Amitriptyline

[cavi]

Do any of you take this to try and block out the horrendous itch I know its for depression but have heard it can have other uses just wondered if anyone knew. Take Care

[lainey67]

I was put on this a yr ago for joint and muscle pain,as i don't suffer with the itch i couldn't tell you if it is used for that.

[mumofthree]

Hi cavi

A work colleague of mine has Fibromyalgia and was prescribed Amitriptyline to combat the pain she was suffering, she was told it acts on the nerve endings.

[susanr]

hi i use amitriptyline for pain to my mouth jaw as i had a acident on my face fell and its left me with neurghar so i use it for pain 30mg a nite i think 70mg for depression .

[uitlander]

I was given Amtriptyline for muscle pain due to nueromuscular factors. Amitriptyline is also used at low doses in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome otherwise known as ME to reduce restless sleep. I haven't heard of it used for PBC Itch.

Sunshine really helps my itch. There is also specific medicine that apparently helps but I am working on less medicine the less stress on my liver. My itch comes in patches. So now whenever the sun is out I lie in a sunny patch with all my limbs exposed to the sun. The itch is apparently due to bilirubin and as you may know the treatment for babies with high bilirubin is light therapy.

The Amitriptyline did help a bit with the pain but alot of my pain was cramp and the Pharmarist suggest quinine as it would not clash with my other medicines. As a trail I have been having Indian Tonic water every couple of days and that has worked really well ( the standard Indian Tonic that has quinine in it.)

Hope this has helped a bit as the itch is awful but do go to the doctor about it.

[Val02]

I have taken Amitriptyline for headaches, RLS and muscle spasms and it worked quite well. I don't know whether it works for "the itch." I don't take it any longer as it interfered with my heart rhythm but apparently that is a rare side effect so don't let that you put you off.

[Hidden]

Yes apparently in PBC and with the itch, you normally start on Questran and then can work up to other meds if that doesn't work and the next.....

It seems that a lot of medications that are used for anxiety, depression, etc are also used for other health conditions which is to sort of block out the feelings of other things. My sister was prescribed some prozac several years ago when the GP suspected she had irritable bowel syndrome (she felt dreadful for 2 days, wasn't fit to drive nor work, read the leaflet, said she wasn't taking no tablets for about 6mths and then having to be weaned off them so sacked them).

I do suffer from the itch myself at night and some nights I just wonder where it will all end. During the day I am perfectly normal but come early evening I start feeling the odd prickle and then by 11p.m. it is usually a case I am rather itchy and will I sleep with it. I know at times I've thought if someone was to hand me a pill at that time I'd take it regardless.

My only thought here as I've not yet had anything for the itch, hoping I can muddle through as once I have a good night, I sort of forget about it until the next bad one, is that if one was to take certain 'block out' meds then perhaps over time wouldn't our system get so used to it that we could end up back at square one. A lot of meds get like this. (I find I have to mention I have never actually called urso a medication as such as it is a form of (synthetic) bile so to me it acts rather like a supplement as opposed to a med.)

[Jackie07123]

I take amitriptylene for migraine and I haven't had the itch so maybe it's prevented it

[MollyMoo]

I also took amitriptyline for migraines & I have just realised that that's probably why the itch stopped! I stopped taken amitriptyline because I tried to cut out as many meds as possible but the migraines are building back up. I will now take it with positive attitude!

[JennerLayne]

Several years ago, I had several stomach aches, IBS and lots of digestive issues. The gastro conducted a CT and found enlarged notes, believing I had lymphoma. While I went through a three-year 'watch and wait' period, the Gastroenterologist put me on this to ease the stomach pain, anxiety, migraines and to help me sleep. It worked on all accounts and I sure wish I had some now to help with AIH / PBC symptoms. Incidentally, I take Inderal for my migraines now and for the most part, it keeps them away..

[GrittyReads]

My GP gave me amitriptyline to help me sleep when my menopause kicked in. I was having the 'hot flushes from hell' at night, and they stopped most sleep, eventually causing migraine-type headaches. I checked all the info on the drug that I could find before I agreed to take it - I didn't want to go anywhere near antidepressants - and it seems that it is not generally prescribed (in the UK?) for depression now. However, it is used for helping with sleeplessness, migraines, fibromyalgia and other conditions. As far as I can tell, the dosage for depression started at about 40mg - and went much higher (I can't imagine how anyone could function), while I have only 10mg tablets: plus, my GP advised me to chop them up in1/2, 1/3, 1/4, and take whatever suits. She also said that at such low doses it was fine to stop and start whenever the hot flushes are bothersome - they come in waves for a month or so, then go away. I have not read about amitriptyline being used for itch, but for anyone who has had trouble with the drug, I would ask your GP about reducing the dose until you find something that works for you. I find they help me to sleep when I need them, but I've had no adverse effects.

NB I test +ve for AMAs, but have done for over 20 years yet I am still completely asymptomatic for PBC - with consistentlyclear liver functions tests - so the prescribing was nothing to do with PBC.