dawn2
01-15-2002, 01:03 PM
My doctor just switched my meds cause he felt I wasn't getting deep sleep. He has put me on 20 mg. of Elavil. It doesn't seem to help, but I've only been on it for 4 nights. The doc also said, it tends to give you weight gain - oh greatttttt - like I need one more thing to battle! Any comments would be greatly appreciated! TX Dawn2
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danam
01-16-2002, 09:04 PM
Hi, I am also on Elavil. It seems to work well for me. The one thing I do like about it is that it doesn't leave you feeling drugged the next morning like some of the other ones do. Maybe give it some time and (or) see if you can add 10 more milligrams. I have gained some weight while being back on Elavil. Which isn't good but, if you are aware of it, that may help. See if you can add one Tylenol PM with the Elavil. I know the benedryl will make you sleepy. I am not sure if you can take both but, you could see. My mother takes a half a pill of Ambian. I know some Dr.'s won't prescribe it to us because of the chance of addiction. But, it works really well.
Dana
Dana
dawn2
01-17-2002, 11:59 AM
Dana:
Thanks for your input. I'm still fighting sleep. I will try the second 10 mg. I do get the groggy feeling tho and I also get brain fog bigtime with it. Did you notice that at first? The Benedryl - I total react the opposite from the norm. It puts me in high gear instead of making you drowsy. They found this out at the ER one time when I had a allergic reaction to something and they gave me Benedryl - I couldn't sleep for over 24 hrs! Go figure!! I'm going to give it a few more days and see what happens. Thanks, Dawn2
Thanks for your input. I'm still fighting sleep. I will try the second 10 mg. I do get the groggy feeling tho and I also get brain fog bigtime with it. Did you notice that at first? The Benedryl - I total react the opposite from the norm. It puts me in high gear instead of making you drowsy. They found this out at the ER one time when I had a allergic reaction to something and they gave me Benedryl - I couldn't sleep for over 24 hrs! Go figure!! I'm going to give it a few more days and see what happens. Thanks, Dawn2
aryahl
01-22-2002, 06:22 PM
Sometimes it takes time to find the right dose of elavil. When I am in a lot of pain I take more then when I feel just the usual amount of lousy. I confess I did put on weight too, but I sleep better. I hope it helps.
fawnmarie
02-10-2002, 09:42 AM
My doctor put me on the same - 20 mgs of Elavil and also told me I would put on weight.
Well, it worked the first two nights and then stopped - but didn't stop me from emptying the refrigerator every night. I seemed to have some kind of resistance to Elavil - it would work for a night or two, then not work unless I didn't use it for a couple of nights. It really wasn't much help at all.
I switched to melatonin - 6 mgs - and stopped pigging out and sleep fine. I took 6 mgs a night for a month, then 3 mgs for another month. Now I only take it as needed, say once a week or so. If I take it early enough, say by 11 PM (I get up around 6:30), I don't feel groggy in the morning. Especially if I take it with bromelain (which relieves all my morning stiffness). I got both the melatonin and bromelain at Walmart for very little money.
Fawn
Well, it worked the first two nights and then stopped - but didn't stop me from emptying the refrigerator every night. I seemed to have some kind of resistance to Elavil - it would work for a night or two, then not work unless I didn't use it for a couple of nights. It really wasn't much help at all.
I switched to melatonin - 6 mgs - and stopped pigging out and sleep fine. I took 6 mgs a night for a month, then 3 mgs for another month. Now I only take it as needed, say once a week or so. If I take it early enough, say by 11 PM (I get up around 6:30), I don't feel groggy in the morning. Especially if I take it with bromelain (which relieves all my morning stiffness). I got both the melatonin and bromelain at Walmart for very little money.
Fawn
darlene
02-11-2002, 12:33 AM
I tried Elavil for a short time. What it did for me was make me want to sleep during the day. I acually fell asleep at my desk at work and while stopped at a red light on my way home at lunchtime so I could take a nap. Hope you have more success with it than I did.
