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Amitriptyline causing insomnia??

Posted , 4 users are following.

Pezzy
Pezzy

I've recently switched to Nortriptyline and since it's quite activating I found it difficult to sleep, so I asked my psychiatrist if I could switch to Amitriptyline to help me sleep.

Instead he said to take 10mg of Amitriptyline before bed and keep talking the Nortriptyline in the morning.

Since then my sleep quality has degraded massively and I basically haven't slept for a week.

I finally realised it must be the Amitriptyline as it only got this bad since I started taking it. Didn't take it last night and slept very well.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • barney34567
    barney34567 Pezzy

    Posted

    I have significant sleeping problems. One sleep specialist recommended low dose amitriptyline before bed, as he thinks it improves sleep and fights insomnia. I have yet to take it.

    I read that amitriptyline taken with nortriptyline has numerous side effects.

    If I were you I would take the amitriptyline before bed and taper down the nortriptyline (and look for an alternative).

    It is hard to establish what medication is helping and what is hurting your health when a person takes 2 or more on a daily basis. Note that both of these stay in your system for around a day.

  • Mark68915
    Mark68915 Pezzy

    Posted

    I didn't take the Amitriptyline with Nortriptyline, but on its own, I found the sedative effective of Amitriptyline to be hit and miss.

    First night I took a pill (10mg) I was basically in a coma. Second night I had an atrocious sleep where I was waking every 15 minutes. After that it was a bit groggy, but that endured throughout the next day. I did notice that the effect was lessening. I tried 20mg on night and that gave no change so I went back to 10mg and determined to come off them as I wasn't seeing any real advantage to my night time sleeping and I was a zombie in the day.

    That was about 2 weeks ago now and my sleep is a lot better and my energy levels are also coming back up.

  • barney34567
    barney34567 Pezzy

    Posted

    I would suggest you have a sleep study performed which will prove what the issue(s) is(are):

    Do you have a problem GETTING TO SLEEP?

    Do you have a problem STAYING ASLEEP?

    Do you wake up multiple times DURING THE NIGHT?

    Do you have a problem GETTING BACK TO SLEEP after your awakenings?

    Once these issues are clarified you'll be in the box seat to decide what needs to be done with respect to meds.

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