Having listened to all your helpful advice, David decided to go for the 150 mgs of Amitriptyline.
His GP got the letter from CPN and checked david's notes. He can't take it cos he has an enlarged prostrate and the higher dose can enlarge it even more.
So GP has prescribed SERTRALINE to be taken in conjunction.
Not one I've heard of before and according to Gogle it can cause sleepiness, stop you from sleeping and have just about every side effect known to woman.
Sooooo it looks like he has yet another tablet to add to the 5 pages already.
Come on Bob - what's your verdict!!
Pat x
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Yes, unfortunately the group of medicines including amitriptyline and nortriptyline can cause urinary problems - not so much by actually enlarging the prostate but by disturbing the co-ordination of passing urine, ability to 'get started' etc. - which means us 'prostate-less' women don't get away with it either! I'm one of a minority whose depression responds better to the older 'tricyclic' group and one thing I do try is to avoid 'loo queues!'
Sertraline - sometimes marketed as Lustral - is one of the more recent group which have fewer of these side-effects, and particularly on the urinary system. The biggest thing to remember is that even the undesirable effects listed as 'common' - often 'greater than or equal to 1 in 10') DON'T affect more people than they do! (And I'm a pessimist!) Also, in testing, a dummy pill often produces nearly as high adverse results! I don't, as has been suggested, use the British National Formulary as light reading, but my background does mean I do use a similar site for medications I, or people I know, have to use! I hope this really helps with the pain and any co-existent depression (and it's not surprising that they go together so often!) A friend of mine is on Sertraline for depression and has no side effects.
For neuropathic pain another antidepressant, duloxetine (Cymbalta) is sometimes used, along with certain anti-epileptic meds. I do use one of these - when desperate!
It's the depression side they are working on now. Or rather reactive depression to give it its proper title. But as they can't remove the pain they have to try and treat the effects.
I think anyone who suffers CP or lives with someone who suffers - becomes an expert!
Just read Cracked by James Davies ISBN 978-184831-556-3. The book details the dishonesty of the pharmaceuticals and the bribing of top ranking doctors to give medication that is not better than placebo but with side effects.
Every person who has long term pain and lives with the side effects of long term pain needs to read this book. Will not help with what should take or not but may enable one to ask more searching questions.
Hello Pat
BOB here
I do not know how old your husband is regarding the taking of this medication. as is age sensitive. Like many of these tablets they have a list longer than my arm, one of the problems are bladder, from blood in urine peeing to much,peeing to little and hesttating too pee, the list seems to go on .
There seems to be a yellow card on this one although I have no idea why??.
Lustral has contraindications to the other medication that he takes, although I would imagine that most of contraindications will stop in two or three weeks, that may be longer when mixed with Davids age.
Your GP will know why your David needs to take them , as he is using, another tablet dealing with a different spectrum of depression that lustral can give.
All I can say is keep an eye on him,some contraindications in the first two weeks can be very severe, the doctor may increase the doses in a few weeks time as he sees how he is reacting to it
At the moment as mentioned before I am also taking a similaire medication and I am on Amytrytalene at 75mg.
His GP explained about his prostate and any increase of that amount of Amitriptline would cause serious wee wee probs. Catherterise immediately.
He started on new tabs earlier this week and within 48 hours was a zombie. If I thought he was disinterested in anything before then this was 20 times worse.
I am making him persevere but he's not a happy bunny. GP didn't envisage any side effects but if he doesn't settle down I shall tell him.
Pat x
Morning Pat
David is about my age, if He is on a heavy dose of Amitryptalene, the SSI will possibly knock him a bit, generally give it two/three weeks he may settle.
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