Amitriptyline for sleep?

[dinger]

Hi @equinox when I was a practicing physician I would sometimes prescribe a small dose of amitriptylene for insomnia, certainly no more than 50mg. It can make some people feel very groggy in the morning so I would prescribe 100mg of modafinil to use on the mornings when they felt groggy. It seems to work very well, and at such small doses tolerance doesn’t seem to be a problem like it does with a drug like zopiclone

Dobre
Rom

At my local practice, they will go as high as 75mg. I am personally prescribed 50mg at night and been on that for roughly 8-9 years...
I have meet people who have been prescribed up to 200mg of the drug. They have been most of them with mental health issues...
Were the drug was used many years ago. I have even heard of small children been prescribed it for bed wetting at 5mg at night...

I must admit for nerve pain which i get my legs has worked great!! and find it to be far better than being on any Anticonvulsant meds that get used for that nerve pain..
all the best Dinger

[equinox]

I'm thinking of asking my doc to up my dose from the 10mg I'm on. The first few nights of taking this I was in a lovely groggy heaven that sent me right back to sleep. But now it feels like the tablets are a kind of security blanket med. I'm typing this at 2.30am, which is a big part of the problem for me. My sleep hygiene needs a serious overhaul. I promised myself I'd go to bed at 12.30 each day, but because sleep has become some sort of enemy I always find reasons to stay up. Like visiting this thread.

I know my sleep problems are linked to anxiety. But I've dodged any treatment for that problem other than cbt, which made me feel a bit stupid because the generic, but truthful, answer was can't you see that you should stop worrying, it's not helping.

It's too late for me to feel the benefit of an amitriptyline tonight. But, because of the ease of prescription, I'm still going to fly the flag for it.

[dinger]

I'm thinking of asking my doc to up my dose from the 10mg I'm on. The first few nights of taking this I was in a lovely groggy heaven that sent me right back to sleep. But now it feels like the tablets are a kind of security blanket med. I'm typing this at 2.30am, which is a big part of the problem for me. My sleep hygiene needs a serious overhaul. I promised myself I'd go to bed at 12.30 each day, but because sleep has become some sort of enemy I always find reasons to stay up. Like visiting this thread.

I know my sleep problems are linked to anxiety. But I've dodged any treatment for that problem other than cbt, which made me feel a bit stupid because the generic, but truthful, answer was can't you see that you should stop worrying, it's not helping.

It's too late for me to feel the benefit of an amitriptyline tonight. But, because of the ease of prescription, I'm still going to fly the flag for it.

As a hypnotic Amtriptyline is pretty poor to be honest ( but if it helps you that is good thing) and its less addictive than other hypnotics that get prescribed.
Amtriptyline hypnotic side effect is more of groggy feeling and for some weird thing it hits when you wake up!! ( that is what does to be me) anyway but lessons over time..

Please do not try sublingaul wise either!! like other drugs out there that does work well with that route.. Amtriptyline does not taste good be warned!! it would be like tasting washing up liquid!! all the best...

[LeviDenim]

If I recall Amitriptyline is one of the antidepressant drugs that can have the side effects where it weakens the teeth where the connective tissue is at the root of the teeth.

My wife was on it and was told to rinse/gargle with warm salt water 1-2 time per day to prevent any tooth damage.

[dinger]

If I recall Amitriptyline is one of the antidepressant drugs that can have the side effects where it weakens the teeth where the connective tissue is at the root of the teeth.

My wife was on it and was told to rinse/gargle with warm salt water 1-2 time per day to prevent any tooth damage.

I get prescribed a toothpaste from my local dentist. Its called Duraphat 2800ppm flouride toothpaste.. ( it contains higher levels of flouride) than normal over the counter shelf toothpaste that are sold in the shops.. The reason they prescribed was through ( getting very dry mouth ) caused by Amtriptyline....
Thanks for advice dinger..

[Farquhar001]

I was prescribed this years ago for sleep. It is my doctors magic med for every ailment apparently. It gave me palpitations and had the opposite effect to helping me sleep. Also the dry mouth was awful. However, I would try any med that could help with sleep so it's worth a shot as it might work for you and you may not experience any side effects. Good luck.

[liztaylor]

I was prescribe ami by my doctor and he was pretty generous with it. I find the secret to taking it is to have an empty stomach, and to take it early about 8 pm or 9 pm. Once 11 pm rolls around you don't even notice how easily you can go to sleep. I prefer a more instant feeling like zopiclone, because i don't have to spend my whole night planning about it. but if you are desperate for sleep you can try this method.

