Nortriptyline and Constipation: What Users Say (Page 2)

• It...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 4, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "For 25 years, I suffered with migraines with aura, numbness in my hands, face, and nausea, etc. I tried everything the doctors suggested and avoided triggers. I haven't eaten chocolate in 32 years, never eat bananas, and I've never had red wine. In 1997, a neurologist prescribed 100 mg of Pamelor and 500 mg of Naproxen 2x a day. It completely changed my life. I now stay away from the obvious triggers and take 50 mg a night (75 during my periods) and 250 mg Naproxen. I get migraines about 5x a year now and use Imitrex then. I've taken it for 18 years and would like to wean off of it. I don't like the heart concerns associated with it, constipation, nor the weight gain. I exercise daily, maintain a 1200-cal diet, and still gain weight, 50 lbs in 18 years."

• Rkp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2019

Nortriptyline "I have plantar fasciitis, so to walk was killing me. I could barely walk. It sidelined 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 low ringing and the constipation over not enjoying life again."

• Che...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 25, 2024

For Depression "I was prescribed this for depression, IBS (diarrhea), insomnia, and bladder pain. This medication was amazing and helped with all of these at 25mg. For sleep, take 2 hours before bed. For IBS, it can be constipating, so you might need a gentle laxative (Movicol or psyllium husk). For bladder pain/urgency/frequency, it takes about a week to kick in. For depression, I reached good feelings after about 3 weeks. I had to come off it as it caused awful reflux/indigestion. I was gutted as it worked wonders for me. I tried PPIs to no avail."

• Anonymous
• April 7, 2009

For Neuralgia "I was given this medication for the diagnosis of Raeder's Paratrigeminal Neuralgia. Before I began this medication, I had severe migraine headaches daily, facial twitching and eye drooping, amnesia, and blurred vision to the point of not driving. After taking the medication for two weeks, all of my symptoms have ceased. Side effects have been small hives and constipation."

• Ree...
• August 6, 2015

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Doc prescribed this after I'd been having a lot of stomach cramps, followed by diarrhea after eating. I have mixed IBS and cycle between diarrhea and constipation. It worked, but the side effects were a bit much. It kept having mixed effects on my sleep. I either was wired all night or slept through my alarm. There didn't seem to be any buildup effect, if I missed a dose, I was screwed for the next two days. I also noticed a decrease in my sex drive, but my increase in episodes was definitely stress-induced, so who knows. Eventually, the constipation got to be too much. I will only take it if I'm having more diarrhea episodes. I'm still dealing with gas pain (which I think this medication may have helped with, not 100% sure) and constipation."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2022

For Migraine Prevention "My doctor started me on nortriptyline at 10 mg, 1 x day to take at night, to prevent migraines and help with insomnia. He said I can increase by 10 mg each week until a max of 50 mg daily. The first 2 weeks, my insomnia was worse. I slept 2 hrs a night. I took the pill earlier in the day. By week 4, I was taking it at 5 pm and finally got 6-7 hrs of sleep. The first month, I noticed that even though I was sleep deprived, I woke up with energy as if I slept 8 hrs. My mood was more consistent, I felt happier, and things that usually got a rise out of me didn't. I loved these changes. But I am weaning off of it after 3 months. I suffered from mild headaches almost daily and migraines every 2 months, but after starting this, I now have migraines bi-weekly, daily moderate headaches with blurry vision lasting hrs, and constipation is horrible! Side effects are worse than the positives."

• Sal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2020

For Depression "I’ve taken SSRIs for many years to control anxiety but got depression the past year after a few stressful events. My doctor couldn’t increase my SSRI anymore as I’m on the max dose, so she added nortriptyline, as apparently the combo is really good. I started on 20 mg but was still struggling with insomnia from my depression, so it was increased to 40 mg. It’s wonderful, and I no longer feel any depression. However, the side effects of TCAs are much more noticeable to me than SSRIs, which is really frustrating. I get constipated, dry mouth, bad sunburn, and sun sensitivity and cannot tolerate any more than two alcoholic drinks. It doesn’t make summer holidays very fun, lol. However, it does work very, very well. I’d say better than SSRIs. So I’m going to stay on it, but I do hope to come off it one day, unlike my SSRI (escitalopram), which I will happily stay on as I get no side effects."

