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Anxiety & Panic Disorders
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Posted 8/28/2013 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hello folks!

Well, due to reported symptoms such as shortness of breath, panicky "gulpy" feelings of having to catch my breath, lump in throat (globus), and other symptoms (and test results) that have ruled out GERD and can't seem to explain, my GI doc is putting me on Elavil 10 mg. (amitriptyline). Hello Club Elavil.

Any gotchas I should be worried about with Elavil? It is a small dose. Doc said it could make me tired and dry mouth. Though I wonder how it might interact with my other meds (I'm also taking 10 mg Ambien at night. Also up to 0.5 mg of Ativan for anxiety as needed). Of course I'll discuss with the pharmacist on these specific meds, tho wanted to get a general sense from you Elavil pro users out there if it works for you and if you take with other meds.

I know this is a TCA. Not an SSRI. I used to be on Celexa before (bleah!). I didn't like the way it made me feel longer term. Kinda zombie-ish, and it really ruined my sexual experiences. Hope this Elavil thing is not like that.

Thanks in advance, folks!

Ruhr
Posted 8/28/2013 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
I was given Elavil years ago for blood pressure, it flat lined me emotionally, nothing bothered me and
I had no sex drive. maybe it was just me but I quit it after wife asked for divorce. Peace

Larry ***

I'm getting old, it was Inderal not Elavil, I am very sorry! Peace

Larry *** confused

Post Edited (lgm1942) : 8/28/2013 10:11:02 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/28/2013 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ruhr,

Here is a site that you can read up on in regards to you new med.

http://www.rxlist.com/elavil-drug.htm

I don't have anything personally to share...but that always needs to be considered just as the individual's experience, and not as what you can expect of course.

This site has an overview of the drug, along with an interaction checker...although your doctor surely checked for you in this regard already.

Best wishes, and keep up posted as to how you are doing.

S.C.

Posted 8/28/2013 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
I did the best on one of the sister drugs to Elavil, maintained for 10 years until my med pooped out.  I was taking my med for depression and anxiety.

I hope this works for you.

Kitt

Posted 8/28/2013 4:29 PM (GMT 0)

Ruhr said...
Hello folks!

Well, due to reported symptoms such as shortness of breath, panicky "gulpy" feelings of having to catch my breath, lump in throat (globus), and other symptoms (and test results) that have ruled out GERD and can't seem to explain, my GI doc is putting me on Elavil 10 mg. (amitriptyline). Hello Club Elavil.

Any gotchas I should be worried about with Elavil? It is a small dose. Doc said it could make me tired and dry mouth. Though I wonder how it might interact with my other meds (I'm also taking 10 mg Ambien at night. Also up to 0.5 mg of Ativan for anxiety as needed). Of course I'll discuss with the pharmacist on these specific meds, tho wanted to get a general sense from you Elavil pro users out there if it works for you and if you take with other meds.

I know this is a TCA. Not an SSRI. I used to be on Celexa before (bleah!). I didn't like the way it made me feel longer term. Kinda zombie-ish, and it really ruined my sexual experiences. Hope this Elavil thing is not like that.

Thanks in advance, folks!

Ruhr

Posted 8/28/2013 4:35 PM (GMT 0)

Ruhr said...
Hello folks!

Well, due to reported symptoms such as shortness of breath, panicky "gulpy" feelings of having to catch my breath, lump in throat (globus), and other symptoms (and test results) that have ruled out GERD and can't seem to explain, my GI doc is putting me on Elavil 10 mg. (amitriptyline). Hello Club Elavil.

Any gotchas I should be worried about with Elavil? It is a small dose. Doc said it could make me tired and dry mouth. Though I wonder how it might interact with my other meds (I'm also taking 10 mg Ambien at night. Also up to 0.5 mg of Ativan for anxiety as needed). Of course I'll discuss with the pharmacist on these specific meds, tho wanted to get a general sense from you Elavil pro users out there if it works for you and if you take with other meds.

I know this is a TCA. Not an SSRI. I used to be on Celexa before (bleah!). I didn't like the way it made me feel longer term. Kinda zombie-ish, and it really ruined my sexual experiences. Hope this Elavil thing is not like that.

Thanks in advance, folks!
Well I for one was put on Elavil 4 years ago and about 1 year I ago i stopped (weaned I should say) off of it because of the rapid heart rate crap!
Well I'm finding all of my symptoms are coming back 10 fold!
Im not sure if Elavil has screwed up my brain chemistry to where I have to take it but I decided to go back on it this past Sunday and sure enough the heart pounding and dizzy and just crappy feelings are back!
I personally hate this drugs side effects!
It has helped for the chronic pain I have so its a catch 22 .
Ruhr

Posted 8/28/2013 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hey thanks Larry, SC, Skitt and Tovaladymom for your insights!

