Nortriptyline and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Phe...
• July 21, 2016

For Depression "I've suffered with depression for most of my life. I'd taken Prozac for almost 20 years and decided to try something else because of the sexual side effects. That started a 5-year nightmare of drugs and severe side effects. So I quit taking pills and tried to go it alone. After a year without medication, I lost contact with my friends and most of my family, no longer went out for enjoyment, stopped writing, and generally just comforted myself with TV. I finally went back to my doctor a week ago and he put me on Nortriptyline 10mg. The first two days were a painful introduction of lethargy and dizzy spells. On the third day, my world had changed. I'm talking to people, making plans, cleaning. After a week, the sadness and death fantasies are gone."

• Tre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I have migraine-associated vertigo (1 year +). I forget how many meds I have tried, but 10 mg nortriptyline was fine. I was having good sleep. Dry mouth. My doctor increased it to 20 mg. I started feeling more dizzy and nauseous. In week 2, I experienced blurry vision and slurred speech. I declined further with mobility and strength. I was told to go to the ER and received migraine IV. I was slowly weaned off nortriptyline and thankfully had no more blurry vision or slurred speech. My doctor never talked about these side effects, and this was very frightening."

• Pat...
• March 19, 2013

Nortriptyline for Migraine Prevention "I have been taking Pamelor for close to 4 years now. After a coiling procedure for an inoperable brain aneurysm, I suffered constant migraines. The doctor who performed the coiling did not offer any solution, but a local neurologist in my hometown prescribed it for me. It changed what was to be my new life of pain into a much more tolerable existence. A little dizziness is easy to live with. I take 50 mg every morning. Life is good again!"

• Anonymous
• November 24, 2009

For Pain "After trying Tramadol, Oxycodone, and Neurontin, I tried Nortriptyline for chronic back pain due to a herniated disc. Unfortunately, after only a couple of days on the drug, I had to quit. It made me extremely dizzy and caused my blood pressure to drop so quickly that I nearly passed out while taking a vigorous walk."

• aa8...
• February 21, 2012

For Depression "I had no problem with Nortriptyline. I had to take it in conjunction with Lithium for depression. My problem was when I quit taking it. I'm dizzy, sick to my stomach, I have ringing in my ears, I'm irritated all the time, and I can't sleep. Just be prepared in case you stop taking it too."

• One...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2016

For Pain "I've been taking this pill among others for pain and migraines. I started with 25 mg, and it was upped to 50 because I was still in pain and having headaches. While this hasn't helped my pain, it has helped my migraines. I haven't had one since taking it, and I usually had one once a week. I still get headaches. I'm not sure if this helps or if it's my other medications. I feel like this stuff makes me dizzy when outside in the heat. I have a constant dry mouth, my sex drive is no longer alive, I can't remember things and get confused easily. But I sleep well, and my head doesn't hurt... I'm still in constant pain. And it seems like I have the hunger of three teenagers. I'm 27 and have DDD. I hope I can find something that works."

• 2dr...
• July 8, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I have a love/hate relationship with this drug. When I take it, I am headache-free, but if I forget to take it just one time, I have the worst headache imaginable the next day. Like a hangover headache with nausea and dizziness. It is worse than the headaches I had before I started taking the medication. I've also noticed my energy levels are way lower, and I am super constipated every day. The doctor did advise me about the constipation but not the lack of interest in doing things. I am super slow and have literally no energy to do anything. So I am not sure if it is related. I want to try to get off the medicine, but the doctor advises against this. I am not sure what to do."

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I had debilitating migraines for a few months. Eyes were blurry 24/7, ice pick headaches, dizziness. Got an MRI to rule everything out. Diagnosed with chronic headaches. Neurologist put me on nortriptyline. Started out with 10 mg, each week added another 10 mg till I was up to 40 mg. By the second week, my headache went way down. In a month, it was completely gone. Tried to wean myself down, but the headache returned. I'm staying on the 40 mg! I feel great now! This stuff works!!"

• Bob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "My doctor had put me on Topamax 100 mg for 8 weeks and added nortriptyline 25 mg for a week then upped it to 50 mg. And it seemed to make the headaches worse. And on top of that, my mouth is always dry and every time I look around I get dizzy and have to sit down. Plus, my heart races and pounds, and I hate this drug."

