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Old 12-05-2011, 02:56 AM #1
Geraldine Geraldine is offline
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Default Amitryptiline

My rheum prescribed me elavil upon my neuropathy diagnosis. I accepted, because over the past 4 years I have grown increasingly depressed (I believe due to my health problems and OCD).

In the 2 weeks I have been on elavil, things have greatly improved. I can walk more, can wear my shoes (sneakers with orthotics only) and am not getting burning. I am still getting coldness, which attacks my feet entirely and travels up my ankles. And I'm getting occasional tingly spots on my right cheek, plus weak feeling in my knees. At times my hip is weak (has happened my whole life). My chiro has adjusted my feet twice a week and I have gotten custom orthotics. My neuroma seems to be getting much better. My fingers have been getting Raynaud's attacks more severely recently, in grocery stores.

What exactly does elavil do? Does it just mask the symptoms? Do seratonin levels affect neuropathy, meaning, if I was depressed and had severe problems with seratonin would that cause neuropathy or make it worse? When I get numb from coldness, am I actually cold? Or are these phantom feelings? I'm a little confused about which of my symptoms are neuropathy, or blood vessel related (podiatrist thinks I have a vascular element). Also not sure if I should go to neurologist first or vascular specialist. And will elavil cover up anything test-related?

Thanks!
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Old 12-05-2011, 03:36 AM #2
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Hi
Go to the chemist /pharmacist and ask for a CMI - consumer medicine information print out , in most countries they have to print one if you ask for one, the chemist should be able to tell you what the drugs actually do for you, is my suggestion.

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Old 12-05-2011, 05:02 AM #3
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Elavil does two major things.

Depending on dose, you may see some antidepressant effects.
Typically at low doses used for PN this is not obvious. At 50mg a day and above you may see antidepressant effects. The neurotransmitters in the brain, are involved in the "pain loop" in the brain and some antidepressants work on serotonin receptors there to dull perception of pain.

The second thing Elavil does, and this has been shown more recently in a study, is that Elavil can improve nerve growth factors in the peripheral nervous system. So it is rather unique among the antidepressants in this function. So yes, it can actually improve nerve functions in the periphery.
This latter effect is not going to be found most likely on any informational print out at the pharmacy level. It is too new I would think. You can read more about it here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...=amitriptyline

Nortriptyline (Elavil's active metabolite) also works this way.
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Old 12-13-2011, 12:18 AM #4
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I have taken Amitriptyline for years. I took it at 50 mg. for bladder pain for 7 years before I went off it to have a baby. It worked great for my bladder pain and I definately found it helped with my depression and anxiety, even though doctors say it won't work on depression at such a low dose. After being off it for 5 years, I started it again last spring for neuropathic pain. I'm now on 40 mg. a day and it has helped with my neuropathic pain a bit, but has greatly helped my mood.
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Old 12-13-2011, 08:45 AM #5
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Since this thread started, I too, have started amitriptyline.

I took an antidepressant--doxepin-- over a decade ago for a severe case of sciatica. And it helped.

So this past Wednesday while at my doctor's, I discussed with her my neck and back pain, which is arthritic etc and the site of my old shingles attack. Given the PN also she decided it would be worth going back to a TCA for a while.

I am only taking 10mg now at bedtime, and it has knocked me for a huge loop this week. But I am sleeping now thru the night, and my shingles right arm, neck are not waking me up like before. I am also taking a long daily nap, but all in all I do feel better, and I am hoping the sedation scales back some. Since the sleeping is better, I am not having the disturbing dreams/nightmares waking me up I was having with the pain. I can see me staying on amitriptyline for a while. The other TCA I used for about 3 yrs and then tapered off. That was when I was on midnights, and that alone was very very stressful.
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Old 12-15-2011, 03:34 AM #6
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Hi all,
I have decided that my foot problem is GREATLY related to something vascular...the cold I feel occurs after walking on my tile floors without shoes. If I wear two pairs of socks it happens less. If I have shoes on, even less. If I prevent the cold, I don't get the other pain. If the cold starts, pain and weakness are much greater.

I am so aware of my body right now, I've just noticed that the veins in my hand bulge. Put my hands up, they go down immediately. Lower my hands, and I can watch them bulge in 1-2 seconds.

If I go to my chiro and get ice during therapy, I will have this coldness/raynauds all night. If I skip the ice, that is much less likely.

But about the elavil and mood... SOMETHING has bettered my mood and it all started when I began my progesterone. One month later (after feeling worse again) I started the elavil. Unfortanately I also started a chinese herbal so I'm not sure if the elavil has done this, but I have not really had the BURNING since I started the elavil. I have coldness and weakness behind the knees, especially if I've been sitting with something pressing there, like my chair.

I have watched the bottoms of my feet turn white when they are cold and numb. If I rub my ankles they will feel better.

I believe the elavil has helped me with depression and seratonin levels. I don't think this chinese herbal is doing it, as I have used it before without feeling this much better. Progesterone could be helping too, at least at some times of the month.

But one thing I don't like about the elavil is the smell. It smells like poison. One night I chewed it because I only wanted to take half. After I bit down (and realized it is all or none) my tongue swelled up. This has never happened before or since.

I have also broken my allergy diet recently - as I'm just sick of it - and the following days my feet have gotten worse. Not sure if this is related.?

One more thing about the elavil. Since starting it I sleep until Noon. And I can't go to bed at my normal time (2am) anymore, I'm up until 3, then 4 - and it seems to be getting worse. I don't want to go to bed. At 4 I'll go to bed, take my 25mg elavil/amitryptline and then my half ambien/zolpidem. And I'll be asleep until 7 or 8, when I need to take my second half ambien.

So... elavil seems good for mood/depression, good for some symptoms of neuropathy, and good for sleep IF you aren't addicted to ambien. But it's scary too as it's the worse tasting/smelling medicine I've ever taken.
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Old 12-15-2011, 07:57 AM #7
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Why are you chewing the Elavil?

Most drugs are obnoxious tasting...and are coated to prevent the bad taste effects.

My generic Elavil is 10mg and heavily coated. White in color and very small. No smell, no taste.
If you HAVE to take a smaller dose, ask your doctor to prescribe the 10mg instead of chewing the 25's.

Some drugs like Strattera and Cymbalta are actually injurious to the oral mucosa. While I cannot find a "taste" entry on drug sites, it is revealing that no liquid oral dosage form for this drug exists. That is a hint that the taste cannot be masked.
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Old 12-16-2011, 01:35 AM #8
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I only chewed it the one time, because I thought I should take a smaller dose that night - but never have done it again.

My generic elavil is yellow and smells like poison. It tastes horrible too, worse than xanax. Although I do think xanax (generic) has a longer aftertaste.

There doesn't seem to be a coating on my elavil? It is powdery yellow. I could always call different pharmacies to see about getting a different maker.
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Old 12-16-2011, 01:36 AM #9
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I chewed it because I had a couple glasses of wine that night and was worried about mixing all three - alcohol, amitriptyline, AND zolpidem.
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Old 12-16-2011, 08:27 AM #10
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Lightbulb

Well Xanax is awful tasting too. Some people use it 1/2 dose and under the tongue. This bypasses, first pass by the liver and most of the metabolism first pass, and works fast. But it is just horrible and bitter, as well. But Xanax is not typically coated.

What company makes that generic you have, Geraldine?
I have never seen a powdery generic for it....All the ones I've ever seen have a film coat.

You shouldn't have to go to different pharmacies. Your current one should be able to order another manufacturer for you. All you have to do is ask. However, this won't affect the bad taste...that will always be there, if you break them.
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