Amitriptyline and dementia

[jeeves19]

Hi everybody. I've jumped over from the Parkinsons Community and just wondered what you thought about this topic. I have neuropathy and am considering going back on amitriptyline (I was on it from 2005-2016 25mg). Trouble is that I'm aware that there was a lot of bad press over the past couple of years regarding a link between this drug and dementia? In context people who took this had a 13% higher risk of developing dementia when compared to the general population. I just wondered if this was know within your community and if you knew of an alternative to it as it worked brilliantly at getting rid of my pain for the years that I took it. But whether the risk is worth it in returning I'm unsure. Your thoughts? Thanks

[johnsmith]

I don't know the answer to your question. My take on dementia is due to the sleep problems that older people have. Older people have to get up in the night to urinate. They often fail to alter their alarm clocks to take account of this.

I get up twice a night to urinate. This requires that i become awake enough to move from my bed to the toilet. This takes about 10 minutes. I then have to travel safely to the toilet. Say 5 minutes. I have to go back to bed. Another 5 minutes. Then settle down to sleep again 10 minutes. I do this twice. This comes to 1 hour sleep loss. My alarm clock needs to be set to take account of this. How many people reset their alarm clocks or try to catch up with sleep lose during the day.

The latest research has shown that the brain only gets rid of waste products when it is a sleep. So an elderly person runs the risk of not fully clearing the waste products from their brain. This I suspect is the cause of the dementia problem.

Constructive criticism on my thinking greatly received.

[jeeves19 in reply to johnsmith]

This is all true John but I believe the factor for amitryptaline is that it blocks the ability of a neurotransmitter called acetecholine and somewhere along the road this messes up the machine 😕. Thanks for your reply though.

[Hidden]

I think age has a lot to do with developing memory problems.. I would just try and no9tice how my memory is while taking the drug, I got off of xanax although I hadn't seen any studies I felt if was affecting my memory as I am 72 now.

[trishj46 in reply to Hidden]

I was on amitriptiline and I was like a zombie on 10mg.

I slept day & night or was just not able to function.

It did help with PN but could not stand the sedation.

Good Luck! trishj46

[jeeves19 in reply to trishj46]

And some have 150 mg day. Imagine!

[Coastwalker]

Hi jeeves19, There is a vitamin B12 deficiency link to Parkinson’s/Dementia and Neuropathy. Anyone who has nerve problems or neuropathy (and Parkinson’s) should always get their vitamin B12 bloods checked.

A book by Sally Pacholok called ‘Could it Be B12 ? An Epidemic of misdiagnosis.’ Is well worth investing in. Or alternatively watch Sally Pacholoks video On YouTube, I believe the video has the same name as the book.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a very over looked problem. Also many prescription pills such as Amitriptyline can bring on a vitamin B12 deficiency.

As you mentioned you know that some antidepressants are linked to a dementia risk.’ On the website theguardian.com It mentions Amitriptyline as one of the drugs that can cause confusion and also a mention that some Parkinson’s drugs are also linked to a raised dementia risk. (There is a vitamin B12 deficiency link.) Do take a Google yourself to check it out.

Nutritional deficiencies are highly linked to Amitriptyline - depletes the B vitamins (especially B12, folic acid and B2) and several others too. ( can I ask what type of pains you had ? as I might be able to help, I got rid of several different types of pains because they were being caused by deficiencies, not saying yours are the same, but worth checking)

Vitamin B12 deficiency can play quite a large part in Parkinson’s and many other big illnesses which might surprise many as mentioed in Sally Pacholoks book.

Try also Googling Parkinson’s and Vitamin B12 Deficiency.

Another thing that crossed my mind - have you been taking any statins ?

[jeeves19]

That’s one of the most informative and generous responses I’ve ever had on any forum! Thanks, way to go. I’ll message you privately immediately😊

[Hidden]

If that's what youre reading about this drug, I would stay as far away from it as you can. Good luck finding the right one.

[Karjade]

I have small fibre sensory peripheral neuropathy and have recently gone back on amitriptyline 10mg. It does not really help the neuropathy but it helps me sleep. I have tried in the past Gabapentin, Lyrica and Duloxitine which I feel are all worse with side effects. They are all for epilepsy and depression and work on the brain so I feel they are all mind altering drugs. However, saying that they are also prescribed to help with nerve endings so that is why they are given for neuropathy. I personally felt amitriptyline gave me less side effects so that is why I am trying them again.

[jeeves19]

Yes it’s hard to know what to do sometimes isn’t it? If I could afford it I’d use this stuff called P.E.A which is natural and a really good supplement. £40 a bottle but it’s meant to calm nerve pain really well. Why the NHS only considers ‘toxic’ stuff is beyond me😕

[SusieJo1948]

Hi could you tell me what. £40 means in US currency I'm trying to learn the difference. Thank you Love susiejo1948

[jeeves19]

About 33? USD.

[Gigi71]

I really couldn't get on with Amitripyiline, 10mg made me like a Zombie, couldn't sleep. I was reluctant to try Gabapentin, however I have tolerated this drug and is helping my severe back pain. I worked up from 100mg to 1200mg, can go higher but have settled on this for now. I'm 73 and think my memory is reasonable for my age. I take many drugs, but not opiates, I have RA amongst other health problems. Interestingly I have Vit B12 injections and Vit D/ calcium tablets too. X