Any experience of Amitriptyline?

[ThomasTom]

As I’ve only been taking it a few days it’s too early to tell if it will help with the back and joint pain, early indications are quite good, but then it does have antidepressant qualities.

[Hidden]

Yes I have been taking it at night for the last few years for pain and muscle spasms in my neck due to RA. It has helped a lot and I can now sleep better plus during the day I don’t get half as much pain as I used to. I hope it helps you.

[ThomasTom in reply to Hidden]

Thanks!

[dwsurquhart]

I am on amitriptyline. I have had to adjust my dosage a few times. If I wake with a hungover groggy feeling I took too much, if I do not take enough I cannot sleep. I am 190lbs and take 2-4 10mg tablets a couple hours before bed. I find it works to relax muscles so I can sleep.

It works as a muscle relaxer in low dosages, not really a pain killer, and is an antidepressant when taking between 10 and 20 10mg pills at a time.

The max I have taken is 5 and woke like I was full on drunk. Not a good feeling when trying to get a child off to school.

[ThomasTom in reply to dwsurquhart]

Thankyou. I’m a recovered alcoholic so I tend to be very careful of over medication, but I have to say this is really helping already with sleep which I was so short of. Thanks for your reply and have a good day.

[Hattie23]

Hm i hated it made me all nasty in the head couldn't tolerate it and know people addicted so take care but pleased its working. Good luck.

[ThomasTom in reply to Hattie23]

I will and thanks for the advice. I’m more worried about getting codene dependant as it’s an opiate. But it’s good to consider and thanks for your reply.

[BoneyC]

I was prescribed 2 tablets, at night, but that dose made me so sleepy, for 2-3 days. I couldn't function during the day on it.

[ThomasTom in reply to BoneyC]

Thanks Boney, I was a bit fuzzy but I’m balancing out. I really needed sleep so it helped with that aspect. I’m optimistic about its pain relieving qualities, I’m realising every one is different — so hanging in there!

[Yogi-bear123]

Top pain guy in London prescribed it for sacral nerve pain. Started with 10 mg for 4 weeks( to get body used to it) then 20mg for 4 weeks and have stayed on 30mg which he says is max for me. At lower doses it is used for pain and touch wood has been good for me. I still take other pain relief but this has helped alleviate the unbearable stuff!!... and helps u to sleep which is also important for pain relief. Started feeling the effects after 4 weeks .but still felt that I needed to up my dose.

Hope it’s good for u.

[ThomasTom in reply to Yogi-bear123]

Thankyou. Really good to hear how it is for you. The doctor told me to start up at 10mg and build up to 20, but I started with 20 because I needed sleep so badly. It has helped I feel like a bit of a space cadet, but evening out and pleased I’m not showing signs of skin allergy, which given I apparently have psoriatic arthritis it’s a danger with any new additions. Have a good day.~*toby

[Fra22-57]

It did dull my pain but still kept waking druggIly on and off.Hardest thing was trying to wake enough to eventually get out of bed .Just kept falling asleep again so pain worse when escaped the bed.

[ThomasTom in reply to Fra22-57]

Thankyou for your reply Fra. I’m told not to expect too much and to be patient as it takes a while to come to full effect. The muscle relaxant quality is already obvious. I totally get what you are saying about not taking a dose that’s too heavy — I might cut back to half if I’m too groggy etc.

[Fra22-57 in reply to ThomasTom]

Good idea.hope it helps

[nomoreheels]

I've been on amitriptyline a few years now. I started off on low dose & titred up over around 6 months with regular reviews with my GP. I currently take 25mg morning & 50mg evening for cervical & lumbar spondylosis muscle pain/spasm issues. It works very well for me & the evening dose has the added effect of relaxing me enough for proper sleep.

I hope you find it helpful too.

[ThomasTom in reply to nomoreheels]

Thanks it’s good to hear from you.

[nomoreheels in reply to ThomasTom]

Should have added it's advisable to increase the dose slowly, your GP will probably have told you, it's for good reason. I had monthly reviews so started off at 5mg then the next month once my GP was happy I was ok it was increased again. I'm prescribed 25mg tablets & I did try my morning dose at 50mg the same as evening dose, but it was too much for the awake me! So it was reduced as it was increased over months again to 25mg which I'm ok on. Just as it relaxes the muscles so does it the brain!

