Saw my doctor last Monday about my returning insomnia and headaches. She suggested doubling up on the amitriptyline to see if that helped. So I've been taking 50 mg at bedtime for the past week instead of 25. Headaches have been better but of course I'm very tired again.

This morning I got dizzy in the shower. I got out quickly and tried to lie down but collapsed next to the bed. Didn't lose consciousness - just fell down.

Saw the doctor again, she said it's probably too much amitriptyline plus hypoglycemia since I hadn't had breakfast and then the hot shower water just put me over the top. She told me to stay home from work.

Have been sleeping all morning. My mouth is so dry (another side effect of amitriptyline) -- I've been drinking but I still feel thirsty. Still getting dizzy whenever I stand up.

I'm just so discouraged. It seems like I'm in a huge catch-22. If I don't take the amitriptyline, I can't function because of the headaches. If I do take it, I can't function because of the side effects. Can't even work my already reduced 5-hour day.

It's so frustrating. I just want to be well. It seems like I just can't handle anything other than a totally optimal situation. If I try to push myself at all, I end up like this.

This week will be 11 months since my concussion. Can I still improve from here, or is this as good as it gets?

Don't give up hope!!

There is a good chance with the holidays the added stress isn't helping. Take the day to just relax and lay in bed.

I understand the catch 22 of it all. I am 10 months out and run into that constantly on pretty much every PCS related decision I've had to make recently... Grad school, student loans, health insurance, vision therapy, etc. If I go one way, it benefits the situation, but it increases my PCS. If I go the other, I will feel slightly less crappy with PCS, but will then have the added stress of situations not working out at all for me.

Hope you can find some relief today and get your meds figured out in a way that works for you. It's so hard....

Hi Eowyn,

Sorry you're having such a rough time. Glad you weren't hurt after the shower episode!

Just a few thoughts....
Have you tried any other meds besides amitriptyline? Maybe you can tolerate something else better and it can take care of the headaches too. Hubby is on zoloft - helped with his headaches and brain fog.

If you're trying to double the dose of amitriptyline, can you do it gradually? instead of going up to 50 daily, break a pill in half and take your 25 (which you tolerated formerly) and half of another 25. Gradually increase to the 50 mg your dr wants you on. That's how hubby has done it and it has worked well for him. He can't increase 25 at a time - becomes too side-effect ridden.

You CAN work this out! Keep at it and know it'll be worth the hassles!

Blessings to you...
Amy

Eowyn,

Wow your story sounds alot like mine. I'm actually decreasing my Amitriptalyne from one hundred to fifty. I do know anytime they mess with increasing it I get real real tired for about two weeks and I sleep alot. It makes it hard to feel normal doesn't it. I was recently wondering about the medication altogether. I still get headaches but it's not all day long...usually.

I'm so happy to hear you did ok after you fell down. I so understand the catch 22. You wonder how the heck am I going to go through life like this? I am discouraged as well.

I wanted you to know you're not alone. If you ever need anything just email me....

Hang in there!!!!

Saw an occupational health doc today who seemed to be more knowledgeable on PCS than most of the supposedly more specialist people I've seen. He said given my current progress he expected me to not be recovered until the 12-18 month mark, sounded like he'd seen people keep improving well into this period and perhaps beyond.

You're not even into that zone yet, nothing to worry about eh?

I gave up an Ami very quickly due to the side effects you mentioned. Since then I have been taking herbs, which I believe are working (and I didn't think they would). I still get headaches (migraines), but they have been significantly less on the herbs.

The herbs are Feverfew and Butterbur. Just FYI.