Has anyone found antidepressants help with the pain?

[Summerhappiness]

Hi all,

I'm new here. I have had painful periods since they began when I was 11. I think my endometriosis was masked for years when I went on the contraceptive pill at 17. I wasn't diagnosed at this point as I thought my experiences were normal.

I came off the pill and we tried to conceive for 7 years in total and went through IVF to have my son. A laproscopy showed endometriosis at the back of my womb which was burned away.

I have been suffering much worse from painful, heavy periods since having my son. He is 4 now. I have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome also which I think is just part of my endometriosis as I have always had bowel symptoms with it.

I'm finding that the pain is making me miserable and feel I don't have many options for pain relief. I'm on desogestrol which I take continuously, meaning now breaks for periods. I'm waiting for another laparscopy and have been for 6 months now. I'm allergic to codeine, NSAID's trigger ibs symptoms and gave me gastritis a few years ago which took a long time to get over. I only really have paracetamol, hot water bottles and tramadol when pain is severe (which then keeps me awake).

I've read that antidepressants can help with the pain and oestrogen levels. Is anyone on antidepressants? Are they helping?

I feel quite miserable and alone with this as I don't know anyone with it. Any advice is appreciated.

[endowarrior12]

Hey, just wanted to reassure you that you don’t need to feel alone anymore. We’re here and completely understand 💛. Like yourself I have tramadol but was having trouble sleeping. When speaking with my GP last year I told her how I was getting a lot of nerve pain in my back and going down my legs. She started me on Amitriptyline and I haven’t looked back. It does help a bit with the nerve pain but most of all it helps me sleep and it’s bliss. It’s prescribed for migraines, nerve pain and it’s also an antidepressant. Everyone reacts differently to medications but it has helped me. I think we can cope so much better when we’ve had some sleep. Hope that helps 😊 xx

[Summerhappiness in reply to endowarrior12]

Thank you so much for your reply.

I get pain in my lower back and tops of my legs also. I will try and get to see my GP about this to discuss options. Sleep has definitely become a big issue for me over the past three months and I think it is part of the cause for the fatigue I feel most days which leads to mood swings.

I'm glad to hear that you have tried something that helps you. 😊xx

[endowarrior12 in reply to Summerhappiness]

I can really sympathise, the fatigue is difficult enough but when your not getting a good sleep at night everything just feels worse doesn’t it. Hope you find something that helps 🤞🏻 and good luck with the gp xx

[BeYouUk in reply to endowarrior12]

Please tell me which doctor prescribes you tramadol? GP? or the gynecologist? private or nhs? I get it from the surgeon in another country where I had surgery but the GP only keeps me on paracetamol with codeine and it has no effect.

[Summerhappiness in reply to BeYouUk]

My GP prescribes me Tramadol. I'm allergic to codeine and cannot take NSAID's. I ended up with gastritis a couple of years ago due to NSAID's. They aren't keen on prescribing Tramadol but I only take it when my pain is severe, when paracetamol and a hot water bottle isn't managing it.

Have you spoken to your GP about the pain not being managed?

I find Tramadol does not completely get rid of the pain, it takes the edge off and calms me down but I'm finding it keeps me awake at night when I have taken it.

[endowarrior12 in reply to BeYouUk]

Mine is prescribed by my gp (NHS)

[PunkyPeanutButterCup]

Hey, I have been on a few antidepressants. The only one that I've found has actually been helpful and I can be on long term has been amitriptyline aswell. In my experience it helps me feel a bit more relaxed before bed, so helps me sleep. Just levels me out a bit aswell. Can leave you feeling a bit groggy in the morning to begin with but that wears off after a while xx

[BloomingMarvellous]

It is the gift that keeps giving no ? You’re not alone and lots of support.

I use a combo of things to manage and support myself. None are the whole answer but do explore. You may need care of the medics with excision surgery or other recommendations.

I found I didn’t cope with Amitriptyline but instead do well with Nortriptyline which is known to have less side effects. I find I even halve the lowest dose of 10mcg to 5 for benefit. Higher than that and am too dozy all day. My sleep, pain and mood all improved.

My GP also suggested at same time I try the Curable App which is a major help. You can get a 6 wk trial on NHS for free or start yourself with a two week free trial. I now pay a tiny annual fee which is totally worth it. Helps in and out of flares . Wouldn’t be without it .

In the background I put in the work to understand what might physically support me and use two main stays . First: I figured much out for myself as have medical and nutrition profession , but since have come across Katie Edmonds book Heal Endo . She also has an instagram feed of same title. Omega 3, Reservatoral, and Quercitin are my essentials.

Second, look to your pelvic floor. Specialist pelvic physio for endo is key. NOT KEGELS OR ANY TIGHTING OF CORE !!!! You can ask via your endo team for an appropriate referral, look at hypopressives training physio , or to start with listen to Dr Angie Mullers interview with Leah Brueg ( @leah-brueg podcast 52 ) to understand why it’s essential for pelvic pain and health. You could look at @corerecoverypt for more useful information.

