I have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. Don't want to take anything that would be habit forming/dependency. Have just been prescribed 25 mg. at bedtime.
How effective is amitriptyline when used to help sleep?
Question posted by jbonderud on 16 Nov 2012
Last updated on 1 February 2023
29 Answers Page 2
I have been taking 75mg of amitriptyline since 2000. I am on it because, I have RSD/CRPS and when I turn down my spinal cord stim off at night, I need it to make me sleep. It usually takes 45 minutes and then I will, be knocked out for the night without it I would be up all night long.
I LOVE THIS MEDICATION, IT DEFINATELY WORKS!!!
Wow.. alot of people claim that Amitriptyline is only used for depression, in fact I just got into a heated disagreement with my fiancee' over this medication.
I am chronically ill with SLE, DLE, Brain Tumor, Hydrocephalus, raynaud's syndrome, Hyponeutremia, a Pacemaker, and insomnia. THIS MEDICATION HAS HELPED ME TRMENDOUSLY WITH NOT ONLY MY INSOMNIA BUT TO HELP SO I DON'T WAKE UP WITH ANY HEADACHES. I myself, consider this to be one of my life saving medications. I take it approximately a hour to a hour and a half before bed and it helps a lot and not like Ambien which will make you very sleepy very quick. I would recomend Amitriptyline to others before anything else!!! So YES YES YES I find it to be very effective in treating insomnia
I was put on 10mg. of amitriptyline in March of 2016... didn't work at all; I just went to a new doctor this past Thursday... he named several sleep aids and I told him I had been on all of those. He was surprised that Amitriptyline did not work. He prescribed 25 mg. of it, per night, and he said the most important thing to do was to take it 3 hours prior to going to bed. I have done that for 2 nights and I have slept like a baby! AND... I wake up felling refreshed and not drowsy at all!!
I've been taking amitriptyline (25mg) for migraines for about a three months now, and for about a two months I've been having a lot trouble sleeping. The doctor said that amitriptyline should've been helping me sleep (which it obviously wasn't), but she still decided to keep me on it even though it wasn't doing anything with my migraines. My doctor put me on Topamax (starting at 25mg and working my way up to 100mg) while keeping me on amitriptyline. She said that both of these together should help me sleep and help my migraines. I'm having even more trouble sleeping now and my migraines don't seem that much improved (but that may be from lack of sleep).
Hi Heather,
I know this thread is super old but I’m wondering how you’re doing with your sleep now? Did you end up coming off the ami? I had a similar situation but the insomnia stuck around when I came off. It’s been a while now without improvements. I hope you are doing better. Would love to hear from you as I’m feeling a bit crazy in how sleep deprived I am now.
I sleep very well with amitriptyline. I tell everyone that I sleep like the dead which is honestly true. I do, however, still feel tired the next day no matter how much I sleep. This may be due to Amitriptyline; I honestly don’t know. I had just turned 13 when I made this post. I honestly forgot about this account and this post, otherwise I may have remembered that Topamax gave me insomnia when I got a new migraine specialist two years ago, and she put me on Topamax while keeping me on Amitriptyline. I’m still on Amitriptyline, but I’m thinking about coming off of it because my migraines are very well controlled now with Aimovig and Botox.
I just started taking amitriptyline & it put me to sleep within 20 minutes! My dr put me on it to help me sleep & to help with anxiety! Hope it works for you!
Amitriptyline had no effect on me whatsoever. Took it and did not fall asleep
for several hours, which I would have if I had not taken it. Only slept about
two hours that night. So it does not work for everyone.
I am now taking 150 mgs at bedtime along with 30 mgs of temazepam and I finally sleep well, but am wondering if I will have to keep increasing the dose as my body gets used to it. I do have a very very dry mouth and wake several times a night for a drink. But that is the only side effect I have taking the high dse of elavil.
I feel so much better .Just got a script for the tamazapan today.Been on the zolpidem. I was up to 30 or 40 mg. a night. the tamazapan works..Don't like the antidepressant stuff it lingers for days and messes with your love life.Soon as I get tired I'll leave the site and get a snooze...
I have Parkinsons Disease which often affects sleep. My neurologist prescribed amitriptylilne HCl 50 mg. I sleep like a log and do not wake up at night. Matter of fact I sleep too long and now cut the pill in half.
I don't notice any side effects and a 30 day supply is just $4.00 at WalMart and Kroger.
I took Amitriptyline about 10 years ago for insomnia and it worked great for me. I also didn't have a "hangover" feeling when I woke up in the morning , I felt well rested. Hope it works for you too! :)
Hello jbonderud,
I suffer from insomnia, and some years back I took Amitriptyline, and let us say I slept just fine.
