Newly diagnosed

[Animal99]

Hi, this is all very new to me as only been diagnosed with fibro in the last few months. I originally was told about 3yrs ago that all my symptoms were down to being peri- menopausal and put on hrt patches, then changed to different hrt medicines when these didn't do anything. I then saw a different Dr who then mention fibromyalgia. I was put on 10mg of amitriptyline which was then increased to 20mg and this really helped with my sleep but not the pain, so I've now been put on 25mg but I'm feeling groggy in the mornings since upping it. Will this get better with time ? I currently take it at around 7pm but I used to take the lower dose at at 8pm and b fine in the mornings.

[Cat00]

I've been on and off Amitriptyline for 20 years. In my experience the morning grogginess does wear off. I'm currently on a 100mg which I take at 8.30pm, but I've down at 25mg aswell. I find no matter what dose change I have, it takes a while for it to settle.

[Animal99 in reply to Cat00]

Thank you, nice to hear its not just me and its quite normal , but unfortunately it's not helping with my pain at all .

[Cat00 in reply to Animal99]

It doesn't help my pain either, I take it to help my dismal sleep!

[Animal99 in reply to Cat00]

Yes it's annoying because the 20mg really helped with my sleep and for the 1st time in yrs I actually had a good sleep but on the 25mg I'm sleeping OK still but so groggy the next day and no help with pain.

[Ninapod]

The grogginess of Amitriptyline does wear off after a while. The first few weeks of taking it, I was practically incapable of doing anything that required concentration first thing in the morning, especially driving! My dose has increased from 10mg to 50mg and I take it about an hour before going to bed. I rely on Amitriptyline for sleep and not to have debilitating headaches so the benefits outweigh the side effects.

[Animal99 in reply to Ninapod]

Thanks for your reply, I'm gonna keep going and see if the groggyness get better over next few weeks. They don't seem to be doing anything for the pain though so hoping that mite get better over time.

[Wonderwall3]

The general guidance is to take it 12 hours before you need to get up. I have been on 50mg since I was diagnosed in 2007, but my GP has recently upped it to 60mg as I am suffering more frequent and worsening pain flares. To be honest, I havent felt any benefit with pain relief from the 10mg uptick, all it seems to have done is worsen my chronic constipation/IBS. I feel a bit groggy in the mornings but that soon clears when I have breakfast. I'm waiting for a follow up appointment with the pain clinic as my GP won't change or add in any other meds until they have had some input so at the moment, I'm in limbo. When the pain gets really bad, the only thing which dampens things down is oramorph, which has its own side effects, including constipation, so I'm reluctant to take it unless I am desperate.

[Animal99 in reply to Wonderwall3]

Hi wonderwall13 thanks for your reply. I'm gonna persevere with them for awhile and hope they start getting better with the groggyness , but I also don't find they are not helping with the pain .

[Meditationlover]

Hi, it takes a few weeks for it settle down, but if it doesn't speak to your doctor xxx

[Animal99]

Thanks for your reply, i've got a appointment with him in a couple of weeks to see how I'm getting on with it, so if no better by then I see what other options I have .

[DaiseyMay]

Hi

I was taking Amitriptyline for about a month and a half 10mg. I have had to top because I was so sleepy all the time. I took at 8 pm but I had real problems getting out of bed in the morning because I was so tired. Basically, I was sleeping every opportunity I got. I have always been a night owl but some nights I had a job to make it to 9pm. I was also waking up with a headache feeling hung over like I had been drinking the night before. So I made the decision to stop. Not sure what I am going to do now as I am not sleeping because of the pain but I do feel more alert and awake. Just taking good old paracetamol which doesn’t take the pain away but ease it some somewhat.

[Animal99]

Hi all, just a quick update after a couple of weeks the groggyness disappeared but still no help with the pain. I've now been put on 50mg and have found this to be a better for pain (although still there it more bearable) and ive only had 1 really bad flare up in the last 6 weeks. I find I have to take the tablet before 7.30 or the groggyness comes back in mornings. I gave noticed that my face is so sensitive at the moment, I have really sore spotty patches which I've never suffered with before and my ibs(d) has had a complete turn around and I'm now suffering with ibs(c) it seem like one thing improves and another starts. I find this site so helpful cause I don't feel like the moany one who always got something wrong with them like I feel when trying to explain to certain people, so thank you everyone x