Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JeanneA]

Due to my sleep problems and very 'down' generally my G.P. has put me on a anti-depressant called amitriptyline which I have to take each night, 70mg. Has anyone else been on this anti-depressant?

[Limpy]

Hi JeanneA

I recently had a very brief use of 10mg Amitriptyline.
It was to reduce migraines and neuropathic (all along right hand side) pain.

It helped to reduce headaches for a while but the right hand side pain didn't go, possibly even got worse but I'me not certain. It was good for getting a good nights sleep however!

[ellie]

Hi JeanneA,   I tried the 10mg a while ago, but had to stop because I couldn't get used to the drowsy feeling in the morning.....So I am wondering how you will get on with 70mg......everyone is different of course,do let us know how you get on.

[Joyce]

They gave me such a horribly dry mouth and I was only on 10mg.

[Rosebush]

Jeanne have you taken one yet or is this a new prescription? x

[meno lesley]

I take 10mg at night to help me sleep and am fine with it.

Lesley x

[Rosebush]

Meno last time I saw my GP re sleepless nights due to hot sweats, he gave me some Zopiclone, I take 1/2 tab maybe 2 or 3 times a week, cannot function after 2 sleepless nights, but he did mention, some form of A.D 's 10mgs might help me with sleep, how long do you sleep for with Amitriptyline?  x

[Limpy]

Had another thought

I had tried 10mg Amitriptyline for pain relief before, and had to stop because I got so brain dead.
Swore I would never use them again.
However, headaches and other pain became tedious, so I had another go.
The brain fog / death was much less this time, but did strike with vengeance after 2 weeks.
So that, in connection with the fact that the pain wasn't sorted, has meant I've given up again.
I'll try Gabapentin next to try and stop pain, might work...............

[JeanneA]

Thanks very much for all the replies.  I have on them a week now and am sleeping much better.  I usually only wake once a night now.  However I do feel drowsy in the mornings, so I will have to see how things go and if I continue to feel too drowsy I will go back to my doctor again.  I do get a dry mouth but I was getting that anyway due to one of the symptoms of the menopause.

[meno lesley]

Hi Rosebush

I sleep for about 8 hours on average. When all my meno symptoms kicked off I wasn't sleeping at all, it was like torture. I do still have the occasional night that I do not sleep at all but on the whole I it's a lot better. I have thought about trying to wean myself off as have been on it for 2 years but couldn't handle not sleeping.

Lesley x

[kes]

Amitriptyline is an older AD - what they call one of the "tricyclic" anti depressants. They have been around for many years.  They do make the mouth very dry, especially at the larger doses.  They are also not that great at lifting depression, but they can help sleep - as you have discovered - they have a bit of a "hangover" effect.

[panda762]

Blimey, 70mg 

I take 10mg per night and it does help with sleep, but I have to take it by 6pm or I'm a bit of a zombie the next morning (can just about function by 10am). Did try 20mg but that was too much for me. Was supposed to help with pain but it didn't - although I guess if I can sleep better at night I can deal with the pain easier...

I did read somewhere it's used to stop bed-wetting  which may explain why I no longer need to get up in the night to visit the bathroom

Good luck with them

[JeanneA]

Thanks for the replies.  I may try 60 mg tonight and see how I feel tomorrow morning, go down in dose slowly.

[catdude]

My husband took this briefly for trigeminal neuralgia as it works on nerve pain as well as being an antidepressant but he was sleeping all the time (he slept through an entire Xmas day on it!) so he stopped taking it. Pity really because it helped with the pain - he was just unable to stay awake!

[Greyhoundgal]

I only take 20mg each night to help with back pain and to make me sleep.  It does both these things extremely well in my case.  I do sometimes wake feeling a little light-headed but nothing that I can't cope with.