Help with lack of sleep 💤

[Booksgranny]

Hi all hope you’re having a reasonable day? I’m quite new on here & newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I also have had osteoarthritis for many years. I take Naproxen as & when for pain but at the moment I can’t sleep. I use This Works pillow spray & wear compression socks. My Consultant & GP want me to go on Amptrypoline a mild antidepressant for the lack of sleep & pain but I’m reluctant. Anyone had any issues with this medication & can you just stop taking it if it doesn’t agree with you? Thanks 🙏🏻

[golly123]

Hiya. I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The rheumatologist has not yet prescribed anything for this. All terribly slow. I'm on prescription painkillers nefopam 2 tabs 3 times a day. OTC co-codamol as a top up if needed and aramorphate if needed. Even with all of these three painkillers I am still in pain all night.

What has helped me is Zoplicone (sleeping tablets) prescribed by my GP. He will only let me have 10 as they are addictive. I take them when I am exhausted and get the best nights sleep EVER. I don't wake up until the following afternoon. I don't take them every night. I wake up feeling a bit groggy but I feel like I have caught up on sleep. Maybe worth a try.

Best of luck. JO

[Booksgranny in reply to golly123]

Cheers thanks for the info 👍

[Micro in reply to golly123]

I'm now prescribed Phenergan (antihistamine) for getting to sleep after years of Zopiclone. (I've become tolerant to Zop.) It mostly helps. I find I need some Zop. To STAY asleep. I often take just half a Zop with the Phenegran, seems to work tight now. Who knows what next week will bring. ZOPICLONE 7.5mg made me sleep nine hours for years. I was told to take it a few days then have two days off it to avoid addiction.

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

Amitriptiline is commonly used for fibromyalgia, and I know quite a few people who have found it helps with sleep

Not a medication I've personal experience of, as I couldn't tolerate it. Only way to find out if a medication works for you is to try it xxx

[Booksgranny in reply to Hazel_Angelstar]

Thanks for your reply 🙏🏻👍

[Booksgranny in reply to Hazel_Angelstar]

Thank you all for your advice. I’ll talk to GP. She is happy for me to take Naproxen as & when cos of side effects but an antidepressant I suppose is different. I’ll soldier on for now. Best of luck everyone 🤗

[Cat00]

I can't sleep if I don't take Amitriptyline, it gives me a sleep window, if I miss that I don't sleep.

[Booksgranny in reply to Cat00]

Thank you for your advice 🤗

[Diolch1]

Hi I was on Amitriptyline for quite some time. It really helped get some sleep. Never had any side effects from it. Not on it now as taking medication for restless legs which helps me sleep.

[Booksgranny in reply to Diolch1]

Thanks I’ll give it a go 😀

[Balvenie in reply to Diolch1]

Hi can I ask what your on for restless legs ?

[Diolch1 in reply to Balvenie]

I’m on pramipexole as my legs were really bad at night. It’s for Parkinson’s and restless legs. My legs go into spasm and jerk forward all night without it.

[Kitten-whiskers]

Good morning Booksgranny,

Sleep is definately an issue, I can not tolerant medications but once a week I do allow (and can tolerate) one low dose Amitriptiline tablet - and to be honest I look forward to it, it as a rule gives me a great nights sleep, I did used to feel a bit groggy in the mornings but I don't get that anymore. I have been taking one a week for a couple of years and have not had any issues. I can not take more than one a week though as the side effects outway any benefit - but thats just my whacky body 😊

[Booksgranny in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Thanks 🙏🏻 for your reply kitten-whiskers I’ll certainly try that as didn’t realise you could take it as & when. I thought you had to take it constantly every day. I only take Naproxen about once a week cos of side effects. I’ll speak with my GP - cheers 👍

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Booksgranny]

You're welcome, It's what works for me, they stopped the amitriptyline when I told them I only taken it once a week, which they must have realised as I only had a repeat prescription twice a year, but then it for given to me again for my IBS and they seem to have calmed down

🙃

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff in reply to Booksgranny]

Please speak to your gp before altering the dose of your medication. Amitriptiline is meant to be taken on a regular basis, not as and when. Because a dose suits someone else does not necessarily mean it is the correct dose for you.

