Amitriptyline and depression

[Jenonnet]

I had been on Amitriptyline for a few years, gradually having to increase the dose for it to work efficiently. Recently, due to getting sciatica or (so the doc thought), she changed my Amitriptyline to Gabapentin, as that was supposed to help the sciatica as well as the fibro. Well it did nothing to help with the sciatica pain, but it did help with the fibro pain and also my mental health. Once the Amitriptyline was out of my system, I found that my mood lifted and felt much better in myself mentally. I became more alert and interested in things again. How can medication that is an anti-depressant actually make you depressed? I've now realised that's exactly what the Amitriptyline did! Has anyone else had this same affect? 🤔

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

I am glad you have seen an improvement,I was put on Citalopram for years for depression and it was actually anxiety I had , all them years of struggling then by chance I saw a doctor out of hours who said your on the wrong meds, she put me on duloxtene and been my saving grace x

[Jenonnet in reply to Yassytina]

So pleased you've now got the correct news you need. It's frightening really when you realise that most docs don't do the checks they should to make sure you're given the right medication. Most don't seem to care at all about what you really have, they just look for the nearest thing that fits one or two of your symptoms and say it's that what you have and these are the Meds you need, when really it's not that at all. 🙄

[LisaSnow FMA UK Volunteer in reply to Jenonnet]

To get a more tailored treatment for mental health, seeing a psychiatrist would be more appropriate as they are specialists in mental health symptoms and treatments.

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to Yassytina]

I was on citralopam for years too and it thankfully worked wonders for me. Helped me to feel ‘normal’ majority of the time so when gp said because of my age (almost 62) and having been in them for so many years I really shouldn’t be in them anymore I became even more concerned/worried but the duloxetine 60mg a/m and 30mg p/m do just as good and I have found it lessens my fibro pain slightly too so that helps. As we all know what works for one doesn’t for another.I have been through trying many pain relieving meds like all of us but have been pretty lucky and eventually found what suits and helps me so I am extremely grateful. Plus I have an amazing lady at my surgery and know I am so lucky to have her too.

[Cat00]

Pretty much all meds that can help with depression can also make it worse, same with migraines meds, they'll either help, do nothing, or make you worse.

Because they effect the mechanisms of the body in these areas it can go either way. If you read the drug notes you'll see these things are stated in the side effects. When I was a child been given both types of meds my mother was instructed to keep an eye on me bc the some of the antidepressants I was put on can actually make you suicidal. They either do nothing, make you better or in some cases make you much worse. It's always a gamble.