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[MabelBabel]

I take Amiltryptiline initially for nerve pain in my back, I started with 10mg, then I started suffering from sleepless nights so my GP has said I can go up to 50mg when needed. In the pack it says to take an hour before bedtime, well I did this in the beginning and lost a week! It completely zonked me out. It was only after finding info on an arthritis site it said do not take later than 8pm!
Now I take it between 8 and 8.30pm and I am fine the next day, even when I take a higher dose. It has been very helpful for the nerve pain and helping me sleep.

Edited as addressed to the wrong person! Oops, newbie error!

[Dana]

Yes Amitriptyline is a good med for a lot of things. I'm sure if I took it earlier in the night it wouldn't have given me that groggy feeling the next morning, but I have an aversion to any kind of sleep aid (it's a long story, but involves a very long and painful tapering process off diazepam) so I never taken anything for sleep until I actually know I'm not going to get to sleep, and that's usually no earlier than around 11pm. I will never take anything for sleep earlier "just in case".

One of the side effects I also found from using a higher dose of Endep (Amitriptyline), along with restless legs, is a dry mouth which is very uncomfortable, so another reason to try to keep the dose as low as possible, for me anyway.

[MabelBabel]

I got a dry mouth in the beginning but I don't so much now. The Amiltryptiline is funny, it doesn't make me feel drowsy before I go to bed, just gives me a better nights sleep once asleep.

[Peroxideblader]

Dana I've ordered the doxylamine today so it should be here by the end of the week. I see my doctor for hrt tomorrow but I'm really hanging on from going on it until I'm desperate.  I've got all the horrid symptoms but I could live with the others but not the lack of sleep so if the doxy works I'll stay off hrt fir now. The anxiety and panic attacks are bad but as I've had them for 4 years and depression for 32 years I can battle on with them issues.  Just we have heart issues in our family and I have hereditary high cholesterol and a long term eating disorder though I've been in remission for 17 years but the hrt causing heart issues and high cholesterol and weight gain in most cases I couldn't cope with that on top of everything else. If I can get sleep I'll be stronger in myself anyway x

[perplexed]

well, day 4 of taking 10mg of Endep and the itch is gone, I feel like a normal person.  There is slight fogginess in the morning, but I figure it's a worthwhile payback for not having itchy crawling skin.  The funny thing is that I also don't feel hungry and have to remind myself to eat, which is strange as one of the side effects can be weight gain.

[Dana]

Hi peroxide

Everyone has to make their own choices with these things, but I always try to be very clear that any kind of sleep med should not be taken long term. Please don't be influenced by all the nonsense negative press that still gets trotted around about HRT. The overall benefits can't be substituted or bettered by anything else.

Yes as far as a sleep meds goes, doxy is certainly a lot safer than actual sleeping pills, tranquilisers, and benzos, but it is still something that should not be used all the time. It is only a temporary solution. The people I mentioned who used it long term had no choice because of their benzo dependency situation. You have a viable alternative.

The true cause of insomnia always needs to be addressed, and in your case that will probably be by hrt.

[Peroxideblader]

I'm waiting for the doxy to arrive I just hope it works although no other antihistamine has touched it at all in fact I'm worse on them as my restless legs increases but fingers crossed. I've missed my slot for hrt this month as I've started today and doctor wouldn't prescribe it yesterday until I've had my scan for cysts that I actually asked for.  They found 2 about 5 years ago said oh they'll disappear and no follow up needed but a nurse I met dig walking said she had brought been walking for a few weeks as she'd had 3 ovarian cysts removed when I mentioned mine she said they should have scanned me 3 months later to check they'd gone....well that never happened so whilst I'm waiting for a scan I can't be prescribed hrt..unreal@@@

[Peroxideblader]

Hi Dana..just to let you know I can't get doxylamine only online and i darent risk online medication you don't know what you're getting.  I'm at my wits end I really am its 3 or 4 am every single night til I can sleep and I dont want to go back on zopiclone but at this rate I think I'll have to.  X

[Dana]

If you need a good night's sleep, and you know the zopi will help, then you need to take it. You just need to be aware that long-term or continuous use can create more problems in the long run. Your best bet is to try the HRT asap.

[Peroxideblader]

Thanks I will try half a tablet it doesn't usually work but I don't want to take one whole one but I'm so low I need sleep..I'm seeing doctor Friday to ask about my sleep and get femoston to try next period but I'd rather have a sleep med that works long term than risk hrt and it do nothing for me..I was ill on amiltryptoline and the rls kept me from any sleep

[Dana]

Sorry, but there are no sleeping meds that you can use long term. They all have risks associated with continuous use. Those risk are far higher than any HRT risks.