[Lypsie56 in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

I've been prescribed Amytriptyline before and had terrible constipation. I have recently had awful pain caused by arthritis and fibromyalgia. I will try taking a tablet once a week instead of every day.

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Lypsie56]

I'm so sorry to hear that. The one tablet a week only helps me with sleep not pain as its such a small dose but having one really.good nights sleep a week is better than very little

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to Lypsie56]

I would speak to your pharmacist or GP. Some drugs are meant to be taken as and when like acute pain killers and others like insulin must be taken every day. Taking them not as prescribed is not advised and can be counter productive or worse.

Amitriptyline for most would be in this latter category and take time to build up and be effective. Taking smaller doses or an alternate medication if this does not agree with you but going off the prescribed guidelines is not a good idea without instruction.

[HealthAnxietyGuy in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

I’m the same with pharmaceuticals. I’m sensitive to them as well. Have you been tested for sleep apnea, Vitamin D deficiency? Those two can wreak havoc on sleep issues as it did for me.

Also, try probiotics but for sleep what helped me significantly is good sleep schedule, if possible before 10, no later than 10:30pm.

But especially also Camomile tea. I use Tetley Dream Camomile since it contains Licorice which is also good for the bowels, indigestion. Some need higher doses of the tea but for me it’s been working well one bag. If I wake up in the middle of the night I simply sip a few gulps of the remaining tea as I don’t drink it all.

Hope this helps.

[Trinity6611 in reply to Kitten-whiskers]

Totally with you - one a week works for me also and like you it used to make me feel groggy in the morning but not any more, I to look forward to one nights decent sleep 😴

[Kitten-whiskers in reply to Trinity6611]

Thank you, it's so good to hear I am not alone, it works a treat for me

😁

[KimiJay]

Hi Booksgranny. I tried Amitryptoline about thirteen years ago or so. My daughter in law said to persist with it, so I did and sat watching the then, summer Olympics like a zombie. Several months later I still felt sleepy all the time and couldn't do anything so I gradually came off it. - You need to find out for yourself how it works for you or not. - Since then I've gone with herb teas and tried different natural remedies or supplements when other problems added to the misery of fibro. But it's a wicked beast and keeps finding new ways to make you miserable but there are as many things to fight it. Acupuncture and the normal sort of chiropractic are good for pain and other issues and give me some of my life back. - Right now, at nightime, Magnesium glycinate seems to be helping with pain and I have just started taking nmn in the morning and I think it is making a difference and is good against ageing. The body makes this itself but online articles say our bodies can never have enough of so it's pretty safe and probably ok with amitryptaline, so ask your Doc (who may even decide to take it themself). Good luck with this.

[Booksgranny in reply to KimiJay]

Thank you for your advice. I’ve recently gone on statins as well & they can cause pain but I’m ok so far. I’m going to try reflexology. I was on glucosamine & chrondroitin for arthritis for about 5 years but stopped last year as felt they weren’t helping. I suppose it’s good to try alternatives first. 🤗

[KimiJay in reply to Booksgranny]

Reflexology may be relaxing which will help. Hope it does. My acupuncturist massages my feet while the needles are in. I find that quite calming. It is about keeping on trying things isn't it. I feel so lucky I don't have arthritis. Still get stiff and lock up sometimes when I do too much but I'm learning to stop myself!

