Amitriptyline for neuropathy

My hubby was prescribed for a spinal cord injury but it triggered severe migraines for him 

Hi Karen Lacomtekp

I was prescribed 10mg at night for nerve pain which my surgeon thinks is due to scar tissue pressing on nerves under my implant. It has helped to a degree, and has also helped with some of the arthritis pain in my hands. I suspect the dose will need to be increased in the long term.

I don't find it makes me drowsy, and haven't experienced any side effects.

It is an anti-depressant, but in much larger doses. The nerve pain effect was one of the side benefits noticed over time, as is the case with many other drugs.

Hope that helps

xx

Hi Lacomtekp/Karen,

i was prescribed Amitriptylline for acute severe back pain years ago when paracetamol wasn’t enough, just a tiny dose, but I had an 8 month old baby (son) and the drug just sent me to sleep which I couldn’t have, so took it back and GP gave me a stronger painkiller instead. I’ve had it again since when I had severe neck pain, (facet joints becoming seized and arthritic)  for use at night and it did reduce the neck muscle spasms which eventually helped the physio to get to grips with the mechanical problems in my neck, I’ve managed it ok ever since with the dodges and exercises he taught me. 

Hope that helps a bit?

hugs xxx

I was prescribed Amitriptyline for neuropathic pain. It worked like magic, the pain disappeared completely after just one tablet. The side effects were a very dry mouth, a cough that kept me awake at night, and after a while I got palpitations, which worried the oncologist so he took me off it, and I tried something else. 

A couple of years before I took it for trigeminal neuralgia, and it was very effective. I can’t remember getting any side effects that time.

i would give it a go, and see how you are on it. You can always stop if either it doesn’t work or the side effects are troublesome.

Hope it helps

Hi Lacomtekp

I'm on it for nerve pain following mastectomy. I don't have any side effects now but at the beginning I found it made me very sleepy and I struggled to get up in the morning. I was advised by my GP to take it in the evening as it is known to cause drowsiness.

I had to start with one tablet and once I had adjusted to the sleepiness, increase to two. Once I had got used to it, the sleepiness subsided - it's not a problem now. I do make sure to take it by 7pm though. It works really well for me - hope it does for you!

R

Thanks everyone for the replies. 

I have taken it and have been asleep for four hours I think. It's  01.28 here.......I think I shall soon be back to sleep again.

Probably better say ' good morning ' now. I have a feeling I won't  be on the awake thread at 6.0a.m. this morning !

Hi Lacomtekp

Hope you had a good night's sleep and that you feel okay this morning. 

I don't take amitriptyline, but I do take nortryptiline, which is similar and also an antidepressant. I've taken it for several years, since my fist lot of chemo left me with neuropathy in my feet and my coccyx - horrible burning pain that was especially bad at night. I started off with 10mg at night, which relieved the burning well and have now increased it to 30mg due to increased pain in various bits of me over the past couple of years. 

I was taking it 10mg 3x per day but now I take it all at bedtime - means that I sleep a LOT better than I did as they do cause sleepiness! Other than feeling a bit groggy first thing in the morning, I've not found any other side effects, but the GP put me on nortryptiline instead of amitriptyline as apparently it has fewer side effects and she knew I was likely to be on it long term. 

I hope the amitriptylene helps you as much as the nortriptylene has me! 

Thank you Weeblemum......that's very reassuring.  My symptoms sound very similar to yours... .the burning feet, sheets which feel like lead weights on top of them in bed but also freezing hands and feet at the same time....It is the weirdest sensation isn't  it? Neuro surgeon is now wondering if some of the constant pain in my leg and the fact it seezes up is connected to the neuropathy and not the spine misalignment he has also found and I did have a decompression operation last year to help sort that but the pain has continued. He is referring me to a neurologist.  He was disappointed the oncologist hadn't already done that as was the GP but although I see someone for the cancer 4 times a year, I think because it has gone, I'm  not interesting or serious enough for their specialism. They are always so reluctant to accept that occasionally .....and I stress the occasionally, because I don't want to worry anyone who is just starting chemo and hopefully hasn't thought to concern themselves with this thread....chemo can leave you with permanent problems which need attention.

Neuro surgeon.....the most handsome Egyptian  who has had papers printed in the BMJ......has given me 25g of amitriptyline.  So far.....I slept for ten hours apart from a toilet break.....so good. Not too drowsy this morning. 

Luckily I had been reducing the pregabalin on instructions from my GP so I could start straight away with the change. 

Now it's nearly lunch time. My husband will need his lunch. He's working very hard to replumb kitchen so I can have a dishwasher. Mum and dad stopping for six week  blocks is increasingly hard work until they sort my leg .

Have a good day yourself.

Live Karen

Hey Karen 

Oh, I totally get where you're coming from. I was on pregabalin too for a while and same here — it just kinda... stopped doing anything for the nerve pain. I was switched too, but instead of amitriptyline, my doc put me on Neurontin (gabapentin), and honestly? It’s been a game changer for me.

It's super important to use only high-quality Neurontin (gabapentin) — low-quality or fake versions can be completely ineffective or even unsafe. That’s why I always order mine from this trusted online pharmacy: health-delivery24.com/buy-neurontin-uk.html — it's always top quality and really effective. Hope that’s helpful to you too!

I take it three times a day — started low (like 300mg at night), and now I’m on 300mg morning, 300mg afternoon, and 600mg at night. It really helps take the edge off that stabbing, burning feeling I get in my legs and feet. I don’t feel “high” or weird on it, just a little more relaxed, and my sleep has improved too — which, let’s be real, is half the battle with nerve pain.

Amitriptyline is actually pretty common for neuropathy, even though yeah, it’s an antidepressant. It works on pain pathways in a similar way. I know a few people who’ve had good results with it. Just keep an eye on how you feel, especially in the morning — it can make you a bit drowsy or foggy at first. Maybe take it a little earlier in the evening so it doesn’t mess too much with your sleep cycle.

Sending hugs and hoping it helps you as much as Neurontin helped me 

 Jesssm ....I didn't take the amitriptyline for very long as once I saw the neurologist he had other ideas. Like you I have taken the Neurontin for about 5 years now. I take 1200mg a day too plus zinc, B1, B6 and B12 every 10 days. It has helped although tests showed that nerves in my feet were permanently destroyed. I find it so strange that the burning and coldness continues despite the damage. I see the neurologist every six months.

I hope you continue to feel the benefit too.

Karen