Amitriptyline

[shaneystar2]

Has anyone any experience of taking this drug ?
The pain management clinic have recommended that I take a low dose for severe arthritic/rheumatoid pain .
However my GP is reluctant to prescribe it .The side effects that he explained to me were quite scary and he said I'd have to have an ECG and blood tests first anyway. He didn't exactly refuse to prescribe it but said he wouldn't be doing his job properly if he didn't point out the side effects .
I've read some reviews on line and a lot of them say it's awful stuff.
Shall I throw caution to the wind and take it or KBO ,gritting my teeth :)

[pixie373]

I know someone who took 10mg- he,was still in a lot of pain though, but i don't know how bad it would have been without it. No noticeable side effects. You can really only try it and see.

[pixie373]

^^Every evening, sorry.

[Mamyalynne]

I do think you should consider it, it is a very useful drug and if you do get any side effects they stop soon after you stop taking them.

My Mother didn't get along with them (had slight and quite comical hallucinations) but I know people who have taken them with no issues at all.

[shaneystar2]

This is what puts me off .The GP mentioned hallucinations ,palpitations and fibrillation amongst a whole host of other things .
I wish he had just prescribed it period ,because I would just have taken them,as I'm not a drugs info leaflet reader .
But of course once he mentioned all this stuff I looked on line and saw all the conflicting opinions .

[pixie373]

He's decided it's worth a try, knowing any medical history you have. It's your choice, but really only one way to find out.

[Mamyalynne]

Didn't mean to make you dither even more - if it were me I would try it for sure.

[shaneystar2]

He didn't think it was worth a try .He was reluctant to prescribe them and did everything to put me off trying them !

[Ann]

Do try it Shaney, I took it for a few months to help daily pressure headaches, it certainly did the trick, and stopped the headaches immediately . Also had the benefit of helping me sleep solidly through the night so no visits to the bathroom - an absolute first for years!! Only side effect was a couple of nights after stopping taking them I had some bad dreams but these soon disappeared.

[pixie373]

Oh really? Sorry- should have re-read your OP. Ok, he is reluctant, but has still prescribed it. Unfortunately, none of us can tell you whether it will work for you or if you'll get side effects. Could you speak to someone at the pain management clinic?

[Ann]

No side effects at all while I was taking them but was on a low dose.

[shaneystar2]

I think I want to try them .I'm in so much pain with this on a daily basis and it's very wearing not being able to get about properly .I may ring pain management and discuss it with her again and tell her what he's said to me .
Thanks once again to you all.

[shaneystar2]

Pixie ,he hasn't prescribed it !
Pain management recommended to him that I try it in the letter they sent him He then asked me to go and see him and did everything in his power to put me off taking them .

[queenofmean]

I was given a low dose for nerve pain I experienced. I was told what it was used for by the GP and she said not to let it scare me....all it did was help me sleep through the night. I don't recall experiencing any side effects

[shaneystar2]

Thanks Queenie .Your GP sounds more sensible than mine !

[RATTER15]

I took it for about 12 months and then I started getting the most agonising and frightening leg cramps. I will never go back on it. I do know a few people that take it with no problems whatsoever. Give it a go.

[mrs_overall]

I was prescribed this drug (10 mg dose) and it didn't agree with me. I took one tablet and the next morning I was staggering around like a drunk. It was so bad I actually fell over. I sat there giggling at what I now realise was an hallucination. I didn't dare take another tablet.
I do know someone who has been taking this drug for 6 months, and apart from a very dry mouth on a morning, he has no other side effects.
You won't know how you react to it until you try it.
Good luck.

[China Doll]

Have a crack on it for a few months shaney and see how you go; I think sometimes it can take a wee while to get dose right, I know mybdoc often writes 'starting at such and such a dose but can go up to such and such a dose' somit might be a bit hit and miss initially but if does sound like you have everything go gain and it's worth a punt.

[shaneystar2]

Thanks folks .I'm gonna have to do something .I'm so fed up with the pain day in day out .I'm slowly coming round to the idea :)

[Scarlett]

I wonder if there is a different pain killer you could try. I was told that Amitriptyline only works on nerve pain. Surely there must be something else you could try- I'm assuming you've done the codeine and paracetamol route already? I also find I have a lot less pain if I stop eating wheat/gluten/dairy etc. There is a very excellent book called Eat to Beat Arthritis which deals with both types of arthritic pain. It really is worth getting. My knee surgeon recommended it to me. That and exercising using an Alter-G treadmill at my gym, meaning I can walk without much pain, really does help. I need two new knees and an ankle operation and I don't take anything other than paracetamol.

[shaneystar2]

Hi again Scarlett ,
Since I was diagnosed with this 16 odd years ago now I've been prescribed at various times meloxicam,piroxicam,diclofenac ,vioxx,co-proxymol,tramadol,naproxen ,codrydamol,paracetamol and ibuprofen and that's just some of 'em ! Plus I've tried all the other things like glucosamine etc .
I'm convinced that all these drugs I've taken have led to the IBS I now suffer from which is one of the reasons why I'm loathe to take yet another drug and just take ibruprofen as and when now. It just takes the edge off a bit . I've been down the route of cutting out certain foods etc .
It's degenerative,whole body and I daresay surgical intervention is on the cards at some stage .I've already had both knees washed out and had cortisone injections .It's a pain in the rear :)
I'm pleased to hear things are on an even keel for you atm though .