Amitriptyline for Anxiety and Stress User Reviews (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 25, 2021

"I have suffered from anxiety since I was a child. I am now 31. Despite trying to make lifestyle changes, my anxiety got so bad I was physically and mentally exhausted and depressed. Before amitriptyline, I would medicate with alcohol, my anxiety was so bad that I would drink before friends or family came round. I finally took the step to ask for help. I was hesitant to start amitriptyline, but honestly, this is the best decision I have ever made. I feel like the lights have been switched on. I talk to people without overthinking the conversation afterwards. I went from feeling stressed and anxious every day to being carefree. I am more focused at work and able to finish tasks. The quality of my sleep is better, and that time before I fall asleep is not spent worrying. I only wish I started this years ago, anxiety has caused me to miss out on so much in my professional and personal life. I am finally living the life I deserve. I have never felt so carefree. My future looks brighter."

• Joh...
• July 29, 2014

"Initially on citalopram 20mg and felt horrible and more panicky, so doctor moved me on to Sertraline 50mg and propranolol to stop the fast heart rate. Eventually built up to 100mg but still didn't solve the anxiety and restlessness that I had. Now I'm taking Amitriptyline 25mg twice a day and feel so much better. I don't feel as anxious during the day and at night when my anxiety gets worse, Amitriptyline helps me get a good night's sleep. I've noticed a big difference since being on Amitriptyline and with fewer side effects than Citalopram and Sertraline."

• Mau...
• June 5, 2015

"I have been on benzodiazepines for several years. Unfortunately, I had recently upped the dosage to 2 mg due to family stress and felt more depressed and panicking, craving for benzos. I then switched to amitriptyline, an unbelievable tiny dosage of 2 mg, 1 drop a day. I have been taking it for around 10 days before going to bed. It helped a lot, and I was able to discontinue benzos from day 1. When I actually took 4 mg of amitriptyline, 2 drops, I slept for 12 hours and woke up in the morning feeling new, with a clear mind, no more tortured by anxiety and panic attacks. I know this seems incredible at such a low dose. I'm just wondering if this has a scientific explanation because I'm sure it is not a placebo effect."

• Lyd...
• November 14, 2016

"This was a phenomenal find! I could not function in everyday tasks until beginning amitriptyline. I couldn't even try to upset myself or feel worried while on amitriptyline. I went from constant unknown fear and breathing difficulty to floating on a cloud without a fear in the world. The first few weeks had some challenging side effects. Blackouts, memory loss, numbness in face, lethargic, more sleepy than usual, dry mouth, and munchies. All those disappeared after a month or so. I did try to get off it to see how my anxiety could manage on its own. Withdrawals were pretty miserable. Two weeks of headaches, nausea, irritability, and dizziness. I did get back on it when anxiety came back full-blown. Slowly increased up to 75mg. Hope it works for you!"

• TCm...
• December 6, 2013

"I have been taking this for about 9 years. I suffered from work-related stress, depression, and anxiety. This was the only medicine that pulled me together. I still take it now. I have tried to come off it a few times, but the timing wasn't right. However, I don't care if I have to take it for life, I would rather that than the nightmare of anxiety and depression. I take 50mg per night but can take up to 150mg if it is hitting the fan, so to speak."

• ozz...
• August 11, 2016

"I'd had a bad experience trying an SSRI for anxiety (made me feel very ill!) so I tried 10mg of amitriptyline every night. I didn't think 10mg would do much for me but it's incredible how it's worked. It worked straight away in relaxing me and although groggy, I now have no anxiety! I feel like my old self again. The doctor said this isn't possible as it's not a high enough dose but it's worked for me so I'm going to carry on. I do wonder if all I needed was more sleep but whatever it is, it's worked for me. I do plan on increasing the dosage as recommended by my doctor but after 20mg I felt extremely tired so I think I tried it too soon. I've been on it just over a month now so maybe I'll try again now."

