Amitriptyline for sleep, any success?

So I know I might get cra# here for finally giving in to trying this, but at this point I will try almost anything for good sleep.

I've tried almost every thing herbal for sleep. Sleep herbs and synthetics or combos only work for for a while then I must change it.

I did use trazadone for sleep for a year, had to up it, and makes mouth dry- bad for teeth. If it has any "happy effects" these were non-existant in my use, it did help sleep somwwhat. Did not make me drowsy the next day.

So I tried the Amitriptyline. talk about groggy. slept 9 hours ate, then napped at 11. I had to get stuff done today, oh well! I feel like a zombie, and there is no "happy effect" either LOL. Its like booze (makes me tired with no happy effect). (on the plus side the alcoholic gene is definitely not in me. nope!).

**********Has anyone gotten use to this stuff? If its like this all the time its not for me.**********

I'm obviously not against trying things. At this point in my life (old is around the corner) I dont care if its a man made RX drug. I just want to be comfortably functional as opposed to comfortably numb (in the daytime).

Either, or.........sometimes a combination. Or sometimes I just kind of drift in and out of sleep all night never getting to REM. I rarely stay awake all night now though - that was from adrenals I think in the past.

But even at best in the past, I still never felt refreshed the next day. I feel the best at 6-7 hours, if it was good sleep. Then I'm just less sleepy the next day as opposed to wiped out. I need to be lightly active in the day to have any energy, but too much and I'm toast.

So yea, its complicated.

I had the same experience as you - things would work, but only for a short time. Anything I stayed on for long - like Trazadone - was only because I was getting other benefits from it.

How long have you been on the Amitriptyline? I know that when my hubby started it, it took a week (?) for him to adjust to it's effects, but he didn't have Lyme and company either. Could it be that you are finally getting some good sleep and your body just wants more?

And you have had your thyroid and adrenals tested recently, right? You are describing my sleep patterns and I have only thyroid and adrenal issues left at this point - so I just wanted to check.

I have been using a specific brand of tryptophan (Lidtke), melatonin, magnesium and valerian to help me sleep. When my adrenal fatigue got really bad and then my thyroid went down, I ended up sleeping no more than 4 hours a day - no napping either. If I laid down to rest in between, I wouldn't even get my 4 hours of sleep.

My doc and I tried several things, but she finally suggested that we give the tryptophan a try. It's not cheap, but because of the way it's processes or formulated, it's better than other brands evidently. What I know is that most nights I was suddenly able to sleep 5 hours, then 6 and I'm now up to 7 hours a night, some times 8 hours except for about once every 7 - 10 days and I just have a bad night or two and only sleep 3 - 4 hours (like last night - ugh!). But overall, this is the most sleep I've had in over two years, so I'll take it!

I've tried almost every herb and natural supplement out there, plus Trazadone, amitriptyline, Ambien and one other that I can't remember now. Sleep issues are some of the hardest things to figure out in most people's opinion.

I used to have issues with falling asleep, staying asleep and being refreshed after sleeping. With the combo I now take, falling asleep isn't nearly as hard as it used to be, but staying asleep and being refreshed still aren't good for me.

I took it for nerve issues and it took me about 3 weeks to fully adjust to it.

Years ago when menopause was causing me sleepless nights the doc gave me amitriptyline. I took it for 3 nights and then quit because I could not be a zombie all day long. I hated it.

I called my Mom and asked her what did she do. She said she got herself a small radio with an ear plug and she would turn on night time talk radio and it would bore her to sleep. I have been doing that ever since. I wake up and then the talk just puts me back to sleep. And amazingly I never get tangled up in the earbud wire. I also flip flop like a fish out of water all night long and still no tangles. When I wake up I switch the plug automatically to my other ear just as easily as I pull the covers up. I am so used to this, it is my medicine.

scottishlymielady said...
Hi.

i see im invisable

No, Scottishlymielady, you just didn't ask any questions and I assume that no one had any questions about what you posted is all. At times this can be a fast moving forum, and I too feel left in the dust by others posting so much so fast. It happens to most all of us I think, so don't feel like we are leaving you out of anything, or ignoring you please! That is not the case!! I can't count how many times I have posted something and then gotten off the forum for an hour or so and 3 other people have answered questions that I was asked!! LOL! As long as correct information is given, I don't care, but it can be a bit surprising!

hi traveler.
your right i didnt ask questions, i just thought maybe someone would pipe in. the amitriptaline. had them half asleep durin g night unaware of eating,. had to stop tyaking it
i was underweight and couldne eat and on uk nhs food suppliment drinks, before i started this amitriptaline.
then suddenly im munching 5 cereal bars during night, find wrapers on pillow morning bit of a shoke as dont fremember
thanks i did not how this site work thanks for reasurance there also time diffeerence between us and uk 6 hours
i also thought maybe my messages are garbled. as im unable to spend time typing
so no xsentaces have to type fast before cant see keys, bit weird
look at screen is white too bright then the keys go

love elaine

xx .

There is an 8(?) Hour cd/mp3 for sale on Amazon. Max Richter, from sleep. Supposedly composed to help with the different stages of sleep.

Hi Traveler.
How are you?
maybe my post are garbeled asthis is how these infections affect me? .
i see what you are saying il ask callum ..Its not just light intolerance
i still wont be able to take the time to type properly
as the effort on my brain increasses my brain fatigue and then my vision goes looking at anything
around me objects people anything. my eye sight flucuates up down as brain exhaustions increase its weird
the keys on keyboard go .then i cant see the letters at all
The higher my drunken exhaustion levels in my head
the more blinded i get
at same time my body sinks out wheelchair
both are connected
My gps thought my lymes had progressed to chronic neuro burelia
however to diagnosis this. in uk you need a positve lumber puncture tests
By time i read a post and want to answer. I forget what im answering. I have to scroll up down rereading the persons email
My short term memory very poor
im always confused and disorientated.
I say words back to front and write this way
my speechg gets garbled also.
my eyes look spaced out and drunk
difficulty trying to focus on anything, feel im going cross eyes
hubby sees this in my face RIGHT BACK TO BED
llie curtains shut head under quilt blocking out more light

maybe this is just me?
elaine
x

Dear traveler.
how are you?
k thanks .the post was lot shorter than usual .Do you no if the night time dozes of month 1 would set off bad dioreah?Keeps me out of bed it starts as immgoing to bed. Really annoying.
My throats very dry also stomack feels bit on fire at night after these 4 dozes doze
or maybe its magnesuim that has vitamin b complex in it
As this is on top of cowdens magnesuim dozess. I do keep 2 hours apart

elaine
x

Hey astroman

While I can't speak to the meds/supplements/sleep issues, you know I'm often thinking about thyroid....and I know you're quite knowledgeable on the topic.

Still, I can't help what question "good" means to you in regards to your thyroid levels.

Is your FreeT4 level close to the high end of the range (or at least 75% of range)? If not, that could make a difference between sleeping and not...

My apologies if I'm preaching to the choir.

I can understand the FT3 level being more symptomatic for you since I think that applies for the majority of us.

If you don't mind me asking, have you ever had a top-of-the range FT4 along with a FT3 that is upper third to upper quarter?

Have you ever had slightly higher levels and felt good with them?

Just as we have trouble treating symptoms caused by Lyme, it makes sense to me we'd have trouble dealing with symptoms (sleep quality) caused by thyroid. We need to address the root cause (and, yes, other factors besides thyroid can be blamed)