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Amitriptyline (Elavil) question


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Hello all. Im doing pretty good. Have some bad days, but mostly feeling pretty good.

 

My wife has severe nerve pain in her face and we see a nuroligist in a few weeks. I have been researching meds they may try on her and Im wanting to know if anyone knows much about Amitriptyline (Elavil). Is Amitriptyline (Elavil in the same class of benzos?

 

 

Thanks so much.

 

Hope y'all are hanging in there,

Michael

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Hello all. Im doing pretty good. Have some bad days, but mostly feeling pretty good.

 

My wife has severe nerve pain in her face and we see a nuroligist in a few weeks. I have been researching meds they may try on her and Im wanting to know if anyone knows much about Amitriptyline (Elavil). Is Amitriptyline (Elavil in the same class of benzos?

 

 

Thanks so much.

 

Hope y'all are hanging in there,

Michael

 

Hi Michael,

 

Great to see you as always!! Glad you're doing well!! Sorry about your wife's pain, was this something sudden? Do they know what caused it? I did a forum search and did come up with a thread talking about Elavil, here's a link... http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=8162.0  You might want to do the forum search if you need more info. I can tell you it's not a benzo, it's a tricyclic antidepressant.

 

Keep us updated!

 

 

T2 :smitten:

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Hi Michael!

 

Long time no see. Glad to hear you are doing ok.

 

Elavil is a tricyclic antidepressant. It's the older school of AD's. It is not in the benzo class of drugs.

It does have quite a few unpleasant side effects and is usually reserved for tough depression cases that don't respond to the newer SSRI class of AD's.

Maybe others will be by with some input.

 

I'm going to go ahead and move this the "other prescribed meds"  board.

 

Take care!

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Hi

I have been taking 10mg of amitriptylene for insomnia from benzo w/d - it is a tricyclic a/d nota benzo as previously stated although at 10mg not an antidepressant dose.  It is used often for pain such as for prolapsed disc pain etc.  I had a cousin on it for a while for pain and then went off slowly at end of healing - about 3 months.  Talk to docs - it is usually given at a relatively low dose for pain - I think my cousin was on 25 mg.  But no fear of it being a benzo for sure, but like all drugs has side effects.

Good luck

Spring

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My mom used this for years on/off for depression with no ill effects. I know other's that use this medication for other conditions such as nerve pain and other's problems complicated my severe medical conditions. Try not to worry too much about what may happen in a few weeks.....that is alot of stress to out yourself through :D I do wish the best for you and your wife on this upcoming dr visist.
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Hi Michael,

 

Sorry to hear about your wife's nerve pain.  I had suggested on another thread that you PM me, and I'd give you some links to good info for trigeminal neuralgia, if that's what she has.  (I guess you didn't see my post.) 

 

I was diagnosed with it 6 years ago, and had the "atypical" variety, which mean constant face pain.  The classic kind is intermittent stabbing burning electrical etc. nerve pain.  Both can be very disabling. 

 

For several years, I was the human guinea pig for trying drugs that might help.  But this is how I discovered how sensitive I am to most drugs.  Elavil was one of those given.  It did, indeed, help the nerve pain!  However, it was very sedating for me, even at 10 mgs, and within 3 days, I developed a bad face rash.  Which was just as well, since I was too sedated to function. 

 

Elavil is commonly given for pain, especially migraines, fibromyalgia, what have you.  I also took it to sleep during my worst Klon w/d's.     

 

adelia

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  • 4 weeks later...

Bob.  I am trying to withdraw from Amitriptilene.  I was prescribed it for Fibromyalgia pain.  If I had to do it all over again I would NEVER go on this drug.  I would try another way of dealing with the pain. On only 50 mgs, the dry mouth, dry eyes, constipation are severe.  Many, or most,  people gain weight on it.  And if I forget the nightly dose, I can't fall asleep.  This wasn't so before I got on this drug.

Clair

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Bob.  I am trying to withdraw from Amitriptilene.  I was prescribed it for Fibromyalgia pain.  If I had to do it all over again I would NEVER go on this drug.  I would try another way of dealing with the pain. On only 50 mgs, the dry mouth, dry eyes, constipation are severe.  Many, or most,  people gain weight on it.  And if I forget the nightly dose, I can't fall asleep.  This wasn't so before I got on this drug.

