How much elavil and how often? Elavil is actually an anti depressant but it is used in the treatment of muscle nerve related issues. Elavil makes you sleepy,usually take at night. It relaxes those muscles and puts you in a deeper level of sleep. I take 25 mg about 2 hours before bed, That way it is working when I get in bed. It does give you a groggy morning effect esp. if you have not allowed yourself 8 hours of sleep time. It does increase yourthirst and many people experience weight gain while on it. It does help some with the pain. Every person reacts different to meds and it may take a few days forhim to adjust.

Sorry, I should have put that in....

He's started him on just 10mg only at bedtime for now, and told him he may up later....there is lot of room for increasing the dosage.

Good to hear about the sleepiness, cuz he is desperate for more good sleep. Thanks for heads up about the thirst and the weight gain....we'll be on the watch for that.

It's so interesting to me how many things ADs treat...

Thanks, Renee! and HUGS :)

I have a crapy back, I have not tried this one my self. From what I udnerstand it's an anti depressent that also acts like a muscle releaxent. Does your husband have a pain managment doctor. My pm doc has helped a lot with my back. My pm doc just did a normal muscle relexant and it didn't really help much, I hope it gets better soon

@Freedom,

No, he doesn't have a pain mgt doc. This is a fairly recent problem with him....he had the surgeries for torn ACL (and complications from that) several years back, and hasn't had any other problems until now.....

I hope this helps him....if not, nerve conduction tests are next on the agenda.

Thanks :)

I was having headaches that disappeared around the time I started taking elavil and it definitely helped with sleep. Hope it helps

It's also prescribed to help prevent migraines - maybe other forms of headaches as well. I took it for years for sleep (no effect on pain for me) but I stopped recently because I struggle so much with the grogginess in the morning. I work full time and it made it SOOO much harder to get up and out each day!

Discovered something weird when I stopped taking it - I actually starting thinking differently - suggesting that we go outside and rake leaves, voluntarily doing laundry, and other signs that I am taking more interest in living my own life!

I am more motivated to exercise and just feel better mentally without it.

This is the drug that got me out of an over 2 year cycle of Insomnia. My rheumy prescribed the generic - amytriptyline - 25 mg at night to start with. The very first night I slept! I was groggy in the morning so he told me to take it every night at the same time - so 9 pm works great for me.

My rheumy said that it was a great drug for people with Fibro because a large part of the problem lies in that fact that we have trouble getting a real refreshing sleep.

I also remember my husband being given this along with pain meds when he was recovering from a painful surgery. The pain meds weren't working properly but once Elavil was added they worked great. Hope your honey feels better quick!

hugs jilly

My friend just started taking this for her fibro, and she is in love! she says she sleeps a million times better and she feels fantastic!

I also was given the generic form called amitrityline because I had headaches at night, when I woke up and through out my day. I wasn't getting much sleep either. I started on 25mg each night about an hour before bed and it made a world of difference for me. I had my dose increased to 50mg at night because the headaches started coming back but now I hardly get them at all.

The morning hangover was hard at first but if you get 8 or more hours of sleep (if possible) then it helps with the grogginess.