Question about amitryptiline
 

Hi everyone,

I've started on 10mg of amitryptiline each night to try to help with sleep and headaches. I know that it takes some time to feel the effects, but I'm wondering if anyone experiences worsening headaches from just starting amitryptiline? I'm on day 2 and it seems that my headaches have gotten worse.

I'm afraid I may have complicated the situation my first night of taking it, when I woke to go to the bathroom and was sort of dizzy after opening the door and kind of fell into it. I didn't hit my head at all, but it was jarring (and if you've seen other threads I've started you know I have a non-helpful fear of minor head bumps) and caused me to not get great sleep the rest of the night. So, maybe my worse headaches are from this jolt, but even I'm doubtful, as it wasn't that forceful and I think I was so startled just because I was sleepy.

Thanks

For one thing, it takes time, and for another thing, 10 mg is a very low dose. So I wouldn't write it off yet, especially if you've had complicating factors like a night or so of poor sleep.

Give it some time to see the full results!

10 mg is a low dose. I would give it some time and then revisit it with your doctor if things aren't getting better. I was started out on 25 mg and was still having monster headaches. Now that I'm on 50mg I feel I'm getting better quality sleep at night and my headaches are a little more manageable. I don't think you should be getting a worse headache from the meds.

10 mgs is a common dose for head aches and insomnia. Larger doses are intended to provide some anti-depressant value.

With your anxiety struggles, you may need to consider an SSRI or such. Amitriptyline is a tri-cyclic anti-depressant without as much anti-anxiety value as most SSRI's.

Hmm, I'm wary of SSRIs - can't they inhibit healing of the brain?

I've never read that SSRI's inhibit healing of the brain and I have read lots about SSRI's. They are definitely not benign. Anxiety will inhibit healing.

Hi,

It takes time for amitriptyline to take effect. I also started on 10mg and that took at least 8 days to take effect. Like you when I started I felt worst but that soon passed and did assist with the headaches and overall a well feeling. Stick with it and you will see a difference.

Regards
Rosa

Your headaches specifically got worse? Have you had to increase dosage, and is that generally common? Ideally I'd like to not be on this for too long.

Also, how can I determine if you're pushing too hard too soon if I'm interrupting the signal of headaches with medicine? Should I just do nothing while I'm on this stuff?

Laupala,

Why don't you list all of the activities you want to do. I'll try to give you some feedback about whether they are pushing too much. You need to keep in mind that many symptoms will have a delay after the triggering activity. Trying to micro analyze is a losing game.

Thanks for the response and your time. OK, here are some of the activities I've been doing while trying to quietly rest.

Play solitaire, backgammon, etc. (sometimes exacerbates headache)

Shuffle cards

Sit quietly outside

Meditation

Reading (A month and a half ago I was able to read a full New Yorker magazine without exacerbating symptoms, I've since cut back dramatically as shorter reading bouts seem to exacerbate symptoms more easily now)

Listening to audiobooks (Just started this today actually, hard to know what effect it's having)

I'm thinking of trying painting - never done it, but might be relaxing

Computer work (Trying to not let emails and contact with the outside world completely go, I should be more diligent about limiting this)

Listening to music (usually classical, generally seems OK, although sometimes exacerbates headache)

Conversing with friends and family (rarely exacerbates headache)

Cooking

Walking (1.5 months ago was doing 30-40 minute bike rides, back to doing short walks, they don't seem to make the headaches much worse, but sometimes they flare up)

I've been trying to generally do a 2 hours of "activity", 30 minutes of rest (i.e. laying down, icing neck, etc.)