Just been put on amitriptyline ? Has anyone heard... - LUPUS UK
Just been put on amitriptyline ? Has anyone heard/been on this.I don't like taking pills
Hello there. Amitriptyline is a tricyclic anti-depressant, which is used for anxiety and depression. It can also help you sleep (and is prescribed for that purpose). I've heard that for some people it can really help. For others it has adverse side effects.
I think in lupus it is used to help you sleep (but I am not sure that this is its only purpose).
I was told it has different uses and I have it to help me sleep and pain control.I haven't been diagnosed yet and doc is try in to get rhuemy app brought 4ward.
I have been on these tablets for the past six months and I was given them to control the pain and help me to sleep. So far so good and without them I would struggle to find the rest I need.
I initially stopped taking them as they didn't seem to be making any difference but on returning to my GP I was told that it takes up to a fortnight for the drug to kick in?!
Just like you I hate taking medication but needs must.
Tek care
Thank you Kenny how long did they actually take to work.I start them tonight x
I think it took 3 or 4 nights. Also I forgot to say when they take effect it seems to take about 2-3 hours to kick in so work back from your usual bedtime!!
I hope this helps do keep in touch. I see my Consultant next week for a review and if I learn anything I will pass it on.
Chin up!
Thank you Kenny was just wondering when to take it x
Yes, it has properties other than helping depression and insomnia. Tri-cyclics also have pain relieving qualities. I was quite surprised to learn that only recently since I've necessarily had to take a different one for almost 25 years. I too loathe taking drugs but these have been around since the 1920s and are known to be safe. If you have SLE Letslaugh, you probably are going to have to accept treatment and it may involve a range of medication - unfortunately!
The doctor has told me he thinks autoimmune disease but leaving it to experts to say which 1 but he also putting to hospital for any cancellations as app in April.I know about meds by being on here and thankfully other things too.so thanks to everyone x
I have been on them for about 3-4 months now. Initially they were prescribed for pain and to help with sleep but they did not help with pain but do with sleep. I take them alternate nights as when I took them every night I had headaches and really really dfy mouth, not tk mention the difficulty waking up! Give them a shot hun xxx
Hi l have been on these for 18months, to help with sleep also because l have SLE when in a flare it attacks my digestive system, and found taking these at night really helps my stomach, but l found taking one at night too much could not wake up in the morning, so l do a naughty thing and cut them in half and take one half each night .they really do seem to help. hope this helps
Have been on Amytriptyline for over 2 years now, and credit them with not only helping with pain, but sleep. They double up the benefit to help with depression which is common with SLE. Probably the only pill of my cocktail, that I don't mind taking.
Hi I have taken them for years But please take water were ever you go as the give you a dry mouth .
Thank you all for comments.took 1last night,I slept through 1st time for a long while had vivid dreams (anyone else?)found it hard to get out bed and stomachs actually felt worse for a while.hands feel better as swelling seems down think going to give these a go x
I was taken off my original anti-depressants (prozac) and on the amitrip for a while but very high dose as it was treatment for both my depression and the aches. It was a bit Jeckel and Hyde - I turned into a phyco and was utterly miserable for several months. Off it now again and much better. If you only need a small dose it's probably ok but beware the larger doses. Also - I have had vivid dreams for several years now which I think is down to medication - I take microphenelate, hydroxychloroquine, propranalol and fleuxetine daily. A night never goes by without dreaming - some good some bad. D x
Ty Davina only on 10mg but might get increased.had vivid dreams b4 on champix to stop smoking other than that I never recall my dreams x
It seems to me most people on here are walking cocktails (of pills)if I have lupus/autoimmune think that may be a big problem for me as don't like taking drugs took doc weeks to get me on these x
Sadly I'm past caring about the amount of drugs I take - if it makes me feel better, GIVE ME THE DRUGS!
I was also very reluctant to take drugs initially. I took me a long time to realize that this illness wasn't going to go away on it's own. It doesn't help when you are still undiagnosed, & don't really know what your up against.
Eventually, I realized that the only way to get some quality of life back, was to find the medications that suited me. But you do need to listen to your body, as we are all so different in our reactions to drugs.
