| Key to ratings for elavil: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
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| 4 | Anxiety and trouble sleeping | Severe weight gain! I gained 48 pounds while I've been on the drug. Increased desire for sweets. Sex drive is pretty much zero. Some hallucinations here and there. | I started on 25mg of Elavil in 2002 and I am now on 100mg. Talking to the doctor next week about finally getting off this medicine because I cannot deal with the significant weight gain. I go to the gym and try to eat right but it really makes no difference. I don't feel like myself anymore. It has definitely helped with my anxiety and sleeplessness but I wake up in the morning feeling exhausted. | F | 29 | 8 years | 11/13/2009 | 4 | migraine with visual disturbance | Loss of energy, feeling weak. Brain a little foggy. Hunger, increased cravings. Slept well, vivid dreams. I accidently Ran out of pills and noticed after 3 days how much less tired and fatigued I was, so I have discontinued. | worked well for headaches at 30 mg/day | F | 41 | 5 months | 10/18/2009 | 5 | Coccyx pain and depression | Dry mouth, drink at least a glass of water overnight. bit of light-headedness. Very drowsy but this eased alot after about 6 weeks. Had to experiment dosage time, now take it about 2hrs before bed and it's okay. Otherwise it's difficult to get up in the morning. Depression has lifted and the obsessive thoughts have stopped. Pain has eased but not totally gone. Weight has been a problem. I find drinking alot of water helps with the hunger and the weight is starting to go | On balance I prefer the side effects over the symptoms it is treating. I have alot of my life back. And I feel myself again. That by itself is worth it. | F | 31 | 12 weeks | 10/14/2009 | 1 | Daily headaches (migraine) | Tired, feel like my lower extremities are detached from my body, lightheaded and (the worst) emotionless. | I've had daily migraines for three years. Was on Depakote for two+ years (caused tremors & fatigue), then tried Topamax, which I could not tolerate (extreme insomnia, some manic symptoms). A headache clinic doctor prescribed this, but it hasn't helped my headaches yet. I realize you're supposed to give it up to 4 weeks, but I hate the way I feel and am finding it difficult to work or interact with people. I also do not want to gain weight. | F | 56 | 14 days | 10/5/2009 | 5 | Migraine headaches | None | I have dealt with severe migraines since I have about 10 years old. I have tried so many different treatments and nothing ever worked, until now. I used to have 6-10 migraines every week and after a month on elavil, I have only had 2!!! Simply the only medication that has ever helped and to date there have been no side effects. Wonderful! | M | 38 | 40 days | 9/18/2009 | 4 | pain - frozen shoulder,fibromyalgia | Intense hunger, pain relief, GREAT sleep when previously unable to sleep, weight gain | I've noticed a change in my sense of taste in the last two weeks. Everything I eat feels the same consistency - whether I chew a pretzel or pasta or fruit - it all feels like I'm chewing a piece of gum. Very odd. Am wondering if it's affected anyone else's sense of taste. | M | 55 | 3 months | 9/8/2009 | 5 | for pain | dry mouth and a cough | so far it is a god send i had severe stomach pain and now it is gone | F | 65 | 3 weeks | 9/6/2009 | 5 | depression, anxiety, migraine | Sleepiness is my only side effect, but that's great because I take it at night and sleep great! No drowsiness at all the next day. | This drug has given me a new lease on life. I am on a very small dose at bedtime. That's all I need to ease my anxiety and depression, help me sleep well, and keep migraines under control. My doc was reluctant to prescribe such an old time med, but no other AD worked for me. Finally, I asked to just try this. He relented and prescribed a small dose. It made me too sleepy (drowsy next day) so we went even smaller. That did the trick. Wonderful drug! I am so full of energy and clear thinking and steady emotions now. Maybe it isn't prescribed enough because docs think it takes so much to work and patients can't stay awake at those dosages. But at least for me a small dose was all I needed to stabilize me. I'm so glad I tried it, and tried it at lower dose. So glad I have a doc who will really listen to my feedback. To top it all off, the generic of it is cheap. | F | 48 | 6 months | 8/26/2009 | 3 | Major Depressive Disorder | Anticholinergic/antihistaminic side effects of sedation/fatigue, dilated pupils, perpetual yawn. | Had high hopes that dirt cheap amitriptyline would work alongside 10mg daily Lexapro to provide that norepinephrine-reuptake-inhibitor push that I seem to need in addition to the serotonin one. **Seeking alternatives to Effexor, which was a hell of an addiction to kick after three years of its just-too-short half-life (daily brain zaps while on regular treatment, anyone?)** So started @ 50mg/night for one week, tried to move up to 100mg as suggested by psydoc but could not tolerate the sedating, suffocating feeling I tend to get with anticholinergics so after one night of that went back down to 50mg. One more week on 50mg and I'm still yawning all day long and sleeping even more than I normally do which is already too much. Waited for side effects to subside, they didn't in two weeks. Chronic fatigue is a major part of my illness, as is chronic pain. Amitriptyline at this dose greatly increased my fatigue which was already significant, but it also controlled my lower back pain incredibly well. I had actually almost forgotten about the back pain (!) until end of 2nd week reduced dose to 25mg and next day was still fatigued and yawny, pain came back, though not in full force. Next night I discontinued it, which was the night before I wrote this, and I am still yawning. I'm not giving up on this drug yet, but I am going to clear my system of it for a week or so and then try re-introducing it at a dosage more common for chronic pain like 10mg. | F | 29 | 2 weeks | 8/23/2009 | 5 | sleep problems caused by SSRIs | a little "heavy" for about 2 hoyrs after I wake up | I take this drug (20 mg) for 20 days so far. It is the only one that helped me (finally!)overcome the sleep disturbances cause by SSRIs that made me change 4 of them in 1 year! I have also tried hypnotics,antidepressants and other sleep-promoting drugs but all of them failed. Now finally I sleep almost 8 hours uninteruptedly. Elavil has also enhanced the effectiveness of the SSRI I currently take. I feel calmer, my obsessive thoughts are minimized ang generally I am better than I have been on the SSRI alone. Moreover, I have not gain any weight so far (*and I hopr I won't). Thank you elavil! | M | 29 | 20 days | 8/5/2009 | 5 | IC, pain, sleep, mood | 3 lbs. | This info is IC sufferers: I had IC both in my late 20's and then again about 2 years ago. I'm 45 now, but when I had it in my 20's there was not even a name for it so I suffered and live on Peridium for about a year until things slowly settled down. When I got it again it made my life even more miserable. I was on Peridium Plus, Elmeron, Elivil (50mg), Zyrtec and some other bladder control drug I can't remember, and 2 different antibiotic for after sex just in case, and an antiacid for acid reflux. The only drugs I now take are the Elivil and Zyrtec at night. I drink a coffee call Kava which is instant and is super low in acid. The reason why I'm writing this is