Anyone on "Amitriptyline" tablets.......

[Auric Goldfinger]

......due to disturbed sleep I've been prescribed Amitriptyline, 10 mg tablets

Anyone else take these?

[jessica_rabbit]

Thats pants :-( I used to be on them for headaches/depression a few years ago. Whats up? x

(I say a few years ago, I was on them for years and came off them last year I think it was)

Edited 8 May, 2012 by jessica_rabbit

[Auric Goldfinger]

Thats pants :-( I used to be on them for headaches/depression a few years ago. Whats up? x

(I say a few years ago, I was on them for years and came off them last year I think it was)

I can't seem to switch of when I go to bed, I'll go up say about 10 and I'm still awake at 2 am. I worn out buy still can't seem to nod off. I'm not sleeping during he day either.

[jessica_rabbit]

I didn't know they used them for that as well. That really sucks though, I really hope they help. I know I always slept well taking them, but I'm not sure if that was the tablets or being worn out from being up at 6am with the wee man plus doing a full time job.

I was on them for a few years, and I missed a couple of days due to my inability to order a repeat prescription and coming off it so quickly really messed with my head.

Jess x

[rwbaldwin]

I've never taken them, but I know it should only be prescribed for patients presenting with early waking insomnia and should never be the first option. Side effects include dizzyness and general confusion, so it's maybe not the best medication to be taking if you drive a train.

[999pooch]

I can't seem to switch of when I go to bed, I'll go up say about 10 and I'm still awake at 2 am. I worn out buy still can't seem to nod off. I'm not sleeping during he day either.

I was prescribed them as 'painkillers' a couple of years ago, and I went wacky! I kept missing bits of time during the day. The final straw came when I was carrying my dinner and the next thing I remember was looking at a pile of food and a broken plate up the wall and floor :(

From memory you have to start taking them at a low level and build up slowly to stronger tablets, and vice versa when stopping.

Are you taking for pain relief or for epilepsy as I think they are also prescribed for?

[Llanigraham]

Are they on our banned list Andy?

It seems to get longer every week!!

[Lazy Daisy]

I can't seem to switch of when I go to bed,

Stop keep drinking Stilton before bed then

[rwbaldwin]

...Are you taking for pain relief or for epilepsy as I think they are also prescribed for?

They are licensed as a TCA (tricyclic antidepressant), but are commonly prescribed as a neuropathic pain killer. The only benefit of this drug in the treatment of insomnia, is it's long sera half-life, so it is useful for patients that go to sleep, but wake early.

[Kiwibacon]

I know several people who have had them. It turns people into zombies. I'm also an insomniac and there's no way I'd take amitrip to sleep better. The cure would be worse than the complaint. Exercise is the best for me, but it can be hard to fit in.

One person I know uses amitrip as a knockout and reset rather than regular dose. Completely contrary to the recommendations but seems to work for that person.

[Clunkclick]

According to the references 10 mg is the lowest dose, up to 200mg is in the "Normal" range.

Maybe it isn't working because it blocks the potassium and the sodium cellular conduction channels, as opposed to just the sodium channel. If you have a high dietry salt intake and low potassium . . . .

I wouldn't mess around with these things. Go back to the doc.

Perhaps its the posture you have adopt at work which your brain can't switch off at night leading to all over muscular tension. I had the same sort of deal and resorted, on a one-off basis, to valerian + gin. Both act to enhance blockage of the GABA receptors in the neurons - result total relaxation and sparko !

http://www.neurogene...-addictions.php

Whatever you do restrict treatment to occasional use and a limited course.

You could try just having your evening meal as early as possible and a walk afterward followed by a nightcap.

Nick

Edited 8 May, 2012 by Clunkclick

[Moist Von Lipwig]

I took these a while ago at a much higher dose for migraines. My wife has had them as a pain killer for chronic pain. I know there general use is as an anti depressant but they do seem to have a wide range of applications. Can't remember what effects I had but certainly managed to live with it. Having taken a wide range of medications in the past few years there is no gaurantee that you will or won't suffer from any of the known side effects. I have had horendous side effects from some stuff so got given something else. I do not doubt what people above are saying about unacceptable side effects but everyone is different and presumably the doctor prescribing the, knows what they are doing. So, unless there is some knwon reason why you can't take them (ie the train driver bit) then give them a go.

The one thing I personally avoid taking for insomnia is sleeping tablets. Had them a couple of times and always felt really dopey the next day with a raging hangover effect, even hough I had not had a drink for months! A alternative one doc suggested to me was using an anti hystamine, can't remember the dose, but it too gave me a hangover!!

Hope you get it sorted out soon, having suffered on and off with insomnia, I appreciate how bad it can make you feel.

