How long does it take for amphytripiline to take effect.
Posted , 5 users are following.
My mum, who is turning blind and has very little vision left has just been put on this drug for anxiety. She becomes very anxious if she is left alone, cries, and has panic attacks . She said the vision which she has left has become blurry and she can't cope. She has no get up and go in her and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. She's been on these tablets 7 days , should they have started working yet
0 likes, 15 replies
Scruffy61
Posted
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
susan02424
Posted
Scruffy61
Posted
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
susan02424
Posted
Thanks so much for your kind words
Scruffy61
Posted
And advice so please you are not alone xxx
susan02424
Posted
Tarun
Posted
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)
susan02424
Posted
I was hoping the blurred vision would settle with time. At the dr on Monday and will mention it
Thank you
Lisa362
Posted
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
elizabeth70142
Posted
susan02424
Posted
Sue
liz54943
Posted
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?
elizabeth70142
Posted
Tarun
Posted
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.
liz54943
Posted
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.