Amitripteline Start up
Posted , 7 users are following.
Can anyone help/advise please? I have a return of insomnia (ugh ...) & doc said to try Amitriptyline 10mg. I've only taken it for 3 nights so far. The doc said to stay at 10 mg for 2 weeks with a view to increasing after that, (fair enough).
Now what I'm wondering, it knocked me out the first night & slept for 7 hours, felt wonderful. The next 2 nights I really struggled to sleep more than 2-3 hours, I'm not absolutely sure but wondering if starting up on Amitriptyline is giving the opposite effect & is "revving" me up. Can anyone relate to this, or had success for sleep? Does it improve?
No horror stories please, don't want to rev up any more 😊 Thank you.
0 likes, 26 replies
borderriever Calmer
Posted
They may double your dose of this dose, will will help yo sleep.
I suffer Chronic Pain and I was on a higher dose last year, I reduced the dose to 50mg and my sleep has not been affected and the dose change was so small I did not feel any real difference and the nerve damage I suffer from has not got any worse.
I may be wrong I remember reading a script a few mins ago and someone seems to be splitting the dose of tablet into four pieces this is not a good idea in my eyes as you will not really gain any benefit and the tablets are so small you will waste a great deal of the tablet to dust as well.
Keep going with this medication and be advised by your GP, the increase does work and the dose is still very low. When used as an AD the medication dose is around and above 100mg or higher.?. There are other medications of the same group and they can also work as well.
Good Luck
BOB
Sheena737 borderriever
Posted
Hi Bob
I am cutting the 10mg pill into 1/4s in order to reduce by 2.5mg each time. I had over 20 years on 50mg and several times over the years had a few months at 75mg. Reducing to 25mg a couple of years ago was easy. Earlier this year l started to reduced the dose by 2.5mg every 6 weeks. ie. 22.5mg 20mg, 17.5mg etc. down to my current 12.5mg. This is the plan that both of my GPs and l have been working together on. So, far it's been a much kinder way of doing it compared to the bigger reductions l did in my previous attempt to come of amitriptyline 7 years ago.
Calmer borderriever
Posted
Thank you for your reply Bob, I'm sorry for your suffering. Yes I think folk split the tablets to taper more slowly to avoid any WD. These mighty little pills can be tricky to discontinue as all AD's it seems?
borderriever Sheena737
Posted
The level or dose is very small, yes the drug like many AD has some bad habits and now they are preferring to give different script. To split the tbs four ways to me seems very extreme although if your GP has decided to do it this way He has His reasons. The tbs are so small you will loose parts of your medication. Whatever is decided your GP needs to be followed.
I take this medication with ADs, and also Opiate drugs and various other medications I was on 75mg and reduced to 50mg. I had been on that medication for around twenty five years.and I had no problems as such. In the past, I was instructed in varying medications by Pain Clinic and various Rhumi Specialists
I wish you well
BOB
borderriever Calmer
Posted
Keep a hold and good Luck
BOB
Sheena737 borderriever
Posted
Hi Bob
It is a long slow process doing it this way but to think that l could be free of all medication by approx March next year is just amazing. There is definitely some powdery bits of the pill lost in the cutting but if that means l'm getting less than 2.5mg then all the better😀. The idea is to rid myself of amitriptyline all together.
Calmer borderriever
Posted
Than you Bob 😉
amanda59745 Calmer
Posted
Calmer amanda59745
Posted
meaghan79762 Calmer
Posted
Have you started sleeping better as I have noticed your post was over 1 month ago?
Amanda_253 Calmer
Posted
I am experiencing the same thing. For 2yrs the drs thought i had epilepsy i was put on every epileptic drug possible whilst getting every side effect possible. Now its come out that i have a neurological disorder triggered by anxiety. I blackout and collapse if i have had lack of sleep and if i am very stressed and anxious its like a coping escape mechanism that has developed. The drs have now put me on 25mg amitriptyline. I slept like a baby the 1st night then had restless legs and tossed and turned the 2 following nights. I also got pins and needles in my hands. Im hoping its my body just getting used to the new meds. After reading about the link between kidney disease etc im now very anxious. Would it help drinking lots of water on this medication to try and hydrate the kidneys? Its only day 4 on the amitriptyline so i will stick with it to see if theres any changes in the aftereffects. Takecare everyone. Xo