Amitriptyline and glaucoma

[Karjade]

Has anybody got glaucoma and taking amitriptyline? I have only been prescribed amitriptyline 10mg and keep getting told that I should not be taking this if I have glaucoma as it raises eye pressure. Has anybody else been told this if they have glaucoma? My Consultant does not seem to really know!

[Konagirl60]

I’ve taken Nortriptyline for 11 years.... 75mg/day. I’m 62 and my eyes were really bothering me.

I had them tested a few months ago and he said I had hazy spots.

I bought colloidal silver and I use it as eye drops. It helps considerably. Could it help you?

[Karjade in reply to Konagirl60]

I am taking glaucoma drops three times a day and also dry eye drops so did not want to put anything more in my eyes. Have you got glaucoma?

[cyberbarn]

What kind of glaucoma do you have? That could make a difference. The best person to speak to about this is your pharmacist. They are the experts in drugs and contradictions.

[Karjade in reply to cyberbarn]

I have normal pressure glaucoma. I asked my pharmacist and he looked on all his lists and in the end he admitted he did not know. He just said to take it at your own risk! I have peripheral neuropathy in my feet and I have also taken gabapentin which did not help. I have an appointment at the eye clinic in January so will ask again. Thank you.

[cyberbarn in reply to Karjade]

It seems the biggest risk is for those with narrow angle glaucoma, which is the more rare form, so you might be okay.

But talking to the eye clinic should at least give you a definitive answer. Can you ring them up rather than wait until January?

[Karjade in reply to cyberbarn]

Thank you. I will get in touch with the Eye Department again but I really do not think they know. I need to take some sort of medication for my feet as I am finding it so hard to live with but so scared it may raise my eye pressure. It makes sense that it could just affect people with narrow angle or closed angle glaucoma but nobody seems to know! xx

[Lynne-H]

I am at risk of acute glaucoma as I have narrow angles and would not take any antidepressant medication because I believe it can increase eye pressure. Check with your GP - mine always looks things up for for me.

[Karjade in reply to Lynne-H]

A lot of medication can raise eye pressure which is really scary when you have glaucoma but the medical profession just do not seem to know about amitriptyline! I have even emailed the drug company and phoned the Glaucoma Association but they do not even know for certain! I am in such pain with neuropathy that not sure whether to risk it or not. Thank you for your reply xx

[cyberbarn in reply to Karjade]

I wonder if you can risk it and also keep an eye on your eyes by having them checked more frequently so you could stop if it made them worse? My son has a lot of foot pain and amitriptlyne really helped with it. I hope you can find a solution.

[Karjade in reply to cyberbarn]

Thank you xx

[Lynne-H in reply to Karjade]

Yes it`s a tricky one isn`t it.

I know how you feel because I`m really careful what I take. But sometimes we just have to weigh up the risks and get as much information as possible.

My GP has a book and he looks up side effects of drugs. When I was at the beginning of my tinnitus, for example, he offered me antidepressants, but I already knew that it would be risky for me to take them so after looking in his book, he offered me propranolol (a betablocker) instead to help reduce the anxiety.

I usually look things up online if I want to start taking anything - vitamins, herbal medicines etc. There is one thing I do take a chance on though and that is ibuprofen which I believe can also raise eye pressure but I do take those for neck and shoulder pain.

I hope you manage to sort something out - it`s not good to be in pain all the time.

I wonder if it would be worth you having a word with an optician - I would imagine they would be willing to check your pressures for you on a regular basis.

Lynne

[Karjade in reply to Lynne-H]

Thank you so much. That is a good idea about the optician as I do worry about my eyes. I will discuss all of my worries when I go to ophthalmology in January. Sometimes I feel like risking taking amitriptyline when I am desperate xx

[Lynne-H in reply to Karjade]

Yes I know how you feel - as I said before I have narrow angle glaucoma and as my Dad had glaucoma and had lost the sight in his left eye I started to go for checks at the opticians when I was 40 - that was 1987.

In 1994 I was referred to the Eye Clinic and had some laser surgery straight away. I will always be grateful to the optician who referred me as I think she may have saved my sight. And I`ve been using drops since 2011 and have check-ups every six months. I no longer go to the Eye Clinic - I was outsourced six years ago, firstly to Midland Eye and now to Community Health and Eyecare who come from Preston to Stoke so I do actually get seen more often now.

I don`t worry so much about it these days - I have had other problems along the way including a macular hole and cataract operation. And despite everything I feel my vision is still good in my left eye and reasonable in my right eye.

As for you if you are going to opthamology in January then maybe you could take the risk with the amitripyline and then see what your pressures are like then.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a good outcome - all the best.

Lynne

[Karjade in reply to Lynne-H]

I have been referred to the Glaucoma Monitoring Unit as my glaucoma is stable at the moment. I have to take glaucoma drops three times a day because I have normal pressure glaucoma and my pressure is 17 in both eyes and I also have thin corneas so they are saying the pressure is too high. I will see what it is in January and just hope it has come down a bit. I have had SLT laser treatment twice and it still has not come down so that is why I am scared to take amitriptyline. However, not sure how much longer I can put up with the burning and tingling in my feet from peripheral neuropathy and like you say I may just risk it until January when I go back. Thank you for your help xx

[Lynne-H in reply to Karjade]

That`s ok - happy to help anytime.

Glaucoma`s quite a complicated condition isn`t it - everyone who has it seems to be different. It`s good to share our experiences.

You take care.

Lynne xx

[Sunrisedrp]

I take 19mg Amitriptyline and my Eye Dr, an Opthalmologist wasn’t concerned about that at all. He said if pressure seems to be higher than normal it could be you just have a thicker cornea and that should be measured.

[Karjade in reply to Sunrisedrp]

Thank you. That is reassuring to hear xx

[Cats77]

I also have glaucoma and been prescribed Amitriptyline, for MS symptoms, didnt know I couldn't take them with my glaucoma medication, I will get advice from my doctor, and post back soon

[Karjade in reply to Cats77]

I asked another glaucoma consultant if I could take amitriptyline and she said it is okay as I have not got narrow angle glaucoma or closed angle glaucoma. However I would check with your Consultant to be on the safe side. Good luck xx