ELAVIL Reviews (AMITRIPTYLINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.1 (585 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ELAVIL with similar:
Type: Brand name discontinued; available as generic
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 |
More on ELAVIL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ELAVIL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | nerve pain and related insomnia | bloating,constipation,ravenous appetite | This has helped greatly with the pain,I take 30mg at night. However I am trying to lose weight as recommended by my GP and I just have to ignore the hunger pains, I have lost over 2 stone now while taking amitryptiline so it can be done, it's very hard though and much slower than it would be without the meds.Overall, I think it is worth the effort, better than lying awake in pain. | F | 51 | 6 months | 11/17/2007 | 2 | Migraine prevention | Weight gain, dry mouth, dry eyes, constantly sleepy. | I've been on this drug for 4 years now (25mg pills). I have decided to quit cold-turkey. BAD idea. Night terrors that are horrendous and morbid, thoughts of harming myself in ways that could kill me, fits of unexplained crying (sobbing crying), a total feeling of uncaring about anything around me, uncontrolable muscles twitches, high level of anxiety and the list could go on and on. I never noticed this drug helped preventing any of my migraines. I became "addicted" to it in order to help me fall asleep at night. If someone had told me what the withdrawl would've been like, I'd NEVER have taken this drug in the first place. I've been told that, since I'm 4 days into a cold-turkey detox, to keep pushing thru; to go back on and ween off slowly would be a huge step backwards. I suggest a weening off type of detox, if you're looking to quit taking this drug. | F | 39 | 4 years | 11/7/2007 | 2 | Chronic nerve pain (vulvodynia) | A year and a half ago, I took 10 mg for about a month & I don't remember having any drastic side effects besides deep sleep & vivid dreams! It helped me tolerate my pain but didn't make it go away - the drug usually wore off by about 3PM. Now, I started taking it again on 25mg this time and after 5 days, it hasn't worked at all. It has just made me SO depressed, irritable, can't stop crying, retain water weight, and SO tired. Needless to say, I am saying goodbye to Elavil. For me, it did more harm than good. | F | 19 | | 11/7/2007 | 5 | Anxiety/Fibromyalgia | None | Helps me sleep and stay calm all day long. I take 30mg at night. | F | 30 | 3 months | 11/5/2007 | 2 | migraine | took 10 mg after dinner and headache would start within about 1-2 hours and build through evening. By the time I would go to bed, I was having an acute migraine. I only took this pill for 3 days. | F | 53 | 3 days | 10/21/2007 | 1 | for fibromyalgia | I just looked up the side effects from Elavil and I have SEVERAL. And none of my doctors told me about ANY of them: glaucoma (increased eye pressure); extreme fatigue,diarrhea, liver problems,increased blood sugar (I'm diabetic); bloating;photosensitivity, EXTREME DRY MOUTH!EXTREME PERSPIRATION!;restlessness;bad tremors | It might have helped the fibromyalgia, but DEFINITELY not worth the side effects! I have every contraindication for taking this drug (like thyroid disorder) and my doctors still prescribed it like it was as safe as drinking water!! Like others here, I didn't even know my side effects were from the Elavil! | F | 52 | 1 years | 10/16/2007 | 5 | anxiety panic disorder | none | have taken this medication on and off for 15 years but only for short periods at a time and at a low dosage 10mg even 5mg works for me that is what i am currently taking my docter is happy for me to continue on it as long as i need to | M | 55 | 3 days | 10/2/2007 | 4 | Migraines | I do have the weight gain, constipation and excessive thirst. But I'd rather fight the weight gain and other side effects than have the chronic migraines back. I have been on elavil now for 5 mos, and no more migraines. | I would suggest just working out to drop the weight back done, that's what I do. You have to weight the good with the bad, and its feels good to get rid of the daily pain. | F | 48 | 5 months | 9/29/2007 | 2 | migraines and insomnia | extreme hunger/appetite, night sweats, hypertensive | My dose is 25mg and it is not helping me sleep. I toss and turn all night. I find trazodone much more helpful. I was prescribed elavil as a replacement for topamax and trazodone. I'm glad to be off of topamax but I think I'll go back to trazodone as my sleep aid. (I need the sleep meds to counteract the prednisone insomnia I get). | F | 36 | 2 weeks | 9/22/2007 | 2 | miagraines/anxiety/depression | sore throat,extremly sedated,increased anxiety,couldn't eat headaches,no energy, swelling | I tried 25mg, 10mg, 5 mg, When I was on the 25 I mostly stayed in bed, I took this for about 4 days. The 10mg and 5mg made me feel like I had a bad case of the flu.Terrible headaches, increased anxiety where I started the pacing, couldn't sit still. The 5mg also gave me blisters on the mouth.(not cold sores)with lots of swelling going up my face. | F | 48 | 4 days | 9/6/2007 | 1 | Migraines | tired every morning, moody | Took this for migraines for a month (10mg/day, I believe). Felt like I was hungover every morning. Told doc it wasn't working, so she doubled my dose. I didn't get the prescription refilled & quit taking it. | F | 25 | 4 weeks | 9/5/2007 | 1 | Cystitis, bladder pain | The side effects were not noticeable at first,but after my third month, I kept feeling worse. The bladder pain did subside, and it did help in that aspect, but the side effects were too awful for me to continue. I was constantly tired and had dry mouth. I have always been slim, and I gained 10 pounds the short time I was on it. Despite that, migraines, irritable, and then finally severely depressed. My family made me seek the reason, and my doctor and I determined that it was the Elavil that caused my break down. I am trying Elmiron instead, and so far so good. | Please moniter yourself while on this. I was smart enough to realize that being a depressed, over weight zombie was not worth this route of treatment. | F | 34 | 3 months | 9/5/2007 | 2 | back pain | Constipation, and bloating after only two days at 10mg. I am very regular, and knew right away what the problem was. After stopping, it only took one day to get back to normal. I was once put on Paxol(sp?) and had the same thing happen after a week. It was the most miserable one month experience. | Don't know if it would've helped or not, but I can't handle the constipation and bloating. | M | 35 | 2 days | 9/1/2007 | 3 | Chronic daily headaches | Some fatigue the following day. | After a while on Elavil, I have found that it has lost its effectiveness. Increasing the dose may work, but it causes more fatigue than it's worth. After 5 years, it does absolutely nothing to touch my chronic headaches and, as of this weekend, I will no longer be taking it. | F | 27 | 5 years | 8/30/2007 | 3 | Arachnoiditis, sciatca, hern discs | Upon increasing dose from 50mg to 75 mg nightly began experiencing sleep walking, hallucinations, insomnia followed by very deep sleep. Would fall asleep on toilet and awake falling off. Fell asleep on sink and husband found me. One night I fried 2 eggs, burnt them,fried some scrambled eggs, tho I realized I was in a drugged state I did not have control of my actions. very scary; i could have burned the house down. I went back to 50 mg with no problems. It may not have been the Elavil by itself as I am also on Lyrica, Methadone, percocet, valium, and vicodin. However, the side effects I mentioned above did not occur until Elavil was added to my drug treatment to try to ease the chronic pain of arachnoiditis--neurological pain from numerous back surgeries, spinal cord stimulator implant and revisions, etc. My pain mgt doc thought the elavil would help the increased leg/back pain at night that comes from the arachnoiditis and felt it would help with the nerve ending pain. This pa | Believe I will be going off the Elavil and switching to Cymbalta. It has been recommended to me by my neurosurgeon and another pain mgt doc. Supposed to have less side effects such as the sleep walking-hallucinations, etc. | F | 55 | 3 months | 8/26/2007 | 1 | migraine | dry mouth, vivid dreams, extreme fatigue, cravings for sweets | I was prescribed Elavil for my frequent migraines. I was taking Maxalt MLT but was running out before my insurance would allow me to fill it. I tried Elavil and did not last more than 2 weeks. My symptoms were so severe, I could barely get out of bed in the morning. I am an active, early riser so this was very much out of character for me. When I did get out of bed, I had crazy cravings for sweets. I had nightly vivid nightmares. It was absolutely awful! Beta-Blockers (Propranolol) have worked much better, without the side effects. You have options. | F | 28 | 1.5 weeks | 8/24/2007 | 3 | Sciatic Nerve Pain | Dry mouth, very vivid dreams, hallucinations, brain fog, drowsiness, cravings for food | I moved from Tramadol to Elavil b/c the Tramadol was too expensive. The move was somewhat beneficial: the Tramadol was better for the specific pain I was/am having, but the Elavil is much more economical - go figure. The hallucinations only occurred once. Dry mouth is constant, as is the brain fog. Supplementing with B-complex seems to ease brain fog. I never feel rested - this could be because now each night I have several dream where I REALLY feel like I am living in the dream - kinda bizarre. Overall a decent choice, the side-effects are undesirable but manageable. | M | 25 | 2 weeks | 8/22/2007 | 2 | Migraine prophylaxis | very mild hemiplegia/hemiparesis in first week of 10mg/day. Numbness on one side of my throat was somewhat of concern re swallowing and breathing. These sx went after a week. After two weeks on the drug, I experienced a migraine. Pharmacist told me that it should have worked by now and to speak with my doc. Haven't taken it since. Have had no migraines since! (i.e. after a month). | This med is now considered by migraine specialists to be archaic in the prophylaxis of the disease. It's relatively safe and it's cheap, which I imagine is why it still gets prescribed. I feel that I may have slept a little better on this med. But, to be honest, the very best cure for my migraines is total avoidance of any triggers. Given that my triggers include virtually all external stimuli (from sound and light to noise and the ordinary business of life), it seems that I am, in our culture, very disabled. I'm trying to make the point that maybe we get migraines because we are not physiologically designed for, nor have we adapted, to the crazy demands of 21stC life. | F | 52 | 14 days | 8/18/2007 | 5 | Painful Bladder Syndrome (IC) | I was diagnosed with Painful Bladder Syndrome after a sudden onset of pain and burning that lasted about 3 months. I was in constant pain and miserable and depressed because I was scared that I would never feel "normal" again. I felt helpless. It was awful. They were the worst 3 months of my life. When I started Elavil, for the first few months I was always hungry. Gained about 10 pounds. Craved sweet junk foods. Dry mouth in Morning. It goes away after an hour or two. Groggieness in morning but I seem to be able to shake off the morning grogginess with exercise. Take it before bedtime because it makes me sleepy. Started on 25 mg went up to 50 and now I'm on 75 - and have been for several months. Hopefully this is the magic number because I've been pretty much pain free (as long as I stay away from too much caffiene or artificial sweeteners) I make sure to drink plenty of water. It helps with the dry mouth and it's good for you to boot. I believe the more active you are, the | I've always been skinny and very active so now I just try to watch what I eat (junk food wise) plus I run and exercise daily. Instead of eating sweet junk food, I'll eat sweet good food (fruits). Sometimes I'm still hungry, but I think I've got it under control. I'd rather be 10 pounds heavier than in pain! I NEVER want to feel so helpless again! | F | 34 | 6 months | 8/13/2007 | 3 | sleep and chronic pain | This medicine was great for sleep and pain but gave me constant low blood sugar, caused me to overeat, and gain weight. Not worth it! | F | 33 | 7 days | 8/11/2007 |