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Global Patient Feedback for Elavil (Amitriptyline) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I was given Amitritilyn for Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. I felt like a zombie and could not concentrate for 6 months. I hate the stuff, but I cannot handle the vomiting and diarrhea every other day. I may have to go back on it for a brief period.
59 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-16 18:23:52
Answer/Reply:
Ask your Dr. about switching to a similar trycylic antidepressant. Nortryptiline(sp)
is one I have never tried but is reported to have less drowsiness. I think there's about
5 to choose from. Google this class of drugs and then go see the doc. again.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-13 18:04:22
Question/Comment:
i have been taking this elavil for a week and it stops my depression and restless leg syndrom. i am 47 female nd also live with chrohns.If only they could get rid of the virus that causes chrohns, it would be great, we would be cured!
48 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-09 04:42:48
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
have you gained weight?
Posted: 2008-12-29 23:16:33
Question/Comment:
I have been taking ami for about a month now.I have had 2 recent surgerys in the past year due to ovarion cancer. My doctor gave it to me to help me sleep along with ambien.Since i have been taking this med. I have been consipated for a week now, have severe dry mouth,and sweat alot. I also started cymbalta 2 months ago.does anyone know if there are withdraw symtoms if you just stop taking these meds?
43 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-05 21:03:01
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I was on Elavil for about 8months total. I started at 25mg and after a while was bumped up to 50mg. I went off it without decreasing dosage; just stopped taking it and it was the worst thing I have ever gone through. There absolutely is withdraw symtoms. I went through fevers,chills,headaches,diarhea;it feels like your skin is crawling. Physically and emotionally, it was the worst and it lasted 6 or 7 days. I can not stress how bad it was and now I am afraid to start anything else for fear of going through the same thing.
Posted: 2008-12-23 14:51:59
Question/Comment:
In a short version I have had two spinal fusions for Degenerive Disc in 2.5 years. I had tingling, burning, numbness with weakness feelings and nerve pain in legs alot before surgeries. After surgeries as well but I needed to recover from damage of D.D. I did have relief from surgeries but the pins and needles remain. The pain got to be too much and I statred taking amitripyline at bedtime 25mgs. which I know is a low dose. The more I stayed on ami the more the symptons increased. My doctor said take more. Went to 40 mgs. with much more of tingling etc. I tried that twice. Seen a crazy neurologist and took cymbolta 30mgs.one time at bed and the tingling, burning was insane. Cymbolta he told me was the sister drug to amitripyline in a more concentrated version. He never listened to my complaints about ami. Only to read about the side effects on line to learn ami actually makes the nerve ending pull back or apart from each other causing them harder to signal making them tingle, burn, numbness.[www.frequencyrising.com/neuroopathy.htm] I stopped ami one month ago, I was on it that time for about 6 months. I had some notice of a let up. They state the nerve endings need minerals in electrolytes to function normally. I started to drink gatorade yesterday. Does anyone know how long does it take for a drug like ami. to actually get out of the nerve endings? I also learned facts about Ester C. It is made with aspartame or fake sugar as the buffer meaning ester. Well look up the side effects if aspartame, you'll be shocked. An apartame overload in the body causes tingling, burning, numbness in legs and arms. It mimics Fibromyalgia. This is what one doctor thinks I have. There's a connection. I've been taking ester C for over 6 months for healthy cell growth. For your own sake look up the 'aspartame side effects'. Does anyone have this same problem with the burning sensation in arms and legs with pins and needles? I started neurontin but am afraid to see what this does to me! Keep praying.
45 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-23 10:08:44
Answer/Reply:
I have been on ami for about 2 to 3 months. I only take one pill a day, that's at bedtime. I'm sure if I took more than that, I wouldn't stay awake. I am also on neurontin. My doc started me out on 300mg 1 capsule for 3 nights then 2 capsules morning and bedtime, then 1 3 x day. Then moved me up to 600mg 3 x day, now I'm on 800mg 3 x day. It does help some with the nerve pain. But with that and the oxycodone or endocet, it only helps for about 3 hours or so, depending on what you do.