to tell IC sufferers I got better not because of all the drugs, but because I did physical therapy. I went to PT because I had pelvic floor dysfunction. And that was the root to my IC. I did months of PT once a week and after about 6-8 months I became symptom free. I still watch my diet, use Prelief for acidic foods, eat gluten free, and take the antibiotic and Peridium when needed. But over all I am in remission. So if you have not tried this therapy I suggest you do. IC is horrible and can ruin your life. I hope this helps! And I tolerate Elivil fine, I take it at night. I went off last summer but got back on in the winter because I needed it to get though my husband's deployments and work trips. I only gained 3 pounds, but I'm an avid runner so I'm able to manage my weight pretty easily even with the extra food | F | 45 | 3 years | 7/30/2009 | 2 | Migranes and Insomnia | Massive Weight Gain!!!! 100 lbs, dry mouth, and anger. I've been on 100mgs of Elavil for 2 years and not one of my doctors mentioned the possibility for weight gain. The whole time I was gaining weight while dieting no one seemed to be aware of the side effects and just blamed me for the weight gain even though I was on basically a starvation diet. I just stopped taking it yesterday and the withdrawals are awful but hopefully I will finally be able to lose the weight and find another preventative migraine medication. | It warded off the cluster migraines but I still had a constant residual headache but instead of 3 to 5 debilitating migraines a week to just 3 to 5 a month. But recently it has stopped being as effective. | M | 21 | 2 years | 7/30/2009 | 5 | fibromyaliga and depression | First week, dilated pupils,dizzy,dry mouth, blurred vision,"hangover" like feeling. Felt heavy headed like I had drank alcohol and was buzzed all day long. | After the first week, I decided to cut the (10mg) pill in 1/2. and now, I don't have the dilated pupils. Still have the dry mouth, dizzyness at times, but not as much pain. Depression has gone away. I am tired but nothing like I was before. But, I do need a nap because I am dragging by 2pm. Sleeping is good. I actually have dreams now. I figured that if it stops working, I can always take the full amount and not cut the pill in half. | F | 34 | 4 weeks | 7/27/2009 | 5 | Diabetic Neuropathy | After trying different meds for my neuropathy, including Lyrica which did nothing for me, my doctor recommend I try Elavil for the pain. I take 50 mg at night for pain in my feet and it works. I've taking it for over 3 yrs now and the only side effects I have is the severe dry mouth - which I notice happens more with stress. It does help me sleep - no pain. I do get very tired at times, but discovered that I am anemic, vitamin D deficient and low on B12. So I take a B12 shot every month, take vitamin D and chelated iron and pay attention to what I eat. I have an endocrinologist who helps me with my Type 2 Diabetes and my hunger. We added the medication Symlin (injection pen) to my insulin treatment - it's a hormone that most people with diabetes are deficient in; it keeps the food in your stomach longer. I'm not hungry all the time and I have lost weight. I do have to monitor my energy level though and I drink lots of pure water (I'm a waterholic connesuer) and the chewing gum help | I take the generic form - Amitriptyline. After reading about the different types of side effects from other ant-depressants and pain meds, I very grateful that I can take Elavil and have only dry mouth and fatigue. All of wich are manageble for me, at least now I know what was causing the dry mouth and possibly contributing to the fatigue. I hope that this gives hope to others out there. | F | 48 | 7/22/2009 | 4 | Pain, anxiety, mood | Weight gain... blaah | I love how this drug has helped my pain and makes me happy..but, I want to eat and eat and eat. I am a nurse and it's really frustrating to try and take care of patients and always wanting to eat! I know this is an old drug and my mom swears by it, but is there anything out there that works the same way and doesn't make you hungry? I am on Cymbalta 30 mg and Adderal 15mg every day | F | 34 | 2 months | 7/20/2009 | 1 | chronic neck pain | Lethargy & weight gain | I was prescribed Elavil prior to surgery to fuse my cervical spine at three levels. Elavil did abosolutely nothing for pain. I would not take it again and do not believe that it is an effective drug for chronic pain that is not psychosomatic. | F | 52 | 3 months | 7/19/2009 | 2 | Chronic Fatigue/FM symtoms (UK) | Nearly 3 stone (42lbs) weight gain, constant hunger, shaky hands, numb arms, vivid dreams, LOVE sleeping, difficulty waking/getting up, generally feeling rough. | THANKS for this site and letting me see that I am not the only one experiencing all these problems. It's called amytriptiline in the UK and I only take 10mg at bedtime for CF etc. Sleep well, usually, but not so good before a 'work' day (only work 3 days a week thank goodness). Always tired and lethargic, can't stick to exercise or diet, really really very fed up.Will go to docs and tell him about this site and ask for an alternative. I'd rather be in pain than have no life at all. Could use Ibruprofen for pain instead and try other sleep techniques? | F | 48 | 4 years | 7/17/2009 | 2 | insomnia/anxiety | Extreme and immediate weight gain! Excessive hunger and drive for sweets. Headaches, mental confusion and boiling over anger which is difficult to control. No interest in sex. Loss of motivation, no energy or desire to leave the house. My life went 'flat line' on this medication. I would sweat profusely, it was uncomfortable and affected my physical activity. After being on this medication for several months, I thought I was loosing my mind. | Very frustrated - this is the only thing my doctor will prescribe for my insomnia and anxiety. I have gained 18 lbs. in 3 months, none of my clothes fit. In addition, I've lost interest in almost everything but sleeping. | F | 46 | 4 months | 7/10/2009 | 3 | Frozen shoulder | Insatiable hunger beginning an hour after I take it, lasting a few hours. A definite improvement in pain after only a few weeks. Helps me to sleep. | Am wondering if anyone else has taken it for frozen shoulder. The hope is that it controls the pain enough for me to begin physical therapy to begin to regain motion back. | F | 55 | 3 weeks | 7/7/2009 | 4 | Fibromyalgia/Post Lyme Syndrome | Strange Food Cravings | Eased the joint and severe muscle pain, slept better, experienced less severe migraines. Very effective med if you can control the food cravings, which I was able to do which is why I avoided the weight gain! | F | 32 | 6 months | 7/2/2009 | 4 | depression & anxiety | vivid dreams,short-term memory loss,sleep walking,loss of libido,excess sweating,,,,WEIGHT-LOSS !!! (about two-pounds/week !!! ) | I am taking 40mg. "Paxil",,, 25mg. "Elavil",,, and 1 mg. "Zanax" . All of the 'short-term' side effects go away after a few months,( dry mouth,sore throat,ringing in the ears,(so-called)...."Hallucinations",,,etc.) I don't have "NIGHTMARES",,,but I'm concerned about..."Sleep-Walking" & "Memory-Loss" ! ! ! | M | 59 | 6 months | 7/1/2009 | 3 | Chronic Headaches and Migraines | At first I encountered dry mouth. I am taking 10mg of this along with 80mg of Nadolol (blood pressure med) for treatment. I was sleepy and groggy until my new and better sleep patterns established themselves. Some weight gain and increased appetite. | I am concerned