dawn2
02-11-2002, 08:59 AM
Hi all:
Thanks for your input. It sure sounds like when it comes to meds, we all are so different. The doc took me off the Elavil as it continued to keep me awake for hours!!! He read to me that one of the side affects from Elavil is insomnia if you don't respond "normally" to it. He said that fibro people often have the opposite affects from meds. They doubled my clonezapam and that's working. Yes, I did get reallllllly hungry with the Elavil too and it was extremely frustrating for me cause I have no taste. Does anyone else have no taste? Two girls from my fibro support group have no taste with no explanation as to why. One of them with no taste also has no smell either. Another one of the central nervous systems'...attacks? Thanks again. Dawn2
Thanks for your input. It sure sounds like when it comes to meds, we all are so different. The doc took me off the Elavil as it continued to keep me awake for hours!!! He read to me that one of the side affects from Elavil is insomnia if you don't respond "normally" to it. He said that fibro people often have the opposite affects from meds. They doubled my clonezapam and that's working. Yes, I did get reallllllly hungry with the Elavil too and it was extremely frustrating for me cause I have no taste. Does anyone else have no taste? Two girls from my fibro support group have no taste with no explanation as to why. One of them with no taste also has no smell either. Another one of the central nervous systems'...attacks? Thanks again. Dawn2
AnnD
02-11-2002, 12:58 PM
I am very surprised that physicans are prescribing Elavil that is decades old with severe side effects. It is a psychiatric drug that has been on the market for over 40 years. This drug was ok for some but each psychiatric drug was invented for a particular purpose And it was and is used for its sedative action to alleviate the anxiety component of depression...meaning the side effect is being used for you to sleep...BUT... there are many more side effects of this drug like drooling, involutary jerking movements,weight gain and it can react severely with other drugs you might be one. Regular physicians seem to be stuck on this drug because they have little to no education on psychiatric medications. There are so many more drugs on the market with little to no side effects...the two newest are Prozac and Zoloft...both excellant drugs. No one drug is good for everyone but why would you allow your physician to prescribe a drug that will cause you to gain weight(of which you have no control over)when there are so many newer, better ones on the market. The true effect of these antidressant drugs are designed to work in 4-6 weeks. And they are designed for you to take a small dose over a long period of time without needing more and more for them to work. Elavil is also known as Endep and the generic is Amitriptyline. If it works for you that is fine...but there are so many newer drugs with fewer side effects...weight gain is just not acceptable when something else would work just as well.
deesmommy
03-19-2002, 04:18 PM
Hi all,
Nothing like jumping in right off the bat!!For those of you who are on amitriptylines,elavil or any tri-cyclic antidepressant-just a thought-3 years ago,I was an active horse trainer and just could not sleep.I was prescribed this medication,and as I suffer also with FMS,was happy to get sleep.HMMM-being a paradoxical patient,I reacted poorly to any of the "normal"-what is that lol) sleep meds.Well,at 200mg per night,I slept,and was in a trance most of the time.The pain relief was great!The old saying no pain,no brain would be an accurate description.Unfortunately, for me,I have now gained 100 lbs.,have no muscles(atrophied) and wow,I would have held up a bank to get sugar.
Sadly,I am now making my way off of the last 100 mgs a night and the pain is worse than ever,I am beyond overweight,and I have no muscles.How is that for an antidepressant effect???? My point is that,no matter who you are,or how well educated you are,there is always the possibility that we can overlook the side effects,for the short term relief,and suffer in the long term.For many of us,the more natural and external methods applied,the better. Take care of you and
may we all have a peaceful night.
------------------
~~For all of the many accolades in my life,I am most proud of my children~~Joy
Nothing like jumping in right off the bat!!For those of you who are on amitriptylines,elavil or any tri-cyclic antidepressant-just a thought-3 years ago,I was an active horse trainer and just could not sleep.I was prescribed this medication,and as I suffer also with FMS,was happy to get sleep.HMMM-being a paradoxical patient,I reacted poorly to any of the "normal"-what is that lol) sleep meds.Well,at 200mg per night,I slept,and was in a trance most of the time.The pain relief was great!The old saying no pain,no brain would be an accurate description.Unfortunately, for me,I have now gained 100 lbs.,have no muscles(atrophied) and wow,I would have held up a bank to get sugar.
Sadly,I am now making my way off of the last 100 mgs a night and the pain is worse than ever,I am beyond overweight,and I have no muscles.How is that for an antidepressant effect???? My point is that,no matter who you are,or how well educated you are,there is always the possibility that we can overlook the side effects,for the short term relief,and suffer in the long term.For many of us,the more natural and external methods applied,the better. Take care of you and
may we all have a peaceful night.
------------------
~~For all of the many accolades in my life,I am most proud of my children~~Joy
red47
03-20-2002, 03:14 AM
Does anyone know if after you are on Elavil and your body gets adjusted to it, do you quite gaining the weight?