Amitriptyline Questions

[ellipse22]

I have a couple of questions with respect to amitriptyline. My last visit with my GI (colonoscopy) he prescribed 10mg of amitriptyline increasing to 25mg after 30 days.

I have been feeling better as far as cramping is concerned. I STILL have LRQ pain and cramping on occasion. I have noticed that my joints bother me more than ever!! I can't sit for long periods of time without my legs getting sore and shakey. Odd! Luckily, I have not had a episode/flare in 3 weeks.

I am suffering from the side effects though. I take my pill about 1 hour before I go to bed. I either fall asleep right away or I can't sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and I seriously felt like I was stoned. When I wake up in the morning it takes me a good hour (or longer) to sake the feeling. I am shaking a lot too. Almost like you've had a whole pot of coffee and have the jitters. I have noticed occasional increase in heart rate or feeling as if my blood pressure is rising. I have also noticed white bumps on my lips. You can't see them when my mouth is closed as they are just slightly under (hard to explain).

I am concerned that I am not going to be able to function on 25mg. I am suppose to go back to work on October 3rd which would mean I will be 1 week into the higher dosage. I don't think I can do it. I can't function on the 10mg. I will be discussing this with my GI on the 26th for my follow up appt.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Anyone go through the same thing?

TIA

 

[dannysmom]

My son tried this for 1 week but had to stop after similar side effects just making things worse. We called the doctor and he said to stop it.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

I started on 10mg and I was soooo tired on it. But once the 4 week mark approached, it went and I successfully increased the dose to 20mg.

There is a topic about it here:
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=14019

 

[Gav]

I've been on an off amitriptyline for 3 years now. I take it due to pelvic pains associated with my proctectomy operation.

The most I was on was 40mg and that really hit me. Currently I take 10mg and can manage at work. If I take 20mg I have big issues concentrating at work and also find myself getting angry and frustrated easily. And like yourself, Tia, if I wake up in the night to use the toilet I feel I am very stoned or it feels like I am walking through a swamp to get there.
I have managed periods off the drug, but it seems I can only last 6-8 weeks without it, then I have to go back on.

I think the key is getting used to the drug at 10mg, one trick I have used is to take it 2-3 hours before going to bed. I tend to be a little more alive in the morning that way.

I hope something helps, or perhaps a change of medication can help

 

[Ignitus]

I have been on Ami since June 14 for bad cramping pains on my LLQ and distruptions in my sleep due to pain. I was originally prescribed 25mg at bedtime and I noticed immediatly that getting up in the morning was more of a chore than it used to be, however my pains were bad enough to warrent dealing with this zombie feeling every morning if it could help.

I am now up to 50mg and have found significant inprovement in my cramps and quality of sleep. This it is not without costs however as it takes me at least 1 hour to feel like normal every morning and as much as I want to get up and go I am held back by this drug.

I have never noticed any side effects myself beyond being more tired in the morning which I would not say goes away, it just gets more managable with time. However my cramps were distrupting my sleep so bad that tiredness interfered with my day eitherway.

 

[ellipse22]

I have been on Ami since June 14 for bad cramping pains on my LLQ and distruptions in my sleep due to pain. I was originally prescribed 25mg at bedtime and I noticed immediatly that getting up in the morning was more of a chore than it used to be, however my pains were bad enough to warrent dealing with this zombie feeling every morning if it could help.

I am now up to 50mg and have found significant inprovement in my cramps and quality of sleep. This it is not without costs however as it takes me at least 1 hour to feel like normal every morning and as much as I want to get up and go I am held back by this drug.

I have never noticed any side effects myself beyond being more tired in the morning which I would not say goes away, it just gets more managable with time. However my cramps were distrupting my sleep so bad that tiredness interfered with my day eitherway.

I too was waking up frequently at night due to the cramping pains. Do you work? How do you function? I am going to try taking the meds earlier and see how I feel in the morning. I am doubtful I will be able to manage at work with 25mgs!