that the effectiveness of the Elavil has tapered off. In the past month or so, headache frequency is almost what it was before these 2 scripts. I cannot even distance walk for exercise without getting a headache, fibromyalgia type symptoms---soreness and tenderness, etc. Am considering taking myself off of both and trying a new physician. | F | 42 | 6 months | 6/24/2009 | 2 | IC frequency urgency and pain | hot flash after taking it, trails, hallucinations, frightening and disturbing nightmare after 24 hours of stopping it (afraid to go to sleep tonight), sensitive to sound, pastey dry mouth (that i could tolerate if the other things weren't there) | after reading these ratings I'm sure its the elavil but i'm also on atarax and elmiron and altho i was on the elmiron and the atarax prior to taking the elavil i can't figure out why after 48 hours of taking the last dose that i'm still experiencing the trails and the sound sensitivity, was it the combo of the elavil and the atarax, i'm afraid of the nightmares tonight which were REALLY disturbing and frightening last night. there is no way i could deal with these nightmares until my body got used to the drug. my roommate asked if i wanted to go to the hospital. i'm halving my atarax dose tonight and seeing if that will help until this gets out of my system. i don't know if i should be driving like this--yikes! help! i am not as violently angry as i was after taking the sixth dose 48 hours ago. wow, i was enraged, screaming, crying. it is scary to think about. | F | 36 | 6 days | 6/21/2009 | 2 | Interstitial cystitis and sleep | I just took my 10mg dose and I feel like I'm tripping on acid! No, seriously. Shadows are more prominent, I see things out of the corner of my eye, sounds and smells are more pronounced and seem to come from out of nowhere and it scares me. My heart is beating faster, I'm dizzy and nauseated. My hands don't even feel like they are mine and attached to my body. | I took this to help with the frequency and urgency and pain and to help me sleep b/c of the interstitial cystitis. I think I may need to d/c this med. I was on it once before for a couple of weeks or less and I ended up overdosing on it and lunesta. I've not been able to tolerate anti-depressants and I've tried almost ALL of them. I thought I'd try it again at the 10 mg dose instead of the 25mg I was on before but I don't think these side-effects are good for me. I hate to poo poo any IC med but I don't feel safe. I'm not drowsy either. Maybe even hyper. Anyone else like this email me. thx. | F | 36 | 6 days | 6/19/2009 | 3 | Migraines and Night Leg Pain | My Dr. started me out on 50 mg. at bedtime, and though it helped me to sleep, I also had very vivid dreams and very bad "pill hangover" for hours after waking up the next morning. I went down to 25 mg. and have stayed there now for about three years. I haven't noticed a decrease in the amount or intensity of my migraines, but it did eliminate the night leg pain I was experiencing. I would like to go off of it now to see if it would return since it isn't really helping me to sleep but when I do I have dreams that are sometimes upsetting. | F | 55 | 3 years | 6/15/2009 | 4 | Fibromyalgia | Extreme dry mouth, have to drink all day. Tremors of my thumbs. Can't concentrate and have significant memory issues. | Even with the side effects this drug has been like a miracle drug for me...my fibromyalgia pain has decreased dramatically, with some days totally pain free. I am up to 150 mg that I take every night before bed. I have found that I am sleep dependent on it now. I was feeling so good a few summers ago I thought I could stop taking it cold turkey. This was a bad idea..I was manic..had anxiety attacks and couldn't stop thinking about my own mortality. As soon as I started taking them again all that went away. All in all it has been a good drug for me, however the memory and concentration issues seem to be getting alot worse. | M | 40 | 8 years | 6/14/2009 | 2 | Back Pain | Cotton mouth really bad, very rapid weight gain 27lbs in 2 1/2 months, extream sodium cravings and an insatiable hunger all day the only good thing was its Tranquilizer like ability. | M | 27 | 3 months | 6/8/2009 | 3 | Migraines | Shortness of breath, Exhausted throught the day, very vivid dreams, dizzy, lightheaded | Although i've only been on this for a couple of days, i've noticed changes in my sleeping patterns, dreaming, and headaches. The headaches are worse. the only way i can describe it is like the headaches are fighting with the medication. I sleep in too late. I can't seem to find the motivation or energy to get outta bed. My dreams are more frequent and vivid. And upon waking up and for a few hours afterward I am light headed and dizzy. I get small blackout moments. i feel like i cant get enough oxygen to my lungs. | F | 23 | 6/2/2009 | 3 | Migraines | COnstipation, Fast heart Rate, WEIGHT GAIN | Helped some with migraines, definetley with sleep. Still had to take over the counter headache medicine. I gained 27lbs in five months- Could not stand the weight gain any longer- went off to try something else. | F | 33 | 5 months | 5/26/2009 | 1 | migranes | strange psychological confusion, depression, dry mouth, irratibility | about two hours ago i went through in intense and scary feeling of a wave of depression washing over me. i literally still feel like i have gone completely insane. i am not on any other meds and i hate this drug and will never take it again. my headaches went away after about 2.5 weeks, on 10mg taken at night once daily, but if the mental issues keep occuring, it isnt worth it. | F | 17 | 3 weeks | 5/25/2009 | 5 | Depression | F | 61 | 32 years | 5/4/2009 | 4 | migraines and sleeplessnss | dry mouth noticed once or twice a day, but not terribly bothersome. I chew more gum and drink more water now. Increased appetite but not have gained any weight due to watching what I eat. Definitely sleep more soundly and go back to sleep more easily when waking during night. | My headaches seem to be hormonal (menopause) and are intermittent. Since I began Elavil (15 mgs per day taken near bedtime) I have had no headaches or stiff neck and I am sleeping well. However first three weeks I had a lot of difficulty waking up in the morning. Am trying to take the Elavil a little earlier than bedtime and don't seem quite so tired in the morning. So far it has been beneficial. I cut a 10 mg pill in half to medicate at 15 mg. 20 mgs at bedtime makes me too sleepy. | F | 52 | 4 weeks | 4/24/2009 | 1 | Migranes | Tintinitus(Ringing in the ears),Fatigue | I am a Clinical Pharmacist.. I was given this by a Neurologist for my Atypical Migraines.. Got Tintinitus with in a few days.. took 25mg for 2 nights.. then 12.5mg for 6nights.. Could not tolerate the higher dose.. When I told the Neurologist of my side effects.. She had never heard of it.. 36hrs after I stopping I am getting some relief from the ringing in the ears.. | M | 41 | 8 days | 4/21/2009 | 3 | Migraines & sleep | Bigtime weight gain; also on Lithium, Methadone & tapering off (like 1 mo.left @ 37.5 mg) Effexor. Also ttried numerous anti-depressants before Lithum. Gained 100 lbs in 1 1/2 years +/- so be careful!! No sex drive. | I sleep great. I am on 50 mg/day; thinking of going off due to weight gain & lack of sex drive. While this works for sleep hasn't really helped with Migraines much. | F | 41 | 12 months | 4/14/2009 | 5 | clinical depression | Severe dry mouth on high dosages. Gum