I have been taking amitriptyline for over 4 years now, both for an added aid for high blood pressure, and sleep. My question is, does anyone find that they suffer from excessive facial sweating? I am not sure if it a side effect of this medication. I have asked my doctor and he says it may be but he is not 100% sure. He has reduced my dose to 50mg a day, which I take at night. Because I have been on it for so long I am a bit reluctant to stop it. Any advice?
Elevil was prescribed to me a few years ago to keep me from waking during the night from my chronic leg pain even with pain medicine I would still wake up.Now I don't .
I take this and when combined with my steroids (when I'm on a higher dose) overnight I can literally soak a pillow with sweat. It's insane. No whole body sweating, just the head.
Hi jbonderud, I just want to add that what helps other people doesn't necessarily help you. Everybody has a different genetic make-up, and therefore we each react differently to medications. For example, you just had four people tell you that it works great, but amiltriptyline does absolutely nothing for me. You just have to find out on your own. Sorry to disappoint you.
Hello jbonderud. I used it some years ago and did little to help my insomnia. Best of luck, hope it works for you. Regards pledge
I used to take amitriptyline for sleep way back before I had my kids. I am very hard to knock out. I can take most "sleeping" pills and stay wide awake. Even drugs like Seconal, Dalmane and Halcion didnt make me sleep. Amitriptyline worked quite well though. I would take it and within 30-45 minutes would be nodding off. The only down side is that it causes extreme dry mouth so be sure to keep sugarless gum, hard candy and/or sips of water available throughout the day because you will have "cottonmouth"
I love amitriptyline and I use it for sleep and I sleep up to 8 hours a night.
Yes it keeps me up at times but I haven't experienced the dry mouth glad to that but I agree im hard to fall asleep at times even under 75mg of amitriptyline.and even started taking melatonin 10mg to help relax and its like yeh really try counting sheep it doesn't work. Its crazy at times with me its always hit or miss with me .When im resting believe me I really get it in but once I'm awake it's a different story so yes I know the feeling trust me thats why I guess I take the Remeron along with the amitriptyline and even 5mgs of melatonin trust me I understand
Hi i was prescribed Amitriptyline for pain relief and to aid my sleep and it worked wonders. I still take it some years later. I would definitely recommend it!
Amitriptyline works very well when used to treat insomnia. You may find the reviews in the link below useful.
https://www.drugs.com/comments/amitriptyline/for-insomnia.html
Amitriptyline works great as a sleep aid.
I'm on Elavil/amitriptyline right now for aiding in depression and sleep, however I am also taking Seroquel, compazine, and hydroxyzine. The amitriptyline has a tendency to making me extremely angry and short tempered and found that it seems to want to combat the other medicines! Hydroxyzine/prescription form of antihistamine and using for extreme anxiety really helps for the itching, been on it for more than 2 years.
Does anyone else who is taking endep have problems with excessive sweating (particularly facial and neck). I have been taking endep for a few years now and this problem is getting worse.
Yes. With Endep i have been sweating alot. And very itchy. I thought it was menopause but it may also be the Endep. Anyone Else??? Im 45
I was taking lithium but it made me very angry and irritable. I take Hydroxyzine for anxiety and I also take amitriptyline and perphenazine,
Amy works great for minor pain and sleeping . I used it for 26 years, but have other problems now. You have to watch for serotonin conflict if you take other for depression. The dose for sleep and pain is lower than depression. I was up to 75mg at night and 40mg of citilapram in the morning. No problems until changing other pills.
Well with me its hit or miss sometimes it works for me but I take 75mgs at night along with 45mgs of Remeron to help me relax and sleep better .At times I'm wide awake like I drunk some coffee which I don't do . Its really depends on your mood and your body's needs there's times when I'm wore out and can't get any rest at all and does the opposite to me by keeping me up instead of helping me relax and sleep and if I have a migraine forget about it I'm up for a day or two until I finally wind down
I have a badly broken ankle. I was experiencing horrible nerve pain. I wasn't able to get a good night sleep for months. This drug was a miracle for me. It's amazing how much better I feel. I'm healing quickly as well. I think sleep helps heal and is very necessary. My orthopedic Dr. wouldn't prescribe anything to help. I had to talk to my primary Dr. . Thankful beyond words.
Related topics
sleep disorders, amitriptyline, sleep
Further information
- Amitriptyline uses and safety info
- Amitriptyline prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Amitriptyline (detailed)
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