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Amitriptyline (for pain relief)

sterling

sterling

Well-Known Member
Messages
160
Location
Centre of England
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Only one mention of this drug on the board.

This is an anti-depressant, but I have been given this for pain relief in my hands.

Does anyone have any experience of this?
 
Re: Amitripyline (for pain relief)

I was on this for 3 months last year. It made me cranky and irritable and I was eventually taken off it as it didn't mask the pain in my leg. This of course could be what made me so irritable.
 
Re: Amitripyline (for pain relief)

Hi Sterling

I found this : http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Peripheral ... tment.aspx on the internet, it does say that this drug is not really the one of choice for diabetes neuropathy-maybe have a word with your doc/pharmacist?

My 30 year old daughter takes it, she has two conditions, one being herniated disks in her back so she often has bad pain and also she has Menieres disease. I think she was prescribed it for the Menieres (vertigo sensation and pain in the ear canal) but I can't quite remember and she has gone out so I can't ask her!

She has found it to be helpful though so that should hopefully reassure you a bit!
 
Re: Amitripyline (for pain relief)

I've been on it for chronic hip pain, didn't help my pain at all.
 
My wife was prescribed it by her consultant for frozen shoulder pain relief. It worked a treat where everything else failed. He said that the very low dose she was on was a good drug for pain relief and the 'normal' dose level is for depression.
 
It's used for a number of different conditions pain is one of the main ones alongside sleeping problems. It's not actually used much anymore in depression.
 
I was on it for a while last year, after having problems with painful feet.

It did seem to help with the pain, however it took me quite a while to get over the side effects. I felt exhausted and pretty sick for the first 6 weeks or so. Once I got past that I didn't have any further problems.
 
I have been prescribed this for neuropathy in feet but i am very reluctant to go down this road with it being a anti depressant, i really do worry that it could be a slippery slope.
 
I'm taking Amitriptyline for both depression and fibromyalgia pain. I was 150mg at night, but am slowly coming down as I need to come off of it.
It's brilliant at leveling out my moods but it's not done much for pain relief.

Saying that not even morphine has helped with pain relief so I may not be the best person to advise on that :lol:
 
I took it for IBS-D, did wonders for that. Side effects - it put my blood sugar up and it made me put on weight. Mostly cured the IBS by cutting out wheat.
 
I was given this by my GP, as a first course towards pain relief for my neuropathy. It did nothing. The dose was increased twice and still to no avail. My GP then took me off of it, as I am led to believe that it can cause suicidal tendencies in higher doses.

I was then given Gabapentin which also did not work and am now taking Pregabalin, which appears to be working.

Be careful with Amitryptiline.
 
I was given and still am given Amitriptyline to use as a very mild sedative. I used to be on very heavy doses of anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers, and sleeping used to be a problem. While I am no longer on the meds, and my sleeping is so much better, for whatever reason my GP has kept me on the Amitriptyline, for a little while longer. Some days I don't take them, other days I do, it depends how I feel. As a very mild sedative they are fine, and I personally have never had a problem with them. I think at my next review I am likely to come off them, as really I don't need them any more.
 
Amitriptyline was one of the first drugs I was prescribed for the neurological pain I get in my right leg due to arthritis in my lower back, but it had little effect on me, although my pain is not caused by diabetic neuropathy.

There are many other drugs used for this sort of pain but I believe Amitriptyline is the usual first option.
 
Scud said:
I was given this by my GP, as a first course towards pain relief for my neuropathy. It did nothing. The dose was increased twice and still to no avail. My GP then took me off of it, as I am led to believe that it can cause suicidal tendencies in higher doses.

I was then given Gabapentin which also did not work and am now taking Pregabalin, which appears to be working.

Be careful with Amitryptiline.
Click to expand...

How long did the Pregabalin take to start working. I've been prescribed it for non diabetes related nerve pain. I've been taking it for a couple of weeks and although I'm experiencing some of the side effects it doesn't really seem to be improving my symptoms. However, given that you have to slowly build up the dosage I'm not sure how immediate the benefits are meant to be.
 
Amitriptyline is great for pain relief as I took it for a bad back a few years ago, the downside was the feeling of being spaced-out and I also experienced some horrible nightmares at the time of taking.
 
I was prescribed Amitriptyline for sleep problems. Doing the normal research got worried by the "anti-depressant" references but my doctor reassured me and got me to try. I can honestly say its a dream (ha ha) have used for several years, at varying doses for sleep but pretty much <50mg mostly.

Having then found I have arthritis in my neck, I was prescribed higher doses which seemed to help (though I think the cortisone may have been the REAL help :)), and at the higher doses I don't seem to suffer from the morning "hangover" effect that the lower doses seemed to cause me. So now regularly using ~75mg, sleep seems fine, "hangover feeling" not there, everything happy :)

Worryingly, my "Firefox" speeeel chocker is suggesting Amitriptyline is spelled incorrectly... its suggesting... "Pantyliner" - sorry for lowering the tone...
 
sterling said:
Only one mention of this drug on the board.

This is an anti-depressant, but I have been given this for pain relief in my hands.

Does anyone have any experience of this?
Click to expand...

I noticed this when my Diabetic Nurse prescribed it for me and she told me that it is also a painkiller. I have Diabetic Neuropathy in my feet. If they are supposed to be a painkiller, then they aren't working for me.
 
oweri02 said:
Worryingly, my "Firefox" speeeel chocker is suggesting Amitriptyline is spelled incorrectly... its suggesting... "Pantyliner" - sorry for lowering the tone...
Click to expand...

Oh my life, that made me laugh. I can assure the forum, I do NOT use pantyliners if I can't sleep. :lol:
 
I was prescribed Amitriptyline, to supplement other pain relief, before and after my last back operation. Having taken them for 18 months plus, to initially help with pain at night disrupting sleep, I can only say how good and helpful they are, although they make me slightly drowsy on waking. Perhaps that is how they help with my sleep during the night. I truly believe in their usefulness.
 
I agree somewhat. I was given this for pain in my foot. But it just leaves me feeling wasted and spaced out. There must be something better? I know pharmaceutical companies and diabetes uk dont advocate herbal remedies but i wonder if anyone has had any success with anything else?
 
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