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Amitriptyline for low mood

Posted , 4 users are following.

apizapi
apizapi

Hi,

I'm suffering from low mood, which I guess is mild depression. I don't have any energy and just lie down all day. My doc first prescribed me Sertraline. I was taking 50mg per day for 4 weeks but, after a kind of buzz for the first couple of days it didn't make any change. So I went up to 100mg per day for 4 more weeks. Not to put too fine a point on it but the biggest change was becoming far too regular, going to the bathroom many times each day. Also my jaw aching like crazy from my face muscles being so tense all day. Apart from that no real change in mood, except I became very OCD. So I was still lying down all day but I couldn't stop reading the news on my phone (I know it's dumb but that's all I could do)!

Anyway, I finished the Sertraline and moved straight onto Amytriptyline. I felt better for a day or two (maybe as the Sert wore off) but now I'm on the 6th day and the OCD is worse than ever, the ridculous number of bowel movements per day & my face/jaw aching like mad, plus getting irritated very quickly. And, just like on the Sertraline, I hardly sleep at night. On the Sert I at least used to nap during the day, but with this I can't.

I know it's early days and everyone's reaction to these drugs seems so different. But it seems like antidepressants give me the symptoms they're supposed to take away! I still feel flat but now with this obsession with my phone, although I guess that's boredom too. Has anyone experienced these weird symptoms or could recommend what I can try? I really need to get back on my feet and get my life started again, but I need to find some energy to do it. Was really hoping the ADs would have helped me....

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • ray18269
    ray18269 apizapi

    Posted

    Apizapi,

    Just desire you to know that other people out in la la land have experienced the same or similar symptoms as you.  Anytime you change your individual chemical within your brain, things are going to go haywire.  I took amitriptalene for many years, along with Ativan.  Oh what a feeling that was.  Eventually I got more sleep than required.

    After taking for many years, I quit  the depression and anxiety medicines, going the world, cold turkey.

    While I suffer, understandably, I leave the world outside of my home, which is so stress free.  That allows me to do what I do.  You're in a world of crap, and you have to figure out to continue to take all these medicines any doctor throws at you, or are you going to say what I said......."Enough is enough".

     

    • apizapi
      apizapi ray18269

      Posted

      Hi Ray, thanks for your response and your support. I'm going to give this med a try, let it sink in for another week maybe as long as the effects aren't too bad. If things don't get any better I might see how no meds feel. The way I'm feeling right now is almost like a fever but I know I'm not ill. Hoping it will improve anyway. Thanks again for your advice.
  • pam39536
    pam39536 apizapi

    Posted

    Hi, I have been on both of the meds you have , I am now on fluroxetine .talk. To you GP about side affects and maybe change them. All meds take a while to get into your system. Amitryptaline just made me zombiefied lol.

    your last paragraph rang a bell with me , and I think you will start to feel better soon.i sometimes go through stages of real anxiety for no apparent reason.. After a while I get to thinking I have had enough of this , I need to get my life started again. Only me can do that . I tell myself I have a choice to be happy or sad !! .try to make yourself go for a short walk or. Clear out some drawers , make yourself do something .

  • pam39536
    pam39536 apizapi

    Posted

    That sent when I wasn't ready lol. I know how hard it is and I really feel for you .

    keep on the  antidepressants don't be too quick to try to stop them . Go back to your GP and ask for help . A book I found help was... feel the fear and do it any way ..some of it may seem rubbish and then suddenly a paragraph jumps out and I thought , yes that's me ...you are talking on here , so that's good .. I wish you well,let me know how you get on xx

    • apizapi
      apizapi pam39536

      Posted

      Hi Pam,

      Thanks a lot for your response, I'm so glad for iy because today was the worst, really dizzy feeling all day and as I'm typing my head is so hot, ears burning... I think it must be the switch over of meds hit me, today is the 7th day of Amytriptyline so hopefully after today it gets better! 

      I know exactly what you mean about keeping busy so going to try harder with that, I know everyone says exercise is really good for your mood too so will try to get out the house.

      Thanks a lot smile

  • pam39536
    pam39536 apizapi

    Posted

    I hope you start to feel better soon . When you read all the side affects of most antidepressants , they seem to be the same as I had before I started lol, so it's not easy . Just take a day at a time , what strength ami are you on ?  
    • apizapi
      apizapi pam39536

      Posted

      Hi thanks. The day I replied and the day after were pretty awful, must have been the switch of pills taking place a week after I started the ami. Now things are more normal apart from only being able to get 5 or 6 hours sleep each night and my jaw aching. I'm only on 10mg of amitriptyline but I'm a bit worried that it's the same as with the sert, that they have exactly rhe opposite effect on me as they do with most ppl - most ppl seem to say it makes them sleep a lot, but I'm struggling to get enough sleep and it's still making me very compulsive with the phone, I've never had anything like that before. Just makes me think that these pills aren't designed gor my brain!
  • pam39536
    pam39536 apizapi

    Posted

    As you are only on 10. You should be able to double that soon . Talk to your GP . When do you take the pill. At bedtime ? .depression isn't always about crying etc. you just feel slow, exhausted , I felt very shaky when I was walking ...just keep going back until something suits you . I would try to up the dose and stay on for as long as you need .those didn't suit me, but I know a lot of people who get on great , and they should really help you sleep if you take them at night. . They did help me sleep , the ones I take now don't , but at least I feel with it lol. Keep at it xx
    • apizapi
      apizapi pam39536

      Posted

      I take them at around 9pm or 10pm. Straight after I take them I feel very flat and very depressed until I go to sleep at around 1am. Then I sleep through to about 6am (last night I woke up at 3am and just had to get on with my day!). When I get up the day is mostly OK, just very flat, until this time, by 6pm I'm very very irritable, probably should say angry, can't bear anyone talking to me etc.

      Took me a while to realise it but this is the pattern everyday, so I really don't think these pills are for me, I hate this cycle and it's only been a week and a half, but I did have 7 or 8 weeks of the sertraline before that. As far as I can see, the only difference is that the Ami keeps serotonin and depamine knocking around longer in the brain, whereas the Sertraline just keeps the serotonin there, so I'm not sure why there should be such a major difference. Also the fact that I'm continuing to get the opposite reactions to these pills to what everyone else describes. I think I might need to go to the doctor and change them for something else.

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