chewing increased saliva saving my teeth. Slightly constipating-for me that was good. Took a long time to adjust so that I wasn't a zombie. | For me the difference between taking elavil and not taking it is like miraculous healing. I sleep well, return to sleep readily, wake refreshed. Stops back pain. Many generic brands are not nearly as effective as others for me. The worst ones for me are carried by the big stores. If I could afford it I would take elavil and not the generic. | F | 61 | 26 years | 4/5/2009 | 3 | Migrains-update | I wrote back on Dec. 29th after being on Elavil 10mg for 4 weeks. I have now been on it for a little over 3 months-I have increased my dose to 15-20 mg. I am having 4-5 migrains a month-down from 8-10, but still more than I would like. Still not too bad with the side effects-my memory seems to be worse-not sure if it's the meds or old age! Great sleep still. I only have to take 50 mg of Imitrex to abort a migrain-down from 100mg. I have gained about 3 pounds-I definately crave sweets-I try to stay aware so I don't overdo it-everything is a choice! | Not as happy as I was at first-seem to need to keep increasing the mgs to keep it effective. I plan to stay on it for now. | F | 44 | 3 months | 4/5/2009 | 3 | IC | Weight gain, breast enlargment, tired all day, quick to get angry | F | 28 | 4 months | 4/5/2009 | 3 | Severe migraines and insomnia | I have experienced the severe dry mouth, now almost non-existent and the weight gain has been horrible, I too have also had a couple of really bad anger outbursts, I actually got into a physical altercation with my husband who is 6'2 and 225! I have had only one bad migraine since starting the Elavil, 100 mg, but the anger outbursts and weight gain have me seriously considering not taking it anymore, I have a followup appt with my MD in 2 weeks, so I will see. | F | 35 | 2.5 months | 4/3/2009 | 5 | Nerve pain, Depression,Migraines | Weight gain initially (30-40 lbs) but not sure what drug(s)caused it. Pain Mgmt Dr was 7th Dr/Surgeon/Specialist I saw & he figured out my problem & a solution!!! He took me off 150-180mg of oxycontin was on for 2-3 mos w/pain still at 6-8 on pain scale. Told me to stop taking it that day and switched me to methadone, lyrica and ELAVIL. | In a few days elavil w/methadone & lyrica took away the severe/kidney stone type pain I was experiencing BUT unable to function-- became a zombie for about a year & didn't work or drive. Pain Mgmt Dr. diagnosed me w/nerve damage from having 6 inch kidney cyst drained (2 pop cans worth of fluid), filled with alcohol for 1 hr to scar it. It deadened the nerves on outside of kidney. They re-generated 18 mos later & sent severe pain signals to my brain. He told me on 1st visit I would need a neurostimulator implant (normally used for back pain/failed surgeries-- Jerry Lewis has one) but had to fail 3 therapies 1st. I failed them, but took 4 months & 3 denials before ins. OKd the implant trial. Finally had neurostimulator implant, outpatient, quick surgery 14 mos after sudden pain. IT WORKED!!! (ins pd $47,000 for the unit--explains the long approval process). Will need it the rest of my life & every 8-10 years unit changed. I literally "charge my (internal, implan | F | 51 | 2 years | 3/10/2009 | 4 | Migraines | Started with 10mg, the second week went up to 20 mg. Prior to taking elavil I was experiencing migraines every 2 weeks, have only had a very mild one lasting only a day in the 2 months that i've been taking Elavil, but, I have gained over 10 lbs in the 2 months, so I wont' be taking it any longer. No other side affects were noted for me, if it didn't make me gain weight I would stay on it. | F | 45 | 2 months | 3/2/2009 | 4 | urethral syndrome, general anxiety | very dry mouth and excessive thirst, weight loss. | desipit the very dry mouth (feel like i could drink a bath tub full of water!) this is the only treatment that has stopped my painful bladder spasms - i used to suffer for months with bladder pain and the feeling of constantly needing the loo, but have been pain free for 2 years now which is a first! despite the dry mouth, which is a pain, i wouldn't want to stop taking it. I'm now on 75mg at night - helps a lot with sleeping too. Dont know whether it's helping with anxiety cos I've only been on this dose for 2 weeks (before it was 25mg and no dry mouth!) There are some helpful saliva substitutes on the market, like glandosane and biotin, but nothing is as good as your own! will continue on this treatment - it has also decreased my appetite (or maybe it's all that water I'm drinking filling me up!) - hence I have lost some weight, which being over-weight is a good thing for me! | F | 2 years | 3/2/2009 | 5 | Chronic Daily Migraines | Was on 30mg of Elavil for about 3 weeks and it had no effect on my daily migraines (chronic daily headaches). My doctor increased my dose to 50mg and I imediately saw relief. Havent had a migraine in over 2 months (small headache once or twice). Side Effects: I sweat a lot more when working out, dry mouth (was bad at first, but now I can hardly tell), sleepiness (was falling asleep at work the first week I took it, but now I take it at night and only makes me kind of drowsy), never had the sweet tooth until recently, but I am aware of it and don't overindulge (no weight gain yet), vivid dreams. | F | 30 | 2 months | 2/17/2009 | 4 | migraine and neck pain | dry mouth, excessive weight gain but that's because of my excessive sweet tooth craving, constipation, I was really groggy in the morning but good thru out the day at first. I want to know what to do about the cravings besides quiting the medication. I have blurred vision and I just wear my glasses when I read and it's okay. sex drive is low :( | I've been taking 10mg for my migraines and neck pain, it's been working good. I sleep real good at night, I have to take to medication about two hours before I go to bed and I get up on my own 8 hours later. I have no migraine or neck pain unless I forget to take then I have really bad pain in my neck and head.I like the fact that I'm not as stressed as I use to be. | F | 42 | 4 months | 2/16/2009 | 3 | Fibromyalgia | The most disturbing one to me is the anger. I noticed one other person mentioning it. I am also female and of similar age as them. The irritability would last until noon or soon and then I would be fine. It has been like this for several days and I may have to go off it, but it has helped with the pain and sleep!!! I have not found much at all as far as other people having anger problems with this drug, which makes me a little confused. Dry mouth, taste, and zombie-ism went away after first 1-2 weeks. | F | 22 | 4 weeks | 2/15/2009 | 1 | Unexplainable stomach cramps | This is a terrible, terrible drug......complete loss of energy on only 25 mg a day. It was suggested by my doctor to help with unexplainable daily stomach cramps.....all is did was to make me constantly hungry for sweets...I gained 16 pounds in one month. | M | 55 | 1 months | 2/13/2009 | 4 | chronic headaches | can't focus as well anymore, or could i ever? | I started taking elavil because i had headaches 25 days a month, it was crazy, and I tried several other medications (like strong ibuprofen) while also being addicted to Excedrin. Now, my headaches have stopped but i don't feel like i can concentrate anymore, which is why i'm writing this while at work. However, my main problem with my headaches was that i could not focus, so i dont know if anything