Amitriptyline and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Mr ...
• March 21, 2014

Amitriptyline for Insomnia "I took Endep 25 for headaches. I felt drowsy even the next day, so I went to Endep 10. I need to take it about 2 hours before sleep. Side effect - ear noise, which has been going on for over 1 week now after 1 tablet. I'm going to stop it for a while due to the side effect."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2011

For Insomnia "I have been on this for 6 weeks. The first 4 weeks 25mgs at night and now the next two weeks 50 mgs at night. I have multiple herniated and torn discs from an accident and could not sleep. I have tried many other sleeping aids (Ambien, etc.) and none of them are even close. This medicine is amazing. I sleep through the night now (6-9 hrs) amazing. Once in a while a little groggy in the morning for about 20 minutes but that's it. Unbelievable. In a league of its own for sleep."

• Smo...
• May 9, 2017

For Migraine Prevention "I have had insomnia, anxiety, and migraines since I was 7 years old (I'm 47). I've been taking 10 mg every night for the past 7 months to prevent migraines, and it has helped immensely. Migraines have virtually stopped (previously, migraines were almost daily). Insomnia has gone - this was an unexpected positive side effect. Anxiety seems to have improved, but this could be because of not being in pain and sleeping well. I don't seem to be suffering from any side effects, and I'm usually very sensitive to medication. Perhaps a little groggy in the morning like a normal person - coffee fixes it."

• Tam...
• October 29, 2018

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I have been taking this medicine for the past 8 years for IBS, and it has been an absolute lifesaver. My IBS became severely worse after giving birth to my youngest daughter, and after being in and out of the ER every other day, it is the only thing that helps me. It does make me drowsy in the morning, but being drowsy sure beats waking up in pain every morning. I do not take it every day, I would say I take it every other day or every third day, but if I do not take it, I become very sick. I would say that anyone suffering from severe IBS or gastroparesis should definitely give this a try. It has been a miracle worker for me."

• KMM...
• January 28, 2010

For Migraine Prevention "I have had increasing migraines for several years now, usually triggered by stress or light. Two years ago, I started amitriptyline. I am now at 50mg once daily at night and have many fewer migraines. I used to be drowsy in the morning. Now I take it about 2 hours before bedtime and am not drowsy in the morning. I hope this helps someone."

• car...
• October 13, 2016

For Insomnia "I had horrible insomnia for about a year and tried a number of pills, but none of them seemed to work. My doctor prescribed me 25 mg amitriptyline, but it took about 3-4 weeks to actually kick in. I take it about an hour or two before bed, and it has helped me fall asleep and stay asleep. It's important to try and get 8 hours of sleep on it though, because it can make you feel groggy. I'm glad that I have finally found a medicine that has regulated my sleep schedule."

• MDc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2019

For Insomnia "Have battled insomnia for at least 10 years on my own. I can usually fall asleep but can't stay asleep. Wake up at least 3 times a night. I caved and went to the doctor for a sleep aid. Since I also deal with fibromyalgia and am currently under a lot of stress, she prescribed 25 mg of amitriptyline. Should have known it was a bad idea. I've failed with 5 antidepressants. Had super restless sleep until 3 a.m., waking every hour and hungry. Then slept so hard, I was late to a 9 a.m. appointment. By noon, still so groggy that I shouldn't have been driving. I was also in a bad mood and depressed. Based on all of the positive reviews for this drug, I tried cutting a pill in half the next night (12.5 mg). Today, really pissy and depressed, can't get anything done. There's a warning in the literature: If amitriptyline makes you depressed or angry, stop it. I'm definitely stopping! I'll take insomnia and fibro pain any day of the week."

• moo...
• December 12, 2009

Amitriptyline for Pain "After a car accident a year ago and having horrible life-disrupting headaches every day, I finally got prescribed Elavil at 25mg once before bed. It has improved most of my headaches, and I sleep like a champ... all the time! The only downfalls are I sleep more now than ever, and I have gained 15 lbs. I almost think I'd rather have headaches than gain this weight."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 4, 2017

For Pain "Upped dose from 5 mg to 10 mg and again was scared. Still no signs of pain relief, but it has only been about 6 days since starting. As for side effects - a bit of a dry mouth and slight grogginess for an hour. Nothing that I can't deal with. The dry mouth only lasts for ten minutes. Not sure what if I will have to increase dose, but so far, so good."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 2, 2017

For Pain "I started taking 10 mg of amitriptyline in December of 2015 when I was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. It takes away the constant sharp burning pain I was having along with the constant urge to urinate. Once in a while, I will have a flare-up of symptoms, but even then, my pain is very minimal. The only side effects I've noticed are that it makes me drowsy in the first few hours of taking my dose. The first month or two of taking it, I would experience extremely vivid nightmares, but those have subsided to simply being vivid dreams some of the time. I've also noticed that if I forget to take it one night, I have difficulty falling asleep and some anxiety similar to the feeling of drinking a little too much coffee, which is tolerable."

