Get Informed: Amitriptyline
Active Ingredient(s)
Amitriptyline
What does it do?
This product is used in the treatment of depression. Its mechanism of action is not well understood.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-06 11:59 AM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-07 8:28 AM
Other Names
- Amitriptyline
- Amitriptyline HCl
- Elavil
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
- Please log in
- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- C
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior when used in children and adolescents with depression.
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 07 Apr 1961
- Est US Patients*
- 1,759,000
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Amitriptyline or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Amitriptyline
There have been no alerts regarding Amitriptyline during the past year.
Amitriptyline Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
- Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Amitriptyline interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.
What is Amitriptyline used for?
iGuard.org is currently tracking more than 10,100 patients that use Amitriptyline (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Insomnia | 34% | 
|
| Migraine / Headache | 23% | 
|
| Depression | 15% |
|
| Pain | 14% |
|
| Anxiety | 12% |
|
| Osteoarthritis | 8% |
|
| Fibromyalgia | 5% |
|
| Restless Leg Syndrome | 4% |
|
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | 4% |
|
| Neuropathic Pain | 4% | 
|
| Bipolar Disorder | 2% |
|
| Other | 14% |
|
How well does Amitriptyline work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 10,100 users taking Amitriptyline (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 75%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Amitriptyline outweigh the bad things.
- 27%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Amitriptyline.
Common Side Effects of Amitriptyline
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 10,100 users taking Amitriptyline (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
49% of patients experience side-effects on Amitriptyline
9% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Amitriptyline
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Drowsiness
-
Dry Mouth
-
Weight Gain
-
Grogginess/Confusion
-
Headache
-
Dryness
-
Fatigue
-
Vivid Dreams
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Constipation, Dizziness, Heartburn/Reflux, Increased Appetite, Loss of Libido, Nausea, Palpitations, Rebound Insomnia, Restlessness, Sweating
Global Patient Feedback for Amitriptyline ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
Hi I just started taking celexa for anxiety about a month ago and have been having a problem sleeping due to pain of lupus and fibromyalsia. The doctor wants me to take 10mg of amitriptyline at night to help with sleep. I read it can cause serotonin syndrom. I would be taking a very low does but don't want to do anything that is going to cause a problem. Anybody out there no anything about a reaction?
40 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-29 19:12:06
Question/Comment:
Started Elavil 50 mg July 09 for migraine. No real side effects to speak of. October 09 went for follow-up. BP was 160/100. Never had elevated BP before. Am 48, non-smoker, not overweight, exercise. Only change since July is Elavil. Monitoring my BP at home since appt and it has been high every time. High pulse also. Slowly weaning myself from Elavil. Not convinced doc believes Elavil to be cause of sudden high BP, but what else explains jump from normal BP to high BP in three months?
48 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-29 09:36:29
Question/Comment:
I am bi-polor, and I have been taking lithium carb. 3x time a day @ 300mg; wellburtin 2x a day @ 100mg; trazadone at a night, that is supposed to help me sleep. It does not. I have even taken sleeping pills sometimes 3 or 4 at a time, still can't fall asleep that easily. I now been having severe headaches because the lack of sleep has finally caught up with me. I have been taking these meds for month in a half. Does anybody have any suggestions???
35 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-02 01:48:55
Question/Comment:
I have been taking amtriptyline 25 mg along with oxcarbazepine900 mg every night for 4 months and i have been having a lot of the one percent side affects every day and also all of the most common side affects just as well. I also take 20 mg of lexapro in the morning which i feel is not helping me any longer like it used to wheh i was taking 400 mg of seurequel, but i had to change because i was gaining to much weight and couldnt wake up to get out of bed.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-18 22:10:09
Question/Comment:
I have been on Amitryptyline along with Neurotin to help with my fibromyalgia. Lately, I have had much itching around my feet, ankles, and hands. I stopped taking the Ami, but continued with the Neurotin. I have had no itching. Has anyone else experienced this? This same thing happened when I was on Vicodin. The Dr. said that I had an allergic reaction to the Vicodin. I'm thinking that I may have an allergy to Ami. I will be contacting my Dr. soon.
58 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-26 18:19:12
Answer/Reply:
I been taking amitriptline at night (150mg) for 2 years.To help me sleep. For Fibromyalgia it made me so groggy in the morning, it to so much engery to move and talk it. I stopped taking it on my own and never had any bad side affects. Now i have a new doc and she lowered amitripline to 100 and now im taking gabapentin 300mg x3 daily. I was on vaction and didn't do much when i first took it and it was great. i was able to go up and down the stairs like a normal person. I live on2nd story apt so i'm always going so slow up the stairs it feels like i have cement shoes on. i was soo excited that something worked after 2 years of suffering. but I went to work the next week and now the meds didn't work. I been going back every 2 weeks to get the dosage upped. I just hope i find a good dosage that will work. I also am shaking in my fingers. Like twitching. I also seem like I can't remember stuff, it's kinda werid
26 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-14 21:06:51
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
63
Patient Comments about
Amitriptyline