# Elavil?



## Guest (Jul 23, 1999)

Moldie, need your advice--I am about to give up on ever sleeping again. I am able to fall asleep, it's just the constant waking up. I have told ya'll that I found a melatonin/valerian root mix that seemed to help but I'm afraid it is losing its effect on me. Even when it was working (and i say that loosely), I was waking up once a night but still hurt every morning, so I am wondering if I was even getting into stage 4 sleep. isn't there a site that tells what prescriptions interrupt stage 4 sleep? If I remember right, the tryciclics didn't interrupt, am I right? I have read so much about elavil and that is one I never did try way back when before I was even diagnosed. My doc and I were trying to find something to help me sleep but most everything made me so groggy the next morning so I never even tried longer than 3 or 4 days. The only thing that concerns me is I have heard there is weight gain involved with Elavil. Moldie or anyone, can you help me? Is the Elavil a good choice? I just have to do something to get some sleep. Thanks, Lynne


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## Guest (Jul 23, 1999)

Just to update, Iwent to the doctor this morning--I was so lucky to get in quick! She gave a low dosage (10 mg) of Elavil and wants me to try it for 3 weeks and go back to see her. When I was there in May for my hips, foot and diverticulitis, she informed me that I had a heart murmer. I asked about it again today and asked about the MVP and she classified my murmer as a 2 on the scale which is low but for safety sakes, she wants me to have the ultrasound done of my heart. I have that appt next week. She wants to rule out MVP (hopefully) just in case for dental purposes. I have for the longest time, when I go to bed, felt my heart was going to beat out of my chest, but not becuase of racing, but just annoying hard heartbeats! Does that make sense? Sometimes, you can feel so looney describing your symptoms, but luckily my doctor listens and understands. So I should get my results and the ultrasound and see how the elavil is working by 3 weeks. Thanks for listening--Lynne


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Hi Lynne, I don't know if I can be of anymore help as what worked for me, did not for you. I was going to suggest taking a couple of Kava Kava an hour before bedtime, as that seems to work for me too. The Elavil did not seem to help me, but then maybe that means it will help you. I know it has helped some. Elavil (Amitriptyline hydrochloride) is considered "a Tricyclic antidepressant which has been used sucessfully to treat chronic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia," according to my old Nursing Handbook: "It is thought to increase the amount of norepinephrine or serotonin, or both, in the central nervous system by blocking their reuptake by the presynaptic neurons. This action allows these neurotransmitters to accumulate." As far as interrupting stage 4 sleep , I am not sure about that. There must be a med site somewhere that tells about this. Perhaps you could ask Charlie on the IBS board about this, as he seems to come up with some good net info. Perhaps Med-help.com or Medhelp.org would have it. Good luck on your ultrasound. It seems a lot of us have sluggish heart valves. I get that "skipped beat or flutter" that causes me to cough as if to get it back on track or breathe normal. I also get the feeling of it slowing down, as well as a little racing once in awhile. It doesn't happen alot or for very long, so I'm not worried about it.I had the echocardiogram which showed some mitral a tricuspid valve insufficiency, but no doctor has ever talked to me about it, as I guess they think it's incidental, and a number of people have this and get along fine with it so I'm told from others.Good luck with your Elavil trial. It doesn't hurt to read up on it's side-effects and interactions with other drugs. It's best to be an informed consumer so you can make choices about your health as you seem to be already doing. In the end, you have to decide what is worth the risk, especially if you find it impossible to function the way you are. ------------------[This message has been edited by moldie (edited 07-23-99).]


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## Guest (Jul 24, 1999)

Thanks, Moldie for your reply--i'm rather anxious to try the elavil tonite--I seem to remember trying the Kava Kava at night a long long time ago and it didn't work either. But thanks for the advice--I'll keep you posted on the Elavil--


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## Guest (Jul 28, 1999)

I have a 5 day updated report--I took my first elavil friday night and saturday morning was pretty groggy but through the day, my pain was not as intense and grogginess went away after lunch--took one saturday night and was an absolute zombie sunday morning until a nap and after lunch, i was a pretty decent person! Not as much pain again and made it without a nap. Sunday night comes and Monday, I was much better with no morning grogginess and less pain and happy and pulling tricks on my kids. It was nice to be back at least a little bit, ya know? Today finds me with no morning grogginess again and little pain and happy still. Maybe this will continue to help for awhile. I am enjoying the upbeat of it all. I am still waking up a couple of times at night but i guess i am resting better. I know I feel better waking up and can get on my treadmill a little easier! I will keep ya'll updated! Thanks for listening, Lynne P.S. My own pharmacist's wife has fibromyalgia and she is taking 25mg elavil and still even taking her melatonin at night. That surprised me so I am still taking mine as well.


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Glad to hear you met with some success LS!------------------


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## Guest (Aug 8, 1999)

Hi, LSynatschk, How is it going with your Elavil? I take nortriptyline( which is another tricyclic) for sleeping also. I've been taking it for about 3 years now. I had been waking up every two hours or so for about 8 years. (It started when my kids were babies and needed to be feed.) I noticed an improvement in about 3 weeks. I was sleeping longer and my achy hands and feet (fibro) felt better, as did my gut(ibs). At the time I didn't realize that a side effect was weight gain. I gained 20 pounds before I knew what hit me. I craved sugar (another side effect) and couldn't stay away from cookies. I didn't want to stop taking the medicine because I otherwise felt so much better. The only side effect that I still have is dry mouth which I put up with because I like to sleep at night!!


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## Guest (Aug 8, 1999)

Eskie, my newest update on elavil is that for the first week and a half, it was going better but for the last few days, my fatigue and aches have been bad but today is wonderful, best it has been in a long time--i only woke up once last night and must have rested well cause even my fatigue is gone today--wish all days could be like this, ya know? i will keep pluggin' away though and see what happens Lynne


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

I just read about your camping trip going so well. I'm glad. I was worried about that erie spell that happened in the store. Did you feel at all like you were going to black-out when this happened? I get this along with a kind-of rush of blood going to my head when I stand up too quickly, especially after a crouching position. Glad you are doing well on the elavil now though, Lynne.------------------


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## Guest (Aug 8, 1999)

I have been trying to figure out something--I keep hearing that elavil causes weight gain--my pharmacist says at 10 mg, that should not happen. I have read over and over about girls gaining weight with elavil. My question is, is it something in the pill that causes weight gain or is it that the elavil causes a sweet tooth and you eat the pounds on? Does that make sense? I walk nearly everyday and watch what I eat. I haven't noticed a bad sweet tooth (nothing more than usual, he he he). Does someone have an answer? Thanks a mint! Lynne


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Another book I have ("The Pill Book-Guide to Safe Drug Use") it says a side-affect is in-creased appetite. Maybe if you don't feel you are eating anymore now than you did before and keep the exercise up, you will not be one of those who will gain more weight with it. ------------------


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## Guest (Aug 9, 1999)

Moldie, what would we do without you?!?!? Thank you so much for your quick reply--BTW, I have had no more incidents on the elavil. I have had the best last two days, still pain, but not as bad and feel more rested. I just hope and pray i do not have another incident. I definately do not plan on getting up too quick from a sitting position again, however!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH! Lynne


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