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Pamelor User Reviews & Ratings

Pamelor has an average rating of 4.4 out of 10 from a total of 12 reviews on Drugs.com. 64% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 28% reported a negative experience.

Condition Avg. Rating Reviews Compare
Depression  
4.4
12 reviews for Depression 76 medications
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Reviews for Pamelor

  • Anonymous
  • February 2, 2011

For Pain "For several years I have lived with spine and disc-damage. I have been on a controlled narcotics program for quite a while. It saved my life. Chronic pain scrambles the brain. I was already on fluoxetine, but felt I was losing ground. Then my docor put me on nortriptyline. GREAT results. I feel better mentally, and the medicine somehow "soothes" inflamed spinal-cord areas. NOT my imagination-over the years, doctors tried several medicines for this, none worked. This one helped both the depression AND nerve-impulses at the discs/spinal-cord."

9 / 10
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325 Report
  • brndt...
  • April 28, 2011

For Panic Disorder "Pamelor works great for anxiety panic attacks. It calms you down and helps you to be able to think clearly to calm yourself down. You need to make sure that your doctor is giving you the proper mg amount for your panic attack disorder. I will not stop taking this. I highly recommend this for people to try."

10 / 10
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235 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 12, 2012

For Pain "I have calf pain (mainly when sitting) due to small fiber neuropathy. I tried Neurontin, Lyrica, Cymbalta...without any luck. Tramadol provided limited relief, but not nearly enough. Finally I tried Pamelor and after a few weeks the calf pain started to dissipate. I take 100mg/day and the side effects have been pretty mild. The drowsiness tapered off after a few days, but the dry mouth and constipation go with the territory. I get occasional tinnitus as well."

8 / 10
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168 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • Anonymous
  • April 24, 2009

For Migraine Prevention "I had taken almost everything for migraines and came up with a combination of Topamax and Elavil. I work in intensive care and started having memory problems. I also started sleeping almost constantly. I scheduled an appointment with the neurologist at my hospital and started on nortriptyline. This is the first time I've had total control. I'm not sleepy and I have more of my old self back. It feels good not to have any pain."

10 / 10
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174 Report
  • Violet
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • February 18, 2020

For Depression "I had been taking Trintellix for a couple years with success until eventually my anxiety/depression started to creep back. My doctor added 75 mg of nortriptyline every day and I swear I felt major relief in just 3 days. I have been on the Trintellix/Pamelor combo now for over a year. No side effects, and the Pamelor is cheap. As an added bonus, I have chronic hip pain due to bursitis and the pain has almost completely gone away. I am so thankful for this medicine, it has truly helped me."

10 / 10
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66 Report

Are you taking this medicine?

  • RLZ
  • September 13, 2014

For Depression "My neurologist prescribed Nortriptyline for Neuropathy. It did not help much for that condition.However, at the time I was suffering from severe depression due to having to place my husband in a nursing home. The medication did wonders for me and I have been a daily user since that time."

8 / 10
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111 Report
  • Patri...
  • March 19, 2013

For Migraine Prevention "I have been taking Pamelor for close to 4 years now. After a coiling procedure for an inoperable brain aneurism, I suffered constant migraines. The doctor who performed the coiling did not offer any solution, but a local neurologist in my home town prescribed it for me. It changed what was to be my new life of pain into a much more tolerable existence. A little dizziness is easy to live with. I take 50 mg every morning. Life is good again!"

10 / 10
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114 Report
  • Neenee
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • March 12, 2023

For Depression "I have to give this drug the best review possible. No exaggerating,, this medicine saved my life and helped me to learn about how much I don't know about depression and the self medication I resorted to, was no longer needed. This self medication that was destroying my life was no longer needed or desired. It helped me to understand that's what I was doing because of mental health struggles and that I was deserving of a better life. All I can say is Thank you!!"

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20 Report
  • birdo...
  • October 17, 2010

For Migraine Prevention "I've suffered from migraines for 14 years and have taken numerous medications for prevention including Topamax (Topamax caused MANY bad, undetermined health issues). My Internal Medicine physician took me off Topamax and put me on 25 mg of Nortriptyline for migraine prevention. Almost immediately, I had relief from migraines, had clarity of mind even better than ever before, had a great attitude. I felt "normal" for the first time in my life. This medication caused noticeable urinary retention, constipation and increased appetite which caused weight gain. Due to weight gain, I was changed to Pristiq. Migraines have returned. I intend to ask to be put back on Nortriptyline and will have to alter diet and exercise."

10 / 10
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123 Report
  • Anonymous
  • October 28, 2009

For Pain "Cycled off opiates after a severe multi-trauma accident onto a pamelor/amitryptilline combo. Worked very well. Definitely get yourself some eyedrops, though. Needed the brand name, because the generic gave me cardiac arrythmias. I am very impressed with this drug."

10 / 10
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110 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • May 30, 2012

For Migraine Prevention "This is month 3 and the headaches I lived many years with have vanished with a 30 mg dose every night. I sleep well. Dry mouth is tolerable and treated with an oral rinse. I never thought I could feel this good!"

