoms.

RJane83 profile image
RJane83

hi lovely so sorry your suffering 🥺

I was on amitriptyline but was making me feel the same as yourself and not really helping-

my GP changed my medication to nortriptyline and I’ll be honest at first it seemed to help take the edge off but I’m still getting terrible cramp pains and when I have a big flare up it doesn’t help at all - I have been re-referred to gynaecologist and gastroenterologist as I could have IBD, but it could also be Endo related to my bowels. I’m in pain everyday ranging from bearable cramp pains to worse than labour pains.

I’m limited on what I can take medication wise for pain as I’m on Rivaroxaban for life after two episodes of unprovoked pulmonary embolisms ( before COVID not related)

I really hope you can get some relief and feel better

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl

I've just been prescribed amitryptaline 10mg last week and told to start on half a tablet at night only as it 'can cause drowsiness ' but I'm really scared now as I don't want to be a zombie, when I started mefenemic acid 500mg the first time I was always out of it. I hope you're ok and the pain eases.

Lamey profile image
Lamey

Hi hunny I have been on most pain medications for chronic pain.I can't take amitriptyline or nortriptyline.

It really helped with my depression but I had terrible side effects.

Nightmares, sleepwalking -hubby got me at top of stairs and I burned myself with boiling water also from kettle.

Weight gain was another factor ,I have to keep weight of my legs due to chronic leg pain

But everyone is different this may work for you .

But keep a diary note how you feel daily .

Then you can present it to consultant if it's not for to xx

Cailleach profile image
Cailleach

I am on nortryptyline. I do find it helps me. I take it in the late afternoon, and that helps with the am drowsiness, it doesn’t seem to make you immediately drowsy, it happens much later. I do find it helps with sleeping though even taking it earlier in the day.

I have to say I can only manage 20mg, as I am taking it with Gabapentin and they interact. The recommended dose is 50mg but you could also experiment and see if a lower dose helps you at all. Talk to your doctor, it comes in 10mg.

Hope this is of help to you x

cleth2 profile image
cleth2

Hi, obviously everyone is different but from my experience with Nortryptilline (my daughter took it for persistent headaches) she nearly ended up in a Psych ward. It has a black box warning for anyone under the age of 24, and she was 14. We found out the hard way. My advice is stay away from it. I have heard of lots of similar stories through patients (I’m in healthcare). If you felt like a zombie in Amitryptilline then I’m guessing you wouldn’t feel great with this one either. Good luck.

Steve2357 profile image
Steve2357

I am on 50mg of Nortripyline for the chronic pain from the adhesions of past surgery for Crohn's Disease. It does help with the pain and I have not had any side effects.

I cannot remember what I was on before and that did turn me into a zombie.

I always check the dose of these antidepressants used for pain relief against the dose when used as an antidepressant, if they are too close then you tend to get the side effects.

BloomingMarvellous profile image
BloomingMarvellous

I use Nortriptyline after feeling really shit on Amitriptyline. The side effects are far fewer but it did take a few days to kick in. My Gp also gave me a six week free course on Curable which I started at the same time and both together have been really helpful.

A few things though. Neither are a treatment for endometriosis- it’s still an issue and well treating /managing the endo is a necessity. Both have enabled me to claw back some quality of life though and that has to be a bonus. Neither is a replacement for dealing with the actual medical or other issues at root although damn sure the medics think no pain or reduced pain means we don’t have anything to be responsible for herein. 😂😳. It does make you more thirsty and it’s drying so you need to ensure you are taking on board at least two litres daily of water. I find 10mcg too much …. So have halved it mostly even though they think 10 is the minimum dose. Clearly am sensitive flower or am slow to clear it out of my system. 10 and am virtually asleep / zombie like all morning.

It has enabled me to sleep mostly right through most nights and my mental health has improved as a result. I’ve tried with a period off it for six weeks as it was such a low dose but lose mobility if I do that with the pain. I use it alongside supplements which are part of my life raft . If you are taking thyroid meds it can affect the amount you need so keep a check.

Surely I would prefer not to have to use it but I was at a point where it was that or head to Dignitas because of the pain and quality of life being so poor so it’s a trade off. Side effects wise the Amitriptyline is notoriously bad and this is a better version for most.

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