[GentleGiant]

I used to have problems sleeping, it was down to two different factors; I found it difficult if I had been playing intensive computer games beforehand, so started stopping earlier and reading a book for a while before sleep. By intensive I mean concentration-wise, not just fast/flashy games.

The other is related to my illness and so is not possible to avoid; for this I use some Tibetan chanting, played very very quietly, originally on some speakers near the bed; and later on some in-ear headphones. "The Dragon" by Vangelis also works, but the track is not long enough if you have real problems, unless you set the player to loop back to the beginning when it finishes.

Also avoid tea, it contains just as much caffeine as coffee, try a milk or no caffeine equivalent (I drink Rooibos - aka Red Bush tea)

I can usually fall asleep within 10-20 minutes now.

[Clunkclick]

Read the articles on the web on the subject of shift work and circadian rhythms (Biorhythms).

Its reckoned that one of the better ways to deal with disruption of sleep patterns caused by shift work is, rather than fighting the normal circadian rhythm (Using drugs), to "Go with the flow" and try to organise your sleep patterns so that they fall in part of the period that you would normally sleep if doing a 9-5.

I.e. If you were doing nights that might mean having 4 hours immediately you came off shift, then presumably using an alarm to wake yourself up and having the remaining four just before you go on shift. The articles also recommend"Power napping" i.e. 20 minute naps at appropriate points in the day - this seems to relate to the length of periods of REM sleep one has normally at night.You might consider exercising for an bour during the middle of the off-period. This may well fool the body, by activating muscles during the day (They are totally inactive at night), into thinking it is following a normal circadian rhythm.

Personally, I can"t comment from my own experience as I"ve never done formal shift work, only occasional early starts and 12 hour working days and that was 20 years ago. Doubt if I could do that today. Although, that said, I have noticed a broad trend, in that as I"ve aged, I require less night- time sleep and get by with more day- time naps.

The other thing is that routine and the tunnel vision mentality that may occur as a consequence is the crusher. Very often a new challenge and surroundings is sufficient to reset things. Be like the military, 6 monthly combat tours and 2 year out-of-theatre postings.

And when you do try to get 40 winks make sure the environmental conditions are spot-on mimicing. Night time conditions i.e. Minimise light, noise and drop the room temperature - take the bedroom with the double glazing, away from the street side and the sunny side of the building and fit a "Blackout blind to the window and a door curtain.

Nick

Edited 9 May, 2012 by Clunkclick

[Lemming]

I'm on 20mg for migraine relief, depression (mainly caused by lack of sleep and constant migraine attacks) and insomnia (specifically difficulty getting to sleep).

Definitely help with the migraines as mine were 14 days average per month and are down to 3/4 days per month. Still bad but feel I almost have a normal life at last!

Only really help to get to sleep if I take them about 3 hours before bed. Even then I need to be fully relaxed so no exciting TV or computer games before bed.

Was on a higher dose but that was bad news. Vivid dreams (some really horrendous ones) and really bad at waking in the mornings. Not ideal with a 5 year old to be got ready for school.

They do leave me lethargic most days but don't affect reactions or mental state which they did at the higher dose.

[trundlenut]

I was on them for a while when I had quite bad sciatica. I was just on codiene to start with but I couldn't manage to sleep the whole night through - lying down was too painful. So after spending an hour or more every night wandering round the house to loosen my leg and back up I went back to the doctors. She prescribed amitriptyline and told me they might make me drowsy!!!

I took them for a few weeks until the physio sorted me out and together with the codiene they did make me a bit dopey and more thick than normal but I could work OK. I was only on a low dose - 1 or 2 10mg tablets. First night I took them I had a great nights sleep and woke up in a puddle of my own drool!

[gadgetman]

I was on 20mg for IBS and depression a few years back.

The first few days they do knock you out and give you a great heavy sleep so go be early. But your body soon adapts. Doc took me off them as didnt want me sticking with them as they prefer diet to control things.

[sharkrider]

I've had them in that low dose andy, to help me through the stress of my break up... They did help me sleep, abd as others have said 10mg is too low a dose to have any of the desired effects for anti depression ect...

I'd advise to try them and see how it goes

[B33fy]

They are licensed as a TCA (tricyclic antidepressant), but are commonly prescribed as a neuropathic pain killer. The only benefit of this drug in the treatment of insomnia, is it's long sera half-life, so it is useful for patients that go to sleep, but wake early.