43 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-24 22:38:42
Question/Comment:
I was put on amitriptylin 50mg to prevent migraines. I have stopped taking it because I can not stay awake the day following taking a dose. I also have a sensation of floating. I was not told how tired it would make you, and after taking it the first time I ended up making a 15 minute drive that I do not remember. I will admit that for the month I took it I did not get a migraine thought. I just do not feel the side affects are worth it.
23 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-20 04:10:57
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Did you start off at the 50mg dose? I'm about to start 25mg also for migraine prevention & am afraid of what you've experienced. Just curious if you tried the lower dose & if so how it effected you...
Posted: 2008-12-15 22:18:24
Answer/Reply:
I also take 50 mg to prevent migraines. I've been taking it since 2000. For ten years or more I had migraines that would incapacitate me. And they were getting worse, two or three a week. I was working full time and driving three and half hours one way to a university where I was working on a Ph.D. I finally found a neurologist who knew what to do. She put me on 30 mg a day (at bedtime, actually). She explained that the dosage was based on my weight, and 30 mg was the magic number. After about three months, I stopped having migraines. Just recently, a new doctor increased the dosage to 50 mg (although I don't know why).
Yes, it makes you drowsy, forgetful, etc. But it is worth it in the long run. Although I'm not necessarily following this advice, here it is: just get enough quality sleep and figure out a way to deal with the memory loss.
46 year old Male
Posted: 2008-12-18 02:43:53
Question/Comment:
Obvious warnings by iGuard of Thyroid interactions make the side effects of this drug unreasonable & cannot fathom what my Gastrointerologist was thinking since the other side efect is Constipation! Both conditions that I have issues with.
It made me both dizzy & almost completely impaired my motor skills immediately after taking & would continue to do so till mid-day. I also seemed to develop a craving for Carbs & Sugar. Both of which I am to avoid in my diet!
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-19 00:10:46
Question/Comment:
I'm 31 yrs. of age and I having been taken amitriptyline 10mg for a week now. I feel better but I would like to know if I need to ask for a higher dosage because i have lose 8 pounds within a month. Due to loss of appetite cause by the depression.
33 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-06 09:04:20
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
hi i am taking elavil for a disorder called dysautonomia. i am not depressed and am taking 20 mg. my doctor told me you can take up to 100 mg and the amount i take wouldn't help w/ depression. you should ask your doctor to see if you can up it
Posted: 2008-11-12 15:51:35
Question/Comment:
I have been taking elavil/now amytriptilene for the past 25 years. I was initially given it to take care of migraine headaches. I started off with a 75 mg dosage. I think it made a world of difference for me so I continue to take it but the amount has been increased so that now I take 125mg, I have been working in a noisy environment,,,,,an inner city school in New York.....I have developed tinnitus( hissing....evenly in both ears). I am seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist but I am wondering if this condition could have developed from amytriptilene in a high dosage??
60 year old Female
61 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-02 00:38:49
Question/Comment:
I've just started taking amitriptyline 1 week ago for a disorder called factor 12.... what a difference, I feel 50% better. When taking a medication; as the patient you do have a choice there are other prescriptions out there. Do your homework and ask questions, don't just take something because its prescribed to you. Good luck!
Laurel Higgins
39 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-30 11:33:54
Question/Comment:
My doctor perscribed Amitriptyline 25 mg to be taken one to two hours before bed time so that I will sleep. I have arthritis and Fibromyalgia and the pain was keeping me awake. Since I have been taking this medicine I know sleep through the night and my pain has almost completely subsided. After 12 years of not getting a full nights sleep (at the most 3-4 hours per night), I sleep like a baby.
55 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-24 07:48:38
Question/Comment:
I have taken 40 mg of Amitriptyline since 1991; am suffering from Depression, whereas I only require doses infrequently. For instance, I typically go three to six months, and sometimes nine months, before needing the sleep ease effects of Amitriptyline. On a regular basis, I take Prozac/Generic as needed. Usually, three to six months on then off for three to six months. I have never been able to function without any medication at all for depression. Basically, whatever works for the individual, with medical agreement is the way to go, life should be savored, not merely endured.
62 year old Female
Posted: 2008-07-26 17:46:39
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Anyone have success with this drug for General Anxiety?
Posted: 2008-08-05 12:45:00
Question/Comment:
I strated taking this medication because of having depression and having trouble sleeping. It does work for the sleep but I have put on 25lbs in 6mo. since I have started this medication. I was taking sleep medication and dr wanted me to stop them and she gave me this. I take a total of 13 pills a day and i am not happy with some of the side effect but what to do, I do not know.
