Nortriptyline

I just got back from my doctor with a script for nortriptyline. I took the 1-2-3 Headache book by Dr. Bucholtz into my appt and read where it said nori was the preferred treatment choice so she agreed to have me try it. I am currently on 30 mg of Cymbalta for anxiety and now trying the nori for the migraines. 10 mg for 1 week, 20 mg for 2 weeks and then 30 mg after that. I had no success with ami - left me too sedated, even on low dose, and it made me nauseous.

Looking for comments/suggestions on the nori. Do you think the tirate of the dosage is ok?

I can't really remember what dose of Nortriptyline I was on, but that sounds like a sensible titration plan. I didn't respond to it, but I haven't had results with any preventive, so I wouldn't want my experience to worry you. The side effects are supposed to be better than those associated with Amitriptyline, so hopefully this will be a better fit for you. After you get up to the highest dose and stay there for a few weeks don't be afraid to ask your doctor if there is any room to increase.

Tamsha, Nortriptyline is the preferred treatment for what?

I meant to say this last night, but forgot. I'm not a fan of that book. He says things that no other experts agree with & has no evidence to support those different ideas. Nortriptyline really isn't a front line approach the way inderal, amitriptyline, topamax & depakote are.

Preferred migraine treatment. My doctor and the pharmacist said it has less side effects than the amitryptaline. I guess time will tell. I'll give it a shot and see.

Nortriptyline is the only preventative that has ever worked even a little for me. Unfortunately, my body seemed to metabolize it very quickly or something, because after a few weeks, I'd need a greater dose to keep the same effects. I went up to a high dose and then it just didn't work anymore. Plus the drowziness was killing me, even at a low dose. I wish it had worked for me!

I am currently on verapamil 80MG 3X per day and nortriptyline 20MG at bedtime. When I dumped my first quack of a neruologist and found my new one he switched me off of what I was on and to the above (old school - tried and true he called it) medicines. I have been on this for just about a year. It has kept my issues managable without the wacky side effects of what I was on.

Does the 20mg of nori make you sleepy or turn you into a zombie the next day? I'm kind of scared to up the dose from my 10mg. When I was on Ami it definitely did.

I've had both Amitriptyline and Nortriptyline and both times I never made it out of the trial period. Both zoned me out messed up my thinking. It was also WAY too fatiguing.

Amitryptyline seems to be working fine for me. Nortryptiline did not. There just seems to be so much individual differences on this stuff.

hi tamsha, notriptyline worked better for me than amitryptyline. my best dosage was 50mg at night. ami made me feel really really bloated and uncomfortable. nortriptyline helped take the edge off the migraine and made things a bit more managable. the pain was still fairly high, but it didn't spike up as much as it used to. i did gain about 12 lbs in 6 mos. though. this is the only med so far that has helped me somewhat.

oh you mentioned sleepiness. it did take me a bit to adjust in the beginning, and i did have to experiment on the timing of taking it. i tried not to take it too late at night. i settled on about 7:30pm, which worked about right for me. along with the timing of taking it, after a while the sleepiness effect in the mornings did ease up too.

my neuro has recently taken me off it, just started a blood pressure med. can't remember the name. but i've never tried a bp med before.

good luck to you!

Tamsha101 wrote:Does the 20mg of nori make you sleepy or turn you into a zombie the next day? I'm kind of scared to up the dose from my 10mg. When I was on Ami it definitely did.

It didn't really bother me though I was started on 10mg then upped to the 20mg so that may have had something to do with it. If I am up quite late or if we happen to be drinking i'll only take 10mg or not take it at all to avoid this from happening too.