Amitriptyline

Hi Everyone,

I had my PM fitted in October this year for bradycardia and missed beats, after numerous other problems I have now been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. My consultant has prescribed an initial 10mg dose of Amitriptyline onto 25mg if i'm ok with them. Has anyone taken this drug and had any problems with regards to PM?

Thanks

Karen

6 Comments

Amitriptyline

by Pookie - 2009-12-20 08:12:14

I was told by the Mayo Clinic NOT to take that drug because it can interfere with your heart. I think it can cause arrthymias if I'm not mistaken.

Call your pharmacist or google it to find out the side effects.

However...you might not experience that side effect at all.

Gabapentin or Lyrica is what is usually prescribed for Fibro in my past dealings when my doctors thought I had Fibromyalgia.

Karen (aka Pookie!!!!)

Amitriptyline for fibromyalgia

by lenora - 2009-12-20 11:12:27

Amitriptyline or Elavil is an antidepressant and has been given to fibromyalgia patients for many years to help promote restful sleep. It also relaxes muscles and helps endorphins (pain killing substances the body makes naturally) to work. SSRI antidepressants like Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft are used nowadays with Elavil. They reduce fatigue and make you more energetic buth they do interfere with sleep (crazy dreams!) which the Elavil sort of balances out. I recently went to a nursing CE seminar on fibromyalgia and was surprised to learn that one new therapy is benzodiazepines like Xanax or Klonopin plus ibuprofen is supposed to be very successful also. The NSAID's like Ibuprofen reduce the prostaglandins which cause pain and inflammation. Lyrica is supposed to work well too but has some worrisome side effects. Your pacemaker is a good safety net for arrythmias though. Lenora

Of course it is

by lenora - 2009-12-21 02:12:19

Yes Xanax is highly addictive and you'll notice I didn't advocate taking it. I said I was surprised to learn that the combination of Xanax and Ibuprofen has been shown to be successful. I've been a nurse for 30 years and it used to be that half the patients admitted to the hospital were on Xanax or Ativan "for their nerves." We still see little old ladies who've been on Xanax for 20 years! No hope for detox now. Now half the patients that come in are on Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft or Prozac AND the biggie, Lortab. Most fibromyalgia patients are tough to treat because by time of diagnosis they've been to multiple doctors with multiple complaints and have already been on "nerve" meds and every pain pill they can get. Heck, I've seen 40 year MEN with Fentanyl patches for fibromyalgia!!! Personally, I think half the battle with fibromyalgia is helping them sleep better, and that problem can be treated without making them addicts. Now to KarenC, I hope you don't interpret any of the above as criticism of you. Hope you feel better! Lenora

Great comment Lenora

by ted - 2009-12-21 04:12:05

Lenora: Thanks for your great informative comment. You always lend an enlightening clarity based on your experience. There was a doctor named Arnaud in the Los Angeles area who claimed great results in treating Fibromyalgia with large doses of Guaifenesin which is an over the counter mucous thinner also marketed under the name "Mucinex".
Have you heard anything about this?

Xanax ??

by ted - 2009-12-21 05:12:05

Taking Xanax or any benzo for a prolonged period of time will turn you into a mental zombie. These are highly addictive drugs that usually do more harm than good.

Thanks

by karenc - 2009-12-21 08:12:37


Thank you all for your feedback.
I have only just been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and it feels like a relief to find out i'm not going mad after all! I have had so much unexplained pain and fatigue which pre-PM was put down to various problems going on with my heart. I'm very dubious about the whole anti-depressant thing even in small doses. However I do agree with Lenora when she says half the battle is the sleep issue. I've been sleeping for long long periods of time, sometimes 12 hours or more if I could! Without feeling at all refreshed on waking! at times i've felt completely and utterly exhausted. Apparently although i'm sleeping for long periods of time i'm not getting good quality sleep....another symptom of fibro. Is it possible fibro could be the cause of my bradycardia??? I'm still trying to get my head around how in 1 year I can go from seeminly being quite healthy to having a PM and Fibro! Thanks again everyone, This group have been a great help and support for me over the last few months!

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