Just started amytriptline 10mg once a day before bedtime. Makes me feel awful & hungover the next day. Any tips?

[DevonLulu]

I've been prescribed this for chronic wrist/trapezium pain

[Hidden]

Hi Devonlulu, I found when I was on amytriptilene for the first couple of weeks I felt tired within a couple of hours of taking it but after that the drowsiness wore ofg.It is only a tiny dose you are on so if you not going out in the evening you could try taking it a bit earlier say around 7 oclock rather than late, this way it may start to wear off a bit by morning.You may find as your body gets used to it the hung over feeling may lessen ,

[DevonLulu in reply to Hidden]

Thanx x

[juliansmom]

Nortriptyline... Same drug class..tricylic antidepressant used at a low dose to treat nerve pain...way less side effects and its been the only drug I could tolerate. It saved my life. Mention this alternative to your doctor. Ad a magnesium supplement to your regimen as well.

[DevonLulu in reply to juliansmom]

I've emailed my Dr for a script of nortrip. Why a magnesium supplement?

[CWG2210]

I agree with pp1pp1ns, I was on a low dose like you and seeing the TV on a morning move from side to side not a good start at 6am. Started to take about 7.30pm and the effects subsided. Stick with it, I am on 40mg at the moment also pregablin 2x100mg and low dose morphine 20mg at night staggered during evening and with support from pain clinic and excellent gp's managing pain well. Stick with it and it does get easier.

[DevonLulu in reply to CWG2210]

Thanx x.

[Charli93 in reply to CWG2210]

Hi I hope you don't mind me asking but what do you take your medication for? I am on very similar medication and want to know how you deal with it? I'm 20 and struggling to come to terms with the fact I'll have life long pain but would love some support from someone in a similar boat.... X

[DevonLulu in reply to Charli93]

I have shattered my trapezium bone in my wrist. It's the joint that joins the thumb with my wrist. I'm awaiting surgery. But for the time being I'm taking co-codamol 30/500mg Ibuprofen 400mg and the Amytriptline 10mg. I've had pain for over 3 years now and it really gets me down. x

[shezzz in reply to Charli93]

dont beleive you will have life long pain , as things are going its perfectly possible they can or will be able to help you in the future in the meantime you do adjust slowly to pain and medication helps dont ever beleive for a moment your stuck for a lifetime things change every year

[Charli93 in reply to shezzz]

Thanks Shezzz. It's been 7 years now and I've just had enough. The foggy head/drunk feeling is horrible. I'm now on 1.2g of gabapentin a day, 30ml of morphine and tramadol. How do you remain upbeat every day? Admittedly I am having a bad couple of days as most days I am optimistic but it does get you down. Just feel like no one understands and just thinks I'm a moody cow! Hopefully things will change in the near future xx

[shezzz in reply to Charli93]

Mostly because i realised that most of the pain medication was not helping

i take co dryamol and citlopram which is an anti depresent that helps fibro reducing muscle pain and thats it i got rid of everything else slowly

yes i have bad days but i make sure i walk every day as far as i am able and keep physically as active as i can, the body will adapt to pain slowly

i got rid of the last morphine tablet months ago and i dont miss them

because all they did was make me tired foggy and to sleepy to cope

I know its hard but in the end you do have to let your body adjust to the pain

once it has you deal with fibro so much better because your body has its own painkillers natural ones. keeping upbeat is not that hard if you keep your mind busy get your mind busy on a book or a hobby or the computer anything that distracts your mind, sleep if your in pain helps just a nap helps I have had fibro for 24 years and you do learn to deal with it at first because you have a family and you want to be with them and secondly because life is sweet and every moment you have pain free is to be savoured

Dont give up things are changing when i was first diagnosed about 19 years ago no one even knew what Fibro was never mind how to treat it

so things have improved smile become your own fibro expert and research keep your mind busy and slowly let your body adjust to the pain in its own time

the more physically you do such as walking or swimming the better you will feel though hitting that pain barrier is not fun i know its not the end of the world or your life you will find you have learned a few things along the way

patience being one of them laugh their are worse things beleive me than fibro though while your in a fibro flare its hard to beleive that ...

