Amitriptyline opinions and comments
 

Hello. Just wanted to get some opinions on amitriptyline. I tried Celexa for a few months, and I ended up feeling worse. My doctor started me out low at 10 mg of amitriptyline, will increase to 20 mg next week, go back and see her in two weeks, and if all is well will try 25 mg. I like starting out slow, but I'd like to see if it helped anyone with depression/anxiety and if it hindered any weight-loss efforts. I'm struggling with SAD and my FAT :o and trying to lose it. Would hate to have something working against me. I've read a lot about amitriptyline, but I would like some opinions from those who have experience.

Does it make you feel better? Does it work against your weight-loss efforts? I don't have a sweet tooth (I have a salty tooth), so hopefully that side effect will pass me by of increasing my cravings for sweets.

Thank you in advance for your feedback!;)

Sorry I can't help, but I wanted to say good luck :hug:

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I'm on amitryptiline, but only taking 20mg for sleep, not for depression, so I hesitated to respond.

I don't think it has impacted on my weight loss, if it increased my appetite at all, I didn't notice it. Because drugs that effect neurotransmitter production or availability can increase appetite and I'm on three such drugs, I do rely on a counting method to lose weight. When I'm not counting, very often I'm not losing weight (I use an exchange plan). I also notice that the foods that seem to be the most problematic are carbohydrates, so while I'm not on a traditional low carb diet, I do reduce carbs and try to avoid sugar and white flour as much as possible to control my appetite the best.

The biggest drawback of amitryptiline for most folks is drowsiness. The effect diminishes over time for many folks (because I'm taking it for sleep, I'm hoping that's not true for me).

Thanks
 

Thanks to both of you. I also have migraines and insomnia, so I'm hoping this medicine will help with the depression as well as my other issues. So far, so good. I'm not losing any weight yet, but I haven't gained either. I know it will take a few weeks to notice the benefits for depression, but I sure do get a good night's sleep with it. The winter is so hard for me, plus I'm dealing with the very stressful situation of being the sole provider for myself and my husband (who got hurt at work and has been trying to receive disability and hasn't been approved yet and hasn't had income for a really long time). I'm sure there are others that have been in this situation. I gets so tough sometimes. I work a lot, and sometimes eating is so comforting. I don't have a network of friends or family to talk to about the stress, and it puts a strain on my relationship with my husband when I talk about how stressful the situation is for me. I guess he gets tired of my "whining," but he gets the brunt of it since I don't have another outlet. I am hoping the amitriptyline won't give me any more intense cravings than I get when I stress. Maybe it will help with that:). I told my doc I was trying to lose weight, and she told me she wanted me to get to feeling better first. Then maybe the weight loss would come easier. I do enjoy walking, and when it's not so cold outside, I make sure I walk. That makes me feel better.

Oh dear, I've rambled...

Thanks again for any and all input. Lurking and posting here always is a good stress reliever!

I take 20 mcg of it. In this low does it helps control the pain of GERD. I take it at night and it helps me sleep. My doctor told me that as an antidepressant the dosage starts at 200 mcg. It has not made me more hungry. I also take Celexa.

I've been on amitriptiline for 23 years to relieve symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (which it really helps). I also take Lexapro. I think the benefits definitely outweigh any risk of gaining weight, because I think depression makes a lot of us overeat. So for me, I am just glad to have it.
Carol

I moved up to 20 mg this week. I have gained 1-1/2 pounds, but I can't blame that on the medicine. I haven't been careful with watching my food intake. I've been sleeping really well. The weight gain is depressing me, but I've upped my exercise the past two days trying to fight the gain. I know it can take a few weeks to experience the antidepressant benefit of this medicine, so I really want to give it a try. I just don't want any more weight gain. :o

:?:After reading more about amitriptyline and being upset about the weight gain I've already experienced, I'm starting to think maybe I should talk to my doctor about it. I am already struggling to lose weight, and any weight gain is just adding more to that effort. I'm not sure if I should give it a few more days and risk more weight gain or try to talk to her today. I tend to obsess about things, and I've turned this in to a total worry session. I've read about Wellbutrin and its low weight-gain side-effect profile, and I'm thinking maybe that would be a better bet. I also have migraines, though, and I know amitriptyline is helpful for that. UGH. I'm stuck and can't figure this out.:?:

I think you need to be sure you're not jumping the gun, and panicking over nothing. 1.5 lbs that might just be a normal fluctuation. Also while Wellbutrin has less (statistically) weight gain associated with it - all and any antidepressants have very very individual effect. Some folks who do gain on Wellbutrin may not gain on amitryptilene, and vice versa. 1.5 lbs so early in the trial, just isn't enough to know whether it's the amitryptiline, or a reverse placebo effect (you think it might cause weight gain, you get worried about it, you eat because you're worried....) or it could just be normal fluctuation that will disappear in a few days.

