Amitriptyline

Went to doc today. She took away my Imitrex and started me on 10 mg of Amitriptyline. Has anyone taken this? I can read about this online until I'm blue in the face; but I would really like to hear some real stories of controlling migraines. Any info would be helpful. Thanks guys

Can only give you my experience. I couldn't increase the dose as 10mg was making me a zombie. I lasted 10 weeks and still a zombie and head no better at all. (extra headaches from oversleeping). My current neuro says it doesnt work for most of us.....If only they could agree....
Hopefully others can be more helpful.
Good luck.

My experience was also bad.
Second worst drug experience to Topomax.
I was a Zombie!!!!!!!! AND.....gained lots of weight in a little time
I hated it!
No Migraine relief either.

BUT...everything sems to work differently for each of us so I would work with your doctor and try things for yourself.

I took it before going to bed (25 mg.). Didn't help migraines but perfect night's sleep every time with no after effects. So, if you have insomnia or just want to go to sleep instantly and wake up feeling great, go for it. For me it is a miracle sleeping pill--not a migraine pill.

I'm just starting on it for a second time (today is my third day). The first time it made me too dopey at work. Since I'm not working now, we're hoping it will help me sleep. Not counting on it for help with migraine.

So far, the migraines have been bad, but that usually happens during a transition of meds for me.

Good luck to you.

Becky

Becky I was told those efffects would wear off in 4/6 weeks. I still stuck it for 10,but wish I hadnt, took another 6 weeks to get over. Good luck to you though.

Just wanted to say my experience was prety much the same as Pen. I don't remeber much of my time on it, I was asleep. It took a long time to recover from it too.

Hope it works for you.

Best wishes

Di

Di, so glad that for once it wasnt just me. My GP got very exasperated with me......
I think she thought I was making it up, but I was so glad to get rid of it.

i love amitriptyline.
at my highest, i was up to 275.
worked well as an antidepressant too.
i didnt feel tired, and didnt gain weight.
now im at 50, and cant go any higher, because my heart gets weird on too much.
has been a lifesaver for my headaches.
the lyrica on the other hand... ive gained a LOT of weight on that.

I have tried this too and it got me out of a pretty nasty "cluster" of migraines as my doc calls them.

I was getting migraine every second day on my usual meds so we decided to take a break from it to try and break the cycle, amitrip worked for me immediately (could have been coincidence though, I know).

The down side for me too was the zombie-like effect it had. I told my doctor after 4 to 6 weeks on it that I was really struggling getting up in the morning and just wanted to sleep all the time, so he said to go back to my usual beta blockers.

A few days after I stopped taking amitrip, it was like a fog had lifted and only then did I realise how zombie-like I had been. My energy came back and I was raring to go. I felt great.

I had no weight gain on it at all, but I was only on it 4 to 6 weeks and I don't put on weight easily.

I don't think I would rule out using it again. It did get me out of a really tough time.

Good luck, I hope it works for you like it did for me (minus the tiredness of course!)

I dont recall gaining weight, but then I slept so much I didnt have time to eat....LOL

Just shows how different we all are.

Different strokes...

Good luck.

Hahah! I know what you mean about sleeping so much you didn't eat!

hi i am still on 50mg of ami, was on 75mg, yeah it makes me feel sleepy in mornings, i find it helps to take it about 2 hours b4 bedtime, if i forget and take it later in the evening, the next morning is a real struggle to focus, on anything, but that does get better, i have gained weight, but this is really not my priority at the mo, and sometimes, well quite often i forget things, and need to keep a diary on the go now, but it has help to take the severity of the migraines away, i take it along with a beta blocker,

it does have side effects for sure, but i had reached a point of continous migraine, everyday for weeks on end, triptans didnt work, nor did any otc, and i had got very low in mood and was unable to cope with day to day life, i had been off work for weeks and was putting my job, and marriage at risk so for me it was a godsend.

I'm not sure how old you are, but my teenage son took it and it made him be severely depressed right before a migraine would hit. It was absolutely horrible and scared me to pieces. Needless to say, we stopped taking it. I haven't seen others say it has happened though, so maybe adults to react the same way.

yes, tried amitriptyline. didn't do a thing for me, except cause terrible dry mouth. if you've never had this symptom, you dont want it! it sounds so benign. NOT. awful. dianne

I think it's worth trying for anyone with migraines, but my experience with it (tried it 2 different points in my life years apart) were a nightmare. I had every side effect you could imagine on it. The most disturbing being the incredible amount of weight I gained because I could not stop sugar cravings. I had never felt anything like that before. I literally couldn't sleep at night because all I could think of was food. I could eat a huge meal, and still want to eat an entire pie afterwards. I did everything you can think of to combat it, but still gained over 20 lbs in less than a year.

I may have dealt with these side effects if it had done anything to help overall either time. But the last time (about 2 years ago) I had 2 of the worst headaches I have ever had (in the hospital for both) 4 months into treatment on it. I didn't notice a real change in frequency either.

Ahhh yes, Amitriptyline (or Elavil).

Second worst drug I ever tried. It completely sedated me. I got up for work in a total daze, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down in front of the TV to drink my coffee and try to overcome the effects of the drug. Woke up about an hour later, still holding the coffee (now cold). I never moved an inch!

Called into work and proceeded to sleep another six hours.

Never took it again!

That was the first preventive I was ever given. I took it for a couple of weeks, and had to be taken off of it immediately. It raised my heart rate to sustained 120 beats per minute. I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest.

your post made me smile, i am on Ami and i so know what you mean,

I was so out of it, I think I could have had surgery and not known it. The fact that I woke up still holding the cup of coffee in the same position and not spilling a drop of it makes me laugh to this day.