Nortriptyline people's experiences?

[Helzbells]

So they have put me on nortriptyline to see if it helps with the pain. I'm not on dmards as I can't tolerate them.

I was put on amiltriptyline last year but developed a scary arrhythmia one month in.

The amiltriptyline helped me sleep and I felt better. The nortriptyline seems to be having the opposite effect. I am unable to sleep and feel anxious and fidgety but in a morning I feel sick and very tired. I haven't been on it long and I'm only on ten mg. The amiltriptyline worked straight away but this just seems to be giving me some unpleasant side effects on top of my illness.

I'm taking it at nine and going to bed at ten but he effect of the drug doesn't seem to kick in until about seven am.

My iPad keyboard is locked and won't let me use numbers if people are wondering why I'm spelling times out lol

[Nicole2000]

Hello Helzbells,

I take nortriptylline, I've been on it for nearly 3 years. Like you I started on amytriptylline and over time it lost it effect, I had reached the tolerance level. In order for the nortriptylline to work for me I take it at dinner time, that's usually between 6:30 and 7pm. It then gives it enough time to work so by 10pm I'm ready for bed.

It has stopped the night pain (I am a chronic back pain sufferer) and allows me to sleep without having to get up in pain ever time I change position in bed. I also suffered with extreme tiredness the following morning and short term memory loss, but they are all gone now.

It didn't work instantly and I had to work out the administration times myself, so that I could get the most out of the drug.

I would say keep persisting with taking it and if you have no relief in a few weeks then go back to your GP or prescriber.

Good luck with it all.

Best wishes,

Nicole