Hi! I've been on amitriptyline for a little while now, I'd say about six months. I've been having some weird side effects. it makes me have very vivid, weird dreams, and causes me to sleep for very long (10+ hours, sometimes up to 15) and keeps me asleep the whole entire time, I never wake up during the night, ever. Lately I've been waking up with weird scratches on my body (mostly my legs), with no recollection of how they got there, and it looks like it's cause by fingernails. I'm wondering if maybe I'm doing this to myself in my sleep, and if so, is this caused by my use of amitriptyline?
why you taking amitriptlyine for? and the dose?
Hiya...what dosage are you on ? Do you take it only at night ? I really think that you should let your doctor know what is happening to you. The dose may be wrong for you.
Hi Yes this did the same thing to me, I was wasting my life wishing to sleep all the time, plus I had terrible dreams/nightmares that felt almost realistic, they do effect the brain in so many ways & not all of them are good.
A very heavy Drug is Amitryptaline. Good in some ways but, the side effects are terrible. Marvelous for relaxation for pain, sleep depravation , makes you very tired & ( me dopey) I used to scratch as well when I was sleeping &wake up with scratches all over myself, I think it was due to Sweating & pricklly heat.
Jackie
Hi I have been on Amitriptyline for a long time and what your describing are some of the side effects though I have never got the scratching one, Amitriptyline does have a sedative effect so you should make sure to take your dose at night only, the vivid dreams are also a side effect it can also cause hallucinations in some people, another side effect is cotton mouth (really dry mouth) which is the one that mostly affected me before my dose was lowered now its not so bad, I just had to make sure to have my drink bottle with me or access to water wherever I went. If your worried head back to your dr and let them know your concerns and they might adjust your dose for you.
I take 40mg, and yes I only take it at night. these problems only started happening around when I was moved up from 30mg to 40mg, so I suppose that could be my problem.
Migraines! but ive also had sleeping problems and my doctor said it can treat that as well. and my dosage is 40mg
I'm glad to know I'm not alone! do you still take amitriptyline?
40mg is a very high dose, no wonder you have experienced such side effects. I take half of a 25mg at night and sometimes if the pain is very bad I take an extra quarter...it works well for me. Lower the dose please but check with your doctor first. Explain what has been happening to you.
Hello Becky I am off Amitryptaline now after being on them for many many years, the Tablets just became to much for me with all the side affects , so ,much I could not take them anymore.
I too had the bad / dry mouth & took a boottle of water to bed with me at night. I was also diagnosed with Kidney disease 4 yrs ago & have now found out that Amitryptaline was the definate cause, This was found out through test I had done. Now my bladder & Kidneys are back to normal, no more Kidney disease as the Tablets were drying my Kidneys up as well through years of use.
Jackie
Hi Jackie.
I'm glad to hear your kidneys are back to normal!
Were you diagnosed while on the amitryptaline or after stopping them? If after, how long after?
I refused to take these pills after doing a lot of research on them, but i thoroughly check out all and any pills they try to get me to take because i've had a lot of problems with what the doctors didn't care they gave me so long as they got paid for the prescriptions.
People have to be very careful because what is given, or what we're told to take, are rather dangerous and do more harm than good - as you know. They "treat"one thing and cause so many other problems that they say can be anything because the symptoms are usually similar. By the time they work it out, if they do, it's too late.
I'm sorry you suffered, but it's great to hear you did get the problem rectified.
Hi my Kidney Disease was diagnosed whilst I was on AMITRYPTALINE.
Plus YES be very wary about what is prescribed for you. The one time My Consutant tried to put me on LITHIUM, I was disgusted & shouted at him for even suggesting it to me as it is almost a pre World War 2 Drug.
I check everything nowadays before I take it because a GP will not read all of the side effects. plus I know a Scientist who has told me to beware of certai medications & to be very wary.
I have learnt my lesson the hard way, to much trust in
sorry,,,,,, I have learnt my lesson the hard way to much trust in my Doctors & Consultants, they do not know it all, it is guess work or elimination.
So, I am therfore now very careful
jACKIE
Hello Please may I ask why you are called ( Alwaysalone?? are you seriously always alone because if you are , you can write to me in your real name you know, & if you need a friend I will be your friend as well.
I do take notice.
Jackie
Hi Jackie.
Yes, i am VERY wary, but i can't take much either as my body builds up a tolerance quickly so they say take more or change.
I take nothing now, an occasional barb for anxiety or restless leg, but that's about it.
Like yourself, i learnt the hard way, too.
There is too much trust in doctors and i now have none.
I was told to take lithium as well! Like you, i was disgusted and refused. The psychiatrist was so angry i said no that he swore at me, screamed so the whole section heard, and almost hit me.