• Kat...
• March 15, 2018

"I have been suffering badly with anxiety, depression, and inability to stay asleep since having my baby 8 months ago. I'd also developed severe bruxism, aka teeth clenching, and was in constant facial pain all day and night! THIS DRUG SAVED MY LIFE! I take 25 mg every night before bed and haven't had any pain or sleeping troubles since. It's okay to get help and this drug is very helpful."

• 13c...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 29, 2017

Amitriptyline "Today I am on 100mg of Elavil and it is working quite well. Best of all, Elavil has the added bonus of curbing my neuropathy which had forced me to be on fentanyl for over 4 years. Been about eight years now and it is still doing a great job. I have been on just about every drug they have for panic and other than Prozac, this is one of the only drugs that has worked or worked without nasty side effects. Paxil worked but TOTALLY wiped out my sex drive and ability to perform. Zoloft did nothing at all good or bad. Alcohol was good at knocking down the panic attacks but the bad there was the attacks became more frequent. Imipramine only masked the symptoms causing some nasty muscle tension that led to migraines."

• Chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2017

"I have troubles with anxiety and insomnia for years. I've been on different types of medicine, and some of them helped, but I just went to my doctor on 8/15, and he put me on amitriptyline 50 mg. So I took that night, and I must say that's the best sleep I've had in a long time. I woke up feeling good, I had plenty of energy, and my mood was totally different. I have 28 employees, and sometimes it can be very stressful, but I went to work feeling great, and I've only taken 1 pill so far! I'm looking forward to a new me since ❤️"

• Shi...
• June 17, 2013

"I have never been able to take any kind of antidepressant comfortably. I was put on Elavil to start at 50mg; after three months, I was raised to 100mg, always taken at night of course. I was pretty depressed about several issues in my life, not the least of which was the fact that my father was dying. I also take meds for anxiety/panic disorder as well as pain. I was disabled before 1994 when I was hit by two cars, already disabled. This made the pain from fibromyalgia worse and messed up my spine and neck, etc. Now when I run out of the small amount of anti-anxiety medicines, I don't have a meltdown like before. I do get sleepy, miss the tail end of movies I want to see, and have dry mouth, yes, however the trade-off is worth it."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2015

"I've been taking this medication for about 6 months now to help treat my insomnia issues and my migraines, which have disabled me at 20 years old. It's helped a lot. I only take 10mg because I am sensitive to medication and have always been. Because it's a form of an antidepressant I was stressed to try it because Zoloft made me feel insane and I was afraid I'd react the same way to this. To my surprise, after going 6 years without any medication, this has worked really well. I have not experienced dizziness as with other meds. I do get slight dry mouth. If I wake up at night, it's short-lived, and I can go back to sleep easily. I don't feel 'doped' up when I wake up but am just able to fall asleep again. I would recommend this medication! Side effects: dry mouth."

• Hon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2022

"So, I am an individual who is afraid to try medications almost always. I read many of the reviews and decided I would wait to post my review and fill in the information I wish I had before starting. I have also been on an SSRI. This medication has saved my life! I have horrible anxiety, health anxiety, and panic attacks. I am on 25 mg taken nightly. First day I was groggy and weak. I almost felt heavy. By the fourth day, I felt less groggy, and by day seven, I felt off balance a little but the groggy feeling was bearable and decreased quite a bit. I have now been on 25 mg of amitriptyline for 4 weeks. I am not groggy during the day, all side effects are gone. I genuinely sleep amazingly, I get more than 6 hours of sleep a night. I don’t have any panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, or obsessive health anxiety thoughts. I’ve been able to go to the store, drive, and do all sorts of things on my own, and I haven’t had one single panic attack. I feel really good."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 1, 2022

