Drug Ratings for ELAVILAverage Rating: 3.1 (481 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Date Rating Was Added Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ELAVIL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 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 |