52 year old Female
Posted: 2008-07-21 19:10:54
Answer/Reply:
I just started this medicine about a week and half ago and have already gained 4+ pounds since that appt. Hard to fight the depression when they give you medicine that makes you depressed because of weight gain. Wish they would have said something-I could have at least been prepared and able to watch for this stuff!
30 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-25 23:24:56
Answer/Reply:
I am taking the Amitriptyline 50mg every night for bladder problems. I have not experienced any weight gained just the dry mouth. What helps me is that I drink a lot of water and try to eat frozen fruit during the day if I am hungry. I have a lot of food allergies also, but the frozen blue berries/cherry/blackberry combo is a great snack and very filling. Maybe this will help with the weight gain. I totally believe this medicine has help me get sleep at night.
Rhonda -37
39 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-27 21:58:17
Question/Comment:
My GP started me on 25mg. of elavil (generic version) for fibromyalgia just a month ago. I can't see to stay awake! I've even cut the pill in half and still cannot wake up fully the next day. I have to see her in a couple of days and am considering asking her to prescribe something else that doesn't have such a "hangover" effect. I'm doing well, painwise, but I need a Turbo Iced Coffee (Lg.) to get me somewhat normal!
52 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-29 00:39:16
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Try to take the medicine about 1-2 hours before you want to go to sleep and it reduces morning grogginess. I've taken 10 mg for 5 years for rheumatoid arthirits and the time that I take meds makes a huge difference.
Posted: 2008-09-16 12:43:54
Question/Comment:
I've tried Lexapro, Paxil and Effexor for my anxiety/insomnia/depression. All of them gave me terrible side effects. Now my doctor wants me to try Amitriptyline. I can't bear the thought of another bad experience, and I'm considering not taking it. My problems come and go depending on stressful circumstances in my life, so I'm not sure I even need to be on anything all the time. I take Restoril and Ativan on occasion and they work pretty well. Any advise on what I should do?
41 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-24 12:21:23
Answer/Reply:
I would choose elavil over restoril or ativan simply because elavil is not habit forming like the benzodiazepines. Benzos can also contribute to depression if u r prone to it. Ativan is designed for anxiety and not for sleep, it is considered one of the strongest benzos second only to xananx. Restoril is also a benzo but is designed for sleep, but is also habit forming.
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-09 20:19:39
Answer/Reply:
I've been taking Amitriptyline for years. I used to suffer from restless legs also i cant sleep at night. I wouldn't advise taking these during the day as they are a real knock out pill. If your a real worrier like me, they are great as they seem to block your thoughts. I am on Citalopram for depression and find they are great. Both pills has made me gain weight and the citalopram has really raised my body temp but compared to how i used to feel it's defo something i can deal with.
38 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-30 08:28:03
Question/Comment:
i have been on elavil for a long time and it really helps me but it causes dry moth so badly i just wish there was something we could do about that i wake up at night so thirsty!! some nights i drink a whole bottle of water from it
55 female
57 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-22 22:02:56
Answer/Reply:
Ask your dentist or pharmacist. There is substance (I think it is a gel) made for this specific purpose of dry mouths. I believe it's primary use is for patients undergoing radiation therapy because that is a common side effect & sometimes the salivary glands get damaged.
As you've found out, dry mouth is also a side effect of certain drugs. Unbeknowst to me I was also taking long term, for a number of years, a medication that dried my mouth up too. Combine that with teeth that had become weakened due to another physical condition, I lost all but two of them. If so much time hadn't passed between the loss & my discovery of this "gel", I would have sued the dentist for not informing me. Least he could do is treat me to a mouth full of implants, ya think?
Sign me Toothless in Seattle ;-)
62 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-17 06:59:08
Question/Comment:
I am taking 10mg of amitriptyline at bedtime, and I have noticed that I am kinda of ill and mean the next day, Also I have bad dreams at night when I take it. Does anyone have the same symptoms as me, I do not know what to do. I have started having panic attacks and do not feel like going or being around people. I am a xray tech, so i have to deal with people every single day, I like my job, because I like helping people, but I feel like I am on a downward spiral. I just dont feel like doing anything with anyone . Any advise.