Thanks, Kaplods. I decided to take a deep breath yesterday and let the panic pass. I will see my doc on Monday, and I don't want to give up just yet on the amitriptyline. I really hope I can tolerate this as it has done wonders for my migraines (I can't afford Topamax anymore), I have slept like I haven't slept in ages, good, restful sleep, and I know I need to give a few more weeks to notice the mood benefits. I probably will up my dose on Monday to 25 mg with the doc's advice and see how it goes. Thanks for your input.

Hi Healthy-

I took amitryptaline as my first anti-migraine drug. It put me to sleep within 3 hours. It was great for that. I could sleep thru everything and anything- I fell asleep in a New Orleans JAZZ CLUB!!! I was taking 30mg and it worked well for me for a few years before we had to switch to zoloft.

I did not have a problem with weight gain on amitryptaline, but everyone is different. My weight spiked when we tried changing bc pills and again when my hubby lost his job in 2006. I'm taking yasmin now so I know when my period is coming and I can take Amerge to abort any headaches, when my insurance will fill it. They will only give me Axert or Amerge, not both so I don't always have what I need. I'm sure you understand.

Anyway, best of luck and if you ever want to commiserate about migraines, I'm here for ya! :)

-jen

Hey, i'm currently on Amitriptyline for chronic daily tension headaches at a 20mg dose. I haven't noticed it have an effect on my weight but then again i haven't noticed any other benefit to do with the headaches and it hasn't had an effect on my mood then again, i wasn't suffering with depression. Have you found that sometimes you have difficulty waking up sometimes? Unless I set an alarm to wake me up I can easily sleep for 12 hours.
Charlotte

Charlotte-

I can sleep for 12 hours without a second thought- meds or no meds. I have to set an alarm every day for that reason.

jen

Before i started taking them it took me ages to get to sleep and even then i'd wake every few hours. Its rather nice being able to drop off as soon as i go to bed and not wake up until the alarm goes off. :smug:

I've noticed a big difference with sleeping on amitriptyline. I can't sleep once the sun comes up. I was getting 3-4 hours of sleep before taking amitriptyline, so that's why I'm really hoping it will work for me without gaining weight. I didn't have trouble falling asleep before; it was staying alseep. I sleep a good 8 hours with amitriptyline. Good news, I lost those 1-1/2 pounds that had crept up since taking the amitriptyline. It could very well be water weight or a fluctuation. I'm going to keep giving it a try. I also love the fact that it's not as costly as other options. Plus I have noticed headache relief. We'll see if it works when I get PMS migraines. That's the test!;)

Amiltriptiline is Bad!
 

________________

I was unknowingly taking Amiltriptiline. Long story, someone with multiple personalities was putting it in my food & water bottles. Regardless, the effects of your weight will suffer in a MAJOR way!

My entire life I have always been very active into physical fitness & health. I managed to maintain a size 2-4 always. When the drug started taking hold of my body, I jumped from my regular 2-4 to a close 10-11.
The weight that was gained isn't even like weight, it was swollen skin & very uncomfortable! Not only did I look like an alien compared to my usual self, I was having troubles with my sight, my breathing was irregular, my blood pressure went sky high & I have usual blood pressure...my mom was having pressure & pain in her chest every night, her vision was going blurry, her hands would turn inwards in pain every night...we suffered SO much from this drug!

Back to the way you feel...it's very hard to be motivated when you gain weight & feel humiliated. Not to mention, & you can do your own research, while on this drug it increases water retention & the retention of salt, so even if you "diet" or work out, you WILL NOT lose weight.
This 3 year period of being silently drugged ruined those years for me, & I am so grateful to have discovered what the problem was. It took me a year to get back down to my size 2-4, but I am left with some skin that hasn't gotten tight again.

DONT TAKE IT.

Any drug can have adverse effects on some people (and those effects can run in families). It's important to discuss side effects before you start taking it, and to pay attention to your body. If you feel you're having a drastic side effect, call your doctor or pharmacist to see if you can safely stop taking the medication immediately (if you've been taking some drugs for a while, you may need to taper off, or you may need to be on another drug - for example with high blood pressure drugs the risks of going without any medication may be higher than the risks of some side effects).

