# Any thoughts on Elavil



## Guest (Aug 6, 2000)

Hi all,Well I have weened off the Elavil at night to give myself a break--I have been on it about 2-3 years now.I'll let you allknow if I see a drastic difference.How is everyone doing? I have read your posts and hope to chat with you tom. night.What are some of your experiences with the drug Elavil for sleep? I would appreciate any suggestions.Sea


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## Guest (Aug 6, 2000)

Sea, I was on 10 mg elavil for nearly a year and it worked well for awhile but quit working. I knew I probably needed to up my dose but then really didn't want to do that. I was afraid of all the hype of carbo cravings and gaining weight with it so I went cold turkey and I did notice a difference in pain level. That was a few months ago. I'm okay now with this new antibiotic protocol I'm on but yes, the elavil did work for awhile. Lynne


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2000)

What a strange coincidence that you would pose this question, it has been on my mind for days to post on the same topic. I have been taking elivil since 1993, I started out at 10mg and gradually moved up to 50mg. The difference it made in my life was incredible. The doctor said addiction wasn't a concern since I would be taking it for the rest of my life. First it destroyed my teeth, but that was a small price to pay for the relief it gave me, but over the past 2 years it has worked less and less, even with increases I don't get the same relief,now it irratates my stomach constantly, the gnawing feeling is constant, it often wakes me up at night, I can't even see and barely stand but I know I have to eat before I can sleep again, that feeling stays with me all day, and I have to snack constantly to keep it at bay. I put on thirty pounds, if I miss a pill I start going through withdrawl within 12 hours of the missed dose not to mention the pain, it takes only hours of a missed dose for the full effect of the FM to hit me, within 24hours I need help to walk & dress, even help to get to the bathroom. I knew I needed to get off it, I couldn't stand the stomach problems it was causing. So I tried cutting back, a bit at a time. By the time I got down to half a pill, I was so depressed I wanted to kill myself, thats when I realized how much this drug had altered my mind, as soon as I realized the drug (or lack of it) was responsible for the way I was feeling I went back to the full dose, in 24 hours I felt better. Now I know why it says, "Don't stop taking this drug without the assistance of your doctor". So I have an appointment to see him on Tuesday, I'm going to tell him everything I wrote here, I want off the elivil but I need his help to do it. And since it does help with the pain and IBS associated with FM then we will have to talk about alternative meds and treatment. Also, you should stay out of the sun, elivil causes ultra-sensitivity to sun-light, causing burns even with sun screen, also, exposure to sunlight or overly warm conditions can cause flu like symptoms.I didn't know this until last year so I wanted to be sure to point it out. As for the cravings, I have had them too, to the tune of about 10lbs of sugar products a week, but I have always had a high metabolism and was underweight for many years, so it wasn't a problem, even with the 30lbs I gained I now weigh 121 and I'm 5'9" its only been the past year or so that I have become concerned that it will eventually get out of control. So there is my experiences in a nutshell, Do I regret taking it?, no way, even my doctor said I was very lucky to have the first drug I tried be so sucessful. It gave me 6 great years, I still had occaisional flare ups but nothing like it had been. My only regret is that it bothers my stomach so much, if it didn't, I stay with it until the dose reached its limit,Thanks for touching on the subjectLori Ann


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## Guest (Aug 7, 2000)

Hi,Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. I too have found Elavil to be very helpful so I hope I can stay off long enough to make it work even better if I have to go back on it.well talk with tom. night.Sea


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Hi, SEA! I was on Elavil for about 8 years. It did help me sleep very well, but the other side effects were terrible. I didn't have teeth problems as severe as Lori Ann, but the gum line has receded and my teeth are now ultra-sensitive. And weight gain---big time!! Gained 45 lbs. and whenever I tried to modify my eating, the cravings took over. I had a constant feeling of hunger---like an ulcer. It felt something was eating away at my stomach. Hunger cravings all the time. When I went off it, my doctor switched me to a different med, so I never had to go through the withdrawal of it. But, a year ago, I did cold-turkey on all my meds and that was extremely rough to do. The doctor was very concerned, but I was so stubborn---my stubbornness saved my sanity!!! I was so far into depression, I was thinking seriously of suicide. That black hole. I hope I never have to go there again. Also, the Elavil never helped me with the pain. It was the same on it as off it. Didn't help the migraines, either. Right now I am on Neurontin. I think it has helped some, but I am concerned about that leg cramp issue I read on Boggs thread. I wasn't aware of thatand I have been getting "Charlie horses" during the night. My doctor is on vacation for another week, so I'll have to wait until he's back to check with him. And Lori Ann, if you read this, keep us posted as to what your doctor tells you. I'm hoping to connect with everyone on our Chatline tomorrow night. See you then. Karen


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## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

my teeth lori ann?im on 150mgs and may go higher,i dont get the munchies from it,i was born with that,but my teeth?i never heard a that,my teeth are the best part of my body,im greatful for my teeth when nouthing else works,il hav to check that out.hav too be carful on all drugs though.seeya.


