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Amitriptyline CFS

Posted , 10 users are following.

david59662
david59662

Hi guys,

My GP suggested to try amitriptyline 10-20mg at night to help with sleep.

I want to know others experience with this drug, did it help in any way ?

Apparently it does help alot of CFS sufferers, increases energy and has immune system benefits ? All info appreciated, thanks. I'm so sick of this illness.

 

0 likes, 17 replies

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  • littleme1969
    littleme1969 david59662

    Posted

    Hi.. i started talking it 4 years ago myself for the same reason.. it really does help smile start with 10mg . Only problem i had with it is weight gain. It gives you an apetite so much so you will eat anything. I put on almost 2 stone so have now come off it as it was getting out of hand. I found a hepa filter in the bedroom had just as good as an effect. It also helps stablise moods too and help with anxiety SAD etc.  So if you can control the wight gain side its a good safe bet and would recoment it to anyone.
    • david59662
      david59662 littleme1969

      Posted

      Thanks, i'm 6'0 11st 2lbs, weight gain would be a benefit for me. I've lost weight since becoming unwell. Im normally around 11st8. I was 10st6 in the beginning of this nightmare. So i'll give this a go see what happens. If i can't get prolonger deep sleep recovery is going to be nigh impossible.
    • littleme1969
      littleme1969 david59662

      Posted

      I noticed a difference straight away... the morning nausea almost went straight away.  It will definitely help you put on weight. The sleep also made a huge difference with my overall symptoms so i found most things improved within 3 months. It also helps you tolerate pain better too. smile 
    • david59662
      david59662 littleme1969

      Posted

      Thankfully not in any pain. I'll report back my own experiences. GP said to expect to falling asleep properly in about 7 days from starting.
  • Flowerlady
    Flowerlady david59662

    Posted

    Hi David..Not tried it but the Rheumatologist put me on Dosulepin which is an antidepressant. I am not depressed, but it does help me sleep much better.

    Regards..Anne..

    • david59662
      david59662 Flowerlady

      Posted

      Don't feel i am unnaturally depressed either, ie; yes i am depressed but that's because i am unwell. If only all i had was depression. Thanks.
  • JulieBadger
    JulieBadger david59662

    Posted

    Hi, I have 30mg a nigth (started with 10 and have been increasing since).  Really made a difference with stiffness in the morning for me.  Before I was crawling the first 8metres in the morning, now I walk / lundge the 8 metres (wow that really does sound like an improvementlol.  I have gained weight.  I was wondering if it was one of the medicines.  However with the lack of any exercise and not being able to walk even on a very good day more than 50metres I was putting it down to that.  I didn't see an increase in hunger. I have been cutting down my meal sizes to try to stop the weight gain.

    i would definately recommend giving it ago.

    • david59662
      david59662 JulieBadger

      Posted

      Thanks Julie. I've tried everything else. So far supplements, herbs, TCM/acupuncture has been a huge disappontment.
  • lisa16216
    lisa16216 david59662

    Posted

    I take 30mg ( again, started on 10). It does help with the sleep, and the dreams ( I was having horrible really vivid dreams) and also with the aches and pain, especially first thing. I have put on over 2 stone since I was diagnosed, but had put it down to lack of excersise and eating more sitting on my bum at home. Give it a go and see. I know it doesn't work for everyone, a friend of mine felt like a zombie all day on only 5mg
    • david59662
      david59662 lisa16216

      Posted

      Thanks Lisa. Hope to respond positively to it. I think it's been a big problem for me not being able to have DEEP sleep, always broken and not deep, where real restoration of the body takes place.
  • sharon777
    sharon777 david59662

    Posted

    Hi

    I was on them for a short while. Started on 10mg and finished on 60mg, I built up a tolerance very quickly hence the increase in strenght. I came off them because I didn't want to increase any further, I mean at what strenght was I going to stop at.

    Just as other people I believe it made me eat more, but feel like sweet stuff, or was that more to do with my body/brain desperately looking for the quickest source of energy. Anyway it did help me to sleep.

     

    • david59662
      david59662 sharon777

      Posted

      Thanks. I need to be able to sleep better. Weight gain, being slender, not a problem.
  • lynne69494
    lynne69494 david59662

    Posted

    Hi David,  l was put on amitriptylene when diagnosed with intersticial cystitus, which its commonly prescribed for, one of the standards. Its classed as a nerve end calmer, and many with ic have damaged nerves from inflammation of the bladder, its also does help with sleeping through, and reduced output.  Think it was origonally used as anti depressant to help with sleep, but found to help ic.

    l was started on 50mg due to severe symptoms, which did help me get much needed sleep, but far too high a dose, left me groggy. Whilst urologists state only a low dose is needed for good affect, so most take l0-25mg, l take l0mg, which does help with a decent sleep. l also agree that often its the symptoms that can cause depression, fatigue is a downer, energy a great buzz, l,m also getting prolonged nausea, also a drag, feel awful and frustration at trying to do jobs which aggrevate more, no helper, so do my best, pet care priority. l,d try small dose and use your own judgement on strength needed to help with sleep 

     

  • jeanp
    jeanp david59662

    Posted

    Hi David,

    did you try amitriptyline, and did it help you?

    I am considering gong to my doctor for a small dose, to help with sleep and fatigue.

     

    • ZombieNicola
      ZombieNicola jeanp

      Posted

      Hello,

      I'm new here but I had to join to take part in this discussion. I've had CFS/ME since I was a child but was only diagnosed five years ago at the beginning of my latest relapse.

      I was prescribed amitriptyline as a sleep aid. As many people have mentioned, i started at a low dose. It quickly becomes ineffective and whilst I'm pleased it seems to have helped many of you, I have to provide a word of caution. GPs seem very relaxed about increasing the dose of this drug. Every time the dose became ineffective and I could no longer sleep, my GP would allow me to increase it until I was on 100mg.

      Amitriptyline is a very out dated anti-depressant. It numbs your emotions and, as the dose increases, some of its side effects are actually the same as CFS/ME symptoms so it can increase your fatigue and apathy.

      It is not a treatment you can just stop taking either, you have to reduce the dose gradually. This can take a long time. It wasn't until I'd weaned myself off amitriptyline that I, my family and my OT realised how determental it had been. All of a sudden, I wasn't such a zombie any more, I was myself again. I was able to take an interest in things and connect with things emotionally. The brain fog lifted substantially. My dad said, he had his daughter back!

      I've now been prescribed melatonin to aid my sleep. It has had no side effects and occurs naturally in the body. I'm much more in control of my symptoms.

      So, all I'd say is, investigate. There are other families of drugs which may suit you better. Amitriptyline is not without its risks. Most of all, find something which works for you.

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