• Slo...
• December 8, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Took this for IBS-C for about 2 months, 10 mg. Worked great for pain, even a bit for my anxiety. Unfortunately, it gave me hard stools, which was already a problem. Took more Miralax, and it helped with that. Still made me drowsy after a month. I suggest taking it early in the evening so you don't feel groggy in the morning."

• Slo...
• December 8, 2016

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Took this for IBS-C for about 2 months, 10 mg. Worked great for pain, even a bit for my anxiety. Unfortunately, it gave me hard stools, which was already a problem. Took more Miralax, and it helped with that. Still made me drowsy after a month. I suggest taking it early in the evening so you don't feel groggy in the morning."

• Eug...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 25, 2016

For Insomnia "I have had sleep issues for a long time. Strong sleep medicines left me groggy and really out of it. This year, when anxiety issues caused some serious sleep problems, my doctor prescribed 25 mg of amitriptyline, and my pharmacist said to start with 10 mg the first couple of nights. It has worked well, returned me to my normal sleep patterns, and now I occasionally take 5 mg if I have had a difficult or emotion-laden day. Works very well for me."

• Ins...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 8, 2016

For Insomnia "I have been on 20 mg amitriptyline for some years now due to really bad insomnia. I don't really know if it works, as some nights I sleep okay and others hardly at all. However, I have never felt groggy in the morning nor had a dry mouth (unlike when I have taken zopiclone and other sleeping pills). This week, for example, has been awful. Every night, I hardly slept a wink. So, I went to the doctor yesterday, and he said to increase the dosage up to 50 mg. I took 40 mg last night and will see how that goes. Insomnia is just the worst thing ever, I really envy those people who can sleep on a washing line!"

• but...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 10, 2022

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I am not new to this drug, I have been taking it since about 2017, when I first got diagnosed with IBS. I had suffered for a whole year before my GI prescribed this. I didn't want to try it, but after a bad episode, I finally decided to take it. At first, I was drowsy and had a dry mouth the first few nights, but after that, I was fine, and the results were so worth it. I could finally EAT! I could enjoy the things I had given up for so long because of this horrible disease. Before this, I could barely eat anything without having diarrhea and feeling sick all day! Well, I got pregnant in 2022, and my doctor told me I had to get off, and I was devastated, but during my pregnancy, I didn't have too many IBS symptoms. After I had the baby, all my symptoms came back! I had lost so much weight after the baby because I was also sick. My doctor wanted me to try Zofran, but I told her I wanted to try getting back on my amitriptyline first, and this helped so fast, I can now enjoy my baby! Please try it!"

• Deb...
• November 23, 2012

For Migraine Prevention "I'm 43 and have had migraines since I was 23. I've tried everything, even preventatives (Topamax - hated it), and finally found Frova to be really effective. Then I recently got one migraine that Frova couldn't keep away for more than 12 hours. After 8 weeks of undulating pain, I tried amitriptyline, and my migraine finally disappeared after only 2 days. I was also able to get a full night's sleep. Been on 10 mg for two weeks now and feel almost back to my normal self again. The drowsiness subsided after about a week. I will occasionally get the sensation that I'm getting a migraine, but it dissipates quickly. No issues with weight gain yet - I actually lost about 10 pounds, but it could be because I've been doing more sleeping than eating lately."

• Phi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2013

For Insomnia "I have been on amitriptyline HCL 25 mg at bedtime for less than one week and wake up groggy for about 20 minutes. I fall asleep but will wake up at least twice during the night, but I will fall back to sleep. And talk about the vivid and wild dreams, which I have never experienced before! I think I am very sensitive to this type of medicine."

• Hel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2022

For Anxiety and Stress "I'm on amitriptyline for a few different conditions combined, primarily for anxiety and depression, but it also helps with migraines and chronic pain, all of which I have. The reviews that say it takes a while to work, i.e., a few weeks to a month, kept me hopeful, and I have taken it religiously around the same time every night. My anxiety has definitely improved, I feel like this must be what normal people feel like on a day-to-day basis. I used to suffer from tightening in the chest/chest pain almost constantly, racing thoughts, and a lot of other unpleasant anxiety symptoms, and now I notice a HUGE difference, especially in that tight/painful chest feeling from my anxiety, it's just gone. I also no longer have any thoughts about ending things, which I was feeling previously. My pain has improved as well. The only side effect I am not very fond of is the drowsiness, but I am willing to deal with it for the huge reduction in anxiety I feel."