[Blackwitch]

I’ve been taking Amitriptyline for years. I’m on 100mg at night now but started on a very low dose. For a few years, I’ve been having IM Depo-Medrone 120mg every 3 months that is one of the only things I can now tolerate. Once the steroid kicks in, I reduce the Amitriptyline. It’s the side effects that get me. I have a very dry mouth & have Duraphat toothpaste & Xerostom mouthwash also Salivix pastilles, eye drops for daytime & eye gel for night.

Hope you get on OK with it but do get the ones that are coated because if you get them stuck in your throat, they can really burn!! (Keep biscuits to hand, water’s no good). Nic x

[ThomasTom in reply to Blackwitch]

Thanks Nic, it sounds as if you have to balance your med’s very carefully. I’ve very sensitive skin that’s prone to allergies so I’m praying Amytriptyline isn’t rejected by my body as it does seem to alleviate the pain and let me sleep. Fingers crossed. Thanks for taking time to reply. (I notice your poodle or doodle picture, mine is a brown labradoodle! She’s a great companion).

[Blackwitch]

Yes, he’s a Labradoodle. The most intelligent & stupid dog we’ve ever had. We have a Greek Harehound (?) from Cyprus & a Golden Retriever from Turkey as well so it can get rather crazy here. It’s a madhouse but keeps your mind off other things. I suppose they’re better than any medication. Nic x

[ThomasTom in reply to Blackwitch]

Fantastic! Too true... we call her ‘crackerdoodle’ sometimes. She’s 7, but up to 3 completely mad. Happy Days

[ThomasTom]

I’m sticking with it as it has a ‘half life’ that means it needs to become effective over a few weeks. But I’m sleeping much better — and I’m getting less drowsy during the morning as my consciousness adjusts. I’m grateful for yourreply. Thanks

[Athena101]

Hi whaleroad, like you I was taking the naproxen to try and manage serious period pain and was worried about being recommended a change to Amitriptyline for my joint hypermobility syndrome.

The Amitriptyline has actually been great - took around 4 weeks to properly kick in, but now have a dull ache instead of sharp unbearable pain.

For me it's been more like a pain muffler - I still know I'm in pain but the intensity is turned right down. My main side effects have been a dry mouth, drowsy in the morning and nightmares...but tbh it's all worth it not to be in so much pain.

I came clean to the doc about using the naproxen for period pain, so she prescribed a wonder drug called mefanemic acid and it's changed my life! I can't recommend it enough. Wish I knew about this years ago, and wanted to share.

Good luck to all with the Amitriptyline

[ArtistBlythe]

Hi, Toby_Tom. Happy to hear you are getting relief.

Amitriptyline saved my life. I kept waking up at 3:15, like clockwork every night. No matter what time I went to bed, I'd wake up. By 6 a.m. I was so exhausted but had to start my day. My quality of life was so bad with the sleep deprivation and pain I had with my back issues. I mentioned it to my doctor who couldn't believe I went 4 years without telling him. (Really sleep deprived??? Ckl) and he put me on Amytryptyline. He said it would help with my nerve pain and it did!

He put me on 25mg. It took a few weeks to really settle in but I started to sleep through the night and my pain was better. That was 20 years ago and it works. Now, if I forget to take it, I wake up at 3:15.

This drug saved me. I take it around 9 p.m. and never have any drowsiness nor hangover despite now being at 75mg at bedtime. I don't drink alcohol but a rare glass at a celebration a couple times a year. Like you, I dislike taking opiates and try to manage my pain in other ways.

I wish you all good luck.

[sbadd]

My partner had back surgery around 5 years ago due to bulging disk, surgery failed 2 years on, then on waiting list to see neurosurgery whist waiting was on strong oxy to relieve pain, then put on antrip, has now come off all meds except antrip, his doc says the longer you use antrip the better it works, he can now tolerate small amount of pain but functions quite well on this drug, he was looking at further surgery but now possibly not.