has really changed, maybe im just not a very focused person?? | M | 27 | 6 weeks | 2/12/2009 | 5 | Chronic Abdominal Pain | Initially dry mouth, drowsyness, confusion - all of which subsided within 6 weeks; continuing difficulty urinating; recently (after 12 months or so) vivid disturbing dreams. | This was prescribed at 10mg / day to help with intractible right sided abdo pain presumed to be refered from my hiatus hernia & gastric reflux. Initially this stuff sent me into a zombie-like trance for several days, but has worked wonders with my pain levels, now that I have become acustomed to it. If I try a higher dose (following pain breakthrough) I get a return of the 'fog'. I have difficulty when I try to start to urinate, and I often feel like I need to go, when I don't! I would like to wean off of it, but am very concerned that the pains would again become very bad. I'm slowly losing weight on a sensible diet, and am excersizing well - this drug has changed my life! | M | 53 | 15 months | 2/9/2009 | 1 | Migraines | This medication causes extreme tiredness. To prevent my migraines (which are pretty frequent, and pretty severe, I had to take 100mg a day. The migraines went away, but in return I was constantly tired, and my metabolism slowed down so much that with diet and exercise I gained 25 pounds in four months. | F | 27 | 4 months | 2/9/2009 | 1 | migraines | weight gain, lethargy, depression | I took a low dose to prevent migraines. It didn't work. I gained weight like I was pregnant, primarily because I felt like eating an entire tray of cinnamon rolls and then taking a nap. Once I got off the drug (and started on Imitrex), I lost a considerable amount of weight and had more energy. | F | 49 | 2 years | 2/9/2009 | 3 | migranes | Dry Mouth, constpation and a lot of weight gain! | My migranes decreased from 2-3 a week to 2-3 a month. I sleep like a log. I take 25mg at 7pm to give my self ample time for the morning. | F | 28 | 3 months | 2/4/2009 | 5 | Migraine with Aura | None | I began taking Amitriptyline to prevent Migraine with Aura. My attacks had sometimes been as long as 9-18mths apart since they started properly aged 14. I put up with the odd attack over the years but after being on a low dose of Cipramil for a few years i withdrew and suddenly got increased attacks- some of them very severe. I think my nervous system had got used to the increased levels of certain chemicals and this caused my migraine to suddenly play up, where previously it had been ok. I wasn't prepared to put up with that situation so i took control and was prescribed amitriptyline, which has been proven to prevent migraine attacks in clinical trials. I was prescribed a very low dose of 10mg (normally 50-150mg is used for depression)and it has been brilliant. I feel much better knowing i am on something that helps as it means i can live my life with confidence and less worry. Even 5mg prevented attacks. A positive side-effect is that a low dose of this drug may help you feel a l | M | 34 | 18 months | 1/30/2009 | 4 | headaches, insomnia | Extremely dry mouth, which is affecting my teeth, and huge weight gain | Elavil gives me a full night's sleep without feeling groggy all day but the weight gain was almost immediate and I am growing everyday. I would stop taking the medication if I could find something comparable that did not cause weight gain. | F | 61 | 60 days | 1/23/2009 | 5 | Fibromyalgia | Elavil works like lidocaine. Numbs all pain and stops muscle cramping associated with fibromyalgia. Other than slight constipation, no side effects at all!!!! | Wonder drug for fibromyalgia!!!! | F | 62 | 12 years | 1/20/2009 | 2 | IBS after gallbladder removal | None, except it didn't work. | Didn't help diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome after gallbladder removed. | F | 43 | 2 weeks | 1/17/2009 | 3 | Fibromyagia | A little groggy and foggy. | I haven't been on this med for long, so I am not sure yet. If it eases this extreme head to toe pain, it will be worth it. At this point I still need Vicodin to survive the nights. | F | 40 | 5 days | 1/16/2009 | 3 | Migraine Headaches | Cravings, always being hungry, sleeping alot, being very groggy and not being able to stay awake. | I was taking Elavil (amitriptyline) for horrible migraine headaches that I would wake up with. I thought it would help me out some...I've only taken it 4 times and I am very sensitive to medicines obviously.. It knocked me out for 12 hrs each time I took it. I stay hungry and I crave sweets more than normal. I dont really have a headache which is good but at the same time this medicine isnt doing me any good. I stopped taking it today because of the horrible side effects. My neuro wants to put me on Topamax and I refused to take it. It made my mother really sick and I would rather have a migraine than be sick all the time! | F | 17 | 4 days | 1/15/2009 | 1 | IBS abdominal pain | Sleepiness and HAIR LOSS although cannot be proven.I an now depressed because I am losing my hair! | I took elavil at the same time as grapefruit seed extract which I have since discovered can boost elavils levels in the bloodstream.No one will confirm this,but I have enough scientific knowledge to read a few papers which make me believe this is the case. | F | 24 | 3 months | 1/10/2009 | 4 | Migrain Headaches | Great sleep at night-a little more tired than usual during the day. constipated-and I am normally very regular. No weight gain so far-I don't crave sweets any more than normal and I have been very careful with my diet so as to not gain weight like everyone else on here. No horrible dreams as others have stated. | I am taking 10mg a day at 7pm. I have been taking it for about 4 weeks. I normally have two migrains a week-now I am only getting one migrain about every two weeks. I tried Topamax several years ago and the side effects were so horrible that I was afraid to try any other preventative meds. My neurologist convinced me to try Elavil-and so far it seems to be working and the side effects are not too bad. I am not on any other medications except for taking Imitrex when I start getting a migrain. Reading the side effects on this sight almost made me decide to not try it-I am glad I tried it. I will write more in a few months if anything changes! | F | 43 | 4 weeks | 12/29/2008 | 4 | Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis | Extreme dry mouth, dental corrosion because of dry mouth, lack of concentration, lethargic, short term memory loss, weight gain, depressive and now starting to become chesty. | I was started on this by my Rheumatologist 14 years ago as I was unable to sleep because of being in chronic pain 24/7. I'm one of about 10% in my country that get no remission from RA and I was started on 100mg at night but that was increased to 150mg at night but I couldn't cope with the extreme dry mouth so it went back down to 100mg at night. It was explained to me that through relaxing my muscles to enable sleep my brain would release endorphins the natural pain killer to boost the rest of the large number of medications I'm on, and I must admit I do get between 5 and 6 hours sleep a night but I'm so groggy on a morning, and I still find the dry mouth hard to cope with which makes me drink lots through the day. If you can manage without this medication do so because I'm now getting dental problems which is also because of the dry mouth and after 14 years on such a high dosage I can't foresee me being able to come off this medication