Hi
I have been having awful pain in the side of my cheek for about 5 months now. I have been told by the pain centre it is myofascial pain and was given amitriptyline and told to increase up to 50mg (the pain centre said 70mg).
I take this about 8:30pm but I always seem to get pain around 4pm. I work on a computer all day and I imagine it is a mixture of a sore neck/back and my posture at the desk.
My chiropractor cannot believe how long it is taking me to recover, she said each week my neck muscles and trapezius muscles are very tight.
I was wondering if anyone has taken a small dose during the day. It is like I get to 4pm and get pain all evening. I was thinking of upping my dose again or maybe get pregabalin (not sure if this helps with pain). If I took 20mg about 2:30pm, then the final 30mg before bed I was hoping this may get me through an evening without having to reach for Ibruprofen and Co Codamol.
Anyone have any experience with taking it during the day?
Any advice would be great
Chris
Hi Chris
I habitually take 10mg of Amitriptyline at about 3pm, then another 20mg about 8pm then a final 10mg before bed. If I need it earlier than 3 o’clock, then I take it earlier. It’s a small enough dose that it doesn’t make me any dozier than I would be otherwise! (Simultaneously I take Baclofen and Clonazepam at the same times).
So, try taking it earlier, see what effect it has on you. If it does what you want it to then keep doing it.
Sue
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Yes, I would take 5 mgs when the pain was very bad. I was a bit dopey, but it relaxes the nerves and the muscles. One of the many useful things I’ve learned from here is that nerves also get tense. I thought they just transported signals (or not).
I try to stick to 25mg at night, but sometimes I need more.i hope a tiny dose when needed helps.
xx
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Tegretol is good too. Just remembered, it was brilliant on trigeminal neuralgia. I had a relapse in 2012 and had terrible pains in my hands. A small dose, administered by my neuro really helped.
thanks for your replies. I took 20mg today at 2pm and I can still feel pain but not sure it is as bad as normal. I think I will try and up my dose anyway in the evening so this may help me. I am on 50mg and think will try 60 and then 70mg max I think. Not sure I want anything higher than that.
Everyone keeps telling me different doses, the oral team said 50mg max, the pain team 75mg and my MS nurse said I can go to 150mg. I guess I need to find a balance when it is manageable. I would love a day of no pain 
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Hi Chris. I struggle with taking amitriptyline so my Doctors have given me nortriptyline as it doesn’t have the sedative which during the day I can take up to 50mg alongside gabapentin. It is a case of getting the right medication which will work for you. Time and patience is required I’m afraid. Best of luck