I hope you get your rhuemy appointment soon. X
I realise I'm going to have to take drugs but the y really scare me and I don't know why x
Go as far as saying scare me more than lupus or whatever I have x
That's is only natural, it takes a long time to get your head around the illness, let alone the drugs!
I get really weird dreams on them too. But I dont care cos I get sleep! I agree with the person that said about the water. Does really give you a dry mouth.xxx
I did sleep 1st night but not last night was up and down with pain/restlessness ended up taking1/2 sleeper.I'm always dry haven't noticed any increase of this so far x
Hi, Becca my little girl has been started on Amitryptiline for her pain with her lupus. Would have to say that now she has settled on it it is making a huge difference. She's been on it since just before christmas and has now kicked in. Persevere with it. xx
Try Claire I am going to keep on it and see .worked out I need to take at least3hrs b4 bed try x
letslaugh i hate meds with a passion but lupus has ruined my life to the point where i have to have something to allow me a little bit of life. i am on citaloprane not sure if this works in the same way but my rheumy wanted me to have the drug you mentioned but i was already on citaloprane and said that was fine. i am drepressed and in a lot of physical pain. my hands and shoulder,legs and back have arthritis. i think the plaq caused my symptoms but i have had to succumed to it and hope it works as the alternatives are chemo type drugs.
i am going through menapause as well and have the flushing and the pain to put up with.
i think the above people have given you some good advice. its worth having a go if it helps you in the long term all the best
I am going to try but been up since 4.50 and they were suppose to stop this from happening(in a lot of pain)I've only been on them since Monday and giving I don't like taking meds itthis doesn't help x
i dont like meds either but i can hardly live a life without them and i still am in pain and discomfort. it does take a while for most meds to kick in. dont be afraid being on meds is a part of lupus for most of us take care
thing is don't know if/don't want lupus x
i know where your comming from its hard but people on here are good support x
I was taking it to help with the intense pains I have with my IBS. It helped a little,but the good sleep really helped.
I started with a dry mouth and my rheumy told me to stop taking it as I have scleroderma and not advisable to take it.
My mouth is now a lot better,but my sleeping pattern is not quite the same!! 
My mouth not changed much but I find it takes ages to get to sleep and can't get up in morning.10.45 this morning I'm usually an early riser.went to bed at 9 last night thinking I'd get up early this morn but this the latest I've got out bed x
Hi, I have S.L.E and my Dr put me on that drug and it with in days threw me into seizures, It was so horrible and scarey for me and my children who wittnessed the first one, Please be very carefull
Hi lupiesue how would you know if heading for a seizure?just curious as been getting strange things happening esp to my veins x
Hi there. Yep been on Amytriptline for about 6 months. It's really good IMO. it has improved my quality of sleep at night and pain and fatigue levels in the day. I must say I also have fibromyalgia so I'm not sure if it would be so helpful for lupus only.
Good luck.
Hi korimoco now been on it nearly 2 weeks and not sure it for me,works sometimes but not enough for me to stay on it I don' GT think will have word with doc tomorrow. He knows I don't like taking drugs and will not keep taking if not working.I haven't been diagnosed yet my 1st app with rhuemy in April x
I know my dose took a while to get right. From 10 mgs upto 40 then back to 30 mg which is perfect. Try to give yourself enough time to get dose just right. Good luck for April
I will see what doc says and thank you x
Hi just wondered how its going?
I take this and have been for a number of years it helps with the pain and helps me sleep not that I get a full night but it does help
Hi. I have had chronic ear pain for two and a half years following a major ear infection. Kept upping strong painkillers but not solving problem. An enlightened neurologist ordered brain scan (where he saw evidence of my stroke 8 years previously, and ordered Lupus tests. I tested +ve for Lupus and APS (had been complaining unwittingly of symptoms of both for years with each issue patched up but no one taking a step back for a holistic approach) and was started on amitryptaline about 7 months ago. I was on 10mg/day but told to keep upping it by 10mg a week until I achieved satisfactory pain relief. I do put weight on when taking it but it beats the constant pain. Now if only I could take an anti-inflammatory for my joint pains. Sadly warfarin rules them out 
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