2-3 weeks ago I had a A&E diagnosed Shingles attack. This has left me with severe pain in my arm. My new GP has prescribed me over the phone Amitriptyline 10mg. She has very little info about me but prescribed this strong drug. She said the side effects were sleepiness. Nothing else. I was concerned to read about other side effects (weight gain, rapid heart beat, eye pressure, possibility of not being able to drive amongst other horrible side effects. My pain is bad especially at night. I take about 3 cocodamel a day but not working. She knows my concerns about side effects and is completely unsympathetic. I dont know where to turn.
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Minnie20
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Hi - my doc has suggested this for me too, with my chronic pain (cause undiagnosed, similar to fibromyalgia). I've been prescribed tramadols but they don't do the job, neither did co-codamol. I'm reticent to take it too, following my own research. Anyone out there used it before, either with or without beneficial effect? Please let us know!
I asked for Nortriptyline instead as I too was worried about side effects. So far so good. I have chronic nerve pain in my ischial sacral spine. I use 20mg in morning, 20mg in the afternoon and 30mg at bedtime. 10mg isn’t enough for severe pain that affects sleep.
With 24/7 pain you need to take a nerve pain modulator three times a day. Nortriptyline is also called Pamelor. If you have dry mouth, just drink more water or herbal tea in the daytime. Good luck.
My son has been taking amitriptyline for several years now. 10mg is actually a very low dose. At low doses it deals with nerve pain, which is what pain from shingles is. You may feel a bit sleepy for a few days, but if it works for you (it doesn't work for everyone) after a week or so you will not be so sleepy as your body gets used to it. Sometimes they start at 10mg and then after a while move up to 20mg if 10 doesn't work.
My son hasn't gained weight, in fact he has started losing a little bit, so we have to keep our eye on his food intake to stop him losing weight. So it is worth trying it.
Hi Minnie20, I take 50mg of Amitriptyline at night for severe nerve pain in both my Knee and my lower back, I started at at 25mg prescribed by the Pain Clinic and later increased to 50mg, you will feel very sleepy when you first start to use this medication, but will ease in time, this medication works amazing well with nerve disorders, such as Shingles, and also nerve damage such as my problems. Amitriptyline is a very old drug and has more than one use, it was originally prescribed as an antidepressant and since used for nerve disorders.
This is a medication that I know well as a retired NHS paramedic, also remember that all medications have side effects, but that doesn't mean that you will suffer any of them, it's the luck of the draw, you just need to have faith in your GP, and give the medication and your body time to work together, as long as the side effects (if you get any) are not worse than the shingles pain, then you need to give it time.
Hi Minnie, My hospital consultant prescribed 10mg Amitriptyline for neuropathic pain linked to my Kienbocks disease some years ago and it worked immediately like a charm . I couldn't praise it highly enough.Unfortunately after a few months I began waking with a sense of depression for which I could find no reason, nothing in my personal circumstances had changed , so I stopped taking them, luckily the pain did not return. Anti depressant medications are known to sometimes have the opposite effect , as Photography9591 says "it's the luck of the draw". However having in the past been prescribed a drug that is specifically not advised for the elderly and ending up in hospital, I don't agree with their "just have faith in your GP" advice, mine having ignored the negative effects I'd reported. In short I'd say 10mg is a very low dose, try it. It does work for nerve pain, but stop immediately should you feel any adverse affects. It may be, that like myself, a short period will be enough to resolve the pain issue. . . . Good luck.
It is great that you are keen to be informed about the medication you're prescribed - to make sure you have the most reliable info on this, you might want to have a read of our leaflet on amitriptyline painconcern.org.uk/amitript...
As you can read from the other comments, it is indeed commonly prescribed for chronic pain. That said, if you feel uncomfortable taking it, you can ask your GP to offer alternatives. Checking the NICE guidelines (nice.org.uk/guidance/cg173) can help you understand the common treatments and possible alternatives.
I have taken this for several years and find they work quite well. If you feel sleepy during the morning I advise taking it at least a couple of hours before bedtime. You may get a dry mouth but this can be easily solved.
I would give it a week or so to see if this does suit you.
Unfortunately what works for one person may not work for another, it is trial and error, but if you don't try, you will never know.
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