Amitryptyline (sp?): any feedback?

My wife was on that same dose at bedtime. She had developed post-surgical neuropathy in her right leg after the removal of a large tumor. The Elavil helped with the pain and helped her sleep. She tolerated it very well. It also helped with her anxiety over her recovery from her surgery.

Hi Jessica,

I’ve been on amitryptyline (?sp) for years at 50 mg at night. The only side effect I have ever noticed is an appetite. The neuro that prescribed it said to watch out for weight gain because they also give this to people with anirexia (?sp). It does seem to take the edge of the pain a bit. I also tried cymbalta and that was an experience from hell. This is a good old fashioned antidepressant. So I would give this a thumbs up!

I wish I could get muscle relaxers.

soma is a pretty good muscle relaxer, cheap too

I had some problems with Elavil–metal taste in mouth–felt woozy/light headed from it–nightmares and finally said no more. It’s a anti-depressant and did knock me out but I felt like it had the next day. I was on 50 mg then 12 mg.
Be careful–start on it at low dose and see.Sometimes we just need sleep desperately and if it does help with pain–good.

My daughter’s neuro put her on Elavil to see if it would help her migraines. It DID help a bit, but it also gave her that nasty metallic taste in her mouth so her food tasted bad & she stopped eating. She slept like the dead, which was great since she had really battled insomnia, but during the day her mood/personality/attitude was just unbearable to be around. I was surprised at that negative side effect since it is an anti-depressant. She eventually had to get off of it because she was miserable & everyone around her was miserable. She’s back to her old self now!

That is just our experience, however, and many other people tolerate it very well and get great relief from it.

🙂

[QUOTE=jessicah]Well, I have run the gamut on neuros. Diagnosed with mild GBS, then POTS/dysautonomia. Now I am treating with a rheumatologist because I have developed arthritic issues (I am 39). All of this started after the H1N1 flu vaccine last November. The rheumy does not think that I have RA, lupus, etc, but is still testing for this. He thinks I have fibromyalgia. He has prescribled amitryptyline and a muscle relaxer. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this? I think this is also known as Elavil, an antidepressant. I am a little hesitant to start on this because I had a bad reaction to Cymbalta, but he told me to take it at night, low dose of 10mg. Is anyone taking this?Good/bad?[/QUOTE]

Jessica, Elavil is really well tolerated by most. It is most commonly used for sleep (rather than depression–in which doses are about 225mg for that) and sometimes neuropathy.
The dose for sleep is anywhere from 10-50mg, depending on the patient and how sensitive they are. You do build tolerance to it. I have been taking it off and on for 12 years, my dose is less than 25 mg. 25mg if I am having a really bad time with sleep. I have no side effects from it except dry mouth, however, I have numerous other conditions/meds that also cause my dry mouth.
HTH!