[Gullible]

If anxiety is the main cause of insomnia, try a session of relaxation in the evening. Start by relaxing every part of your body head to toe. Breath slowly and deeply and keep telling yourself to let go. Then go back and relax again the parts which still seem to have some tension in them, might be shoulders, head, tummy, most any place. Doing this every night for at least 20 minutes makes it a habit and you will get better and better at it. It may not put you to sleep right away but it will help a lot and you might just nod off before finishing your relaxation

[Madmanmoonx]

I tried Amitriptyline a couple of times and yeah I slept ok but felt like total crap for a couple of days and the was on half a 25mg tablet. I gather over time the body adjusts but decided it wasnt for me

[Lumo]

I found it dried my mouth and throat out, I would wake up feeling desperate for some liquid. This did not improve over the few months I took it.

[equinox]

I've returned to these as my go-to nightly tablet. They do make me feel groggy but that's not such a bad thing through the night. Lives into the start of the day which isn't great.

I try to keep to zops maybe twice or three times a week but I think tolerance is building. Maybe I also use Ambien every now and then, but these are like gold dust in the UK, so I use these with a little more caution.

I think there is is some placebo effect with the amitriptyline - also I know I'm in the habit of thinking that if I go to bed without a tablet I'll assume it's going to be a worse night for me.

[KeithDavid]

I've returned to these as my go-to nightly tablet. They do make me feel groggy but that's not such a bad thing through the night. Lives into the start of the day which isn't great.

I try to keep to zops maybe twice or three times a week but I think tolerance is building. Maybe I also use Ambien every now and then, but these are like gold dust in the UK, so I use these with a little more caution.

I think there is is some placebo effect with the amitriptyline - also I know I'm in the habit of thinking that if I go to bed without a tablet I'll assume it's going to be a worse night for me.

Hey there @equinox. I was just wondering how much do you take for sleep? I am curious b/c the dosage on drugs.co says 75mg is the starting dose but I have a family member who is prescribed 10mg at night. Just trying to figure out what will work for sleep and why there is such a difference in use for depression and sleep. Thanks for any help, PM me if u prefer. Cheers!

[Roz]

My wife took amitriptyline for about a month long time ago prescribed to her for migraines I think it's for depression. did nothing it was called Elavil or Helavil or something I know it was amitriptyline though cuz I couldn't believe they prescribed it for migraines. Scripted from a neurologist.

[equinox]

Hi - @KeithDavid - sorry for the delay replying to your question. I'm prescribed take 10mg at night, which I believe is the starting dose for sleep with heavier dosage for depression.
@Roz - I think it's also prescribed for nerve pain too.

[Roz]

@equinox wife was having migraines and went to a brain specialist that's what he prescribed; didn't work though you probably have to take it for a while like Prozac. For sleep I just have two shots of z-quil works okay as long as I don't have it every night every other night works fine which surprises me frankly.

[dinger]

Hi - @KeithDavid - sorry for the delay replying to your question. I'm prescribed take 10mg at night, which I believe is the starting dose for sleep with heavier dosage for depression.
@Roz - I think it's also prescribed for nerve pain too.

I have been on Amitriptyline for 15 years now, when i first tried the 25mg tablet ( yellow ones) it worked for sleep!! i could barely get up. But after about several days that stop.
I take 50mg at night now but i was prescribed it for nerve pain in my legs ( brown tablet) well a couple of weeks back it thought i will cut down to 25mg ( in my mind at the time)
It does nothing anyway!! well my nerve pain came back after a couple of days. And now i went back to 50mg after 3-4days the nerve pain in my legs is not as bad...

Now if i had not tried that i would be typing now saying "Amtriptyline" is rubbish period... but for nerve pain it works ( for me) but for sleep very poor!!

[equinox]

I think I need to start taking amitriptyline earlier in the night though. I usually take about an hour before bed, but I wake up groggy for a good hour or two. So maybe I should try shifting the tablet time earlier to see if I can reduce the grog effect.

There's no mention in the instructions when to take it for sleep, so it's a bit of a shot in the dark. Anyone that can let me know when they take it, I'd be grateful to hear about it.

[M77]

I am prescribed Nortriptyline for nerve pain. It certainly doesn’t help with insomnia, and does it help with nerve pain? I have no clue. I did look up the problems with stopping it, and wasn’t very happy.

[KeithDavid]

Hi - @KeithDavid - sorry for the delay replying to your question. I'm prescribed take 10mg at night, which I believe is the starting dose for sleep with heavier dosage for depression.
@Roz - I think it's also prescribed for nerve pain too.

Thanks a lot @equinox, I appreciate your feedback! Haven't been on here since I last posted so no worries about the delay. Did anyone ever get the Amitryptaline from TTM? They were yelow, round tablets. Wondering if they were any good out of curiousity and what mg they sold. A friend of mine found some that they had put away and never took them before. The 10mg domestic seems to be pretty good for sleep, 2 of those usually helps you fall asleeo, but staying asleep not so much. Anyone been prescribed Vistaril (Hydroyzine) for sleep? Just wondering what others think. Thanks again and have a great Friday!