[Summerhappiness in reply to BloomingMarvellous]

Thank you. I'll definitely look into some of these suggestions. I appreciate any tips. 😊

[DutchVanderling]

not sure if I’m best to reply as I’ve been on antidepressants since I was 12, and tbh I’m a major depressive but I will say that anti depressants can level out your hormones - well they certainly play with hormones and *can* level them out, but they can also send oestrogen levels high. Pain wise… I couldn’t say that they helped for that (I’ve been on a lot of different ones at different levels) but it can’t hurt to se your gp and ask. Antidepressants can have a wonderful effect on your hormones and the reverse - it’s honestly just about finding the right type at the right dosage. I’d say give it a go - they’ll only give you a low dose of probably an SSRI (one of the branches of ads) to start and I’d say it could at least help with some of the problems, if they do t then at that level it would be pretty easy to switch to something else or just come off them.

I have heard some say they can help with menstrual pain but that’s never been my experience of it sadly. But everyone is completely different - there’s absolutely no harm or shame on asking to try one for it.

[Summerhappiness]

Thank you so much for all of your replies everyone. It's nice to know there is good support on here.

I've just been to see my GP and she has prescribed me low dose Amitriptyline to try and has given me some contact details to chase my laparoscopy.

Hopefully a good night sleep tonight and I'll feel equipped enough to cope again. 🤞

Take care. Xx

[GlobalTraveller]

Hi Summer, Similarly to you I started my periods aged 11 and after years of chronic pain I started the pill at 18. This did not have a massive impact on the pain and like you resorted to taking paracetamol (which did nothing) and hot water bottles. I am now nearly 49 and am just starting to get answers regarding endometriosis. I started taking anti-depressants at 40 (Sertraline) and was always very emotional/ hormonal every month prior to being diagnosed as depressed. For my low mood anti-depressants were productive for some time, (you get used to them and have to increase dosages) However they did nothing in terms of pain management or heavy flow. Amitriptyline did not suit me as i literally was a zombie wanting to sleep all day, but for some it works wonders. I hope this helps information helps you and you find a medication that suits you. ☺️

[GlobalTraveller in reply to GlobalTraveller]

PS. I have IBS too. Remember you are not alone x

[Summerhappiness]

Thank you so much for sharing your story. Sorry to hear it didn't help you.

All we can do is hope for more treatments in the future with more research. 🤞

[bunmum2]

Hi Summer,

I had endo. for most of my reproductive years, despite being diagnosed in my late twenties, the care I recieved was inadequate and I was made to feel like either a nuisence or even imagining it, by successive G.P.'s and gynaecologists. Having had an extremely painful flare up which landed me in A+E at 2am when I was 46 yrs, I was given paracetamol by drip as my gut was so sore I couldnt take anything orally. I was put on Zoladex implants into abdomen, I lasted two months/two implants later, and gave up on them, they worked so well that I couldn't even think to read a book - totally shut my brain down! Then I found a fabulous medical herbalist who put me on Vitex Agnus Castus tincture - professional strength and dose, This stuff was brilliant, it felt to me like it set my hormones at a rate that stopped the endo. pain and helped greatly with depression anxiety all of which I think were triggered by the constant pain. She also prescribed other herbs which complimented the action of the Vitex. I just wish that I'd found her sooner I might have been able to have kids if I had.

So, in your shoes I would start searching for a really good medical herbalist, they not not easy to find but for me herbs worked better than NHS prescriptions and didn't cost that much more either.

I'm post menopause now, having trouble sleeping and have found that Passiflora (Passion flower) tea works really well too.

[BeYouUk in reply to bunmum2]

Hi! can we talk in private I would like you to tell me the name of the naturopath. Also what plants you take. I take: Black Ribes Tincture; Tincture of Lady Mantle; Q10; Quercetin; Magnesium glycinate; Zn; Celadrin; MSM and prescribed painkillers..

[bunmum2 in reply to BeYouUk]

Hello BeYouUk, Sadly the herbalist who helped me so much has retired, but you can search for a herbalist on the national institute of medical herbalists website nimh.org.uk/seeaherbalist/

I hope this helps you get the help you need.

[Knina]

Hi Summer happiness, I was on Cymbalta for about 1.5. It helped me with nerve pain in pelvis. I stopped taking it since I do not want to be on the antidepressants for long and my pain became significantly better due to PT.

[Summerhappiness]

Thank you for replying to me. I'm glad you found PT helped you and we're able to come off of it. 😊

I'm finding the Amitriptyline is helping me sleep and have less shooting pain in my lower abdomen at the moment. I'm really hoping it is just needed until my laparoscopy, if they're able to find and remove any tissue. I know it isn't a permanent fix but just a bit of relief would make all the difference. I'm trying to do a bit of light exercise when I can also.