If you try it on your own, without advise from the doctor, then by all means start at a lower dose...like 100 mg 3 times a day.

You still might get some dizziness, sleepiness, etc with that dose (especially since you are taking the nortripyline), but these side-effects usually subside rather quickly.

***DON'T take anything else to calm your mental state right now!! You won't know what side-effects are from what if you add more then one thing. And you'll add to increased side-effects in general. If you get some pain relief, then your mental state will likely calm on it's own as a result.