• Aty...
• January 4, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "After many wrong diagnoses and many RXs that did not solve the problem, I was finally diagnosed with atypical migraines at 24 years old and given this medication to take daily. It solved the problem almost immediately. I was having daily migraines before I took it for about 2 months and didn't have a single one while on it. I then decided to go off of it, and to my surprise, I was mostly migraine-free for about 6 months after (aside from that time of the month). Then, stress peaked and I found myself with almost daily migraines again. So, I've started taking it again. Because I take it at night to avoid daytime drowsiness, it is harder to wake up in the morning. I don't feel any difference in my mood. But I am pain-free, hurray."

• Jen...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 21, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I started amitriptyline for fibromyalgia, with hopes that it would also help with depression and anxiety. My max dose so far is 40 mgs at bedtime. Initially, it was extremely sedating, but less so as time went on, and when I started taking Wellbutrin for fatigue, I had no residual sedation or daytime sleepiness at all. Amitriptyline was a lifesaver for me in regards to pain relief. As for depression and anxiety, it wasn't helpful until I combined it with Wellbutrin. I would highly recommend the combo for fibro fog, fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression. It's like taking an SNRI without the side effects! I increase by 10 mgs as needed when my pain begins breaking through. I also found if I'm really stressed or anxious during the day and take 10 mgs, it is very calming."

• Jen...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 21, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I started amitriptyline for fibromyalgia, with hopes that it would also help with depression and anxiety. My max dose so far is 40 mgs at bedtime. Initially, it was extremely sedating, but less so as time went on, and when I started taking Wellbutrin for fatigue, I had no residual sedation or daytime sleepiness at all. Amitriptyline was a lifesaver for me in regards to pain relief. As for depression and anxiety, it wasn't helpful until I combined it with Wellbutrin. I would highly recommend the combo for fibro fog, fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression. It's like taking an SNRI without the side effects! I increase by 10 mgs as needed when my pain begins breaking through. I also found if I'm really stressed or anxious during the day and take 10 mgs, it is very calming."

• Mon...
• May 10, 2016

For Insomnia "I was given 10 mg a night of amitriptyline for insomnia. I slept all night but was very dopey the next day, so now I take half (5 mg). I'm still a bit slow in the morning but am sleeping well. I just have a dry mouth the next morning. Not much of a price to pay."

• Anonymous
• September 30, 2017

For Chronic Myofascial Pain "I take amitriptyline with carbamazepine. I was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia type 2. I take amitriptyline 10-30 mg in the evening, and it's the only thing that has relieved me of the shocking pain I feel at the end of my jaw. At first, I felt immense drowsiness, but as my body got used to the drug, that side effect went away. The pain is gone now, I am able to eat, drink, and shower without the pain. It's been great. I don't have any side effects."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2016

For Pain "I am currently 16 years old and have chronic nerve pain in my left arm. It has been 2 years so far. The doctors did basically nothing until now because my insurance (state insurance) was having them go through all kinds of hoops. Finally, I was sent to pain management in the recent month, and from there I was prescribed amitriptyline HCl. I've found so far, after taking this medication for almost a week, 10 mg 30 minutes before I go to bed, that I've been having intense headaches, but only on the right side of my brain, along with sinus pressure and extreme drowsiness. I literally have slept an entire 19 hours! Normally, I only sleep from 10 pm to 6 am, so sleeping this long is insane. So far, it hasn't helped with my pain either... :("

• ACa...
• June 23, 2019

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I have had stomach pain for about 10 years now. I always thought it was because I was lactose intolerant, but I finally went to a gastroenterologist, and he ran some tests and put me on Bentyl, Gaviscon, etc. None of it helped. The nausea and bile reflux came and went for about 3 years until it spiked when I started college. I went back to the GI doc, and he put me on a low dose of Elavil. At first, I had to be careful when I took it because my body isn’t used to medications that make me sleepy, so it would really put me out. But after a while, it made me feel so much better, and after all of my months on it, I think I only woke up in the middle of the night from pain once. Now, with that is also a problem because it is really hard for me to wake up in the morning. So the pros are that it definitely helps me sleep through the night and it stops the anxiety of throwing up/being nauseous. But the cons are that it makes you so sleepy and occasionally gave me the worst mood swings ever."