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Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,694
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

My Nuerologist has prescribed 20 mg at night for sleep, anxiety and my chronic tension headache  just curious if anyone has taken it 

 

Many thanks

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 661
Registered: ‎08-07-2015
  • Hi @I am still oxox, I hope you are continuing to heal day by day from your surgery. Sorry you are having tension headache with sleep/anxiety. I have been on Amitryptiline (Elavil) on/off for chronic migraine, fibro sleep issues& nerve/joint pain. It has worked well for me especially with sleep and nerve pain.  That does help the anxiety and tension causing headaches.  I take 10mg-20mg  a few hours before bed. For me, it took a little time getting used to only with feeling groggy in the morning. I didn't have any other side effects like weight gain, dizziness. Talk to your doctor about dosage if you need to adjust. I'm sensitive to medicines though. 20 mg is a smaller dose to start so hopefully it will work well for you. 
Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,694
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@DianeJ2 

I have not started yet I will take my first 20Mg dosage this evening 


@DianeJ2 wrote:
  • Hi @I am still oxox, I hope you are continuing to heal day by day from your surgery. Sorry you are having tension headache with sleep/anxiety. I have been on Amitryptiline (Elavil) on/off for chronic migraine, fibro sleep issues& nerve/joint pain. It has worked well for me especially with sleep and nerve pain.  That does help the anxiety and tension causing headaches.  I take 10mg-20mg  a few hours before bed. For me, it took a little time getting used to only with feeling groggy in the morning. I didn't have any other side effects like weight gain, dizziness. Talk to your doctor about dosage if you need to adjust. I'm sensitive to medicines though. 20 mg is a smaller dose to start so hopefully it will work well for you. 

 

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 661
Registered: ‎08-07-2015

@I am still oxox  I really  hope it works& you find relief. Chronic Tension headaches are so painful. Keep  posted if you can, how you're doing on the Elavil. Wishing you good sleep tonight đź’– 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,597
Registered: ‎03-18-2010

It's an older drug.  I took it about 25 yrs ago for migraines.  It made me so sleepy and dopey that I had to stop.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,694
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@henderson 

 

Do you remember the dosage

 


@henderson wrote:

It's an older drug.  I took it about 25 yrs ago for migraines.  It made me so sleepy and dopey that I had to stop.  


 

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,171
Registered: ‎06-04-2012

@I am still oxox 

 

Sounds like your doctor listened to you as you have mentioned here that you have anxiety, not easy to recover from surgery with a pandemic added to it all.

 

My son took Elavil years ago for migraines and it really helped him.  We're all different, as long as you are monitored by your doc sounds like you may have a good outcome.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,616
Registered: ‎05-15-2016

I've taken it for chronic pain and headaches. It didn't work for me but my SIL has had very good success in treating her daily headaches with it. 
It used to be prescribed as an antidepressan it's used off label for a lot of conditions like the ones you're describing. My Rx was either for 10 or 20 mg but it's been awhile. Definitely worth a shot. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,510
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

@I am still oxox wrote:

My Nuerologist has prescribed 20 mg at night for sleep, anxiety and my chronic tension headache  just curious if anyone has taken it 

 

Many thanks


@I am still oxox @My husband was on it. It's a type of antidepressant, amytryptalline,  classified as a tricyclic antidepressant. For my DH, it caused some problems with his prostate and caused deep essential tremor, which is like a deep vibration in his bones. He was switched to a close cousin of it called Nortryptalline and was on this for years. He recently stopped and did not experience withdrawal symptoms. Your med is often used for other reasons than as an antidepressant. My husband was on it for both help with a severe pain condition and for depression due to the painful condition. Your med has been around for many years and might be of help for your tension headache. I'd like to offer a suggestion for your headaches. Consider adding a couple of 100% genuine down pillows. They help by molding around the neck and face muscles and provide support and lessen neuromuscular pain. They help with my tension headaches. One tip about the pillows is they sometimes need a couple of weeks to fluff up and break in. When my pillows get about three years old they start deflating too much and I start to get the tension headaches again. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,845
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I took many years ago for major debilatating migraine headaches.  It worked!!

 

I took it for awhile because I had to have relief from migraines. 

 

I slept better at night also and I didn't have to take pain pills made for migraines.