Chronic Pain Support Group

Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...

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VMOTTA 03/14/2013

I have been struggling with stomach pain for some time now. My doctor just prescribed me Elavil, amitriptyline. The dose is small, 10MG at bedtime. It does make me tired and I sleep fairly well and it is definitely harder to get up in the morning. I have only taken it 3 days, started on Monday.

I seem to have a tension headache since yesterday that wont go away. Is this a side effect that will go away? It is bothersome and I just dont want it to get worse.

I guess my question is if I should keep taking it and see if will go away?

Paulina12 03/14/2013

If it were me, I would think it was a side effect. I would probably stay on it to give it some time to see if it helped with the pain.
If the headache got worse I would call my doc to see what to do.

So can you take anything for the headache? :-)

Hope this med helps you and you get better.

pauli

deleted_user 03/14/2013

According to drugs.com (my usual reference source), headache is a side effect of Elavil. And Pauline is right, it may go away after you're on it for a while. When I started taking NuCynta for b/t pain, I had horrible side effects for the first few weeks I was on it. But after that- no side effects and I used it for about a year until I recently changed.

If the headaches get worse though, I'd call your doc. There are other low dose tri-cyclics out there that you can use. I took Elavil and it helped a lot with my sleep but I gained a huge amount of weight on it so I changed to something else (sorry, can't remembr what).

Good luck and let us know how this turns out.
Sandy

VMOTTA 03/15/2013

Thank you both for your advice. I was hoping I could get more advice form other people who use/used it. I will keep you posted.

deleted_user 03/15/2013

i've had problems with bad migraines for years, and elavil is one of the first meds they tried me on for it, so it's actually used to treat headaches. it's funny that a lot of headache meds can actually cause headaches, no? it didn't actually work for my migraines, and it made me very tired, which is why i stopped taking it, but i know my doctor usually recommends that i give a new medication a month to see if it'll help, unless the side effects are truly unbearable. if the headache is something that could be relieved with tylenol or ibuprofen, then try taking that and keep taking the elavil, see if it helps your pain. if the headache and tiredness are so bad that you can't stand the med, then call your doctor and let him know and maybe you can switch to something else. good luck!

keeska 04/04/2013

When I was still working and on Elavil, I had to take it no later than 4PM in order to be able to get up the next morning.

As for waking up with a headache, covering my head with a blanket at night solved the problem. My head was getting too cold. Go figure...

onamountainshesits 04/04/2013

I have been on it for about a year for treatment of migraines. COnsequently, I did have a few headaches that were not the usual ones I have. they did go away after about a months. Just hang in there with it. but i'd say if the headaches do not go away after about 6 weeks to contact your prescribing phys.

noodlebg 04/21/2013

I'd been put on it to help ease the CP as well as depression but after checking on drugs.com and saw all the potentially dangerous interaction with my pain meds, I opted off of it.

I'm over 65 though and drug interactions are more tricky in my age group to begin with.

I hope it helps you, I know it has already given a lot of benefit to many others.

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