# amitriptyline effacacy decreasing?



## living in fear (Sep 28, 2010)

I have suffered with ibs as long as I can remember-always severe. My stomach cramps so much I vomit. I can easily make 30 trips to the bathroom every day. I've seen countless Dr.s and had every test, they all say Ibs. I recently thought my prayers were answered when I began 25mg of amitriptyline at bedtime. It worked like a dream for just about 2 months. I almost cried every day when I had NO symptoms. I have never felt so good. Yes, I got sleepy from it but I didn't care if I had every side effect known to man, it would be worth it to feel like this. But in the past week, it seems to be slowly losing its desired effect. Today was particularly bad, hours in the bathroom going, then vomiting with cramps. Had anyone else had to up their doses? My dr said I could. I just don't want to have to up it every couple of months. It was the best 2 months of my life, I can't remember the last time I felt so good and cramp-free. I am desperate to feel that way again!


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## IBSD88 (Mar 23, 2009)

two things to say, though Amitriptyline may help a lot its not a wonder pill so you will still get good times and bad times.I take 60mg at the moment an will be going up to 75mg when i get to the pharmacy eventually.I dot hink the effectiveness wears off and the dose needs to get increased but wont beable to keep increasing it forever. I am most likely coming up for 2 years on thi now and it really does help, I have tried a few different ways to increase effectiveness and the way I finbd helps best is taking the tablets 3 times a day, I done better on 3x 10mg than I did on 50mg but I am a lot better stil on 3x20mg, hoping that 3x 25mg will be that littlepush extra to make things go smothly.Sad to say some of my other long term symptoms are getting worse quickly and starting to worry there may be a link between those symptoms getting worse and increased doses of Amitriptyline, if thats the caase I may not be able to sustain the required doses I now need.


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

I was on nortriptyline, a related drug, and the D was better while I was on it. Boy, when I came off! The last year was horrible! But I don't want to go back on it (was on it for migraines). You're right, you have to keep upping the dose to keep the desired effect and then you top out on dosage but the D doesn't, it keeps getting worse. *#%%, you have to manage the symptoms. Is this the way? Wish I knew. If only dr's had ibs, then we'd get some research.


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## crstar (Jun 29, 2009)

amitriptyline, was originally given for heart problems............this is why it makes u tired............& the fact that when u take pharmaceuticals to do whatever u r taking it for & u have to keep increasing the amount to get the same results, is cause drugs work by changing biology or hormones...........when u do this, the body is always trying to right things, hence having to take more............all drugs work against nature, not with it..............this is 1 reason vitamins & herbs work so much better on the body, they work with the body functions.............u need to remember all pharmaceuticals treat on symptoms & do not address the real issues...........if u can look into the way that "normal" digestion is suppose to work, then apply what u find out to ur own body, then u can begin to find out how u can help urself...........the r very few drugs that cure anything............if they did the drug companies would go broke, it's not in the interest to cure anyone................they r just legalized pushers..........& even the ones that cure things, cause many other things to come about from taking the drug in the 1st place............look at how antibiotics kill the bacteria in the gut that keep us healthy............well when u mess with mother nature, she makes u pay.............if u have an infection & keep getting sicker, u need to look to ur immune system, cause it was designed to fight off foreign invaders..........if it's not doing that, then u have real problems...........something that sedates the heart is not a good way to go.............i know desperation can drive u to do things that is not good for u..........but beware, in someway & sometime u will have to pay the piper..............


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## nrep (Jun 19, 2007)

crstar said:


> amitriptyline, was originally given for heart problems............this is why it makes u tired............& the fact that when u take pharmaceuticals to do whatever u r taking it for & u have to keep increasing the amount to get the same results, is cause drugs work by changing biology or hormones...........when u do this, the body is always trying to right things, hence having to take more............all drugs work against nature, not with it..............this is 1 reason vitamins & herbs work so much better on the body, they work with the body functions.............u need to remember all pharmaceuticals treat on symptoms & do not address the real issues...........if u can look into the way that "normal" digestion is suppose to work, then apply what u find out to ur own body, then u can begin to find out how u can help urself...........the r very few drugs that cure anything............if they did the drug companies would go broke, it's not in the interest to cure anyone................they r just legalized pushers..........& even the ones that cure things, cause many other things to come about from taking the drug in the 1st place............look at how antibiotics kill the bacteria in the gut that keep us healthy............well when u mess with mother nature, she makes u pay.............if u have an infection & keep getting sicker, u need to look to ur immune system, cause it was designed to fight off foreign invaders..........if it's not doing that, then u have real problems...........something that sedates the heart is not a good way to go.............i know desperation can drive u to do things that is not good for u..........but beware, in someway & sometime u will have to pay the piper..............


