What time to take Amitriptyline?

[KatherineM_PBC]

Hi all. From the start of taking Ami, I was told to take the dose an hour before bed, it would help me sleep. I can report that currently up to 40mg, it is not doing much for the headaches and has NO sleepy effect on me, in-fact I often can't sleep. I am thinking it would be more beneficial to spread the dose throughout the day, my Consultant says "no, as it will make you sleepy", and still didn't change his mind when I said it didn't!! When do you take yours?

[LindaMcMil1976]

Hey Katherine! I take 40mgs at night 3 hours before bedtime as advised. Initially I was very very tired but I belive now that this is more to do with the fatigue from being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I didn't think it helped my migraine and so was switched to carbemazipine. I did however think it was assisting in pain of fibro and so have been kept on it xx

[KatherineM_PBC in reply to LindaMcMil1976]

Thanks Linda. "carbemazipine" another Epilepsy drug, but not 1 that's been mentioned on this site before it seems? x

[LindaMcMil1976 in reply to KatherineM_PBC]

Sorry Katherine meant to say was switched to candesartan not carbemazipine. Was on carbemazipine few years back though and they didn't seem to help xx

[Cally01]

Hi 😁

I take 20mg just as i am going to bed, it worked for a few wks, fell asleep relatively quick. For the past wk I've had insomnia, really tired but just can't sleep.

X

[Sticks95]

Hi Katherine, i was on Ami for a couple of years and i found i took the full dose at lunch time and it used to knock me out pretty quickly that i wouldnt be able to get up in the morning. I found that if i took it at lunch with food it slowly released and set me up ready for bed. Not sure if this helps but its my experience xx

[MuddyPawS77]

Hi Katherine M

We migraneurs are all so different !!

Im v susceptible to amitriptyline.. Years ago was started on 10mgs ( for migraine ) about 1 hour before bed with a view to gradually increasing to the "therapeutic range "- BUT I could hardly get up next morning & was muzzy-headed all day so couldnt concentrate at work , which was disastrous for me . For last few years I have taken just 5mg between 6-7pm, and by 10-11pmish my eyes are usually feeling heavy .I have no prob getting to sleep & sleep pretty well thro-out night .. and NO morning muzzy-head . As poor sleep has always been a prob for me thro-out my life and definitely added to the list of migraine triggers Ive decided to keep to this 5mg dosage and have never bothered to increase to the so-called "therapeutic range " for migraine .

I still have migraines due to all sorts of other triggers but the hugely improved sleep on 5mg ami. is good enough for me !

[KatherineM_PBC in reply to MuddyPawS77]

Wow, you're right we are all v different, as even on 40mg I don't feel tired before bed. I look along the sofa where my daughter and husband have nodded off watching TV and I'm wide awake. Even reading in bed doesn't make my eyes close haha.

[Hidden]

Hi Katherine.

I was told by the NMC to take it 3 hours before bedtime and it certainly made me sleep well!

Can you practice relaxing in other ways before bedtime. A hot bath perhaps.

Good luck 🍀

[designer111]

Was told to take it as soon as got home from work, rather than right before bed.

[Waterbender40]

I've been taking it for about a year now and I started taking it at bed time like I was told, but I could not get myself to wake up in the morning and when I did wake up I was super drowsy. I have a 45 minute drive to work and I keep falling asleep on my way. I talked to my doctor and she told me to take it early in the day and now I have no problems.

[Cakecup]

I take mine about 90 minutes before I want to turn off the lights and find it really helpful, but I am on 75mg which is a higher dose.