unless they come up with an amazing cure for s | F | 58 | 14 years | 12/11/2008 | 3 | Fibromyalgia | WEIGHT GAIN (26 lb in about 4 months), decreased fibro pain, increased sweating, decreased sex drive, great sleep however problems with energy the next day - My dosage is 20 mg at night per day | I love this for the sleep aspect and pain. But it's not worth the huge weight gain. I've wanted to be pain free but not at the expense of gaining so much weight. Going to try something else | F | 30 | 4 months | 12/7/2008 | 3 | Night sweats and insomnia | Dry mouth, weight gain, vivid dreams and constipation | I have been on Elavil for menopausal night sweats and insomnia from the night sweats. This has helped me to sleep better at night but realized that I have gained 6 lbs. in 6 weeks. I have also had the vivid dreams and some nightmares. I am also experiencing constipation when I previously had IBS symptoms occasionally. I am not sure if I will continue to take this medication because I don't want to gain anymore weight. This is a good medication if you can stand the weight gain. | F | 53 | 45 days | 11/20/2008 | 3 | GAD, mild OCD | no real side effects...brain electricity in the frontal lobe | Greatly helped me get off effexor XR. Once of effexor, I'm now experiementing with other SSRI's. I'm going to stop elavil because of the 20 pound weight gain in 3 months. Used to be a skinny 6'2 male but now currently weight 205 which isn't bad, but don't see the end in sight with weight gain. | M | 31 | 100 days | 11/18/2008 | 3 | lower back pain/ burning nerve pain | Can't get up in the morning - I sleep through two alarm clocks. This morning I woke up at 7 - the time i'm supposed to be at work. I haven't been on time in months, so I called in sick rather than being an hour late. I fall alseep on the couch every night, no amount of caffiene will keep me awake. Also have ravenous cravings for sweets - cake and fruit roll ups are my thing lately. No sex drive whatsoever. Major bloating, almost look pregnant. Urine retention - two UTIs in two months. | I can't deal with the side effects anymore. I can't sleep my life away. I also take Oxycontin and birth control pills, and recently added Cymbalta, so I'm not sure if the side effects are all from amitriptyline, but I'm pretty sure they are the main culprit. I think I'm going to increase my Cymbalta and ditch the Elavil and bc pills and hope that I lose some weight and regain my sex drive, I just feel so bad for my fiance. | F | 28 | 4 months | 10/30/2008 | 4 | ICC/ IBS | Weight gain, very dry mouth, fatigue | Elavil really helped ease the symptoms of the ICC (neurogenic bladder problem) but not my IBS. Without Elavil, I have the constant sensation/ pain of having to urinate (even if I really don't need to) and it is worse at night. I've been on it for 10 months and the symptoms have subsided significanlty but I've gained 13 pounds, and hae decided to ween myself off the drug. My symptoms are back but I really can't deal with this weight gain. Has anyone tried another drug for this type of pain, that does not involve amti-depressants? | F | 35 | 10 months | 10/26/2008 | 2 | peripheral neuropathy | dry mouth, depression, lethargy, raised heart rate (100bpm), poor concentration, apathy, poor balance. Anything above 10mg makes me feel totally drugged and so depressed. | I just about manage on 10mg for neuropathy. At times pain relief is not enough, but I cannot cope with the 'walking dead' feeling and could almost be suicidal. It is good for the pain. Would really prefer not to be taking it. | F | 60 | 3 months | 10/20/2008 | 2 | migraine | dry mouth, irritability | Did not prevent our daughter from having a severe relapse that lasted over a month. | F | 8 | 7 months | 10/17/2008 | 5 | Depression | Trouble waking up in mornings. | Its a life saver, I couldn't imagine my life without it. | M | 21 | 2 years | 10/15/2008 | 3 | Migraines and chronic headaches | not feeling myself, lack of concentration, extreme dry mouth, sore throat, still very sleepy in the morning. | I have been taking elavil for only a week. On the second day I was headache free. After having chronic head aches for years but recently been having them everyday without relief, this was awesome. But I do not feel "right". I cant concentrate at work, and am easily confused. My job requires high attention to detail and my boss actually noticed that I was seriously lacking this for the last few days. Also I have been having crazy dreams, vivid, typically unpleasant. And am exhausted until about mid morning. I take elavil 25mg in the evening before bed. | F | 30 | 8 days | 9/23/2008 | 4 | GAD, anxiety | slight nausea | Was having trouble taking SSRI and SNRIs. For an old drug it sure has helped with my general anxiety and racing thoughts. I need to take klonopin for increased anxiety situations. | M | 30 | 2 months | 9/13/2008 | 5 | unexplained midback pain, insomnia | Definitely makes you tired, but I needed that side effect, as a longterm insomnia sufferer. | Elavil has been a life saver for me. I am sleeping better than I have for years, and it has helped reduce the frequency of midback pain flare ups. I have noticed some weight gain and increased craving for sweets. However, being in pain AND not being able to sleep was way worse than these side effects for me personally. I take 35mgs at bedtime. | F | 27 | 7 months | 9/12/2008 | 3 | Fibromyaglia & ME | extreme fatigue.....wieght gain grrrrrrr, elevated mood, grumpy mood | been on this drug for 5 months prescribed by my rhumo consultant.....started on 25mg gradual increase to 100mg, most side effect for me personally increase in wieght ...around 7lbs, mood changes .....loss of libido, did help with relief of the pain from fibro however didnt help at all with the ME in fact seemed to make it worse.....weaned of now and starting CYMBALTA apparently a wonder drug for fibro suffers......i guess i will see .... | M | 37 | 5 months | 9/11/2008 | 2 | Vulvar Vestibulitis | weight gain, fatigue | I gained 20lbs over four months, averaging 2.5lbs per week that I was at the max dose of 125mg per day. I was tired all the time. The drug helped with the nerve pain, really helped, but I couldn't keep gaining sizes and buying clothes for my fat self. | F | 25 | 5 months | 9/9/2008 | 5 | trigminal neuralgia and anxiety | none apart from better sleep,decreased neuralgia buy about 75% and lowered anxiety levels. my weight fluctuates anyway. | better than ssris by a mile | M | 29 | 4 months | 9/8/2008 | 4 | Chronic Persistent Migraines | I really didn't notice any. | Since I'm also on another antidepressant, the side effects of this product wasn't noticeable. | F | 19 | 3 months | 9/4/2008 | 4 | Migraine prophylactic | Weight gain, dry mouth, more difficult getting out of bed in the morning. | Prior to taking Amitriptyline, I suffered from extremely painful/debilitating migraines 7-8 times a month. A 10mg daily dosage had no effect; 20mg/day did the trick. I'm happy to report after 3 months I've had not one migraine! I find myself struggling with the weight gain, however. As a very active individual, I've never had an issue maintaining a healthy weight. At this point I've gained 10 lbs. Cutting calories and boosting my aerobic/weight resistance training is proving futile. Help!!! | M | 39 | 3 months | 8/25/2008 | 3 | Fibromyalgia | Dry mouth, grogginess in am for first few weeks, weight gain, decreased sexual appetite | I have been seeing a Rheumatologist to treat my Fibro