[abey042000]

Has anyone out their have any stories to share about Elavil experiences, either good or bad? I just started taking Elavil 25mg.nightly, while also taking Effexor 300mg daily.

[abey042000]

I wish someone would share something soon, I'm afraid I've just started another drug that eventually I will have to come off of and experience withdraws from, would like some input, so maybe if I have to stop before I get to involved with it

[Casey55]

Abey,

Elavil is in the family of the old trycyclics. I was wondering if this is the first antidepressant you have been on and if so why or have you tried all the newer ones with no success.

[abey042000]

Casey,
I have been on Paxil, up to 50 mgs.eventually I got used to them and they no longer worked. Well, at that time I also had a second child, with whom I got severe post partum depression, so Doc started me on Effexor, which works awesome 225 mgs, although I have had some prob sleeping at night so he started me on Elavil which is an antidepressant..I only wanted something for short term, my concern is, is elavil gonna be hard to get off of like the rest of anti-depressants?

[Casey55]

Abey,

If Effexor was working so well for you, I am not sure why your doctor didn't just give you something to help you sleep. And why he would choose Elavil is beyond me. The old trycyclics have way more side effects and are much more dangerous. I would think if he only tried you on Paxil and Effexor, he would have tried many of the other newer and safer anti-depressants first, saving this as a last resort.

You should always look up your medicines before you even fill the prescriptions. One of my favorite sites is Health Square.

http://www.healthsquare.com/drugmain.htm

Arrow down to the very bottom of the page and hit E for Elavil. Elavil has the potential to cause sleep distrubances and inability to sleep as well. The SSRI's caused me to have trouble sleeping, but I am on Wellbutrin now and have no trouble, plus it doesn't have the potential for weight gain and sexual dysfunction the SSRI's do.

According to this website, Elavil should not be stopped abruptly to prevent relapse and withdrawal. But these are questions you should be asking your doctor. Are you seeing a psychiatrist? These meds are not something you want to be having your PCP prescribing. How long have you been on Elavil, did you just start it? Is your psychiatrist, presuming you are seeing one, monitoring you closely right now?

I am afraid red flags are going up for me about this doctor. Psychiatrists are supposed to be familiar with all these things and why he would put you on Elavil at this point is beyond me, unless there is some reason I don't know about. Why you weren't tried on
Wellburtin or one of the many other newer and safer anti-depressants first, I don't understand. If I were you, I would be asking myself some serious questions about him/her.

Casey

[abey042000]

I appreciate your response, thats why I'm here, asking for help. I am not seeing a psych. just a family physician, I have only been with him for 2 yrs. The Effexor worked miracles for me, but when I started having probs sleeping, I just wanted something temporary, to help with the sleeplessness due to losing my mother-in-law, and all the family conflicts. I was expecting like ambien or lunesta, something along that line, but got elavil. It does allow me a good nights sleep, although when I want to get off it I dont want to end up causing more probs. I hope I'm making some sense of this to u. Thank u for ur time and imput.

[Casey55]

Abey,

There is only one thing I can say to you, get a psychiatrist. I just knew you must be seeing your PCP because I psychiatrist would be doing a much better job with your meds and you might be doing better as well. Depression and these drugs are nothing to fool around with. While PCPS can by law prescibe these medicines, other than on a short term basis, he should have sent you to a psychiatrist a long time ago. It is the psychiatrist who is schooled in these kinds of medicines and they work with them and people on them everyday. They know much more about them and how they work and the side effects and the right ones for you and they need to be monitoring you regularly, like once a month.

Casey

[helenmichele]

Been on 50 mg of Elavil for 2 yrs as a maintenance drug for migraines.It has cut down on the intensity of them. At times if I wake up during the night, I do experience "ghost-like illusions". Nothing frightening and have no problem getting up if I have to. Dr. said as long as I take it as prescribed and have check-ups with him, I should not experience any long term effects. I also get an extremely dry mouth from it, so keep water by bedside if needbe. It does keep my spirits up, most of the time, which is a plus.

[abey042000]

Casey,
Thank u much for ur input..I think I'd better look into a psych. real soon. once again thanks!

[ShadowTigress]

I take 10mg of Elavil for migraine prevention. I have absolutely no side effects from it. Unfortunately, it has completely stopped preventing my migraines and a different doctor has put me on a different migraine prevention drug so I will probably stop taking it soon.

[shirleyr]

quote:Originally posted by abey042000

Has anyone out their have any stories to share about Elavil experiences, either good or bad? I just started taking Elavil 25mg.nightly, while also taking Effexor 300mg daily.

[shirleyr]

quote:Originally posted by abey042000

I wish someone would share something soon, I'm afraid I've just started another drug that eventually I will have to come off of and experience withdraws from, would like some input, so maybe if I have to stop before I get to involved with it

I took Elevil for 10 years and did really well on it as I was terribly skinny and gained a lot of weight, but finally had to get off it because it caused a heart block, or so my doctor said it was the medicine that caused it. I would be afraid to take any tranquilizer again.

[cvoor]

Elavil was fine for me, but it made me extremely Irritable all the time. I hated even being around myself on it. I went thru 2 divorces while I was on Elavil, when I got off it, I calmed down and those things that use to bother me didnt' anymore.