 

[Astra]

Hiya ellipse

I'm sorry I can't help with your questions re Amitriptyline. It's working well for me.
This med wasn't prescribed for my Crohn's, it was for my neck and shoulder pain. It was only after a few weeks that I realised that it stopped spasms, cramps and contractions.
I've never had any side effects with it, only heavy sedation when I first went on it. This feeling passed very quickly. I am sleeping so good for the first time in years!
I work full time, very demanding job and have no problems during the day.
Just goes to show how unique we all are, some meds work for some, some don't.
For example, I can't tolerate the immuno suppressants like Azathioprine or 6MP, I'm allergic to them.
Talk to your doc, voice your concerns about upping it to 25mg, tell him you're struggling on 10mg and can't function at work. There are other alternatives.
Good luck
xxx

 

[Ignitus]

I work 30 hours a week as a transmission technician and luckily have a very understanding boss. I have never found ami to interfear with my performance during work, and would follow Astra's advice about bringing up your concerns with your doc if you suspect you won't be able to function.

After reading all the post here I am going to try Gav's idea of taking it several hours before bed to see if that make any difference getting up in the morning.

 

[ekay03]

amitriptoline gave me new and very scary side effect. both auditory and visual hallucinations. Um, nobody ever warned me that this could happen. It just started this morning and coincided w/ me taking 100 mg as the doc prescribed. It is sunday evening and there is nobody that I can call. This is a scary side effect. I am going back to one 50 mg pill tonight and calling the doc first thing in the morning!

 

[ellipse22]

I would definitely stop taking 100mg. I can hardly function on 10mg. Let me know how you feel!! Oh and I don't feel it helping anymore. I am crampy, LRQ pain is in high gear and I'm not sleeping! Good luck!

 

[ekay03]

Thanks. It doesn't seem to be working as well as it first did for me either . and now the hallucinations. I think that I'm done w/ it. I care for my aging mother and I need to be on my toes. I cant be off in my own head. Thank you for your concern and I hope things get better for you too Here is a smily face for you, even though currently I don't think there is too much to smile about. Just trying to positive.

 

[ellipse22]

I know what you mean! I try to stay positive but this weekend was brutal! Thinking of you!

 

[Gav]

Wow ekay you were taking 100mg!!! Did you build up to that amount or go straight to it? I took 40mg at the most and I found that difficult.

I always wonder how people could take so much but apparently for depression it is used at very high amounts (upto and over 250mg I believe). People have to work up to that amount but even so, that must be so difficult to deal with.

 

[scottmyster]

HI Ellipse, I am taking 100mg at bedtime and it makes me fall asleep faster and i don't have any side effects from taking it. Even in the morning. But, i guess i built up a tolerance for it. It especially takes away the pain of spasms in the stomach so i can sleep at night.But, if you are having trouble with it i would come off it. Like astra said, there are alternatives out there, you just have to find the right one.Best wishes:rosette2:

 

[ellipse22]

Thanks Scott!
I will be seeing my GI in 1 week. I will discuss other options. I was up until 3am last night because I couldn't sleep. So, it doesn't seem to be working like it use to. I am also still experiencing the LRQ pain and cramping. Fingers crossed he can give me something else!

 

[ekay03]

Hi everybody, I spoke w/ the doctor today. After I told him about the hallucinations he took me off the ami altogether. ellipse22 ther are quite a few different drugs in the same category of drug. One I know of is nortriptyline. I cant take it cause it gave me terrible heartburn, but everybody is different. I wouldn't worry about the doc giving you something else. There are many different kinds of drugs for all different kinds of pain. I'm sure your doc will find one that works for you. Good luck ellipse.

 

[Tiffany]

At first the drug helped the pain but I couldn't stand the side effects. I stayed on it for a little over a year. I felt tired all the time, dizzy and brain fog. The last straw was when I fainted last month, I have since stopped this med. I was only on 20mg.