Topic: Amitriptyline (Elavil) for nerve pain/sleep & depression?
lymebytes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11830
posted
Hi, I have been prescribed very low dose Amitriptyline for widespread nerve pain. My LLMD prescribed only 10mg to help with sleep and said it will help with the widespread nerve pain, that nothing seems to help. Lyrica made me feel so weird, could only take it at bedtime and now I believe it is even causing depression.
Will Amitriptyline help with sleep/nerve pain & mood?
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I've been using Elavil for 1.5 years at 10-20 mg/night, and it has been AMAZING!!
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
Elavil has been a miracle for me. It has helped enormously with pain and sleep.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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lymebytes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11830
posted
That is great to hear!! What about morning "hangovers" do they linger?
Do either of you (or anyone else) have nerve pain that it has helped? What about depression? I don't know that I am depressed, I thinkg I at times feel hopeless about getting well, sort of like riding a rollercoaster, I am up about it and positive, then down when the pain turns up. LD has me on an emotional roller coaster, I have NEVER felt like this. I hope it helps this as well. (Wonder if Biaxin I am on could create this emotional-weird state?)
posted
bytes, have you had a sleep study done to see if yu have sleep apnea? where you stop breathing and gasping for air. i have it, and found out too i do not get delta 4 sleep where body rejuvenates and wake up feeling refreshed.
i took amyttrip... for years. MAJOR PROBLEMS for me: 4-6 times lost my SKIN in 4" x 6" areaa on my right shoulder; they couldn't account for what it was. finally said i'm allergic to amytrip....
also had 4 biopsies done too with 2 showing "UNKNOWN BUG BITE" couldn't figure out it was a TICK W/LYME!
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By the way, the prescribing information for Elavil states that "Additional monitoring of your dose or condition may be necessary if you are taking.... a macrolide antibiotic" (Like Biaxin)
I was just prescribed Elavil too and wondered about this. You should call your pharmacist and ask about it.
Best,
- Andrew
Posts: 443 | From The Wild West | Registered: Jan 2002
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My old angel LLMD uses this for almost all his Lyme patients and it really does seem to have a special affinity with Lyme patients and helps MOST people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He gave it to me for my early awakening sleep disorder and it allowed me to sleep through the night again!! I did not take it for pain but for that, he said sleep docs use it because it affects a certain brave wave which allows you to sleep all night thorugh- The psychiatric dose is MUCH MUCH higher than 10 mg, it is not efefctive as a psyche med at 10 mg-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
it has been a godsend for me as far as helping me to sleep.
But beware!! you will gain weight on it.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
I was prescribed Elavil for help with sleep and nerve pain. The dose that helped the pain the most was 50mg but I couldn't stand the hangover. I also became more irritable on it but that is just me....It has helped countless people at much smaller doses.
I found that it's cousin, Trazodone, works well for sleep without the hangover but it does nowt for pain. I am on 1200mg/day of Neurontin and that has helped with the neuralgia.
Good luck! Elavil has been a miracle drug for many!
Posts: 69 | From Wisconsin | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
I wish I had the same results as some of you!
For me, it seemed as though Elavil did nothing.
Posts: 151 | From ohio | Registered: May 2007
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Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
Glad it helps some. It made me so foggy & dazed that I could barely think straight. It also turned me into a zombie in the daytime & I couldn't get a wink of sleep at night.
Neuro Ducks love this stuff. It's a cheap old line Tricyclic that they use for a myriad of conditions. I got 5 Rxs of it until I found a LLMD. It was a warning for me that the duck had no answers & didn't know didley about Lyme Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
my doc just prescribed this for me today. Starting at 10 mg. she said it will help me get to sleep and also help with nerve pain.
I took this several years ago for depression at a higher dose.
I remember hearing it was used at low doses for children who wet the bed my doc confirmed that. I haven't been wetting the bed, but there are times since i got lyme that i leak. so hopefully it will help with that also.
Posts: 111 | From northeast Iowa | Registered: Oct 2006
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savebabe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9847
posted
I take elavil for sleep and pain. I found this drug to be very helpful with both conditions. Although, I believe 10mg is to low to treat depression.
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
I spoke to one of the doctors at the New Haven conference this past weekend and he said he prescribes 5mg-10mg for people with nerve pain.
I didnt get the full details but I think he said that it not only helps with the pain but also helps to coat the nerves and protect them. I can't remember his words exactly though so please take this info with a grain of salt!
--David
-------------------- Same nightmare, different day! Posts: 401 | From East Coast | Registered: Nov 2005
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
Tori. I was able to reduce my dose of Elavil by taking a small amount of Flexeril also a cousin. It did help with the brain fog that sometimes took awhile to lift in the morning.
It helped me heal so much though and today I can often go many, many months without anything for pain or sleep. When I do need a little help, 10 mgs, does the trick now with no Flexeril.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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I too was put on Lycra, and found it making me feel SO INSANLY WEIRD! Words cant even describe how spaced out I felt when taking it... So I clearly stopped taking it. I have not found anything that worked for nerve pain. My doctor just has me on vicodin for any pain i have that gets too bad.
I wish you luck with finding something. I am glad to hear I was not the only one who felt weird on Lycra.
posted
It sounds like a bunch of us (July, Lymebytes and I) have just gotten Elavil prescribed. Let's report after trying it! I've waited a few days, but now I think I finally have the nerve to try it. I want a good night's sleep!
- Andrew
Posts: 443 | From The Wild West | Registered: Jan 2002
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Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
Hi lymebytes,
I have been on Elavil now for over 5 years, it has helped me with sleep and did help a lot with pain. I have tried to stop it just to see how I felt and I always felt worse. I was on 5 mg then worked up to 10 and now I take 25 mgs.
At first I did have a hung over feeling in the morning, but I really think it had more to do with how sick I was because it did get better with time.
posted
Hi everyone, I have suffered from non-restorative sleep for many years now and finally got to the point where I couldn't go on any longer.I had a duck prescribe Celexa for my depression/sleep issues.
I have read in one of the research papers from an LLMD that Celexa is a good choice for Lyme patients also. Fortunately, I found this great Nurse Practitioner that is very understanding (I find most to be)and prescribed trazodone & melatonin, also. It is currently working very well. So, I just thought I would put my two cents in here as a possible for anyone who is seeking an alternative.
-------------------- May we all find peace one day and may peace prevail on earth ~ Traveler Posts: 66 | From traveling the U.S. | Registered: Aug 2007
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