Hi, I'm new to this group. I was diagnosed with fibro last month when I went to my annual rheumatology check up for my rheumatoid arthritis. It was a bit of a shock because I thought it was my arthritis flaring up - but at the same time it's not a surprise because both my sister and mum suffer with fibro.
I'm now into the first week of taking amitriptyline, just 10 mg that will be bumped up to 20 mg from Thursday. It's already helping me to sleep a little better but leaving me really groggy throughout the day (I'm taking it around 7pm) and I'm told it could take up to six weeks for it to help with the pain.
For those of you who find amitriptyline helps, how long did it take for you to see some pain relief?
Written by
mjrminor
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hello just want to welcome you here. It’s not something I’ve ever been put on but I am hoping some members that have can give you some helpful advice, we all react differently to meds and very much can be trial and error along the way. My daughter has fibro so does seem it can run in families. Arthritis is no fun either I have it in my knee and damp wet days it can certainly kick off. I’ve joined the 60 club last year so I am getting used to having a body that does not work so well😉, cannot wait for the warm Spring weather , take care.
Yes it take several weeks to benefit from taking Amitriptyline. I take mine about 1930 hrs along with Baclofen for my MS symptoms. The tiredness is something you will hopefully get use to and I have a midday nap to help the tiredness
I took them for 3 months they never help me at all , then I had gaberpentin 100 and 300 ones they did help at night and Iv got tramdol if really bad , but nothing takes the pain away completely as I suffer so bad with my back at nights
My worst pain is at night and don’t sleep very well at all
Hi and welcome it does take 2 to 3 weeks to settle and work from the start. I take mine early evening 7pm that way I am not groggy. Have taken it a long while now it helps with nerve pain and sleep. Good luck Misty 👍
Hello! Yes I’m just diagnosed too and on amitriptyline now at 20mg. The grogginess does lift but it takes time. I’ve been signed off work to get past this but I’ve found it helps if you stick to your normal routines of waking up. Bit of a battle with the eyelids first though - it feels like they are glued shut with you awake behind them, really weird!
Stick with it, keep moving and eventually you’ll get some relief.
I know I feel better when I am busy and my mind is occupied so maybe try that to relieve the lethargic/groggy feeling. Baking, reading, walking any distraction (including working which is naughty when signed off but I can’t stop) will help focus your thoughts and bring alertness.
I’m hopeful with these pills- I have hardly slept for about 5 years because pain would drive me out of bed after about 1.5 hrs. Since starting them I sleep well for about 5. It’s a massive improvement and I’m so glad of them.
Keep going and wish me luck because I go back to my job as assistant headteacher on Monday. Ready as I’ll ever be for the teenage madness that is secondary education!
Thanks for sharing Lesterthecat. Sounds like you're a few days ahead of me with treatment. I start the 20mg from tonight. I'm definitely falling asleep faster already but still waking in the early hours with pain. Hopefully the second tablet will help.
Before I changed careers I worked as a primary school teacher, so I'm not surprised you've had to take time off to deal with this transition time. I'm self employed and work from home now, so have reduced my hours for the same reason. But like you I find it difficult to sit and do nothing.
Good luck with it all and I hope the sleep problem continues to get even better.
I was given Amitriptyline to start with. Was told I could gradually increase to 40mg. I tried 30mg for a week but I was so spaced out. 20mg helps but it doesn't stop the pain completely. GP recently add Sertraline which I take in the morning. I still have some pain, but it's bearable now. I reckon there will always be some degree of pain, it's just finding an optimum level.
I'm glad your pain has improved with the meds, if not gone entirely. My sister who also has fibro said the same thing to me - that the pain never entirely goes even with meds, but you learn to cope with it.
