Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
Anyone have experience with Elavil?
LLMD prescribed it for me because I'm not sleeping well at all, and I filled the prescription.
However, last night I read the infp insert and the list of possible side effects and drug/herb/supplement interactions just scared the crap out of me, so I didn't take it.
I'm just so afraid of it either reacting to something I'm taking (Doxy, Rifampin, mangosteen, acai, vitamin D) or causing a reaction like I had with Xanax, Lexapro and Zoloft (severe anxiety, panic attack and the desire to go jump off the roof).
Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, with Elavil?
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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IckyTicky
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Member # 21466
posted
Elavil made me want to sleep allll the time. It was prescribed for me for depression I guess, when I was a teenager and I lost my job because I could not wake up. I just wanted to sleep all day. So...if you're taking it for SLEEP it might be a good thing. But I remember t also made my restless leg syndrome get a whole lot worse.
-------------------- IGM: 18+, 23+, 30+, 31+++, 34+, 39IND, 41++, 58+++, 66+, 83-93IND IGG: 31+, 39IND, 41+ Also positive for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and RMSF. Whole family of 5 dx with Lyme. Posts: 1014 | From Texas | Registered: Jul 2009
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Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
I also read in the insert that one of the serious side effects that should be reported is "enlarged breasts."
Lol, being as underdeveloped as I am, I thought, gee, that might be a good thing, but then I started wondering what in that medication would cause that.
Is there something in it that stimulates hormones? I'm just getting my hormones back in check, and I really don't want to screw them up again.
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
I have been taking Elavil for several months: really a very small dose. It helps me to sleep well but I do not find it sedating during the day, and it has, for me, fewer side effects than SSRIs. It was prescribed by Dr H in NY for nerve pain: turns out Elavil in combo with Neurontin is very good for that. It has worked well for me.
Posts: 360 | From New York | Registered: Oct 2009
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IckyTicky
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Member # 21466
posted
Gosh, I wouldn't take ANYTHING that could cause enlarged breasts if I didn't have to!
I don't know, I never read the pamplet about the drug when I was on it (stupid teenager).
If you're just getting your hormones back in check, talk to your dr about another alternative besides Elavil.
-------------------- IGM: 18+, 23+, 30+, 31+++, 34+, 39IND, 41++, 58+++, 66+, 83-93IND IGG: 31+, 39IND, 41+ Also positive for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and RMSF. Whole family of 5 dx with Lyme. Posts: 1014 | From Texas | Registered: Jul 2009
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
It can also lower blood pressure. So if your BP is low, like mine, be careful. I took it one night and was lightheaded and holding the walls in the morning....slept well though.
Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
Feelfit--
Thans for the warnning. My BP has been low historically, although the last few times it's been taken, it has been closer to normal.
What dosage did you take? My LLMD told me to start at 10mg.
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
Just my experience but worst drug I have ever taken!
Sent electric like shocks down my spine and arms, dried me out terribly and made me feel like I was in a dream... When I say it dried me out I mean everything! It hurt to make a bowel movement because I was so dry!
Posts: 286 | From St. Louis | Registered: Dec 2009
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feelfit
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posted
i was at 10 mg.
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- My experience with Elavil? In the early and mid '90's - Horrible. Absolutely horrible. I tried several times, low dose but it always just clobbered me - huge hangover and much worse depression from it - I could not stop crying. I also passed out a lot during that time but lyme had not yet been dx so it could have been from lyme &/or elavil.
As for the increased daytime sleepiness, vertigo and depression from these sorts of drugs - it came dangerously close to my jumping ship several times. I was a "frequent flyer" for the suicide hotline but they were of little help and told me the meds should work and to stop calling.
They really need some lyme literate volunteers working those hotlines as their regular advice just can't come close to what a lyme patient needs.
Looking back to that time, I'm surprised I survived. For me, these kinds of drugs always made everything worse, not better. It could be because I also have 2 kinds of porphyria, unknown at that time and the added stress to the liver was just too much.
As I recall, it also caused dry mouth - and years later - I learned that the dry mouth can cause major infection problems in the mouth and gums, leading to heart issues.
I was not on long but, over years tried that and all its cousins and peers such as amlitryptoline (sp?), etc. I had the same reaction from each of them - probably due to liver stress.
Magnesium, fish oil, curcumin by day and corydalis by nighted help the most. Adrenal support, too, as insomnia is so tied to high cortisol and adrenal dysfunction. More about that here:
posted
It really was a lifesaver for me: I have had no side effects & am fine during the day. I've had a bit of weight gain but that happened from the Neurontin
Posts: 360 | From New York | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
It really was a lifesaver for me: I have had no side effects & am fine during the day. I've had a bit of weight gain but that happened from the Neurontin
Posts: 360 | From New York | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
I take it for neuropathy. For me it helped for a while and it does make me tired. I'm on a bit higher dose than you though. And honestly I'm on so many meds its hard for me to keep up with what does what and causes what. But I don't think I've had any major problems because of it.
Posts: 115 | From Central PA | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
Funny to have this posted. My wife just started taking it.Afetr about 2 months of what appears to be a problem with her gallbaldder,although all test (several) have come backk fine, her doctor prescriber her this drug.
He said it will help as a muscle relaxing(anti-spasmadic)which could help with the pain.
After about 2 weeks on (starting at 10mg and ramping up to 20mg)she has reported great improvement.
She looked it up on the internet and found that they use it in Europe as a tretment for sphincter of the odi problems among other things
Her doctor called recently to see how she is doing and said it seems to work for people with her problem- they don't know why but it does.
She reports sleeping much better and feel more refreshed thru out the day.
No more reflux, belching pain etc.
Posts: 137 | From wethersfield ct | Registered: Mar 2006
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Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
Well, I had another quite bad expereince.
I took only a half pill--5mg--and within a half hour I was seriously on edge, screaming at the kids, and eventually went into a panic attack.
Once I fell asleep, I slept until 4am instead of 3am, but then still laid there awake for the longest time.
Now that I'm up this morning, I'm tired (that's nothing new), and my left side is weak, shaky, and the left side of my head feels numb.
I feel like I have more air hunger, and trying to figure out if my heart feels funny.
I think I'll be sticking with Benadryl to help me get to sleep, even if I have to get up and take it in the middle of the night.
The only good thing so far is that the nausea I've had for the past 5 days seems to have subsided. Doubt it's related though.
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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