I would have thought zopiclone would have been a better choice where getting off to sleep was a problem. I'd think about the medium / long term use of any sleepers tbh and the issue of dependancy. Best to have a look at what you can do in terms of sleep hygiene and preparing yourself for bed. exercise also helps in a number of ways including bringing on natural tiredness and as a stress reliever

[Binzie]

im sure these were anti psychotics, i may be wrong though, i would agree with others that before you begin a course of mind altering drugs, consider a 5.30am alarm and an hours run prior to hot bath and bed.

run can be substituted with lots of vigorous coitous

[@Lee]

I used to take a couple of Kalms, the herbal things, and read a book with a low light. It worked for me. Avoid caffeine or sugary snacks after 7 or so.

[VWD]

Are they on our banned list Andy?

It seems to get longer every week!!

That list also includes some of the seeds used on seeded bread. Was one NR bloke on suspension after eating it. Never heard how he got on . I'd suggest that you get hold of HR,sharpish and advise ,just to be on safe side ( No appeal if you fail D+A check). They'll no doubt blow a gasket ( as they did when I advised Diabetes 2 + the list of tablets I was on ) . Same rules, just that I use to keep my eyes peeled for you blokes .

[Evening Star]

That list also includes some of the seeds used on seeded bread. Was one NR bloke on suspension after eating it. Never heard how he got on . I'd suggest that you get hold of HR,sharpish and advise ,just to be on safe side ( No appeal if you fail D+A check). They'll no doubt blow a gasket ( as they did when I advised Diabetes 2 + the list of tablets I was on ) . Same rules, just that I use to keep my eyes peeled for you blokes .

You're slightly incorrect there, as a fellow train driver.

Two work colleagues have been tested as positive for dope aka opiates, but were subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing because they could prove that they had eaten quantities of bread/bakery products & poppy seed cake in one case, which caused it to prove positive.

I could be shown as positive as I have anti-migraine medication (Solpadeine is the initial treatment), which I have special authorisation to take at work if I start to suffer bad headaches.

I along with several others can declare it, as the tablets contain Codeine should I be involved in an incident or screening.

It has been picked up before with me that I took some the night before, along with Loratadine or cetirizine hydrochloride at the time, it also picked up the Diclofenic cream that I used to treat a sprained knee!

All I do now is just tell them that I'm going to take my anti-migraine medication, if they object to it, I just say fine....

Cover my train then, I'm going home. If I don't treat a headache quickly it will rapidly develop into a full blown migraine and that means taking prescription strength migraine stuff

(Imigran - which is actually

sumatriptan). That will knock me out in around 90' for at least 12hrs, I can't then drive for at least 24hr afterwards.

I have taken Amitriptyline before it was for Chicken Pox, I was suffering some severe pains in my head & face and it worked wonders, however I was off work for several weeks as I was classed as too infectious to return & I wasn't allowed to drive whilst under these tablets either.

[Auric Goldfinger]

You're slightly incorrect there, as a fellow train driver.

Two work colleagues have been tested as positive for dope aka opiates, but were subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing because they could prove that they had eaten quantities of bread/bakery products & poppy seed cake in one case, which caused it to prove positive.

I could be shown as positive as I have anti-migraine medication (Solpadeine is the initial treatment), which I have special authorisation to take at work if I start to suffer bad headaches.

I along with several others can declare it, as the tablets contain Codeine should I be involved in an incident or screening.

It has been picked up before with me that I took some the night before, along with Loratadine or cetirizine hydrochloride at the time, it also picked up the Diclofenic cream that I used to treat a sprained knee!

All I do now is just tell them that I'm going to take my anti-migraine medication, if they object to it, I just say fine....

Cover my train then, I'm going home. If I don't treat a headache quickly it will rapidly develop into a full blown migraine and that means taking prescription strength migraine stuff

(Imigran - which is actually

sumatriptan). That will knock me out in around 90' for at least 12hrs, I can't then drive for at least 24hr afterwards.

I have taken Amitriptyline before it was for Chicken Pox, I was suffering some severe pains in my head & face and it worked wonders, however I was off work for several weeks as I was classed as too infectious to return & I wasn't allowed to drive whilst under these tablets either.

I'm off driving at the moment, back to Serco, Medical on the 29th may so off till then.

I'ts getting silly at work, we have to declare Lemsip, Beechams Podwers , Aspirin etc, etc, they started it so we'll play the same game

[P6bJOHN]

I take amitriptilyne, I only take 20 mg, one 10 mg tablet at 4pm, one 10mg at 9pm. This is because of constant pain I cannot sleep. I had a phase when my wife thought I had dementia and managed to scrape 2 of our cars, (on the drive) twice. This was when I took both tablets a 10pm. My Doctor states for a big guy I have a low tolerance. Since taking them seperately I have been fine, and now sleep like a hog. They are taken in conjunction with Co-Proxamol and Codeine used during daytime.