I need your opinions please

[midgey]

Hi,
I was started on amytriptelline 3 weeks ago by a consultant at the hospital. I have recently been diagnosed with ME. He said it would help wth fibromyalgic pain but I also have anxiety issues (quite bad recently) which have stopped me wanting to go out and see people. I had a bit of a dry mouth and feel a bit sleepy but no other side effects. The consultant said it is a very small dose and I am due to increase to 20mg tonight.
I had a telephone consultation with my GP today as I needed to ask her for a repeat prescription. She has really unnerved me now as she said "they don't work for anxiety". I explained that I had taken a SSRI ad 2 yrs ago and ended up in A&E with palpitations and fast heart rate and was told not to take SSRI again. She said that a beta blocker would be better but I have lung problems so this isn't recommended either.
It does say on the box it can be used for anxiety (although I know it's at higher doses than I am taking at the moment). Does she know something I don't???
I'm really worried now that this won't work and feel really down.
Has anyone taken this for anxiety and it has helped?
Please help x

[baileys]

Some docs do give amitripyline to help with anxiety, ive had them before.
They may help with your fibro and ME and give you a better nights sleep, which might help reduce your pain and help your anxiety.
So if i were you i would see how you get on with them, seeing as you are not getting too many side affects it may be worth giving them a go.

[KK77]

You may be better off to ask your doc about pregabalin Midgey (you can read posts about it here). I don't think the current dose you're on will be of any use for anxiety personally. Amitriptyline is usually prescribed at >50mg for psychiatric conditions like anxiety/depression. It's an old med with lots of side effects so probably wouldn't suit you at those doses.

Of course at the lower doses amitriptyline can be useful for fibro pain but it never helped me much.

Try it at the lower doses and ask your doc about pregabalin - it's helped me for fibro pain more than any other med I've been on.

[midgey]

Hi,
Thanks for your comments. Meloncholia, I wasn't started on the ami for pain it was for low mood and anxiety. I have read some quite negative things on here about it. My consultant did say that the dose needs to be at 50mg to help with anxiety so the plan is to increase the dose every couple of weeks. I would really like to hear from people that have taken it for anxiety. I can't believe that it doesn't work. It may be an older style AD but it was manufactured for depression and anxiety. I really need some positive stories as I'm feeling really down that it's a waste of time and that's really made me feel really anxious again. Thanks x

[KK77]

I'm sure it is effective for anxiety/depression but I just wondered why your consultant wouldn't try you on a more modern anti-anxiety medication like pregabalin. I take it for fibro pain but it's also used for GAD.

It's hard with meds to ever be categorical about whether it'll be effective and its side effects on an individual. You shouldn't feel down-hearted - try the amitriptyline and see whether you can tolerate it at 50mg and if it helps.

It's true that before SSRIs and other more recent drugs, tricyclics were commonly used, and there's no doubt they helped some people.

I don't want to give you a negative impression but I have to be honest too and go by my experience (which may be nothing like your one anyway).

Have a good search of the amit threads - sure there are some positive posts there.

[Gypsygirl]

Hi midgey, you mentioned beta blockers? Iv been on inderal for 12 months they have helped me so much, really dampened down my anxiety, worth a try? Talk to your gp about them?

[midgey]

Hi Gypsy Girl,

Sorry for the delay in writing. I can't take beta blockers as I have bronchiectasis,which is a lung problem and u can't take beta blockers if u have asthma/ and or other breathing probs.
Thanls for your advice tho.......xx

[shoegal]

I was prescribed Amitriptyline for Fibromyalgia and possible Lupus but it didn't agree with me at all. I was either asleep or throwing up and after two weeks of unrelenting side effects I gave up. I've had the same problem with all anti-depressants except for Doselupin which didn't give me any side effects at all and helped with pain management, but didn't do anything for my anxiety.

My Doctor recently tried to prescribe me more anti-depressants to help with my anxiety and I told her that I didn't believe they really helped with anxiety. She agreed with me but said they can help to make it easier for you to challenge the anxious feelings. In other words they make you feel more positive about things, but they don't make the anxiety go away.

Having said that, I'm sure I've read that some people on this forum have had some success with anti-depressants (for anxiety), so it's worth a try.

[JaneC]

Hi Michelle, me again! I honestly think it would be good to get to see the psychiatrist ASAP instead of relying on your GP (especially when she's giving you wrong info). They will really have a far better grasp of the options xx

[midgey]

Just thought I'd update you all........
I've been on amitriptyline now for about 8 weeks and have increased from 10mg to 50mg. I've got to say, I feel like a new woman.
Lots of my anxiety symptoms have gone. I have put myself in lots of situations recently where I would have previously been in a panic, but I was surprisingly ok. I think it has given me the confidence to try these things, which in turn beats the fear and panic. I went to the hairdressers today....something that a few weeks ago was a major event. I don't feel well either (sore throat, achey etc), whereas, normally, I'd have been dizzy, palpitations etc, I was fine.
I have never been keen on the idea of medication, and tried for 2 years to struggle without it, but I am happy to say that this has given me a step up the ladder. I'm not "cured" but feel so much better.
Just thought I'd share this with you all, maybe it may help someone who is currently unsure if medication can help them.......