"I suffered with depression and crippling anxiety since I was 23. For me, at that age, having 2-3 panic attacks a day was no joke. Thinking back now, I was basically on 'auto pilot' mode through university. I've tried everything from Prozac to NuZac to alprazolam, Zopax, diazepam, you name it. I just couldn't get past the fact that I should be on so many different pills just to get through a day 'normally.' One night, I asked my gran for something to sleep because I was just so damn tired of constantly fighting this condition. She gave me 25 mg. From one to two weeks, and like they say, the rest was history. I'm 31 now, I'm a mom, a successful accountant, and I just can't thank my gran enough. No more panic attacks, tight chest, sweaty hands, dizzy spells, hypochondria, or even depression. Yes, I've gained a few pounds because this medication tends to increase your appetite, but I honestly don't mind. Comparing the weight gain vs. crippling anxiety, I'll definitely choose this drug over and over!!"

• Eri...
• November 8, 2015

"Since my car accident a little over a year ago, I shattered my femur, had a compound fracture in my tib and fib, and had previous issues with my back - bad L4 and L5 herniations - and my S1 is also herniated, as my sacrum was fractured in the accident. It was a very traumatic accident. If you saw the pictures of my car, you would have a hard time believing anybody lived through it. So, I now have lots of hardware in my left leg and no idea what happened. I had my dogs in the car, and they didn't have a scratch. I've been through 3 surgeries and numerous hospital stays, and last weekend my 20-year-old boyfriend (was dating him) passed away. This medication has really helped me to be able to sleep through the night, including helping with pain, depression, anxiety, and grief."

• muz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 10, 2013

"Had panic and anxiety every day - was non-functional. Started taking this medicine 2 years ago and it saved me, gave me my life back. Now my doctor wants me to try to wean off to see how I do. I'm taking only 10 mg per day before bed, but even trying to cut it back slightly makes me feel jittery and slightly anxious. Am going to try to stay the course and see what happens. Perhaps it would be easier to just stay on the med, but I know long-term it's not good. So, we will see what happens."

• Soc...
• July 22, 2014

"Although I have gained 20 lbs on this medicine, I feel much better overall. I take 125mg at bedtime and haven't slept so well in 25 years. I started on a dosage of 25mg which did nothing, not even make me sleepy. I had immediate relief after the dosage was regulated. This, in conjunction with anti-anxiety medication, has helped tremendously. I just have to exercise daily and keep a watch over what I eat. But that is a small trade for the drastic change in my overall well-being and frame of mind."

• Fel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2024

"I started using amitriptyline a few weeks ago. Before, I had very bad anxiety and constantly got panic attacks. Migraines added to that. I recently broke up with my boyfriend, and my panic attacks had increased. I was depressed until my doctor prescribed that drug for me, and trust me, it has done wonders for me. I feel much better. I no longer get panic attacks, and I feel more energetic and vibrant than before. I don't think I'm ever getting off Amitriptyline. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me! I take 50mg at 8 pm every day."

• Lig...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 17, 2017

"As someone who has suffered horrendously crippling severe anxiety/depression for over 20 years. I tried every other depression & anxiety on the market before this. I wish I'd been given it years ago instead of the newer ones. Amitriptyline at a dose of 10mg at night has been a total godsend, & a lifesaver to me. Finally I can sleep at night & get a full night's sleep, able to switch off from excessive anxiety & worrying through the night. I do feel excessively tired the next day & would definitely struggle to work on these at the moment but that might be because I'm also on Naltrexone 50mg also at night, both known to cause tiredness when taken on their own, but finally I have some peace from severe anxiety & my mood has lifted even if by little."

• Bjs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2019

"I was prescribed amitriptyline 2 days ago for insomnia, night sweats, headache, anxiety, and depression. Thinking that the cause of my symptoms was due to anxiety during the night. My doctor started me on 75 mg at bedtime. After reading most of these reviews, most doctors start at 10 mg. I literally have been high as a kite for 2 days now. I am just glad I decided to try it over the weekend because there is absolutely no way that I can work, drive a car, or even communicate with another human being. My mouth is dry, I'm shaking, I'm paranoid, groggy, and just completely out of it. The only good thing I can say about this medication is that I slept through the night for the first time in 10 years. I would rather go without sleep than to feel this way ever again."