Clair

 

Hi Clair,

 

In my opinion and experience, fibromyalgia pain and symptoms are fairly easy to fix, by treating "adrenal fatigue" and some other possible imbalances (e.g., Vit. D3, Vit. B12, thyroid hormones).  With all natural supplements.  No drugs involved.  Just thought I'd throw that out there.  

 

adelia

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Adelia,  thanks so much for your good advice.  Months ago Tropical Soul suggested Vit B12 for burning feet.  It has almost totally cured that issue and remarkably helped me in many other ways, for one, my IBS.  I'll read up on the thyroid hormones.

Any supplement suggestions for the hypersensitivity to skin (touch)  due to w/d - rashes, itching, flushing, swelling?

Clair

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Hi Clair,

 

Ah, you have the burning feet too?  Join the club!  I think we ought to call it...the BF club, or something like that.  What do you think?  B12 helps my burning sometimes too, but not always.  Sometimes it just has a mind of its own.  That is SO GREAT that it helped yours, plus your IBS?  Very cool. 

 

Rashes, itching, flushes, swelling.... hmmmm.  I'm not sure about what can help some of those.  I've recently gotten a lot of itching...like a mosquito suddenly has landed on me, or a mosquito club, yet nothing is there!  Drives me nuts.  Does yours itch in one area?  Or itch anywhere randomly? 

 

As far as flushes....geez, I've got hormone issues coupled with w/d's for lots of flushes.  I take more hormones if it gets bad.  The benzo detox is definitely hard on the body's resources, so some of this is probably unstoppable.  Know what I mean?  Much as we try to do "something".  My whole body seems hypersensitive....skin, under skin, everything.  It's wild. 

 

How much water are you drinking every day? 

adelia

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Hi Adelia,

Yes, The BF club - good idea.  Curious thing the way some of these sx hit some and not others and visa/versa.

I take 2 ml of B12 and it has decreased the electric shocks greatly - at least to the point were I can tolerate them and fall asleep.

 

There is an area directly in the middle of my back that itches regularly for say 3 months then stops, then comes again.  Doctors don't see a rash.  But I can itch on any part of my body at any given time - at this point in time, my scalp and face.  I am sure it is w/d.  I drink plenty of water.

Yes, and I have had deep itching, well it almost seems like in the bones of my feet.  There is a quality of evil with Klonopin.  Yikes!!!

 

I am past the hormonal hot flashes. I suspect the flushing has to do with my autoimmune function.  If I am under fluorescent lighting or the NEW lighting, I flush a very strange scarlet color.  This started right after the start of w/d.  It has lessened but not enough.  It gets worse now in the Autumn.

 

Thanks Adelia.

Clair

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Yes, it is very curious Clair....how the symptoms hit some and not others.  And then our own symptoms.  Mine come and go, worse and better in a very strange way.  I guess the good news is...there is a lessening at times of some of the symptoms.  Which means HEALING!  yahoo.

 

adelia

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi I was on 150mg of Amitriptyline for depression and insomnia and found it great but I had to stop because it gave me a high pulse rate, I found the withdrawal brutal, didnt sleep a wink for 5 days, that was the only symtom I had though
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Sam,  thanks for replying.  I was wondering if your depression came back after w/d from Amitriptilene.  I was on 50 mg for fibromyalgia pain.  I got down only to 40 mg and depression followed.  I toughed it out for 2 months but it didn't get better, so had to go back up.  The unfortunate thing is the depression might have been a result of the klonopin w/d symptoms going on for such a long time.

 

Clair

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This is a long way from the purpose of your thread Clair,  I just wanted to add that I too have the itching, burning ache in the middle of my back.  Very weird symptom.

 

ntw

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Hi! NTW, Nothing is too bazaar it seems.  2 years ago, while I was on the treadmill one day, the right side of my body was cold and the left side hot.  It was straight down the middle of my back.  I read this happening to Michael Jackson who was on such high dosages of xanax.

Clair

 

http://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/body-cold-one-414481.html

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Hi Clair, unfortunatley the depression hit me big time after i stopped the amitriptyline, Im pretty sure it was original symptoms which caused this, dont know much else about it only my own experiences, sorry I cant be more help and I hope all is well  :)
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Michael xxxx

 

I've a month ago just come off 80mg of amitryptiline.  I was cut at 10mg per week and it was horrid.  Didn't get any respite taking it, it just made me feel drugged and more anxious.  I am glad to be off it and just hoping that my brain chemistry will one day revert to normal operation!!

 

love

 

kathyxxxx

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