Hi Aireyden,

I have been taking amitriptyline (Elavil) for over a year now.

I think that the answer to your questions probably depends on the dose. It won't help you sleep if you don't take enough, and you will be zonked if you take too much.

I tried 10mg nightly and gradually increased it (after informing my doctor) till it seemed to be having an effect. I found that if I took 25 mg I did feel zonked out the next day, so I reduced it until I found a dose that I could function at (not too zonked) but seemed to be controlling some of the pain from my headaches. In the UK, it is dispensed in 10mg or 25mg tablets but you can make up intermediate doses by cutting the tables into halves or quarters. You can buy a tablet cutter which might be a bit easier than a knife. My doctor was quite happy for me to do this.

I have found that if I stop taking it the symptoms soon come back. I have been gradually reducing the dose. Now I have got it right down to 7.5 mg. That is as low as I can go at the moment without feeling terrible.

I am taking it for headaches rather than to make me sleep. I have noticed a slight effect on sleeping but perhaps not that much at a lower dosage. I am sure that the effects depends on the person, but a higher dose might be needed to help you sleep.

I think you should ask your doctor to try a higher dose and then, if that makes you sleep better but zonks you out, you just need to reduce the dose till you find the right point for you.

You should ask your doctor about how to adjust the dose. You may need to adjust the dose gradually. I don't think that you can just take two pills one night when you think that you need it and then not take any if you feel you don't. The all or nothing method is more likely to give side-effects sometimes and no benefit at other times. If you want to find out if it can work for you, you need to find the right dose that you can take every night.

I hope that helps.

All the best,
CS