Anyone Had Any Experience With Amitriptyline?

[Anna]

Has anyone had any experience with Amitriptyline?

What side effects did you have? did you find it helped with depression?

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

Amitriptyline is 'old-school' antidepressant (also called Elavil) that can help with depression, and sleep. My doc has me on it for irritable bowel also, because it has muscle relaxing properties. Grogginess would be a side effect that would probably go away after a few days or weeks.

Hope this helps.

 

[Anna]

Thanks for the info.

I wonder why the doc would prescribe an old school one though?

 

[KyGirl31]

My son age 9 was put on this for migraines. I actually was worried and questioned why they put him on it because I know it's usually used to treat depression but she said it works wonders to prevent the migraines. However I noticed after months if using he started having hearing problem and had found other individuals had the same side effect. That's the only experience with it I've had!

 

[Anna]

Thanks :) Yes they have put my daughter on it for depression. I was a bit worried about it as well.

 

[Court]

I just started elavil for migraine preventative this past week. My dose is small though. The dr said he hoped it would help me sleep and deal with the stress I'm dealing with. I have not had any side effects but I'm still waiting to see how well it really works. I'm on 10mg and don't have any grogginess.

 

[Red Feather]

I took it for a year, but wanted to get away from it, so now I am on setraline and seroquel. The amitriptline also works on anxiety so that is why I was given it.

When I got off of it the anxiety went up, so the doctor prescribed more seroquel. I didn't like the amitriptiline because it made my brain so fuzzy. My mouth was always dry and I had no dreams.

Also I gained weight. And I just didn't like the feeling it gave me in the mornings. But it did help me sleep. So, obviously there are always benefits and negative sides to any medication.

 

[Anna]

Dosage has been increased from 25mg to 50mg.

So far, headaches, dissappered after 4 days. Worst is the weight gain, which as you can imagine causes a teenager a lot of angst. Dizziness too.

:(

My brother takes citalopram. It seems to work very well for him. Took awhile to find the right meds. He also has BDD.

She seems to moan all the time as well about her apperance. I guess maybe I should discuss this next time with the shrink.

 

[Court]

Anna did the weight gain come as the dose was higher end? I'm concerned I have lost 16 Pds in 3 months and don't want to gain weight from anymore meds. I'm currently on 10 mg. Thanks,
Court

 

[Anna]

I have no idea to be honest. Best ask your doc. It was 25mg which is a lot more than 10 mg.

 

[cherryblossom]

Personally, I would be very wary of amitriptyline, especially for teenage use. The side effects could be awful for a teenager. Weight gain, drowsiness, changes in appetite, etc. However, my biggest concern with it, is how hugely dangerous it is in overdose. And I'm not saying your daughter is likely to overdose, but it's something to consider.

My times as a medic saw too many young people o/d on it about 10 years ago. It is much less prescribed these days in the UK.

Although I haven't looked at any evidence, I feel sure there must be a more modern drug, designed for migraines, that's safer for adolescents to use.

 

[Anna]

Probably, but I am not in the UK, and it is not for migraine. My daughter is very sick. She has depression, severe depression, already posted a thread about it somewhere else.

I was also surprised about it being prescribed, but I also saw many other drugs are not allowed for people under the age of 24, expecially citaloprom.

The psychiatrist who prescribed it, is a professional psychiatrist who specialises in adolescents and children. He also warned us of the danger of overdose, he told us to lock the meds away. We have done.

Thank you Cherryblossom for your advice :) You are right, especially about the danger of overdose. We are being safe and I promise those meds are locked away safely. I am also confused, but it seems that most medicines have not been tested on adolescents and this is like literally the only one they know about (Side effects etc...)

My daughter is though, diagnosed with severe depression, possibly a personality disorder. She is also receieving psychosomatic therapy from a qualified therapist as well.

Also a note, she seems to take after my mother, no sleeping medication or pain medication EVER had an effect on her. My daughter is now on 50mg and has no drowsiness, it does not seem to effect her at all, so I think next visit we will be discussing a change anyway.