• Flo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 29, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "I believe I suffered from vestibular migraines for many years. They seemed to be much worse after I had a run with Meniere's disease. After that, I spent several years just wanting to lie down in a dark room since I felt dizzy and brain-fogged most of the time. I was taking OTC painkillers daily to reduce the pain in my upper back and neck (back of head). My ENT referred me to a neurologist who immediately diagnosed vestibular migraines. He started me on 25 mg of nortriptyline. I had lots of side effects initially. So much so, I wanted to stop. I saw a YouTube video of someone like me that said to stick with the nortriptyline as it takes time to work. Eventually, the side effects waned except for the constipation and morning groggy feeling. After about a month, I started to notice some improvement. The neurologist then increased to 50 mg. Within another month, I got my life back. Every month just gets better and better. I have been at 50 mg for 7 months and still feel great."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 20, 2018

"I take nortriptyline for pain caused by damage to my brain stem and cranial nerves from a near drowning when I was 3 years old. I started taking this in 2009. For the first few years, it was a wonder drug. I was taking 100 mg per day. Slowly, I began to have side effects. It was the stomach discomfort and constipation that were not letting me eat very much that really got to me. In 2017, I stopped taking the drug. The side effects stopped immediately. Then, 3 months later, when the drug completely emptied out of my brain, the pain was beyond anything livable. I started taking it again. I got the bad side effects right away. To make this story short, I did find the problem. It's grains. When I stopped eating grains completely, all side effects went away. Also, now 50 mg works for me as well as 100 used to. Maybe this drug reacted badly with 'lectins.' Anyway, I'm much better now."

• Non...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 12, 2021

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "Nortriptyline stopped my IBS-D and associated anxiety with bad flare-ups. Added bonus in helping me deal with anxiety and depressive symptoms the IBS and pandemic were causing. Can cause constipation if I don’t watch my diet and drink plenty of water."

• bun...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 23, 2021

For Pain "Nortriptyline is not for me! I take it for both cervical radiculopathy and sciatica. Although it helps with some of the pain, for such a low dose of 20 mg, I have so many side effects! Ever since I've been on it, I've been having severe mood shifts between anxiety and depression, uncontrollable panic attacks, insomnia, nightmares, a very dry mouth with excessive thirst, dizziness, nausea, and constipation. I can't get off of it because I'll be in unbearable, screaming pain without it. I let my doctor know that this was happening, and she didn't believe the nortriptyline was causing my mood problems. Someone else told me to wait out the side effects for a couple of months, and it will get better, but it only got worse. Gabapentin made me gain too much weight, causing the sciatica and causing mood problems, so I don't want to get back on that. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place because I've talked to about seven doctors, and no one seems to know what to do."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2021

For Vulvodynia "Took the pain away immediately after suffering for years of undiagnosed vulvodynia. Side effects: awful, dizzy, nausea, constipation. Past after a week. However, started to get depressed and anxious. Was feeling suicidal. My heart rate elevated. Had to come off, pain returned, but moods improved."

• rac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2023

For Pain "This is not the first time I have taken nortriptyline, but it is the first time I have experienced side effects. I have been on a low dose multiple times in the last decade, for anywhere from 6 months to a year at a time to manage IBS and also nerve pain. I do get migraines, but nortriptyline does not help with that for me. I re-started it again 2 days ago for a pinched nerve and IBS and just wrote an email to my doctor because so far I have experienced the following (in 2 days!!!) severe migraine, rash on both sides of my face, rash on my chest, constipation, and yes, it has gotten rid of my nerve pain like it always does. The side effects are so severe this time, though, that I am not going forward with this treatment."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 28, 2013

Nortriptyline for Migraine Prevention "I took this medicine for migraine and nerve pain. I had to stop taking because it caused very bad cotton mouth and constipation."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Dry mouth, constipation, foul taste in mouth."

• pon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 1, 2018

For Neuralgia "It dulled my pain, but caused erectile dysfunction and constipation. I'm not taking it anymore."

• Slp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2021

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "After years of suffering, this med has given me relief. It improved IBS, but I need to drink an adequate amount of water or have constipation."