There has been a delay in entering Club Elavil. My GI doc (who hasn't been very responsive), hasn't phoned in the script to the pharmacy yet. Not that I'm complaining. I waited over a week for him to get back to me. Actually, I have a concert to go to on Friday. I'd rather wait to start taking it on Saturday after my event, in case there are some unexpected side effects.

I'll really watch for the elevated heart rate, the sleepiness the next day, and dry mouth or "zombie" feelings. And especially sexual dysfunction. Like I said, I've been on the Celexa bus before and if it's anything like that, I'm pulling the stop signal and getting off this bus.

Merci!

Ruhr
Posted 9/3/2013 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I finally joined Club Elavil on Friday night. Took my 10 mg. Boy, it knocked me out the next day! Slept most of the afternoon on Saturday. Some dry mouth but not too much, no rapid heartbeat. No sexual dysfunction :).

I took the meds Sat. and Sun. nites: Sunday during the day I felt less drowsy, and same thing Monday too. Thankfully I had the long weekend to experiment around with this drug. I'll keep taking it the next few nights (weeks?) and see how it goes. So far, no real shortness of breath/yucky dyspnea gulpy feelings!

Ruhr
Posted 10/1/2013 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
Just checking in. I haven't posted recently. I remained on the 10 mg Elavil regimen for about three weeks, though the last week I was on vacation and felt terribly exhausted during the latter part of the days. Also, lots of dry mouth and urine retention. Some blunted sexual sensations. I didn't like this so I mentioned to my GI doc that I wanted to taper off. Took 5 mg for the last part of Sept., until conferring with my GI doc again that I'll give 10 mg a try, at least for a few more weeks. I'm back to 10 mg and although I don't have shortness of breath "gaspy" or "gulpy" type feelings, I have been feeling a sort of slight tightness or weird airy feeling in my chest, and some slight lumpy throat sensations during the day. They tend to go away after I return home from work and the evenings are a little better.

Sigh. I don't like NOT feeling normal. I'm missing out on the good things in life by staying in.

Ruhr
Posted 10/1/2013 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Ruhr,

Your last words made me cry as I know exactly what you mean.  "I don't like NOT feeling normal. I'm missing out on the good things in life by staying in."

The very first drug I was ever prescribed 31 years ago for my anxiety/depression was Elavil and I ran into the irregular, pounding, fast heartbeat.  My Dr. switched me from Elavil to Nortriptyline and I did the best with this drug of any, including the one I am on now. I took it faithfully every night for >10 years and did not need a whole cupboard full of other meds.

The dry mouth went away and no issues with fast heart rates.  One day it just pooped out on me and the next med I do not remember but I was never as good again as I was on the Nortriptyline.

Are you taking the Elavil at bedtime as I always did and slept fine. Now all my meds I take in the morning and I truly would love to be normal whatever that is anymore.  I have lost tract but I suspect my life is far from normal.

Blessings,

Kitt


 

Posted 10/1/2013 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Kitt,

Yeah. I understand. Wishing to feel normal again. I have windows of normalcy where I can go out and have fun. Like late August where I enjoyed a nice concert. And dunno how I pulled it together to get on two flights (going, coming back) last month to go back home to take care of some ill parents. While there, didn't feel like myself and I never made it out to do something fun. But it's coming to a point where I have to decline, and say no to a lot of things. Missed another concert recently. Sigh! Just missing out on life! I want to a return to a time where I'm not thinking about my health or how I'm going to feel, and just GO.

I take my Elavil 10 mg at night. Sometimes a little before bedtime. Sometimes right at bedtime. It doesn't seem to make me that sleepy, because I'm taking my Ambien 10 mg on top of that. And that's another thing. I gotta consider tapering off this Ambien. I've been taking one nearly every night for about a year now.

I have the dry mouth still, and suspect maybe my heart is getting kinda funny and messed up too. I feel my pulse when I feel a little edgy and it's a little fast. I haven't actually taken it/counted it. I would estimate never below 80, always in the low 90s maybe. So far it's rare that I begin to *feel* and be aware of my heartbeat, though there've been a couple of times.

A little while after I wrote my last response here, I got an almost full blown panic feeling. All late morning/afternoon I was feeling kinda gassy with slight heartburn. Took antacids for that. Though it got real bad where a whole wave of sick feeling overcame me for about a minute. ALMOST thoughts of having a heart attack, though I've been there before. It's not. I took an Ativan pill 0.5 mg., headed home to rest, and slept it off for the afternoon. It's evening now, haven't had dinner, and remarkably I feel...normalish. No gassy chests, or pain. No dyspnea or gulping. Mostly normal. Darn, this has got to be anxiety. With a little reflux thrown in. It's kind of interrelated. Argh!

Anyway while I'm feeling good this evening, I'm going to do an enjoyable activity, like catch up on some On Demand cable programming or play some Xbox or something. :)

Ruhr
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