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[Treatment] Amitriptyline
#31
RE: Amitriptyline
(01-04-2014, 05:41 PM)zonk Wrote: [quote='Sleepster' pid='54252' dateline='1388875045']
Wish me luck.
Good luck Sleepster.

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#32
RE: Amitriptyline
Thank you for your well wishes and sympathies. I'm doing much better. I'm taking less than half of my 25 mg ami dose daily now, haven't had to take any Klonopin for two days now, and last night I was able to get to sleep without any ambien!

I keep a stash of klonopin in my pocket, though, just in case!


Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#33
RE: Amitriptyline
Happy to hear you are doing well, keep up the good work!
Sleep Tight...
Gabby
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#34
RE: Amitriptyline
Night before last I took my last dose of amitriptyline, I'd estimate it to be at 8-10 mg, the smallest piece I had left after after cleaving a few of my 25 mg pills. Last night I was able to fall asleep no problem, but woke up 4 hours later. Took a half of an ambien and went back to sleep.

So far, so good. Headaches seem to be gone, too, for the most part.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#35
RE: Amitriptyline
Well done Sleepster. From another headache sufferer to another, I do hope you continue headache free. It won't take long to get a normal drug free sleep pattern on the go but so what if you need to take an ambien when needed.
So pleased you are finished with the Amitriptyline.
Sleep Tight...
Gabby
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#36
RE: Amitriptyline
Well, looking at my last post I can't believe that I said my headaches seemed to have gone away. They've come back and they've been bothering me ever since. I'm not sleeping well, either. Last week I saw a sleep doc for the first time ever and she put me on trazodone. It helps, but it doesn't keep me asleep through the night. It wears off after about 5-6 hours and then I often can't fall back asleep.

I'm seriously considering my no-amitriptyline experiment to be a failure. I'm very much tempted to start it again, but this time take only half of a 25 mg pill each night and see how that goes.

As I said before I was originally prescribed amitriptyline for headaches many years ago. Stopped for four months prior to starting CPAP therapy, then started two weeks later taking 25 mg because I was having trouble sleeping with the new CPAP machine. Anyways, after I got used to the machine I started seeing relief from the headaches that I hadn't seen in 25-30 years. It was a miracle. I thought that the miracle was caused by the CPAP machine and that OSA was the cause all along of my headaches.

Now I'm not so sure. Maybe I need CPAP therapy AND amitriptyline to tame my headaches.

My big question is this: Has anyone had any experience with this kind of thing? Is it possible that three weeks is not enough time to get over withdrawals and that if I wait longer the headaches and trouble sleeping will fade, or should I give up?

I know no one can give me definitive answers, but if you've had any experience that might be relevant, maybe you can help me figure this out.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#37
RE: Amitriptyline
(02-28-2014, 02:34 PM)Sleepster Wrote: My big question is this: Has anyone had any experience with this kind of thing? Is it possible that three weeks is not enough time to get over withdrawals and that if I wait longer the headaches and trouble sleeping will fade, or should I give up?

I know no one can give me definitive answers, but if you've had any experience that might be relevant, maybe you can help me figure this out.

I have only used this drug on very short term occasions, so I don't necessarily have relevant experiences to give you. But I do know that 3 weeks is NOT a long time for your body, and brain things, to get over a drug like this. That's like saying I smoked for twenty years, so will I crave another cigarette after quitting for 3 weeks? Well yeah you will.

You are off the drug, so it would be very nice if you could stay off of it. That said, there isn't any reason on earth why you should have to continue to experience headaches all the time. I do have experience with that. The kind of headache that sends you to bed with a cold compress for hours at a time. But in my case it was because the pain relievers I took to help the headache were not playing nice inside my body. After several years I quit taking Ibuprofen and other nsaids due to stomach issues. Happy surprise, my headaches went away too!

Talk to the docs again. Someone suggested a Naturapath? That would be a good thing to do as well.
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#38
RE: Amitriptyline
(01-05-2014, 08:38 PM)Sleepster Wrote: I have a pill cleaver and I'm not afraid to use it.

LOL! That's the spirit! I was on so much stuff for arthritis at one time it was just crazy! I was on Nortriptyline (low dose), anti inflammatories (which had to be changed at least once a year because they would start eating my gut), and pain meds (first Vicodin, then Norco when everyone started freaking out about levels of acetaminophen). First I dumped the Nortriptyline. Increase in pain, increase in awareness! Next I switched from the prescription anti inflammatories to Advil. Then I pretty much dumped the Norco. There is the occasional day I need it but overall, I just gut it out. Yeah, I hurt more, but the alternative was living in a fog that was every bit as bad as an OSA fog. If you can get off it and make it work for you, I am very happy for you!
Mike
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#39
RE: Amitriptyline
Hi Sleepster, I am like you I think and a sufferer of chronic daily headache and have been for over thirty years. I had been hoping I may get some relief from cpap machine but so far after two weeks no.
My story briefly, I took Amitryptilyne many years ago but did not find it effective. Over the years have tried any and everything. More recently have been on a an antidepressant Cymbalta (Duloxetine), which also helps with pain. I have found it has helped my headaches immensely. The reason I know this is because I came off this drug about one month ago, for reasons I won't go in to, but not bad ones that should put other users off the drug. Anyway since I have been off Cymbalta my headaches have come back with a vengeance.
I have started taking Efexor (Venlafaxine) which is also meant to be very good for pain. I only started this week so it hasn't had a chance to kick in yet. If it doesn't help my bad headaches I will go back on to Cymbalta.

All I am trying to say if you really didn't want to go on to the Amitriptyline path again there are other antidepressants out there with pain killing ingredients that do help.
I really feel for you, from one sufferer to another. Day in day out with a headache ain't no fun.

Actually I was going to ask a question here if maybe starting to use the machine could cause this sudden outburst of bad headaches I am having but I have never heard anyone mention that before, so I really do think it is my medication.

I understand where you are coming from and you have to do whatever to be relieved from your pain. I know you will make the right decision and I hope it won't be long until your headaches are once again under your control.
Sleep Tight...
Gabby
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#40
RE: Amitriptyline
(02-28-2014, 05:48 PM)Gabby Wrote: Hi Sleepster, I am like you I think and a sufferer of chronic daily headache and have been for over thirty years. I had been hoping I may get some relief from cpap machine but so far after two weeks no.

Two weeks is not enough time. Don't give up hope.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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