keeping upbeat helps and if your not stressing out and worrying it helps you with the fibro which seems to flare more when your stressed and worried

You will get through were a tough lot we have to be and you will adjust

ask to go to a pain clinic and see if they come up with other solutions

just taking painkillers by the handfull will not in the end make it better your body adjusts the the painkillers and you need more and more

just hang on to your sense of humour as long as you can laugh at yourself and the daft world we live in you will survive promise

[Charli93 in reply to shezzz]

Thanks Shezzz, made me smile. Take care xx

[CWG2210 in reply to Charli93]

Docs and specialists couldn't understand what was causing my pains. MRI, parathyroid scan, heart scan, lumbar puncture etc etc etc nothing could be found except a slight c5/6 wear & tear which couldn't be explained so once my doc agreed with me it was complex pain syndrome I could be referred to pain specialist in a pain clinic. Initially thought i had a stroke/TIA but not as all left side went limp and lost sensation. Tingling feet and numb fingers, particularly on left side started to keep me awake at night up to a point of having about 20/30 mins sleep a night then off to work, doc decided the nefopam, tramadol and finally the gold standard morphine after the former had no effect. Take codiene during the day when needed but trying to have times when I take no tablets when I don't need to be at work to see effects. Stick in and things do nget better - my sleep now brill!

[QueenV]

Hi what about halving the tablet? Hope that helps or go back to your GP. Good luck! Vanessa

[EOLHPC]

I agree with pippins & CWG2210 too

I'm on 20mg nightly now & am fine during the day, but my first week or so on 10mg were a struggle with morning zombie-like tiredness/brain fog (I hardly ever drink coffee, but I let myself have a cup in the morning during that phase).

Once that extra initial morning tiredness let up, I went up to 20mg after a month on 10mg. I get great benefits from amitriptyline as part of my treatment plan for lupus-related pain

Hope it works out for you

[DevonLulu]

I'll stick with the 10mg dose and ride the storm. Hopefully after a week or so I'll be use to it. Thanx

[shezzz]

half the tablet i long ago realised my body knew better than any docs grin

so adjust the medication to suit your system

see if half the amount will help if not then go back and say not good and you need something that will help the pain not make you feel worse

[Charli93]

Devonlulu I also didn't get on with amitriptyline so went back to the doctors and they change my tablets. I found I couldn't drive in the morning and always woke up feeling drunk and grumpy. It does get better you just need to remain strong and have good people around you. AND remember everyone is allowed to feel down occasionally, just make sure you grab the chocolate, wine and a good film! xx

[DevonLulu in reply to Charli93]

Thank you x I will stick with the drug for another week. But the woozy giddy feeling in the morn is awful. I'll prob half the dose when I'm working the next day x

[mitziblue]

I did me the same way. I told my doctor and she switched it to another medicine. Hope you get some relief soon sweetheart!!! xxx Mitzi

[DevonLulu in reply to mitziblue]

Thanx Mitzi. I'll see Dr in a week if no better. x

[Kerryjess]

My GP told me to take amytriptiline no later than 8pm because of this hangover effect. I have found if intake it at 7pm it works better for me. I take 20mg at the bin but had reduced it to 10mg from 30mg. At the beginning it was worse but I stuck with it and my body adjusted. I take it for chronic pain along with Duloxetine and until recently, tramadol but I have had to change to a Fentanyl patches as my pain has been hard to control since new year. I have had back surgery and have Fibro, with arthritis in knees, wrists, ankles and spine.

Try putting pressure on the dry to get your treatment speeded up. 3years is too long to have that kind of pain, especially in your wrists. I had to have surgery twice on my left wrist to remove the tendon sheath so I know the process can be lengthy, but I found that unless you keep on your case, the system can let you fall by the wayside.

I hope you get some relief but you have already been given lots of good advice. Xo

[ladida]

Hi, my daughter used to take amitriptyline until it was suggested that she try nortriptyline instead as it has less side effects. It seems to be much better for her. She also takes magnesium which also helps with pain and many other things too.

Good luck x