How many of you take this med & does it help with getting off to sleep?
How much amitryptiline would you take to help with sl... - NRAS
How much amitryptiline would you take to help with sleep.? My doc has prescribed 10mg to start and to increase to 25mg if necessary.
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Gina_K
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17 Replies
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I was on 20mg and now i'm 30mg. This is still only a low dose,i believe you can take up to 100mg but thats under drs orders. Since i have been on the higher dose i am sleeping better and i can cope better at the moment.
sylvi. xx
I take 2 tablet (20mgs) most nights now. A friend of mine has taken up to 7 for a different ailment but they do make you feel very drowzy the next day so it's important to take them as early as possible - around 9pm is best I think. My GP explained they work best for neuralgia type pain and I do find they are good for me - they have helped me get into better nighttime bladder control as well - which was shot after having 3 babies. So I'm a big amitriptyline fan - it's the only pain relief I currently take on top of the MTX! TTx
Hi i did take one tablet at night and now i take 2 before bed, it wasnt working very well until my consultant told me it should be at least an hour before bed to work properly. Now i find it does help me sleep better and its also for nerve pain which i think does help also. A friend of mine takes it for sleep and for bad migraine type problems and she finds it makes her drop off to sleep almost straight away so just make sure you're aware of that and at home ready for bed!! I think everyone reacts differently so good luck and i hope you get a good nights sleep
Hi Gina,
No experience with amytryptiline but just wanted to share something that has really worked for me.
The fatigue and insomnia are a massive problem for me, as they are with a lot of you on here. I was recently told about Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is used predominantly in MS, however can be used for a number of conditions including RA.
Having tried various homeopathic treatments, along with physio and countless alternative therapies I was sceptical but decided that breathing oxygen was at least not taking yet another medicine!
Having gone into it without huge expectations, I'm not sure how effective it has been with pain management but there has been an almost immediate improvement in my sleep, seeing me getting around 6 hours unbroken sleep - something completely unknown to me until I started the treatment. Sleep is such a massive part of how you're able to cope and I find that even while I'm still sore I know I'm not worrying about going to bed and having to get up 4 or 5 times through the night for painkillers, restlessness etc...
In Scotland it's through the MS Therapy Centre, might be worth have a look in your area.
X
Hi I have taken usually 10mg, dont think I have ever taken 25mg , with any medication try lowest possible dose first, then you have room to go up if necessary, it should make you drowsy which will help you get off to sleep, I wouldnt take it later than 10pm because the drowsiness may continue next morning.
I was prescribed this med to help me stay asleep when the pain was extremely bad. I used to take 10mg for the first week ( made no difference) and then upped it to 20mg which helped me to get about 6hrs unbroken sleep. My gp told me they're anti depressants but at alower dose are used for sleep disturbance. She said 75mg or more would be for depression. I only used them when I was really bad. my hubby was prescribed 25mg for severe nerve pain ( he has a disability.) They make him drowsy the next day so be careful and maybe build up slowly. Hope your not suffering awful pain. Xxxx
i was prescribed them to help with sleep and started on 25mg and have now had it raised to 50mg. i take them an hour before bed and find i sleep solid for 6-7 hours.
Thank you all for answering my question, I appreciate it. I have taken sleeping pills when have difficulty sleeping, not sure if related to RA as don't really have pain at night currently. I will try the 10 mgs and see how it goes.
Don't really fancy feeling drowsy day after, I am bad enough!!!
Gina.
I take between 35-50mgs, 50mgs is the dose that the Rhuemmy feels is effective. It is an amazing drug being used for a lot of different conditions. It does affect people differently, one of my friend uses it for IBS but is knocked out by 5mgs!
I was told to take it about an hour before bed to give it time to work. I was on the lowest possible dose, 5 mgs, and ended up having to cut that tablet in half as it knocked me out for hours after and left me very groggy the next day so was taken off it. Have tried sleeping pills in the past but again they knock me out so much that I can't function the next day even on the lowest dose.
Lavendarlady
I did find the 10 mg quite strong last night was zonked up to mid day, but think will stick with this dose, as I will probably get used to it, and hopefully wont feel so strong. I am fed up not being able to go asleep 
Hi, this is a really useful drug for night time pain, start with low dose and increase if necesary. I was eventually advised to take it 12 hours before i wanted to get up and this proved to be much better as i used to just take at bedtime and then feel groggy in the morns, so got into the pattern of taking it about 7pm- worked well, good luck.
Thanks cherry, that's a good tip re 12 hrs in advance of waking, how much do you find effective?
I'm on 25mgs but can take up to 3 tablets, 25 is enough for me though. I take it at about 7pm so that I don't feel so hung over or groggy the next morning. Works a treat especially when my feet are flaring. Hope it's effective for you x
ps Start on low dose and increase as you feel you need to, your body will aclimatise to it and the side effects will lesson over time
I've taken between 10-25 depending on sleep quLity. Sometimes it's better than others. I've found 25 works really well.