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2000)

Hi Sea and everybody,How're you managing, getting off the Elavil. I did some research on Elavil and came up with the following websites.I've seen two schools of thought about whether or not it is addictive. Years ago when I took it, I don't remember how long I was on it and I never got above 10 mg at night. It appears that, like most of them, it takes higher doses to get the same effect after a prolonged period of time. Here are the websites:Went out searching for info about Elavil and found a few fairly interesting websites but I couldn't see anything about the problem it causes with the teeth. Maybe I just missed it. Anything in parentheses are my own comments.Note the dates on these references. The following two were in 1998. http://www.druginfonet.com/faq/faqelavi.htm ================================= http://www.psyweb.com/Diction/hetero.html (Here's what it says on that page)Heterocyclic Antidepressants (This is about Elavil) Heterocyclic antidepressants inhibit the nerve cells' ability reuptake norepinephrine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters. *Heterocyclic antidepressants should be the first choice in treating depression.* (Apparently, this is not so anymore. But it all depends, I guess, on what doctor you go to.)[ To top of page ] [ Home ] [ References ]Copyright ï¿½ 1998 by PSYweb. All rights reserved.Revised: 30 July 2000 12:03 AM -0400.=============================== http://www.depression.com/ (The above looks like a very good overall site with lots of info about various drugs.)====================================The following website briefly mentions Elavil as a "not so good" treatment for *peripheral neuoropathy.* I'm including it as I know some have mentioned numbness, tingling in peripheral nerves (i.e. hands, feet). http://www.aidsinfonyc.org/network/simple/neurop.html ================================= http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/amitrip.htm ================================Bye for now...almost time for my next "sleep cycle".







calida


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2000)

Hi Everyone,Thanks again for your input on the Elavil. It has been almost a week now...my sleep is eratic and I am sooo wide awake. This is good and bad. Last night I slept 7 hours straight but I worked alot yesterday so maybe I was just exhausted! My 10 year old sons baseball team just won the regional championship last night--very exciting so it maybe knocked me out.I have noticed more aches and pains but I am keeping busy. My doctor said to give it a few weeks to see if the sleep improves on its own.I aslo wonder if the teeth thing that Lori Ann mentioned has to do with her increased cravings for sweets--maybe that caused an increase in decay--take care,sea


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2000)

Hi Sea, How's it going with getting off the Elavil? I took Elavil awhile ago and had good luck with it also. Then it quit working that great for sleep and I really felt dead emotionally and it really put a damper on my libido!!







I did experience weight gain also. Part of that was me too, I tend to eat when depressed. I haven't been on it for probably a couple years now. You are smart to have your MD keep tabs on you. I went off of it slowly by myself, but the following suicidal thoughts were so overwhelming. I now take Celexa and am having great luck and it has virtually no side effects for me. My dose is very low, only 10mg every morning. Any higher than that and it makes me a little hyper! That shows you too, that we all react so differently to the same drug. Celexa helps the majority of people with their sleep and take it at night! With me taking it in the morning, it helps with my sleep, along with keeping a daily schedule of getting up by 9:30 or so and getting into bed earlier. DeeDee


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Hi, Sea! Congrats to your son and his team for winning regionals!!!! I took Elavil for about 8 years. My Doctor put me on that to "manage" the daily - continuous migraines. He thought the migraines came from stress and worry over my sons' life-threatening illnesses that we dealt with on a daily basis. (He was wrong, but what did I know at that time). Elavil did help me sleep at night, no question about it, but it made no difference in pain level. I swear it ate a hole in my stomach. It was a constant knawing feeling, so I ate something and it would feel better for a while and then it would start all over again. I gained 45 lbs. and could not loose more than 5 lbs. at any one time no matter how hard I tried. After 8 years, it was suggested by the Michigan Headpain and Neurological Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan that I try something else, so they switched me to Pamelor--and then others with no results. So, I did not experience any withdrawal type symptoms from the Elavil, so I can't help you there, but I do know of a number of women who have been on it for as many years as I had or even longer; and when they went off, it took a long tapering off period. It isn't easy, so hang in there. Lori Ann mentioned her teeth problems and I know I mentioned my own sensitivity due to receding gumlines. The way the dentist explained it to me-----we need a good and "normal" flow of saliva at all times to keep our gums and teeth healthy. When the flow of saliva is affected; such as in the cases of medications causing "dry mouth", many mouth problems can take place. Mine was caught early. I was in the early stage of gingivitis. To help supply more saliva and to wipe out bad bacteria from lack of saliva, I was told to use Listerine Mouthwash twice a day along with flossing and brushing with a sensitive teeth toothpaste. There are many many medications used today that can cause "dry mouth", so people have to be aware of this. I don't know how this compares to Lori Ann's lose of her teeth, though. Hopefully we will hear from her soon. I'm wondering how she's doing. Has anyone heard anything from her lately? Take care, Sea. Hope it keeps getting better for you. Karen


