Amitriptyline

[Mnoye]

I was told by my consultant taking amitriptyline for nerve pain was absolutely fine, (been on it for about 9 months), but read on another site that their liver was affected by amitriptyline. Does anyone have any experience with this drug x

[GrittyReads]

I took amitriptyline to help me sleep, when the onset of horrendous menopausal hot flushes were so bad - mainly at night - that I'd had hardly any sleep for weeks, and was in consequence suffering the most appalling migraines. I was, by the time I saw my GP, walking round like a zombie and unable to drive.

My GP is the only one in the practice to be familiar with the ins and outs of PBC (although in my case I don't actually have it (yet) I just have AMAs). Yet she felt amitrip was safe for me, and it worked amazingly - saved my sanity. She told me to break the 10mg tabs into 1/2s, 1/4s, or even powder, and take only as much as I needed to help me get a good night's sleep. For me it was a lifesaver, and I kept some on hand for a while after the hot flushes declined - I had them for a few years.

Also, the amitrip was the only thing to help when I had a terribly bad attack of costochondritis, which is incredibly painful.

I believe amitrip was first produced as an anti-depressant, with doses starting at 30mg (which I find mind-boggling). It fell from favour - as an anti-dep - as better ones were developed, but was found to be incredibly useful in helping people with the pain of fibromyalgia - which I believe is still one of its major uses.

I have not heard of any qualms about the use of amitriptyline, and when I saw one of the UK's leading PBC specialists (he ruled that I did only have AMAs - and did not have PBC - after Insurance companies were trying to treat me as if I did have PBC), he was quite happy with me using it.

Hope this helps,

Gritty

[GrittyReads in reply to GrittyReads]

PS I have not taken it for a few years now, but I still don't have PBC and am not aware of any damage or illness.

[Mnoye in reply to GrittyReads]

Thank you, I shall keep on with it happily until the doctor tells me to stop,

[Maureen25 in reply to GrittyReads]

I was given it for my fibromyalgia had to come of it , made me depressed and aggressive.

[GrittyReads in reply to Maureen25]

Hi, that's interesting - always good to hear all sides of the issue.

What dose were you given?

I'm really curious as to how such things affect us.

When I was first prescribed it, my GP said I could break it up and take as little as I needed. However, the first few days I did take a 10mg tablet, and I felt awful: tired, head-achey, and certainly not safe to drive - although I did sleep through the hot flushes!! But once I cut it down, finally deciding on a 1/3 of a tablet being the best, it was fine.

I just wonder if the dose would make a difference for you, or if you were advised to build up slowly instead of starting on a set dose. I'm guessing that for fibro it would be a higher dose, as when I had costochondritis, I was told to take the full 10mg tablet, or more, to keep the pain manageable. I think the costo causes nerve inflammation in the nerves in the ribcage; so there may be some similarity to the effect they hope the amitrip will have on calming the nerves in the blood vessels, in cases of fibro.

I was astonished to read that when amitrip was first marketed, it was an antidepressant, and patients were advised to start on 40mg(!) and build to (I think) 70mg(!!!). As my initial 10mg made me so, so out of it, I cannot imagine taking 30mg.

I hope you have been able to get some better treatment, since,

Take care.

[Barbara-C in reply to GrittyReads]

Hi I just read your post on Amitriptyline I also take this for neck pain and I was wondering how you manage to cut up such a small tablet . I tried to cut in half with a pill cutter but wasn’t very successful. Thanking you.

[GrittyReads in reply to Barbara-C]

I don't know?!

My pills are 10mg ones, about half a centimetre in diameter. When I first started I found 1/3 worked best. Now I take less and less, and I find a 1/5 or a 1/6 works for sleep.

Uummm: I just have a good steady wooden/non-slip cutting surface, good lighting, a very sharp knife, and hold the pill steady with a spatula edge (OR just my fingernail - they're long - and so no flesh near the knife) and cut in half, then each half in thirds, just with the pointy end of the knife.

I put them in a little pot and - on average - use them over 2-4 weeks.

Hope this helps.

[Barbara-C in reply to GrittyReads]

Thank you you must have a really steady hand well done ..

[SharonM69 in reply to GrittyReads]

Hello , I came on here to ask about taking amitriptyline as I have met e damage in my back, strange as the first post I looked at was yours .

[Becca75]

I was on it for Fibromyalgia - it was approved for me given my liver issues (PBC) .