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Anyone tried Elavil?

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 5/10/2013 10:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hello fellow fibromites,

It has been awhile since I have posted so bear with me. I have recently been having bad headaches, possibly migraines. And my doctor suggested I try Elavil. Supposedly it is an anti-depressant, but is also used to prevent migraines. Not to mention it has a sedative effect which is good since I have insomnia. Anyway, he summed it up stating it is like 3 meds in one and suggested I take it at night so that I could get some useful rest. He also suggested that some people with fm have had positive feedback from taking this particular med.

So I was wondering if anyone else has taken this in the past and if so how did it do for you? I have been sleeping better and can tell I have more stamina. Interested in any feedback.

Thanks,

Yellwdaisy

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Fibromyalgia, Migraines, Herniated Disc, Pinched Nerve, Degenerative Arthritis, Depression, Insomnia, PTSD

 

Posted 5/10/2013 11:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hi yellwdaisy

I am on Elavil (Amitrilyptine) as its the first line treatment for Fibro here in the UK...

I really like it, im currently on 20mg but am about to up it to 30mg as its now wearing off on my sleep...I think its helping my pain a bit, and its really good for neuropathic pain.

I was on it a couple of months ago for only 4 weeks, but decided to go natural instead, came of it and then realised it had been helping after all...so now back on it

A lot of people over in UK are on it for different reasons, its like some kind of super medication...At my work, one is on it for IBS, one for migraines, one for bladder problems, one for sleep and I also know a child who is on it for bedwetting.

It is meant to have some horrible side effects like dry mouth, morning hangover, vision problems etc, but I only had this in first few days and then wore off

Thats just my experience!

Love it :O)
Posted 5/10/2013 11:56 AM (GMT 0)
I started taking Elavil (50mg) in the mid 90s, due to developing chronic diarrhea (one of Elavil's side effects is that it is very drying). It took several months, but it certainly helped that condition.

For some reason, maybe because I took it for years, it caused me excessive sleepiness, even while moving down to 25mg. I would take it in the early evening and within two hours, absolutely have to lie down, and I would be "out like a light" all night, and continue to be sleepy off and on throughout the next day. I seem to be very sensitive to this medication, though I have to say it did help me.

Even now, I take it one in a great while, and I still experience the excessive sleepiness. Not sure that is very common, though. I hope it works well for you!
Posted 5/20/2013 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to you all for your feedback.

It is so wierd how we all seem to be in the same situation, yet different things work for different ones of us. I do like being able to get some restful sleep and I have noticed a reduction in my pain. I hope this isn't too good to be true... but we'll see.

Hope you all have a blessed and pain free day.

Yellwdaisy :-)

Posted 5/21/2013 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
I took it years ago when I hurt my back (the first time). The doctor stopped it cold turkey when I went back to work because I worked in a county jail at the time and needed a clear head. Within three days of stopping it, I had the worst migraine I'd ever suffered. It went on for so long that I ended up in a neurologist's office. When I told him I'd recently stopped the Elavil he told me that it was "the best migraine prevention medicine on the market" and that not tapering off is what caused the severe one.
I wasn't wild about the weight gain side effect, but choosing between a migraine and a few extra pounds was really a no brainer. Thankfully, after my hysterectomy, the migraines nearly disappeared. I get one maybe twice a year now, instead of twice a week.
I hope it works for you as well as it did for me.
Posted 5/22/2013 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
I took one dose and it seemed to have a Tourette like effect. I cussed out my kids and had zero warning. I was as shocked as everyone else.
Posted 5/23/2013 10:05 AM (GMT 0)
I was on this as well for about two months and had horrible side effects. First it was dry mouth, irritability, nervousness, then came the crazy vivid scary dreams, feeling like I couldn't breathe etc. The final thing that made me say no more was when I started having hallucinations. One was so bad that I actually thought my husband had his hands around my throat and was trying to kill me. I started screaming and my husband had been asleep the whole time and woke up and said okay throw that crap in the trash.

I am very sensitive to those meds though and can't take any without horrible side effects so you can't really go by what happened to me. I hope you have good results from it.
Posted 5/24/2013 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
I had similar effects to yours, Lynnster, with Cymbalta.
I wonder if you've found anything that helps now.It's been suggested I take either gabapentin, Lyrica, Remeron, or Seroquel, but I see they all have the same warnings. I'm using Vicodin for pain and Trazadone for sleep. The Vicodin varies. I've gone 2 days without it and have also needed it 2 or 3 times in one day.
I haven't researched all the threads just yet and can see each person is different. Just trying to find a good balance.
Posted 5/24/2013 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Community, and welcome!  It would be best to start an introductory thread and then all the members will see you and respond.  You can get a lot of good help on this forum!

 

Sherrine

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