# amitriptyline users please



## 23170

Hello, I want to ask only IBS sufferers who are taking or have stopped taking amitriptyline for their IBS. I have taken amitriptyline for 14 years and now have just stopped gradually myself which was advised sometime ago by my G.P. I have a new relationship in my life just two years old and my fiancee has been very supportive and helped me with my IBS. She lives in Turkey and myself in England she came to visit me last week and since then I stopped taking my amitriptyline because it really was at first I forgot because she was with me then I just stopped taking it. With this stopping I have woke every morning with stomach pains and diahorea I do get IBS-D alot anyway but the stomach pains are getting a problem. I read on the internet and the notes on amitriptyline that this will occur and is nothing to worry about as it is non adictive anti-depressant, I wanted to ask any other members here have they done the same and came off this medicine? please let me know your experiences while taking this medicine and coming off it thanks


----------



## 14989

I've been on Elavil for about 3 years now. I've never really had any side effects, but I've never attempted to come off it -- I have no reason to do so. I should mention, though, that the other day, I was only able to take half a dosage (couldn't get it filled) and I woke up with a severe fever. Coincidence? I don't know.


----------



## 20840

Just adding my 2 cents about Amitriptyline.It worked wonders for my IBS-D for a few weeks (when on a 10mg dosage), its effectiveness started to decrease so I had to up the dosage to around hte 20mg mark. This is when the side effects really started to come out for me, dizzyness, confusion, extremely tired. I stuck with the dosage for 4 weeks but they didn't go away.Been on Nortripyline 20mg for 3 weeks and its A LOT better as far as side effects go, not as effective with controlling the cramps/pain though, but I feel more confident with uping the dosage of it compared to Amiptriptyline.Nortriptyline is a 2nd gen Trycyclic as opposed to a 1st gen, I'd strongly advise that if anyone is having untollerable side effects with Amitriptyline to move over.


----------



## Jeffrey Roberts

I have used amitriptyline for sometime, although only in the last few months did I increase the dosage from 10mg. to 25 mg. to try and control my abdominal pain which has increased over the last year. The increase in medication, like _linds_ wrote, caused a great deal of side effects which I didn't experience at the 10 mg. level. However, after about 6-weeks my body adjusted. I also changed the time that I now take the medication. I now take it at dinner time vs. just before bed. At first I was sleepy in the evening, but adjusted to that over the 6-weeks. Taking it earlier has resulted in me being much more alert in the morning and during the day.When I've come off of amitriptyline before, it was pretty miserable. Nausea, hot flashes and insomnia were present for about 3 weeks, though I never had the pains that you are describing.I believe everybody feels quite differently from these type of drugs. It seems to be a very individual experience.Jeff


----------



## AJA

HelloI have been taking amitriptyline for my pain-predominant IBS for a few months now. I have been on 1.5 25mg tablets a day (total of 37.5mg daily). I was on 50mg daily but had to reduce the dose due to urinary retention (unable to wee properly). On the current dose I experience drowsiness and dizziness in the mornings which is noticeable but has decreased over time. I had tried all the SSRIs before I tried this drug but none of them were effective in decreasing my abdo pain. I do have an improvement in my abdo pain now, it is still bad but not as severe as it was before I started this drug.Amanda


----------



## MyOwnSavior

I was on Elavil for a bit, and noticed neither an improvement in my IBS symptoms nor any side effects when I stopped using. Unfortunately I can't be of much help, because honestly I don't even know how much I was taking (thanks to my GI doctor who loves to explain everything to me), although I do remember that I worked my way up to two pills per day at the height of my using it.


----------