9 / 10
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92 Report
  • chiefie
  • January 10, 2012

For Neuralgia "28 years ago a car on an overhead lift fell on me. After 5 years of recovery I did pretty good then it all fell apart 6 years ago. I ended up on lots of medicines including Nortriptyline. My only comment is try it. I use it for burning in my legs that feel that I call burning ice water running down my legs and it really helps."

8 / 10
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83 Report
  • Cherry
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 26, 2020

For Depression "I landed on the ER twice because of this medication Pamelor. I never felt so sick in my entire life. I thought I was dying. It took me more than a week to get it out of my system. I was agitated, my heart racing at 150 per hour. Horrible experience"

1 / 10
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32 Report
  • Nedrub
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 30, 2020

For Depression "I was 13 years when I started taking pamelor. My doctor and mother decided to put me on this medicine. I had a very bad experience with these pills. Whenever I had an episode They would up the dose, I started at 1-25mg tablet Every morning, within the year I was taking 5-25mg Tablet a day. Because of this I missed out on a lot of things. I was wondering around so much that I was getting lost, didn't know who I was, or where I was going, where I was supposed to be. I was just blah. Stuck in my thoughts and I hated every minute of it. But it was not my choice. I have nerve problem to this day, sometimes I get to shaking so bad that I drop anything in my hands, it's very hard to eat soup or drink coffee when I spill it all over myself. When I turned 18 it then was my choice, and I stopped taking them all together. A lot of my childhood was missed because of the pills, but on the flip side of it I didn't get beat for having an episode as much as I did when I wasn't taking them."

2 / 10
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31 Report
  • Anonymous
  • January 26, 2012

For Migraine Prevention "I have been on Pamelor for the past 6 months or so and I suffer from severe headaches and migraines. After being prescribed 25mg I have felt I'm in control of my life going from 15 headaches and multiple migraines a month to a manageable 3-4 headaches and a couple migraines a month. My doctor and I are now trying to drop these numbers even lower by doubling my dose. The side effects I have experienced is dry mouth and odd vivid dreams which are very manageable compared to before."

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71 Report
  • Suzy
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • September 4, 2018

For Depression "25 years ago. I took Pamelor for post partum depression. It worked for the depression but had to stop taking because my stools became hard as rocks & were difficult to pass. I have had irritable bowel syndrome since as a result. I also gained about 40 pounds & no matter how much I diet or exercise, I cannot lose the weight."

2 / 10
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33 Report
  • Anonymous
  • October 4, 2009

For Smoking Cessation "I had smoked for 36 years and had tried to give up with patches etc. After taking this drug for less than 3 weeks I was well on my way to stopping, and have since given up completely. It stops the desire, but also the anxiety."

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66 Report
  • thesk...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 8, 2017

For Depression "I was tried on this for major depression. After 2 weeks on 50mg per night, I couldn't handle it any more. I ended up going to the ER because my heart was racing. I was at 125/130 beats per min. I'd only been getting a few hours of sleep each night in those 2 weeks, and experienced the heart racing, brain short circuits, insomnia, anxiety, severe constipation, extreme thirst, and an overall feeling of disconnect from aliveness. As a teenager, I took Doxepin and Elavil too, and they were slightly better, but not much. These TCAs should be a last resort like Thorazine and Lithium. Seroquel is much better. Good luck to my fellow sufferers!"

1 / 10
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29 Report
  • Silve...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 16, 2016

For Depression "Nortriplene isn't a very good medication for chronic headaches. My neurologist put me on 25mg 2 tabs at bedtime.it's suppose to make you sleeply,however it's quit the opposite, it keeps you awake and makes you very irritable.and you still have a headache,and causes weight gain. medication,especially"

3 / 10
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25 Report
  • Rkpub...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 23, 2019

"I have plantar fasciitis so to walk was killing me. I could barely walk. It sided lined me for simple outings with my family. Had to sit with my feet up all the time. Nothing but pain. My doctor gave me Pamelor, and he told me it would help the nerve pain. I was up and going after taking Pamelor for a week, No pain. I’ll take the the low ringing and the constipation over not enjoying life again."

10 / 10
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14 Report
  • Anony...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • April 15, 2023

"My gastroenterologist started me on this medication last summer when she diagnosed me with CVS. It has been a life saver. My attacks are less frequent and less severe. Whenever I have an attack creep up now, I am usually able to control it with as needed Zofran. This medication gave me my life back. I was able to finally start eating real food again and I was able to go back to work. Plus, it has an added benefit of making me sleepy, so I take it at night and I fall asleep within 45 minutes."

10 / 10
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  • Jsmitty
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • May 2, 2013

For Migraine Prevention "Very effective as long as it is taken like clockwork."

9 / 10
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88 Report
  • Anonymous
  • September 19, 2008

For Migraine Prevention "Nortiptyline has worked well for preventing my headaches for two months now. "

10 / 10
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113 Report
  • wdave
  • October 23, 2011

For Pain "This medication made my ears ring which they have been doing for about 20 years now. My Doctor advised that this is a less than 2% side effect. Never the less, be careful."

1 / 10
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94 Report
  • lildude
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • May 30, 2018

For Depression "Pamelor takes solid 2 month to start working. The best medication ever. Less than 1 dollar for pack of 100 tablets of 25mg where I live."

10 / 10
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46 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.