I am taking 3 or 4 Amitriptyline at night depending on how bad the nerve pain is in my back. I also take 900ml 3 times per day of Gabapentin; for the burning pain in my feet.
I’ve found that Amitriptyline definitely affects my ability to think and was wondering if any of you wise people could recommend another drug that doesn’t affect the thinking too much, or perhaps I might be able to to take less of something else.
I’m also suffering with the hug pretty badly at the moment, which started up before this mini heat wave we’re having at the moment (in SE England) anyway.
What strength amitriptyline are you taking Wendy? Some people seem to be able to tolerate quite a high dose - whilst others can’t. My friend was on them - not for MS - but for shingles. Only 10mg. And she said she felt so dozy all day - she knew she would not be safe to drive - living on her own - she said she felt it best not to take them. Gabapentin at a very low dose - had the same effect on me.
ln fact for her shingles -nerve pain - l told her to try Sensodyne tooth paste for sensitive teeth. Gently smoothed over the painful area calms down the nerve endings. l have had shingles 3 times now - and that nerve pain is horrendous.
Have you tried soaking your feet in a footbath with epsom salts in. [magnesium] Best done at bedtime to help you sleep.
LDN has been the best thing for hug and trigeminal neuralgia pain for me.
Thank you Spacejacket, I take 4 10ml tablets, I do know of people who can’t tolerate 1, I seem to be ok with lower does but when I’m back up to 4 my concentration and fuzzy brain is quite noticeable. Is LDN on prescription yet or do we have to buy it online?
Even one at night wipes me out for half the following day so stopped taking them. the answer is there are lots of things so try and find one that works for you I cant find anything so take painkillers each of the tablets I have tried has worked in different ways to varying degrees but with side effects I have stopped taking them all and rely on my painkillers I am now mid dose and cant wait till my next dose at ten one hour and ten minutes not that I am counting
Hi Wendy. I suffered a lot with pain and I’m now on a regime that suits me but obviously wouldn’t work for everyone. I take 50mg of amitriptyline at night and used to feel hung over the next day, so I now take it at 7pm and I’m better in the morning. I don’t think you’re going the right way by taking different doses all the time. Speak to your GP, Neuro or ms nurse but I started on a low dose and worked my way up gradually to one that suited me. At each increase I felt dopey at first until it got properly in my system and now I’m okay on it. I’m tired at night and feel woozy around bed time but that’s not a bad thing.
I hope you get sorted out, if the amitriptyline is helping the pain it might be useful to try a better dosage to suit you. Hope that helps a bit.
Ah Cath thank you that could be the answer, I do believe I’ve been advised to do this before. I also take 0.5 of Clonazepam but think I’ll take this later as I would definitely fall asleep.
Hi Wendy, they do take some getting used to. I’m on 25 mg in morning and same at night and don’t notice the side effects now so you definitely gain tolerance with time.
Increase the dose slowly. Get a pill cutter from chemist and try to go up to 15 mg at night (ie a 10 mg and half a 10 mg).
Give it time. They are great for pain so it’s worth trying to put up with being a zombie for a while…and I promise it will get better.
I agree with the others Wendy, I take amitriptyline early evening, and that way I am not doze you by the morning (well…no more dozey than normal, haha) and I also had to increase really slowly.
Amitryptaline didn’t do a thing for me, Gabapentin was fairly good but my GP changed me to a tablet called Duloxetine and I find it excellent…no side effects to at all. Maybe worth looking into? Like Amitryptaline it also has antidepressant qualities.
Thank you all for your replies, I’ve been on Amitrip for around 6 years but have only just realised how it affects me, and I did increase it gradually as the pain became worse. I am taking all my drugs a little early this evening and will ask my MS nurse about Duloxetine, I do think that Amitrip is a first line drug as it’s cheaper that some of the others but it does work for my back pain, so I’ll give your advice a try.
I was referred to a pain clinic (I didn’t know they existed) the consultant recommended up to 125mg Amitriptyline and increase my pregabalin. I take 2 x 50mg Amit. one at 9pm and the other as i get into bed!
Do I have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning? You bet but I don’t blame the medication as it’s my MS leg - stubborn damn thing. Brain fog? I don’t do much until after my 2nd coffee, some may say I don’t do that much then either! Life’s a bit**.
I was taking 20mg a day for IBS before my MS diagnosis - when I saw my GP shortly after diagnosis, he upped my dose to 50mg a night.
Works for me, I take mid-evening and I fell asleep fairly easily and I’m ok in the morning.
I’ve heard about nortriptyline (sp?) as an alternative if amitriptyline isn’t suiting
As well as those at night I also take gabapentin each day. The other thing that works quite nicely for my stiffness (so might help with hug?) is ‘off-licence’ in England but ok for MS in Scotland is Nabilone - it’s a man-made cannabanoid. My neuro rehab consultant prescribes it and it really helps me with the muscular stuff and it’s not got the ridiculous cost of sativex. Just a thought.