and we have been doing a lot of experimenting to see what works for me. About three months ago he put me on Elavil, it has really helped with the insomnia I have been experiencing, and after a few weeks I wasn't feeling as groggy in the morning. I finally felt rested, which was very nice, but it has somewhat decreased my sexual appetite which is quite frustrating. I noticed right away that I wanted to eat EVERYTHING, I have gained about 10-15 pounds, given that the Fibro keeps me from being able to be as active as most normal people, I have tried to adjust my diet to eat healthier and try to avoid the urge to snack on candy, chips, etc. Elavil has helped with the insomnia and depression that comes with Fibro, but I'm still not totally sold on it given the side effects. | F | 27 | 3 months | 8/24/2008 | 1 | depression/anxiety/headaches | extreme increase in appetite, craving for sweets, weight gain | I was already on Lexapro when prescribed Elavil. I really don't see any improvement since first taking elavil. I still have my headaches and the weight gain has made me decide to slowly ween myself off of elavil. | F | 19 | 4 months | 8/15/2008 | 3 | Chronic Headaches - Some Migrane | Sound/Deep Sleep,Grogginess, Weight Gain | Prescribed Elavil for headaches - already on Lexapro for anxiety / panic attacks. Had headasches that lasted for days, and would then go into a migraine (with visual and auditory sensitivity). Has worked well for headaches, but have put on 10-15 lbs in a month and a half. Not happy about that. | M | 51 | 7 weeks | 7/23/2008 | 5 | Depression | Fatigue | Although I don't take Elavil anymore, this was the only medication that helped me with severe depression, insomnia and anxiety. The side effects were strong at first but they diminished with time. After a few years I went off Elavil and am now depression and anxiety free. No regrets. | F | 33 | 5 years | 7/16/2008 | 2 | EASE MY MIGRAINES | KEEPS ME ALERT; UNABLE TO SLEEP, DIZZINESS, HOT FLASHES | F | 36 | 4 months | 7/13/2008 | 4 | nerve damage in head | The only side effect I had was if I didn't take a Xanax with it at bed time I had really BAD nightmeres...like Freddy Cruger style! | I was taking this because I had something in my head burst and the Doctors cant find what it was, but it left nerve damage in my face and head. My head hurt to even touch it and my face was all numb and tingly. It didn't help the pain at all, but it made me sleep really good and I felt rested the next day. I don't sleep well to start with, but just the pillow touching my head hurt so I wasn't sleeping at all for about 5 mounths. Then my doctor put me on this and on Xanax because I was having so much anxity from the pain and the doctors not knowing what popped in my head. the first night I took it I slept sooo good I asked to stay on it. I actully have to get Nerver blocks in my head to control the pain. But I have to take Xanax with it so I don't have nightmeres. | F | 41 | 2 months | 7/10/2008 | 3 | vaginal pain | weight gain, about 10 pounds in 6 mos. Constantly tired | I was on elavil for 6 mos...I did feel some relief, although the weight gain was enough to make me stop it. My doctor says there is no other drug I can take that would help the itching and burning. I have an appointment at the University of Michigan end of July. Hopefully they can make other suggestions and help me figure out what is wrong with me. | M | 32 | 6 months | 7/7/2008 | 5 | Depression/Anxiety/Insomnia | Slight weight gain, taste/smell distortion at beginning of treatment | I love this medication! I started on it to help me come off of some other medications I had been on for several years (Ambien, Restoril, Klonopin). It helps greatly with overall mood. I have a get-up-and-go attitude that I'm not used to having. It balances me out very well. It has helped with endogenous depression, anxiety, and insomnia. I sleep like a baby and have not had a panic attack in months, even though I am no longer on sleep/anxiety meds. The only thing that I am not too thrilled about is the slight weight gain...but it is worth it. | F | 29 | 2 months | 6/24/2008 | 5 | Chronic migraines | Initial symptoms included severe somnolence, heart palpitations, difficulty in waking up, vivid dreams. Did help significantly with insomnia, however, this effect wore off. With tolerance over time, the medication helped tremendously in reducing both the frequency and severity of migraines. At 75mg, the only major side effect is dizziness and lightheadness when standing up. | F | 24 | 2 years | 6/14/2008 | 2 | Anxity Depression | severe weight gain. | I would not recommend this to anyone who is weight gain sensitive.I gained 18 pounds in 2 months. It took the anxitey and depression away I actually felt good but now Im fatter than I already was and I have got to figure out a way to loose this extra weight. | F | 43 | 2 months | 6/12/2008 | 5 | depression, fibromyalgia | dry mouth and drowsiness is all I can remember, if I had others they are long gone | I like this med because it helps with my fibro, which is a bonus, not what it was originally rx'd for. SSRIs make me manic and tricyclics like amitriptyline do not. It has not cured the depression, but seroquel with it helps. I take 150mg at bed time. | F | 27 | 3 years | 6/1/2008 | 3 | depression neuropathy insomnia | weight gain, sleeping 12-15 hrs per day | Definitely helped with the neuropathy; I went from walking with a cane with an escort to being able to go about my life normally. Also helped with my anxiety. Medication was being used in conjunction with robaxin and ibuprofen and alleve. However, I've been almost unable to do anything other than the very basics of life-go to work, come home, let the dog out, eat maybe, and then back into bed. I was told by the doctor that this was simply a function of depression. Upon reading other people's review of this medication I find myself astonished to discover that this is not necessarily true, and am very angry with my doctor. My sleeping has caused arguments with my husband, who is military and on a very early morning routine. I will be switching if it's possible. | F | 20 | 1 years | 5/28/2008 | 3 | anxiety and depression | To me, this kind of worked like Paxil, but a bit mellower. I got off of this because I couldn't stand the excessive sweating! And all over! My feet were a bit swollen also, yep, just like good ole' Paxil! It did work a bit better than Paxil, though. Not bad for an oldie but goodie! | F | 34 | 3 months | 4/30/2008 | 4 | neuropathic nerve pain | dry mouth, excessive perspiration around neck and upper chest area, particularly in morning. Generally wake up wet. Also, dry mouth, constipation and decrease in libido. | I have taken elavil on two different occasions, both for neuropathic pain (once in arm, again in abdomen). Started at 10 mg. each nite and worked up to 50. Am now weaning myself off it all together. In both instances it worked quite well, side effects notwithstanding. I slept quite soundly and could easily sleep till late morning. Upon waking, however, I felt quite rested, moreso than ususal. I had tried neurontin first in both instances with no effect. Much preferred the results with elavil. | M | 56 | 3 months | 4/21/2008 | 5 | fibromyalgia | Dry mouth (sometimes), irregular heart rate (when drinking caffeine), and inability to lose weight(it took me 6 months to loose 12 pounds when working out). | I was diagnosed when I was ~20 years old. My doctor put me on elavil, 5 mg at bedtime. I