• x3m...
• December 9, 2013

"I was originally prescribed 25 mg per night when I was 13 to treat Chronic Headache Syndrome (CHS). It worked like a charm. My neurologist took me off it when I was 19 because people usually outgrow CHS by adulthood. As the medication left my system, I discovered I had an anxiety disorder I never knew I had because the amitriptyline had taken care of it! Now, I'm back on 25 mg and I couldn't be happier."

• Mis...
• June 15, 2015

"I have been on 25mg since a year and a half ago. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. I refused to take any medication, but it got so bad I had to do something. My PCP put me on Zoloft. That pill gave me such bad side effects I thought I was going to die. So, I went to a psychiatrist and she put me on Elavil. I was so nervous about starting a new medication, but I knew I had to try it. She prescribed 25 milligrams 3 times a day. I know my body and I knew that was a high dose for me, so I started with 25mg, and yes, it made me really, really tired. So, I took it at night and within 2 weeks I felt so much better. I still get tired, but it helps me sleep. I love this medication."

• Cou...
• December 16, 2020

"I was put on amitriptyline to help with my constant dizziness when everything else was ruled out to not be the problem, e.g., eyes and ears, tumors, etc. Although my neurologist said it would take about two months to take full effect, I am on the lowest dose, but I have taken 10 mg for about a week now, and I have not had any bad side effects at all. Usually, I am very sensitive to medications. I take this at night, and it has helped me sleep so much better; I do not wake up in the middle of the night anymore. My dizziness is gradually starting to mellow out, and I haven't been able to say that in over a year. I finally feel like there is hope for me to start feeling myself again. My doctor is going to gradually up the dose after three months, and I think this will completely rid me of my dizziness. My brain was in threat mode even when I felt like I didn't have anxiety, etc. I was diagnosed with chronic subjective dizziness/vertigo."

• 2 w...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2022

"Tried sertraline and escitalopram... Both almost made me suicidal, huge pupils, tremors, hallucinations, couldn't eat anything, always tired, depressed, out of my body, slow thinking, intrusive thoughts, and other really weird side effects. Now I'm trying amitriptyline for my anxiety of past memories, panic attacks, and insomnia. Right now it seems to work. I sleep, I can eat, I'm calmer before going to bed and hope that this may be my miracle drug, after 3 huge antidepressant fails in the past 6 weeks. I'm only on 10 mg right now, because I'm extremely sensitive to drugs. Will see in the future if this is the right one for me... I really hope so."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 24, 2020

"I was put on 50 mg of amitriptyline for chronic pain. I was so anxious because I hurt all the time. It has really helped. It also helped me to relax more, which made a big difference. My problem was when I needed a refill. My doctor took his time refilling it. Not having my medication for 2 weeks was the worst. I totally went crazy, mean not focused. Life seemed pointless. I didn’t know what or why this was happening. Found out never to stop taking this drug cold turkey. Back on it, feeling normal again. Will always make sure this never happens again."

• Hol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2025

"I’m only on night 4 of taking this at 10 mg for severe anxiety to the point of a nervous breakdown and having anxiety/panic all day long due to severe stress. The first 2 days I literally slept most of the day (but wasn’t anxious as I was so exhausted), and then today I got up, showered, washed my hair, got dressed, things I’ve been struggling with for a couple of weeks, and I have felt so awake today. I even cleaned the kitchen this evening! The anxiety is still there, but it’s dialed down slightly already. I’m feeling very hopeful that these are going to help my anxiety, which only Diazepam so far has been effective for, but obv doc won’t prescribe often, etc. After trying 4 SSRIs a few years ago with horrific side effects that I couldn’t get past, this has so far been a godsend! I haven’t had any side effects apart from the tiredness so far, which is unbelievable! I’ll review again after more time has passed, but I’m feeling positive so far on 10 mg."