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2000)

Wow Karen, that makes such perfect sense, dry mouth and the teeth problems! I learn something new every day.







DeeDee


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2000)

Hi Karen,Your explaination about tooth loss I think is right on...because of the low dose I was on I never had dry mouth as a s/e.I played softball yesterday and wow I am hurting today without my Elavil. Oh well this too will pass!My sleep is getting better as long as I have a busy day to wear me out. I hope this improves over time.thanks for helping me out--how have you been?talk to you later.sea


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2000)

Hi, everyone. I'm still here, I stopped in last night, or rather 3:30 this morning and read the posts but I was too tired to write a one.Karen, I tried to email your new address but it came back user unknown.We moved Rose in with us, that took a couple of days work, Kevin & I have been racing around getting paperwork in order for him to go to school in Sept,we had an offer to buy our business and we hope to have it settled soon, I really want out. Mike has not improved, he had his first surgery last week, it took 13 hours to close his skull, taking pieces of bone from other parts of his body. They do not know if he will see again. He survived the operation but is still in critical condition. He keeps writing notes asking for Sarah, but they won't tell him she died, they are afraid it will break the thread he is clinging to. That broke my heart all over again. My neice is getting married today, and we have alot of visitors from out of town. One of Rose's friends had a baby girl this morning and wants us to stop by the hospital to see the new arrival, (she also named her baby Sarah)The doctor changed all of my medications, now I'm taking previsid for my stomach, and vioxx for inflamation, he cut my elivil dose in half, and I'm already feeling blue but its not too bad yet. He said he wants to take 4 weeks weaning me off it, but if I don't show improvement in 2 weeks with the new meds we will sit down and discuss my "future", it sounded fair to me. I'm already hurting alot, and it will only get worse. In my case, the extreme cravings didn't come until about 4 years after I started taking the elivil, by that time I had already spent a fortune trying to keep my teeth, about $2000 later I saw a specialist who told me that I was wasting my money, even if I spent $10,000 I would still be back in six months getting them pulled, so I decided I had enough and got them pulled. So its a crazy time for me, I feel like I'm always racing forward toward something. Well its getting late, I have to run, run, run today if I want to get everything done. Lori Ann


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## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

hullo, i have excess spit anyway so maybe it will help keep me from chokeing so often.thanks for the info.


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## Guest (Aug 13, 2000)

LoriAnn, Thanks for the update on Mike. I continue, as do my children, keep you in our prayers. Take care of yourself. DeeDee


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2000)

Thank you for all the prayers, I will certainly pass them along to mike, and tell him just how many people are pulling for him.Its been almost a week on the half dose of elivil, today I was really irritable and edgy (sore too). I'm so much more tired without it, even though I'm still sleeping for the most part. But Kevin said that I sleep but I don't sleep well, thats why I'm so tired. The previcid(sp) isn't helping my stomach at all, in fact it feels worse, anyone else taking this prescription? I know some are taking Vioxx too, can they tell me about their experiences with it. Well its 1:30 here, I need to get some sleep in case Rose has to go to the hospital tonight, she has been having contractions all evening and I'm her delivery coach. Take care everyone,Lori Ann


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Lori Ann, Thanks for the update on Mike Was wondering how Rose was doing. Has that baby arrived, yet? Just wanted to mention to you----I don't take Prevacid, but Larry does. He has been taking that for at least 3 or 4 years. It has helped his stomach immensely. It's the best on the market for excess stomach acid problems, etc. If it is not working for you, perhaps you have something else going on in the stomach. Have you seen a Gastroenterologist? That's where I'm headed, but I can't get in until Sept. 11. The allergist ordered a special blood test for Celiac Sprue and it came back positive. So, the next step is a Gastro Doc. Keep in touch. Thinking of you. Give my best to Rose, and IF that Grandbaby has arrived, please spend a few minutes rocking that precious bundle for me, okay? Karen


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