Meedless to say i never saw him again. He didn't like me researching what he said was "best" for me and basically refusing what he tried to make me take.
In part defense of lithium, though, i have seen it help a lot of people. I know it is from the early ages, but it did, and does help people. That's why it's still used by some doctors, because they realise it has more benefits than most out there today.
You are very lucky to know a scientist to help you with meds and what to look out for.
I use google, usually webMD, and i found a couple of others that actually give the chemical compounds as well.
I read EVERYTHING, as i'm thinking you do, too.
We have to because the doctors are money orientated, they just don't care who or how they harm.
Take care.
Hi Jackie,
Wow, I had no idea that this could cause kidney disease, am glad yours has been reversed and your kidneys are fine now. I have had testing done (for other health issues) a while ago by my Dr and my kidney function is fine so thank god it hasn't affected me in that way. He is presently weaning me off the amitriptyline as he was unhappy with how long I have been on the medication (it was prescribed by a different dr than the one I currently see) I was on a 50mg dose daily and am now down to 10mg daily.
Sorry Jackie, i missed this post until now.
Yes, i am alone, mostly always.
I only have contact with my son.
I keep to myself and have very little to do with the "outside" world.
I see doctors when i have to but sometimes even don't do that.
Well I am sometimes like that myself, I act confident but, it is mostly just an act. I have had several Strokes three years ago & it did knock my confidence quite a lot. I have made friends through my Stroke Group & I have a very good Husband & two daughters who live quite near to me.
Otherwise I keep to my own company because I am not always a lover myself of the outside world.
Too much trouble about who to trust, & I do not like gossip, so the less friends I have the better off I feel. When I do make a friend though , it is a friend for life. I am honest, faithful & true to my friends but, I have not had a lot of friends during my life. Just a few I can really trust.
Jackie
I also see Doctors when I really have to, I do not like going to the Doctors if I can help it, also I do not like shopping nowadays, I find it so boring.
Hello Becky , it was long time use that caused me to have Kidney Disease, now it is in reverse Thank goodness, Damn Amitryptaline dries up everything but, the Doctors & Consultants do not tell you these things.It was another Doctor I was with many years ago who put me on the dreaded Tablets..
So glad that you are being weaned off them.
Jackie
Hi Jacky.
I don't have a husband. The only family i have is my son.
I only leave the property unless absolutely necessary, such as the doctor once in a while, and even then i cancel a lot of appointments.
I have had very few friends throughout my existence because i have been stupid and trusted people.
Being bipolar with other disorders i am either quite euphoric or quite depressed, and "society" would rather me not be a part of their little niche, so i stay out of it.
My best friend was lost towards the end of june and i can't deal with it at all.
In may my cat of 11yrs lost his life and then my dog, also 11, began pining and missed her friend terribly. She got ill and i lost her 3wks later.
Now i am again totally alone in the sense of feeling alone. My son has been staying with me since may because i think he's scared he'll lose me, too.
My animals were all that got me up, especially my dog...for walks.
I no longer have that reason and i certainly have no desire.
I have just moved house because i couldn't handle the sadness and memories being there brought, but i can't stand the loss and knowing they are no longer around here either.
I couldn't sleep before, now i don't sleep at all.
In 3 years i've lost so much and so many and just don't want any part of what's out there.
I don't like people because they are too cruel and uncaring. They are selfish and greedy.
Like my dog, i have given up, altho i actually gave up decades ago. My love for my son and animals and their needs were all i had to keep me going.
I have no more animals and my son is early 20's and has seen the hell i've been through with the bipolar alone.
He has been aware of many things for many years and knows i long for peace.
We have spoken of it, which is why he is still here with me, i think.
I am so sick of being ill and crying. I'm sick of being alone and lonely, but with that said, i would NEVER involve anyone in my physical, emotional and mental issues, so there is NO chance of a partner at all...ever. And i now only trust one person anyway - my son - the only other two trustworthy people i know were taken in may and june.
I needs meds but they either make me ill or my body has built up a tolerance to them so i can't be helped in that way.
I've seen psychologists and psychiatrists and had all sorts of tests through the years but no help came from it.
I know it's been downhill for years, and now my animals are gone it's an avalanche. No-one can help me, i've spent most of my existence searching for it and now things are worse.
My son worries for me and i hate that.
He should be planning his life for whatever will be left in this horrible world instead of worrying if something could happen when he's not around worrying about me.
I don't want to be here but i don't want to leave my boy either.
Caught between two worlds is hard and comes close to the hell i've suffered in this one; hell my son has also suffered with me through.