So glad it is helping you! I did not do well with that but take a similar type of drug-cyclobenzaprine. One is an antidepressant and the other a muscle relaxer, however, they are quite similar in composition. I know this because I worked for the company that developed and manufactured both. I have been using for probably twenty years. These are old drugs and were prescribed years ago for fibromyalgia. They help us to get a better quality of sleep which in turn, reduces our pain levels. Since sleep disturbances are a major complaint and add to increased pain, it seems like the best place to start! Of course, when we take any medication, there can be side effects and even long term effects, but weighing against the higher levels of chronic pain, I think for me, the risk is worth it.

Hope you're still doing ok :)

I've been taking nortryptiline (the same as amytriptaline but sl less side effects) for nearly 5 years now and couldn't function without it anymore (sigh).

I started at 2.5mg every other night and have ended up on max dose 100mg taken 4 times during the day (30mg / 30mg / 30mg / 10mg). Despite how I take it it's best taken at night so you're asleep when it's side effect of drowsyness is at it's peak. It's primarily an antidepressant but used 'off licence' for nerve pain.

Watch out for the side effects - especially the drowsyness. Most will settle over a few weeks, except possibly that drowsyness.

25mg is a good, effective dose and once you've adapted to taking it -which can take a week or two - it can be a good pain pill to help control your overall pain and begin to bring the baseline down and help reduce flare ups.

You might want to think about how you will managed 'flare ups' as it won't be as effective for those. Think of it as a thick blanket covering your overall pain, bringing the height down and down, but sometimes you will get 'spikes' of high pain breaking through this blanket and you'll need a plan to manage them. This plan doesn't have to be 'just' more pills, things like resting or reducing your activity, heat and massage can be more important; it's all about what works for you --- which you may not identify until your pain levels out which the amitryptaline should help with.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with it.

I'm like the first poster in it didn't work for me, I consider my self allergic to anti depressants, and flexeril because they give me a chemical in balance I don't have! But they are the first things I'm given! Xanaflex does work Long term for the muscles and some sleep but the pain "blanket poker" ruins all my sleep attempts/efforts if not a hot flash rips the damn blanket off....but a pain pill no one will ever give me legally works the best for the bad days.....problem is the bad days out number the good days three to one....now if someone could invent a bathroom app so I didn't have to get out of bed again I would be perfect ish lol