I’ve been taking it for so long now, it’s hard to say exactly, but I would think six weeks would probably be average. I take it for sciatic pain and for fibromyalgia. I’ve whittled it down to 25mg a night now, but have taken up to 50mg in the past. Unfortunately I’ve taken it since 2007 and am finding it very difficult to get off, without horrible side affects and it’s not something I would advise people to go on, for this reason alone. I spoke to a doctor about the fact that I can’t get off it, and their contribution was to say “It’s a horrible drug”, which I’d already found out for myself.
Also, even after all this time, it still makes me feel groggy the following morning, So don’t expect that to change, you just need to plan your day accordingly.
Thanks for sharing your story, and I'm sorry to hear you've had a rough time trying to get off amitriptyline. I've only been on it for a week and stepped up to 20mg as of last night. Today I feel so groggy it's hard to do much at all. I'm going to give it a try for a bit and see what happens. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis I spent a year trying different drugs to find one that works, so I guess this is going to be much the same.
I just wanted to warn you, while you have not been on it very long. My husband has psoriatic arthritis, which comes under the umbrella of RA and one of the drugs he takes is sulfasalazine, I don’t know if you have ever been offered . He also takes a very strong anti- inflammatory which you can’t get over the counter, he had to take a PPI due to it being so strong.
20mgs is quite a low amount of amitriptyline, but even that can make you feel groggy. I hope you get some relief with it, just be careful that you don’t end up on a high dose for a long time, as there’s not a lot of medication (painkillers) that’s compatible with it.
Thanks for the advice. Like your husband I'm on sulfasalazine for inflammatory arthritis. My original rheumatologist was leaning towards psoriatic rather than rheumatoid arthritis, but said the treatments are basically the same for both.
You’re welcome. I don’t know what dosage you take of sulfasalazine but my husband is on a very high dosage and to be honest, I didn’t know you could take amitriptyline with it, so it goes to show, we learn something new every day.
It’s a double whammy when you have fibromyalgia and arthritis - I have both, but not RA, mine is OA which was early on-set (diagnosed in my 30’s), due to having hyper-mobility. It seems like a juggling act when both arthritis and fibro flare up at the same time, so I can understand you questioning how long amitriptyline takes to work. There’s still time for you to get it manageable. So don’t give up hope yet, they might even increase it again. I’ve managed to get mine down to 25mg having had it as high as 50mg, but the pain is horrendous if I drop it any further and believe me I’ve tried several times. It gives me terrible internal ‘shakes’ as well when reducing it or when withdrawing from it (another very long story from which I’ll spare you), as well as migraines and visual disturbances. Sometimes I wonder whether I should just accept that I won’t be able to stop taking it.
HiI was put on amitriptyline 10 mg then 20mg. The fog never cleared and I came off it. I will find out what meds I am on now but Gabapentine 400mg three times per day and fentynol 75mg patches one every three days.
It takes while for the DR to get the meds balanced for you.
I am re-trying it again... I have tried several times over years, but it is the grogginess I struggle with, especially if I need to drive in the morning. My job is stressful and I am trying it again due to pain and tiredness to see if I can get a better sleep. I'm just taking half a 10mg tablet, but still feel knocked off..
I hope re-trying works out better for you this time. The grogginess is hard going. I write for a living, and at the moment it's a struggle to get even a morning's work done. Still, I've only been on it for a week, so I'll need to wait and see.
The grogginess does continue unfortunately, I like to give myself 12 hours after taking it before driving. I’ve also taken it for years, so am used to it. I don’t know what time you take it, but early evening is best so it’s mainly out of your system for the next day. (The half life of amitriptyline is around 20 hours).
To add to the choir: Early dose (6pm), small dose (a 2mg drop), higher dose (25/26mg), whatever: after 4 months I had 8 side effects, so by far not just zombification, and only a bit of sleep help, so was very relieved to stop it, get a clear head again and get more success from non-med alternatives.
i was on 10mg for 2 months went back to doctors as was not helping at all put me on 25mg now so far still feel no releif pain seems worse to be honest be told to give them try
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.
What do you take for pain?
Amitriptyline and arrythmia
Amitriptyline and pregabalin
