Amitriplyline ... Anyone take for anxiety??

[Kassery]

Hi all I'm quite new .... Went to to docs again this morning as my anxiety is bad and also ibs . Anyway I keep getting stomache aches too .
She said to take amitripyline to help my anxiety not sure if I want to take really as is a depressant have anyone took this b4 ?

[Cmack]

Doesn't work, It really doesn't. It caused me to become really detached (depersonalisation) and It didn't help my anxiety. However, it was an excellent med for sleep.

[Kassery]

Ok thanks doc said will make you tired

[nomorepanic]

amitripyline is not prescribed for anxiety anymore so not sure why she gave it to you

[Mark13]

Well I agree that it's not really prescribed for anxiety, but if you're like me, and have been through every drug type and combination known to man, then amitriptyline is worth trying.

It is still on the lists for NHS prescription as an anti-depressant, albeit 4th line (after SSRIs, SNRIs & mirtazapine) so if there's the possibility (like me) that there is some depression associated with your anxiety, and you've tried all the other "lines" then it may help.

I'm certainly gaining some benefit, in fact my GP has just upped my dosage today to 100mg in divided doses.

Bottom line is, it's never been licensed for anxiety but is still rarely used as an antidepressant. It's mostly prescribed in low doses as a muscle relaxant for pain relief alongside strong painkillers.

Of the old tricyclics I think only that and lofepramine are still in circulation for depression (and certainly folk still on dosulepin, which is no longer prescribed, but some have been on it for years).

Anyway, I'll take any drug my GP thinks might help, I trust his judgement and my own experiences.

[prue1956]

I take 10mg at night so i can sleep through my ibs c....it was also given to me to help with my sciatica x

[karenp]

It has helped my anxiety but I am on a high dose 75mg or a dose for anxiety and depression as I can go higher.

[karenp]

I'm having really good days now on 75mg of Amitriptyline, still wakeup slightly anxious but I only started the 75mg a few weeks back so my doctor has told me to stick on it for now and see what I feel like once 6 weeks have passed. Side effects, some dizziness when I first stand up after taking it like feeling drunk almost. Constipation, headaches that ease off and heightened anxiety when dose is upped but I went from 50mg to 75mg after starting at 10mg and increasing weekly by a further 10mg at first. Yer, so far I am really impressed with this meds as it's the only one that has helped me.