[Sarahvit]

Hi Booksgranny, I’m on Amitriptyline 100mg been on it for years. Back in 94 the doctor prescribed it for me to help with pain and sleep. I did have a reaction which made my heart rate jump up to 130 when walking across the room. After monitoring it for several days I called the doctor’s office who said to come in for a EKG. Later that afternoon I got a call from the doctor who said to stop taking it until my heart rate drops. So I didn’t take it that night I only slept 45 minutes that night! Needless to say I called the pharmacist the next day to get his advice and learned that you can’t just stop taking it you have to wean off of it. So the next night I took it and slept much better. Fast forward it to 2012 or there about’s I had a doctor tell me about melatonin to take around 7:30pm that it will help make me sleepy around 10-11pm. I took it back in the 90’s at bed time and it didn’t help back then but taking it early has helped make me sleepy between 10 -11pm 98% of the time. Last night it didn’t work so ended up listening to my “meditate me” app by Kelly Howell the healing meditation which works great as a sleeping pill. It is my back up plan if sleep isn’t happening. There was once or twice that it didn’t knock me out but I have probably listened to it a 100 times. It is a guided meditation and I usually don’t get much passed the deep breathing part. Or sleep music will work which has theta and delta waves imbedded in the music. The isochronic tones usually makes me have bad dreams but the binaural beats does not effect my dreams. Most of the music with the isochronic tones has a higher pitch tone that comes a crossed as screeching sounds to me so go with which every one for sleep music sounds best for you. I use to take an ambiem 10mg as needed for sleep but have found that the healing meditation works just as good if not faster. Never really had the drugged feeling form the ambiem but I have a higher tolerance to medications then the average person and much higher tolerance than my identical twin sister who does not have fibromyalgia and CFS/ME. She has her own unique health problems with her heart. She goes this Thursday for an aortic valve replacement surgery. Please pray everything goes well for her.

[Booksgranny in reply to Sarahvit]

Thanks so much for your detailed reply . So glad you mentioned that it affected your heart as I have had a SVT ( very rapid heart rate) so maybe it won’t be good for me. I may try meditation though & a sleep app. Wishing your sister all the best & hope all goes well for her 🤗

[Sarahvit in reply to Booksgranny]

You are welcome. Sorry I tend to ramble. My heart rate has dropped but right now is up because I’m not feeling well. Too much stress in my life. Normally my resting heart rate is low 60’s to upper 50’s but last night was 67 and peaked today at 125 and walking average was 94. Normally is in the mid 80’s. Not Amitriptyline but stress. It did come down over time with the Amitriptyline side effect of tachycardia. I didn’t know what SVT was so googled it. Amitriptyline may not be the best choice for you. My ticker beats to a different drummer too. It maybe a fibro thing? I don’t know. Thank you Booksgranny. 💜❤️

[Booksgranny in reply to Sarahvit]

Take care 🤗

[Sarahvit in reply to Booksgranny]

You too. 🤗💜

[HealthAnxietyGuy]

Hello, Hope you’re doing well. Have you been tested for sleep apnea, Vitamin D deficiency? Those two can wreak havoc on sleep issues as it did for me.

Also, try probiotics and for sleep what helped me significantly is good sleep schedule, if possible before 10, no later than 10:30pm.

But especially also Camomile tea. I use Tetley Dream Camomile since it contains Licorice which is also good for the bowels, indigestion. Some need higher doses of the tea but for me it’s been working well. If I wake up in the middle of the night I simply sip a few gulps of the remaining tea as I don’t drink it all.

Hope this helps.

[Booksgranny in reply to HealthAnxietyGuy]

Thank you. I do have decaf tea mostly but don’t like the herbal teas but may give them another go. “This Works” pillow spray does help sometimes. Take care

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hi there,I hope you eventually find something to suit and start getting some decent zzzzzzz good luck x

[roxmason]

Hi my gp prescribed promethazine, it's an antihistamine. It's not addictive. I take it a couple of times a week. I've gone from 2 hours sleep to 4/5 hours. I would advise if you have restless leg syndrome you have to get the dose right. I was perscribed upto x2 25mg at night. I've found 12.5mg (have to bit a 25mg in half) is the right dose. Hope this helps.

[jules6]

Amptrypoline - I have had this is the past without issue, didn't even realise it was a mild antidepressant at the time. Mostly don't take anything though, even for Crohns, not for 30 + years.