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Anyone Take Elavil For Sleep Or Pain?

jenvan

By jenvan
in Related Issues & Disorders

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jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

If you have any experience with elavil for sleep or pain...I'd love to hear about it... Thanks!

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DingoGirl Enthusiast
DingoGirl
Posted

Jen...I"m stalking you :ph34r:

A good friend takes Elavil for her spastic bowels, can you believe it? She's NOT Celiac - went at my suggestion to my own wonderful GI - she really has spastic bowels due to nerves - he did every test. She has a lot of stress in her past and in her life, so he put her on a low dose of this, and it slows down her pooping and D urges.

I know she doesn't have any trouble sleeping, BUT this does make her feel a little tired in the morning...I think it's quite sedating and good for sleep if you're having troubles....you COULD just drink lots and lots of beer, you know..... :lol:

chrissy Collaborator
chrissy
Posted

the doc gave it to me to help with the poor sleep caused by my fibromyalgia----it did help for awhile. i tried it again later, but it left me too sleepy in the day.

celiacgirls Apprentice
celiacgirls
Posted

My 8 year old takes it for migraine prevention. It works for that and it helps her to calm down to go to sleep at night.

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the input ladies... Good to have a warning of extended sleepiness. My doc really would like me to try a very small doze for pain and sleep but I really hesitate. I've had the prescription for months vacillating over it ! Susan--Yeah, beer is always a good option :D Although a few shots would have less carbs :lol:

Judyin Philly Enthusiast
Judyin Philly
Posted

Hi Jen

Just saw this. Gosh i don't know anything about this drug..but can send hugs

love ya

judy

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
If you have any experience with elavil for sleep or pain...I'd love to hear about it... Thanks!

I will answer the low dose of something else part of this, I used to take a very low dose of amytriplimine I don't think I spelled that right, but it was prescribed prediagnosis before my fibro and arthritis went into remission (with the gluten-free diet). I was told it had a low risk of side effects and was not addictive, I had no problems stopping it, so I chose that over a sleeping pill because at the time I was on enough addictive meds. Don't know if this info is any help but figured I would throw it in there.

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whitball Explorer
whitball
Posted

I have taken elavil for pain for about 3 years. It helps me sleep through the night. It also stops me from staying awake to worry about life stuff. The only thing that I have noticed is when I forget to take it, I have very vivid, strange, off the wall dreams.

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted
  • Author
I will answer the low dose of something else part of this, I used to take a very low dose of amytriplimine I don't think I spelled that right, but it was prescribed prediagnosis before my fibro and arthritis went into remission (with the gluten-free diet). I was told it had a low risk of side effects and was not addictive, I had no problems stopping it, so I chose that over a sleeping pill because at the time I was on enough addictive meds. Don't know if this info is any help but figured I would throw it in there.

No, that is helpful !

Whitball--

That's interesting...b/c I have those kinds of crazy dreams all night. I wonder if mine would go away ? :rolleyes:

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
--

That's interesting...b/c I have those kinds of crazy dreams all night. I wonder if mine would go away ? :rolleyes:

If you are aware of dreaming for a large part of the night you are not getting enough of the deeper levels of sleep. Human sleep patterns have a number of levels and all of them need to be reached for a certain amount of time in a cycle that goes on all night. Once you are able to sleep soundly the crazy dreams should lessen. Vivid dreams can also be a side effect of some meds, I don't know what you may be taking so I don't know if this might be a possibility.

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted
  • Author
If you are aware of dreaming for a large part of the night you are not getting enough of the deeper levels of sleep. Human sleep patterns have a number of levels and all of them need to be reached for a certain amount of time in a cycle that goes on all night. Once you are able to sleep soundly the crazy dreams should lessen. Vivid dreams can also be a side effect of some meds, I don't know what you may be taking so I don't know if this might be a possibility.

I actually don't take anything now. Just birth control and allergy meds. I have thought that I probably don't get to all those levels. Yes--lots of dreams, pretty much every night, vivid and I usually remember most of them. Gives me this feeling that when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I was "working" all night in my sleep.

Just thought of two questions for you--how long did you take it and did you get a sleep hangover during the day ? I know some people get that effect initially...

loraleena Contributor
loraleena
Posted

Birth control pills can cause candida overgrowth wich can in turn cause fibro symptoms. I got off that stuff a few years ago and just deal with plain old condoms now.

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
I actually don't take anything now. Just birth control and allergy meds. I have thought that I probably don't get to all those levels. Yes--lots of dreams, pretty much every night, vivid and I usually remember most of them. Gives me this feeling that when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I was "working" all night in my sleep.

Just thought of two questions for you--how long did you take it and did you get a sleep hangover during the day ? I know some people get that effect initially...

When I was still taking the amytriplimine I did not notice any 'hangover' effect at all. I took it for over a year prediagnosis. When I did the elimination diet with my allergist I weaned off all my meds during the first couple of weeks. I had no withdrawl symptoms from this drug at all, not the case with many of the 'mood elevators', sleeping pills or other psychotropics I have taken over the years. I am of course only speaking from my experience but if I needed something again Amy would be what I would ask for.

One additional note, is there a possiblity that your allergy meds may be causing your sleep problems? Have you brought the issue up with your allergist? I ask because when my allergies were real bad prediagnosis one of the meds they gave me kept me up for 2 full days from just the first days dosage. I was literally bouncing off the walls. If you haven't mentioned it to your doctor you may want to, you may just need a different allergy med.

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