Amitriptyline has been a bit of a "wonder drug," for me. That doesn't mean I think it will be for everyone else, each person has to weigh the benefits against the potential risks. My life is so much better with it, that I of course would say "give it a try," where as someone who has had a bad experience might say "avoid it like the plague."

For me, I was able to get part of my life back from fibromyalgia. My doctor recently added cyclobenzaprine (a muscle relaxant, also a serotonin booster) at night, and I sleep better and deeper with the combination of amitriptyline and cyclobenzaprine. Fibro is often (and apparently for me) is largely a sleep disorder, and since I've been getting better sleep I've had a drastic reduction in pain, fatigue and mental fogginess. On some days, I almost feel like the "old me."

The serotonin- and other neurotransmitter-affecting drugs do have risks of side effects, and that can't be dismissed, but often a person will have drastic side effects to one, and no noticeable affects with another.

The combination of medications I'm taking that affect serotonin (Amitriptyline and cyclobenzaprine at bedtime, and tramadol as needed for pain relief) have given me back a quality of life that I haven't had in nearly 8 years (so of course I'm biased). You've got to decide if the risks are worth it, but the place to start is talking with your doctor or pharmacist (or both) about side effects (what to watch for, what the likelihood of side effects are, and what to do if side effects do occur).

Stopped the amitriptyline, started Wellbutrin
 

Hi again,

Just wanted to update, since I had asked opinions about amitriptyline. I ended up gaining 5 pounds that I can't lose on top of the other pounds I needed to lose. My doctor stopped the amitriptyline and I'm trying Wellbutrin. I've been on Wellbutrin for two weeks. No weight has budged. I also started on propranolol for my migraines. I've also read that that can cause weight gain. I have noticed some swelling in my feet, but I don't know if it's from stopping the amitriptyline, starting the propranolol, or starting Wellbutrin. If anyone has any experiences they'd like to share with weight loss goals and Wellbutrin or propranolol, I'd love to hear.

Thanks so much.:)

I am taking Amitriptyline for a bladder problem and have been on it for 3 weeks, I started it the day I restarted my diet. The first week I lost 8 pounds but since then I havent lost anything. I am starting to think this drug halts your metabolism and therefore you cant lose weight. I am getting worried now and have decided to cut down from 10mg a night to 5mg in hopes my metabolism will kick in again. I would love to know how the original poster is doing now, a year later. Anyone else can chime in too. Is it possible to lose weight while on this drug?

Thanks!

Suzie

I am also a migraine sufferer and have tried almost every prophylactic medication out there from beta blockers, topamax and lastly amitrypyline at 20 mg. Aside from being very fatigued I felt very sedate and did not want to do anything but lay around, and also could sleep 12 hour nights. I can say that it helped the headaches but unfortunately for me I have a sweet tooth and the amitryptyline just made the cravings and hunger fierce. I would sometimes replace dinner with doughnuts or cinamon rolls, and could eat a half pound of chocolate no problem. My weight gain in less than 9 months was 22 lbs and I weighed as much as I did right before I gave birth to my 8.5 pound daughter. ( my all time high)
Needless to say, I stopped the med after stepping on the scale and lost 6 lbs in 8 wks. I started wellbutrin and lost another 3 lbs in 2 wks with exercise. I finally feel like I am back to my old self, energy and appetite wise.
Again, medicines affect everyone differently but I wish I was more aware of the side effects and paid more attention to my weight.
good luck !

I used to take this drug for a sleeping disorder: didn't work! I never thought I'd hear the name again, but I'm sorry to hear your story dude, and well done on re-claiming your physique.

SALT IS THE DEVIL while on Amitrypaline!!!! My husband is like a mad genius and helped me figure out why Ive been blowing up like a balloon around my mid section my face and my hips....well turns out there is something in this drug that blocks potassium and calcium from passing through your cells properly We found this page online that must have been quoted or written by a scientist who explained everything..look for it under weight gain on amitrypaline im seeing that i cant put a link up for you so sorry you will know when you find it ! YOU WILL NOT LOSE ANY WEIGHT ON THIS MEDICINE MAIN RELIEVER FOR those who suffer from chronic PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS A NASTY TRADE OFF SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS AS WELL BUUUUUUUT Again, if you are just taking it for migraines just take it when you feel it coming on thats what my friend Dawn used to do . She described it feeling as if the drug melted the migraine away through her head but everybody is different and im not a dr. Im planning on going off of it as soon as I get my neck fusion surgery and recovery over with!!!