amitriptyline for insomnia post-taper

I'm at my wit's end with insomnia.  Since jumping almost 2 months ago, with the exception of two occasions, I have been sleeping 2-4 hours a night.  I can't take it anymore.  It is getting harder and harder for me to exercise or do much of anything, and I'm really concerned about the toll this kind of insomnia is taking on my health.  I have developed such anxiety over sleeping that I now dread the nighttime like I never have before.  My daily schedule has been ruined by this and I know that unless I get some sleep I will never recover. 

I have tried almost every homeopathic, natural remedy for insomnia out there and nothing has touched it--nothing.  I am currently prescription drug-free and I so wanted to keep it that way, but after 2 months of insomnia hell I feel like I've given it the old college try.  It's starting to feel masochistic for me to continue suffering as I have and I don't want to live like this anymore. 

I took amitriptyline a long time ago and I remember it helping me sleep without the horrific side effect of an SSRI which I cannot tolerate at all.  SSRI's are out of the question for me.  While I know amitriptyline has anti-cholinergic side effects I feel I have to make some concessions because I just can't take this any longer.  I know that I would probably be in much better shape right now if I could get some real sleep because except for the insomnia and the anxiety that the insomnia is creating, I have next to no w/d symptoms remaining.  I consider myself pretty lucky.

So I'd like to know other BBs experiences with amitriptyline either during benzo use or after.

Thanks,

Mal

My doctor prescribed amytriptiline to be taken occasionally as a break from the Ambien & Xanax I was using for sleep.

I slept well with it, but felt terribly tired and washed out the next day. I could easily fall asleep the next night with no meds at all.

I suggest you give it a try and see how you do with it. I uncerstand it's not a benzo.

Nov

I forgot to ask if you'd tried the OTC drug, doxylamine succinate (sold as Unisom and other brands). (there's a Unisom formula that's another drug...forget the name, but it's the same as Benadryl.)

It worked well for me but like the amytriptiline, made me very tired the next day.

Nov

Hi Nov,

Thanks for your response.  Yea, I remember when I took amitriptyline a long time ago feeling groggy the next day, but I am getting really desperate.  When you say you could fall asleep easily the next day after taking it, do you mean that it made you so tired that you didn't need to take it again the following evening?  Do you remember how much you were taking?  I'm really sensitive to meds so I'm asking my doctor for the lowest possible dose to start which I think is 10 mg.  Dr. Ashton says in her manual that 10-50 mg. is recommended for insomnia/depression.

Another thing I'm concerned about is weight gain.  Did you experience that?

My depression level is also starting to scare me.  I'm not sure what's creating what here--insomnia's causing depression or vice versa, but I feel the depression reaching a dangerous level so I have to do something. 

Mal

Nov,

Just wanted to address the Unisom possibility.  I can't take Benadryl because it has the opposite effect for me--it jacks me up, so I imagine Unisom will do the same.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

Mal

Hi Nov,

 

When you say you could fall asleep easily the next day after taking it, do you mean that it made you so tired that you didn't need to take it again the following evening?  Do you remember how much you were taking? 

Yes, that's what I meant.

I checked on the Amitriptyline and the pills I have are 25mg. I'm quite sure I took a whole pill.

Re the Unisom, Benadryl.....the Unisom (not the diphenhydramine formula, which would be the same as Benadryl), is different in effect than the Benadry, so it might be worth trying it. Benadryl doesn't always work for me, but the Unisom does.

Nov

Hi Mal

I have been on amitriptyline prescribed for nerve pain which started shortly after starting on zopiclone.

I have continued on it for the past four years, and I think it helped me wean off the zopiclone.

Foolishly, I got onto the  the lorazepam, and thats when my nerve pain got worse. I dont think the amitrip has done anything for my nerve pain, but I swear it has helped me sleep. So, to answer your question,I have used 25mg amitrip concurrently with 1mg of lorazepam, and now 7mg diazepam, The docs say to wait until I'm off benzos before weaning off amitrip.

I remember feeling drowsy when I started on amitrip, but built up slowly and I havent felt drowsy in a long time. If I take it around 8pm it helps me sleep by 10.30pm.

Warm regards

Kitkat