How long does it take for amphytripiline to take effect.

You haven't wrote how old your mum is poor lady I can only imagine how scary that must feel I'm no doctor

But I'm sure the tablets won't start working quite so soon I just feel she needs reassurance and to know that you are always there for her.Stay strong for your mum and I'm sure you will get through this tough time soon

Sorry, my mum is 67. A very timid lady , totally not the person we are seeing at the moment. She is very demanding and although we are as a family supporting her as much as we can she doesn't seem to want to listen or is just so depressed she can't comprehend what we are saying to her

Bless her doesn't seem old enough to be going through all this and I can sense that you are not coping very

Well I feel sorry for you all I lost my mum to alcohol about 5years ago and I tried so hard to support her so I

do understand how difficult it is but the tablets your mum has been prescribed will work as long as she keeps taking them so bear with her but remember to look after her you really need to keep looking after yourself xx

Thanks, I suffer from a rare life threatening disease and get very tired, I'm on regular treatment and also have our own business and a 6 year old son. Although I'm there at the drop,of a hat for her I feel helpless for her and for my dad who is obviously with her more than I can be. I'm sure in a couple of weeks she may see some light and feel,better.

Thanks so much for your kind words

Just remember there are people on this forum that will let you rant on and will be there to listen ( read )

And advice so please you are not alone xxx

Thank you scruffy61

Hi Susan

The effect should be noticed within the first 1-2 weeks, perhaps slightly longer in some patients. Side effects however can occur at any time, and blurred vision is known to be a common problem in some people taking medicines such as amitriptyline. If this is making things particularly difficult to cope with I think an alternative may need to be looked at. Best wishes,

Tarun (hospital pharmacist)

Thank you tarun,

I was hoping the blurred vision would settle with time. At the dr on Monday and will mention it

Thank you

Hi Susan,

Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant. I am on one called Dosulepin which is in the same group. Tricyclic antidepressants are usually quite sedating which is probably why your Mum has been prescribed this one as it will hopefully help with her panic attacks. Due to their sedative properties they also tend to help with any sleep problems. In general tricyclics take around 4 to 6 weeks for the full benefit to be seen but an improvement in any anxiety issues could be seen within the first few weeks. I wish both you and your Mum well and I really hope that the Amitriptyline helps her soon. Lisa x

I was on Amitripyline and then I was switched to Nortripyline because it is easier on the heart. I take it for nerve pain 50 mg. This is a major life change for your mother that is why she is anxious and crys. She lost her independence and fear has set in. She cannot be left alone anymore. She needs 24/7 care now. Maybe "companion care" from a nursing agency can help out. You have to think on the lines of her safety now with falls, and fires. Amitripyline leaves you with a increased appetite and a dry mouth so drink alot of water and watch the weight gain. Nortripyline does the same.

My mum is still not good but starting to be more positive, I think. She is now on both amitriptyline. And 10 mg of citropram ( not sure of spelling. Hope they work

Sue

Tarun - can I ask you, is it quite common for the good effects of amitriptyline to stop working after 3-4 weeks of taking it? I'm at my wit's end, because I was feeling so good on it, and now I'm back to square one, feeling so anxious and despair-filled.

Also will it make any difference that this second pack of amitrip, is by a different manufacturer? Could that be why the good effects have stopped?

I would seek Medical Help. Perhaps the dosage needs to be changed. I took it for nerve pain, not depression but it does help with my anxiety any way. I take 50mg for nerve pain. The dosage is alot smaller for nerve pain.

Liz

I think if you have shown a good response to amitriptyline then the dose could be increased slightly further - often people will feel better after sticking with it for a few weeks only to then feel it's not working. May be worth discussing with your doctor to try and up it slowly so you can tolerate any potential side effects. The required doses for treating anxiety/depression effectively are usually much higher than the doses used for nerve pain. The different manufacturers isn't an issue - unfortunately it's very difficult for chemists to receive products from specific manufacturers as what they get depends on what their supplying warehouses stock.

Thank you for replying Tarun, I really appreciate it.

After a lot of pondering last Wednesday I decided to increase my dose of amitrip from 30mg up to 50mg at night (my GP very much left this decision to me, and said it was up to me, as I had taken 50mg of amitrip in the past and seemed fine on it).

And, I have gone back to taking 80mg of propranolol each day. Since Thursday I have felt dramatically much better again. Head is slightly fuzzy, but no signs of the 'anxiety dreads' at all, and I feel back to my old self. The diarrhea has completely gone, too. Was able to go out on the town with friends on Friday night and thoroughly enjoyed it, whereas earlier in the week I had been dreading it, as I felt so anxious.

I hope this continues, and I think I will stick at this 50mg dose until I see my GP in 6 weeks time, and see what they have to say. I'm just not sure about the propranolol though, as I really don't feel I need it now, but I thought that last time and within 10 days of stopping taking it, I was really struggling again.