OT Amitriptyline/biliary dyskinesia

[Mrs Eleflump]

I know I should probably post this in the health/medical board, I might do, but it isn't as busy over there...so I thought I might post it in my 'home' board and see what happened!

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of amitriptyline? I had a letter from my consultant today suggesting that this is an option for treating the biliary dyskinesia I have just been diagnosed with. I also take buscopan which I'm fine with and he says I should continue that.

(just for a bit of info, biliary dyskinesia is where your gallbladder and biliary system doesn't contract properly so it doesn't empty as it should after eating, and it causes pain under your right ribs, similar to gallstones, but obviously without the stones)

So I looked up amitriptyline and it's a tricyclic antidepressant. I know antidepressants are useful for all sorts of things, not just depression, and this particular one seems to help with my problem. So far, so good.

BUT...last year I had a period of severe anxiety with some depression, brought on by wedding stress, and I was prescribed antidepressants (sertraline, which are SSRIs, not tricyclics) to help with it. They worked, but I got HUGE. I put on two stone, and I've only just got rid of it! I don't want to get huge again!

Does anyone who takes or has taken amitriptyline had weight problems, or any other side-effects? And it's a long-shot as I know it's pretty uncommon, but has anyone here got biliary dyskinesia and would be willing to share their experiences?

 

[sophxx]

i take it iv e had no side affects i have it for fibro pain but its reduced my anixety to its not like other anti depressents its not aDICTIVE SO YOU DONT HAVE TO BE WEANED OF IT MY GP SAID you just take it wehn you need it

sorry baout the caps lo hitting keys x

 

[everdreaming]

You gained weight on Sertraline? How strange - I lost LOADS in just 3 weeks so I've had to stop taking them.

I've never taken amitryptiline but my Grandmother takes it, the only side effects she gets are drowsiness - so she takes it before bed, which helps her sleep - and it really makes her miserable when she misses a dose. She takes it for depression, so obviously it is a different treatment to yourself, but those are the only effects she has from them
You really do need to be correctly weaned off the drug and take it as regularly as possible, preferably at the same time every day, for it to have a good effect on your system

 

[Mrs Eleflump]

Wow, really everdreaming? It did say in the leaflet with the sertraline that weight loss is a more common side effect than weight gain...I do think it made me more susceptible to putting on weight though, I gained that 2 stone in the space of 5 months, it was horrible. Good job it was after my wedding so I didn't have to worry about the dress I was taking quite a high dose, 100mg I think, maybe that made it worse? Plus when I was coming off it I totally lost my balance every time I turned my head for about 3 weeks. Nasty.

I guess because of my past experience with a similar drug, I'm not convinced that taking these pills is going to be worth it - if the side effects are horrible, I would rather put up with the pain in my gallbladder. Putting on weight and having my moods affected wouldn't be worth it for me...amitriptyline apparently does help with IBS and migraine as well though, and I have both of those. I wonder if the dose would be different for biliary dyskinesia than for depression?

The letter says to get the prescription from my GP, as I'm not due to be seen in the hospital clinic again til February, I wonder if I could make an appointment with my GP to discuss it rather than just getting the pills?

ETA: plus, I don't think I want to be on any more pills than necessary while TTC/pregnant...and I know antidepressants aren't the best things to be on during those times of your life.

 

[everdreaming]

Make the appointment with your GP, as they might want to discuss it with you anyway. It's possible the dose is different, do you know how many mg you'll be on? If you discuss it with your GP s/he can observe the side effects that you get and support you through any difficulties you have.

sertraline is a horrific drug in my opinion. I had some really foul urinary symptoms and I was only on the drug for 3 weeks! I lost half a stone, couldn't eat anything at all and went into urinary retention!! It also made my depression much worse, now I've been off it for 3 days I can finally function like a regular human being, I have an appetite and I'm able to pee without pain and not every five minutes or not at all! My Dr thought I had some sort of awful urine/kidney infection but it turns out it was just the sertraline.

But don't let that put you off the amitriptyline! As you know everyone is different and responds differently. You may just find yourself sleeping more at night and being a lot more drowsy in the day time for the first two weeks then after that you should be fine

 

[catherine79]

I was on amytriptyline for fibro and although it helped slightly with the pain I found I was so dazed and confused that I was a danger to me and my kids. Going through red lights, going to pick up the wrong child etc etc. Be careful of it. xx

 

[theapple9]

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