40 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-21 22:50:31
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I can only say that the man I was dating was a sweet, well mannered person before taking this same dosage, now he is irritable and nasty - I was curious myself to see if this is a common symptom.
Posted: 2008-08-06 19:12:10
Answer/Reply:
I have taken elavil for depression and anxiety after my divorce. it helped tremendously but 10 mg is not a depression nor an anxiety dose. that is a low dose for chronic pain or for use as a sleep aid. I would duobt it is causing the symptoms u describe so I would check with my doctor
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-09 20:21:45
Answer/Reply:
10 mg is a small dose. I have fibromyalgia and I take amitriptyline at night so I can sleep. I started at 10 mg and gradually worked up to 50 mg. I now sleep every night. I also dream. Before, when I couldn't sleep, I never had dreams because I wasn't getting any restorative sleep. So I consider dreams a good thing. My pain has become very tolerable now that I can sleep at night. I take other meds as well, Paxil for depression. I had panic attacks many years ago. These medications have not caused any panic attacks for me. Talk to your Dr. about your anxiety and panic attacks.
55 year old Female
Posted: 2008-12-14 09:20:12
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
oh my goodness, that's horrible. I hope you are doing better by now. U caught my attention because I'm in school to be a rad tech. Why were u prescribed ami tho? I just got it for migraine prevention. Haven't even started it yet. Doin research first.
Posted: 2008-12-15 22:24:23
Question/Comment:
I was told by my Dr. to take it night time before I go to bed . I take it like 7:00 or 8:00 at night than it don`t bother my driving a car. I`am a driver of a bus. It has helped my sleeping so I can think straight the next day.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2008-06-05 16:34:01
Question/Comment:
Be patient with it. The drug doesn't alleviate my problems totally, but makes my pain more bearable.
51 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
All people are different as to how much of the medication it take to bring on a state where one can dose off at night. Some take one 10 mg but I've had to increase to 30 mg.
60 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
At first it works great. Then over time you have to take larger and larger doses.
27 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Different antidepressants have different reactions for everyone. Sometimes you have to keep trying different medications, or combinations of medications to find what works right for you. I have to counteract most of these side effects with Celexa.
29 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Answer/Reply:
How do u counteract the effects of elavil with celexa?
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-09 20:24:16
Question/Comment:
TAKE THIS MEDICATION AS YOU WOULD TAKE OTHER MEDICATIONS-ONLY AS DIRECTED! I HAVE TO TAKE IT BEFORE I GO TO BED, AS IT DOE'S TEND TO MAKE YOU SLEEPY.
50 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Stop blaming the drug for you total inability to lose weight. The medicine does not put the food in your mouth nor does it tell you not to get out and get moving.
45 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
excuse me? weight gain is a well documented side effect, which for some is noticeable within days of starting amitrip. . Has nothing to do with lack of exercise or amount of calories consumed.
Posted: 2008-10-02 05:19:59
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
that's true but it does say that it can change your metabolism so that can change the way your body handles what you eat. You can basically eat the same as before but if it makes your metabolism slow down then it IS affecting ability to lose weight!
Posted: 2009-02-26 21:25:24
Answer/Reply:
No, but it definitely can cause weight gain! I was taking amitriptyline for pain but after a couple of months & gaining over 15 pounds with that being the only thing that changed in my routine I do think weight gain is absolutely a side effect! I am by no means obese, sure I need to loose another 10-15 pounds but that aside I am basically a healthy person. Watch what I eat, exercise daily cycle 2-3 times a week for a couple of hours I live 1600 no more than 1800 calories a day, don't eat fast food, no sweets, etc. So NO I'm NOT willing to buy into the fact that I only gained weight because I "put too much food in my mouth"! Don't put that much food into my mouth not did it "tell me not to get moving". Whether you have taken this med or not, whether you experienced this specific side effect... don't be so quick to judge!
44 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-19 20:28:22
Question/Comment:
For me it has been the best thing to help prevent my migraines. It started to help within a week or two.
59 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Answer/Reply:
My brother is on 10 mg a night for migraines and it has helped him tremendously
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-09 20:23:34
Question/Comment:
make sure to ask what and if this medication is the right thing for your symptoms. what are pros and cons.
42 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
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