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## nrep (Jun 19, 2007)

I'm so happy for you that it worked that well for 2 months. I was on Amitriptaline for about 3 months. It worked somewhat well for about a month and then stopped working for me too. I then stopped it for a little while and restarted it, and it worked the same way again. It wasn't enough of an improvement for me (and I suffered an insane and insatiable appetite while on it which after I ate, made my tum worse), however if it worked for me the way you say it has worked for you, then I would consider going on it again.I might suggest getting off of it for a few weeks (if you can bare it, a month) and then restart it to see if it again will have that wonderful life saving effect.Much luck to you!


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## lurch (Oct 4, 2010)

I was on it for almost 20 years and it changed my life for the better, though wait gain was a long term side affect. I started taking 25mg and weaned off it after taking 100mg for the last 6 years ... now on lotranex for the last 2 months which is working great


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## TVgirl (Sep 16, 2009)

I am wondering....and am just putting the question out there.....could it be possible that when you feel better on the medication and people say then all of a sudden it stops....that maybe it is because your diet and lifestyle changes because you feel you can get away with unhealthier foods or trigger foods and then all of a sudden you start getting sick again ????


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## Siea (Jun 21, 2010)

Same experience here.First I took 10mg. Did not work at all.Then I started 20-25 mg and it worked like a charm for like a month before it started getting worse.I tried 35 mg but it was not improvement and I decided to stop.I did not enjoy the sleepyness and being awake and clear in mind is a huge part of my life. I enjoy being alert more than being able to go out....Anyway I could not increase the dose more and more for each month.Also when I quit amitrypaline I noticed an improvement in ym bowels. It became more regular to after a meal and not all random which the drug was causing...I do not believe the fail of the med is because of diet change, because I dd not do much of a change.


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## Gill58 (Sep 19, 2006)

living in fear said:


> I have suffered with ibs as long as I can remember-always severe. My stomach cramps so much I vomit. I can easily make 30 trips to the bathroom every day. I've seen countless Dr.s and had every test, they all say Ibs. I recently thought my prayers were answered when I began 25mg of amitriptyline at bedtime. It worked like a dream for just about 2 months. I almost cried every day when I had NO symptoms. I have never felt so good. Yes, I got sleepy from it but I didn't care if I had every side effect known to man, it would be worth it to feel like this. But in the past week, it seems to be slowly losing its desired effect. Today was particularly bad, hours in the bathroom going, then vomiting with cramps. Had anyone else had to up their doses? My dr said I could. I just don't want to have to up it every couple of months. It was the best 2 months of my life, I can't remember the last time I felt so good and cramp-free. I am desperate to feel that way again!


I took a 25mg tablet of amitryptaline at night for several years and it really didn't do a lot for my IBS(D), which I have had for 40 years. Then my new consultant changed my prescription to the liquid drops version of amitryptaline and the difference was amazing. I take 3 drops morning and at lunchtime and 5 drops at night. I worked out that I am now in fact taking less of the drug per day, but it is spread over the whole of the day. Can you get the tablets changed for liquid in your area and maybe give it a try? I live in France so am not sure what would be available in your country. I also don't get the "woosh" of heat and sweating that I got when on the tablets, which is a huge bonus! (It wasn't due to the menopause!!)I hope you find your solution as this illness is so dreadful to cope with.


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

I take amitryptaline, 20mg a day. Have taken it for almost a year now daily at that dose. As soon as I attempt to drop down to 10mg I am back to square 1 with diarrhoea again. I also have to take loperamide daily. My doc says it's fine but I do worry about it as I don't like to take medicine but I have to remember that if I don't then I just get my symptoms back again. I haven't found it stops working with 'long term' use but perhaps I will. I tried imipramine before that and that seemed to stop working and I had to take more and more so we all have different reactions to drugs it seems.


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

I take amitryptaline, 20mg a day. Have taken it for almost a year now daily at that dose. As soon as I attempt to drop down to 10mg I am back to square 1 with diarrhoea again. I also have to take loperamide daily. My doc says it's fine but I do worry about it as I don't like to take medicine but I have to remember that if I don't then I just get my symptoms back again. I haven't found it stops working with 'long term' use but perhaps I will. I tried imipramine before that and that seemed to stop working and I had to take more and more so we all have different reactions to drugs it seems.


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