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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Anyone tried Amitriptyline
        
(Message started by: Theresa on Sep 12^th, 2006, 7:14pm)

Title: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Theresa on Sep 12^th, 2006, 7:14pm

Hi Everyone,

I went to the Dr. today and finally got a prescription for O2 so hopefully that should help things a bit. My Dr. also prescribed amitriptyline 25mg to be taken every night before bed. I haven't been able to find any information on this med anywhere and I've never heard of it as a treatment for clusters before. Has anyone had any experiences with this?

Thanks for your help...the info on this site is so helpful and it's great knowing I'm not suffering with this beast alone.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Superpain on Sep 12^th, 2006, 9:08pm

It's also called elavil.
The only reason I can imagine that your doc might have prescribed it is if you were getting very upset or emotional about what you're going through, which is understandable. Because it makes you (me) kind of emotionless. After taking it for a couple of days see if you notice that it's kind of hard to feel alot of emotion.
I noticed when my wife started yelling at me I let her go for about an hour. Normally I'd get pissed and start yelling back, but instead I just sort of sat there and took it. Weird....
Hope you feel better.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by taraann on Sep 12^th, 2006, 9:31pm

I was prescribed Amitryptyline years ago (pre CH days) for help with sleep.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Sep 12^th, 2006, 10:39pm

Years ago, before my cluster days, I was given Ami for some recurring regular headaches. Something about it being good for headaches with mild anti-depressant effects. I don't remember too much about it.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by jmorgan52 on Sep 13^th, 2006, 5:20am

I have read many threads in the past that say Amitriptyline is useful in the treatment of CPH (Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania) which is a cousin of CH.

I suggest you search this board to find out more, but I understand that the CPH pain is similar to CH but is "fleeting intense pain" lasting only seconds or minutes at the most, unlike the much longer CH pain.

I have read here before that if Amitriptyline works for you then it is almost like a confirmed diagnosis of CPH rather than CH. It should stop a CPH attack in it's tracks buy apparently does nothin for CH

Research more

John

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by chopmyheadoff on Sep 13^th, 2006, 5:24am

it is a migrane treatment.

took it for 12 months - did ntohing for my CH

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Bob P on Sep 13^th, 2006, 7:34am

http://www.ouch-us.org/medications/tricyclic_antidepressants.htm

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by chewy on Sep 13^th, 2006, 7:45am

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/amitrip.htm

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by vig on Sep 13^th, 2006, 8:42am

I used it for CH.

after a week of daily use (and being an impotent retarded zombie), it broke a cycle.

I found it effective, but not worth the side effects.
There ARE better medicines, and once you find something that works, the equation changes and you can start to make better CHoices.

good luck

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Karla on Sep 13^th, 2006, 11:57am

It is also called Elavil. You can do searches on the old boards and find some posts where people took the medicine and it worked for them!! There have been studies done and it seems to have some effect on ch. Personally I tried it at 50mg and it did nothing for my ch.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Bond007 on Sep 13^th, 2006, 12:24pm

Elavil (Amitriptyline) is prescribed for 3 reasons:

1) Depression

2) Block Nerve Pain

3) Enhance the potency of other drugs you take with it.

I've taken it for all 3 reasons over the years. I'm currently taking it as a drug enhancer along with my Topamax.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Bond007 on Sep 13^th, 2006, 12:27pm

on 09/13/06 at 05:20:58, jmorgan52 wrote:

You're thinking about Indomethacin (Indocin). That's the only drug that confirms a diagnosis of CPH or HC (Hemicrania Continua). My GP thought I might have that so we tried a round of that drug and it did nothing for me.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Theresa on Sep 13^th, 2006, 5:59pm

Thanks for the info everyone. I've heard of it being prescribed for recurring headaches but I wasn't quite sure if it had been tried for clusters. I took it last night and it made me so drowsy I could hardly think straight today.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by jon019 on Sep 13^th, 2006, 6:32pm

Hi Theresa,

Years ago was prescribed this for Ch, not any other complications of the condition. I can just imagine my Doc at the time thumbing trough a med book looking for something, anything, to get this crazy, untreatable man out of his office.

Tried it for months (had more patience when younger) and it did absolutely nothing for CH. The one side effect that sticks in my head was that it made getting out of bed in the morning the major accomplishment of the day. Felt like my arms and legs were strapped down and motivation was a concept I USED to know something about.

Have not heard many report success. Now verapamil, that is a different story.

Regards

Jon

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by jmorgan52 on Sep 14^th, 2006, 8:44am

on 09/13/06 at 12:27:58, Bond007 wrote:

Sorry about my misinformation on this post. It just struck a (incorrect) chord in my memory. I should have verified it, but my search capabilities within this board are just too slow from here in SA :-[

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Charlotte on Sep 14^th, 2006, 9:14am

It's ok, jp. We still love you.

I've had docs try both drugs on me, multiple times. This time, 75 mg time release Indocin X2daily is not preventing but helps my ha. I had read thatif it were hemicrania continua or chronic paroxysmal hemicrania, the Indocin would work as a preventative.

Charlotte

Title: Re: Anyone tried Amitriptyline
Post by Bond007 on Sep 14^th, 2006, 9:25am

No prob, jp! No harm, no foul! ;;D