am now at 30 mg at bedtime (and have been for the past 7 years). I tried to wean myself off of it twice before (I don't like taking pharmacuticals), but almost died from the pain. I think this is a great medication for me. I could not live my active life without it. I also take many supplements/herbs to help with my pain. | F | 32 | 12 years | 4/20/2008 | 1 | Depression | Started out at a low dose for three days (can't remember the mg). Dose doubled after those days. Immediately after the dose went up I started having some kind of nerve problem. Namely, the whole left side of my body ,from heel to tongue went completely numb. I was afraid I was having a stroke. Didn't take anymore after three days of this, and the problem went away the day after I stopped taking. Strange!! | It is worth mentioning that I can't tolerate most antidepressent drugs. They have no effect on the depression but plenty of the unwanted side effects. | F | 38 | 6 days | 4/16/2008 | 1 | TMJ pain | Dr suggested I take 10mg Elavil at night, building up by the 2nd week to 20mg's. It did help to alleviate the TMJ pain but I became incredibly, deeply, darkly depressed, lost all motivation, felt foggy headed all day and my craving for eating sweets was totally out of control. I could see myself getting fatter by the day. I tapered back down to 10mg's - stayed there for one week, then tapered down to 5 mg's and then stopped but it took me close on three months before I felt 'mentally stable' again. This medication seemed to totally crush the life out of me. I was like the walking dead while on it. | F | 51 | 6 months | 4/14/2008 | 5 | interstitial cystitis | dry mouth, sleepiness, increased appetite in the beginning | This medication almost completely relieves my pain. Additionally, since the pain was keeping me awake at night, I sleep much better. If I do wake up, the medication helps me go back to sleep quickly. I sometimes have a hard time waking up in the morning. But the elavil has make it possible for me to go through the day painfree. | F | 50 | 3 months | 4/13/2008 | 2 | Constant nausea/vomiting for 9yrs | Feel like a zombie, out of my head, in a fog, irritation and a lot of trouble urinating. Extreme dry mouth, major vivid nightmares, hard to wake up. Shaky/jittery, seem forgetful and just not myself. Also getting irritated easily. though NO weight gain, bad taste in mouth, constipation...all this and more after only about 5-6 days of taking it. | I have been sick with vomiting/nausea/diarrhea for over 9yrs. I have thrown up at least 3-7 days out of the week since getting sick. Been to numerous doctors with no diagnosis. Dr. suggested Remeron but made me depressed and have weight gain so I switched to Elavil and didn't even realize that what I've been going through were side effects until I started reading here and noticed I had almost every side effect listed. This did not work for my illness either so I see no point of taking it any longer. I would not suggest this to anyone but I'm sure it could react different with each person... I'm hoping that I wont have bad side effects when I stop taking it. | F | 19 | 6 days | 4/13/2008 | 2 | Fibromyalgia, sleep aid | I have only taken 2 10 mg doses so far. Basically I felt drugged the whole next day even though I took my dose between 7-8pm the night before.....I also had weird dreams. I am supposed to give this a 2 week trial before deciding it doesn't work for me, but I would basically have to take Dexedrine or something the day after to wake up! Not even sure I can take those two together! | As with most meds, I always like it if it comes in very small doses. Also, for me samples are probably the way to go since I am so sensitive to everything...samples at doctors offices seem to be a thing of the past (at least where I live). | F | 41 | 2 days | 4/9/2008 | 2 | Anxiety | Groggy in the morning, severe weight gain in short amount of time, increased appetite | I was on a low dosage of just 10mg for several months, but recently my doctor increased the dosage to 100mg because I was still suffering from anxiety. After just two weeks on the 100mg, I gained nearly 10 pounds. When I wake up in the morning I feel completely exhausted; as if I had not slept all night. The anxiety has improved, but now I feel depressed over the weight I've gained and how tired I always feel. So basically, I traded one symptom for two. | F | 36 | 1 days | 3/30/2008 | 1 | sever ibs | weight gain, migraine headaches lasting several days, high body temperature, sugar and carb cravings, night sweats, nightmares, dry mouth, dry eyes, depression, blacking out 2 hours after taking the drug, increase in breast size, elevated blood pressure and constant thirst (even though i drink 3 litres of water a day). | In Sept '07 my dr. prescribed Elavil telling me that it helped with ibs, and that it would not have any side effects other than some drowsiness. He also informed me that I would start at a low dose (10mg), and then every couple of weeks it would be increased until my pain began to go away, and my symptoms began to subside. So I did as the doctor instructed. But as time passed, I began to gain weight. When I brought the issue up with my GI dr. on several occasions, he said "you can stand to gain a few pounds". It took until February 2008 to get to 100mg which made me fractionally better than before, but I didn't feel great. I was also experiencing other side effects that I didn't think came from taking the drug until I found this website. In the 6 months that I have been taking elavil I have gained a total of 25 lbs. My entire experience with elavil has been horrendous, and the worst part is that the drug didn't even help me. I have wasted 6 months of my life counting on the | F | 28 | 7 months | 3/26/2008 | 4 | IBS ..and stress | DRY Mouth for sure,tired more often, difficulty concentrating at times.Little anger issues initially but have subsided substantially.I get annoyed easier. | It had really helped my ibs. Inadvertently my sleep is improved as well.Used to wake up real early and not able to get back to sleep. stunk!...but now better than before... Dreams seem to occur less frequently. started at 10 mg and gradually upped it to 30mg...30 seems to be most efficacious at this point in time.I initially got IBS from a windsurfing incident in upstate NY..polluted lake, accidental ingestion of some of the bad H20..got giardia..gave me flagle(anti parasitic)?? Ever since my gut has been screwed up..especially when i took 5HTP..that really took it over the top. So far the Elavil and i take LEVBID..Hyoscamine...to help slow peristolysis. This is all a crazy experiment...going for a ride so to speak.Anyone in Cyber land that can relate to my experience..please email! | M | 46 | 3 months | 3/21/2008 | 1 | fibromyagia/anxiety/depression | weight gain! fast heart rate! confusion, vivid dreams,hallucinations, angry, agitated,nervous,very sensitive to light. out of control appetite! over emotional. | have been taking it for going on two months, had taken it years ago gained 50 pounds so fast, i want to stop it now because of this but missing it a few days makes me sick. ihave alreadygined at least 10 pounds. | F | 42 | 2.5 months | 3/13/2008 | 2 | pain, and sleep aid | Very dry mouth | Got no sedation, no pain relief, nothing. All this med did for me was give me such a dry mouth I couldn't keep taking it. Got so dry it was hard to talk! | M | 52 | 2 months | 3/3/2008 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