• Bir...
• January 22, 2020

For Pain "I don't remember having nightmares on Pamelor or Elavil. Both worked well for migraine/facial nerve pain and depression. They'd be better if the side effects weren't dry mouth, constipation, dizziness, and lethargy (Elavil). Remeron is a different story. I had the scariest, most traumatic dreams ever. I was so terrified after waking up, I told my doctor I could not take it anymore. Pamelor and Elavil are probably the best antidepressants that I have tried other than Effexor and Wellbutrin, although the latter gives me more side effects. SSRIs don't work for me and cause agitation, insomnia, teeth grinding. I'll stick with the older antidepressants or the SNRIs."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 27, 2013

For Vulvodynia "This medicine completely helped my vulvodynia. At my worst before the medication, I was in constant burning pain and could not sit down for extended periods of time. Nortriptyline started working for me after about two weeks. At first, I was a little dizzy and very sleepy. I did have more constipation. But the sleepy/dizzy feeling did wear off, and I was so happy to have the edge taken off the pain, I didn't mind the side effects. I was on it for about 10 years with minimal pain flare-ups. I am doing better now. The pain is not completely gone, but nortriptyline was the answer I needed."

• Nik...
• July 28, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "It definitely helps with the migraine, but I can’t stay on it because it makes me dizzy, causes low blood pressure, fatigue, and foggy-headedness. I might take it occasionally. Oh yeah! And it made me feel depressed."

• Spi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2019

For Depression "Felt horrible on nortriptyline during the 5 weeks I took it and never took more than 25 mg. Had depression, anxiety, fatigue, dizziness, and it sent my BP up. I tapered off, and I am day 16 off of it. My headaches are horrible. Does anything help with these side effects? I’ve been to the doctor twice this week, and he says it’s out of my system."

• Rol...
• February 8, 2011

For Neuralgia "This did the job in removing nerve pain (50 mg), but I couldn't sleep because I was hyper. Wild dreams, sweats, and constantly waking. Being hyper was super in the day as it completely removed my severe fatigue. Dropped to half dose (25 mg) to see if it helped. The hyperness continued unfortunately, though less, but the nerve pain also returned, though not as severe. Other side effects that are a little worrying: Woke one morning with massive pain in one eye/side of head unlike anything I've had before. Scary. Also, a constant eye tic has developed, plus a constant weird dizzy ringing feeling in the head and vertigo when standing. I'm thinking of stopping, though love the extra energy and effect on nerve pain."

• Hea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I was put on 10 mg initially for migraine and insomnia. After two weeks, my doc upped it to 25 mg, which I've been on for four weeks. I've had a number of side effects: blurry vision, dizziness, dry mouth, froggy voice, continuous migraine. After six weeks, I've started to taper off of nortriptyline, and it isn't going well. I still have my migraine, but add in chills, anxiousness, burning/tinglings arms and fingers. It was definitely not worth starting this medication."

• Nom...
• October 5, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Being treated for vestibular migraines. I was very worried about taking this (side effects), so I waited a week before deciding to try it. Only took 10mg at night. I could not get to sleep, and in the morning, I experienced sadness, anxiety, increased heart rate, irritability, dizziness, and brain fog. One time was enough. I have a family and can't ride these symptoms out (if they ever actually would decrease). The negative effects outweighed any benefits."

• Lar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 24, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I've been on 25 mg for 3 days, but I feel dizzy, lethargic, and overall not clear-headed. I hope that these side effects will go away with time. I was prescribed Nortriptyline for chronic migraines that last 3-4 days every few weeks for the last 10 years or so. Not sure I'll be able to live with the side effects if they don't go away over the next few weeks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 24, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I started getting vertigo during my last pregnancy, which transitioned to daily debilitating migraines with or without vertigo. After lots of testing, my neurologist put me on Nortriptyline, and it took about 6 months to get the dosage and migraines/vertigo under control, but I am still on 75 mg today for the past 7 years. I still have problems with dry mouth, and I personally think it makes me a little forgetful (short-term memory). I was a little lazy about taking it a few months ago and was wondering if it was still effective after 7 years, and yes it is. One week after not taking it, I got vertigo again, which I haven't had in 3 years. So I'll be on this for life. I only get breakthrough migraines during my period, for which I take a ketoprofen."

• Lan...
• May 25, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I started 25 mg, and the first night, a couple of hours later, I was so dizzy that I had to lay down. I was back to not sleeping because I was drenched in sweat. I know it is supposed to take time for the med to get into your system, but I feel like I am going through menopause."

• Get...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 17, 2021

For Pain "Jeez Louise. Where to start? Ok - for pain, it was like 60-70% effective when titrated, but the side effects made me wish I was detoxing from Tramadol again. I was fatigued. So tired, I was bedbound for 4 hours during the day. I needed 16 oz Red Bulls to make breakfast. I was bloated. So bloated, I looked six months pregnant. My boobs were swollen and sore. I was always dizzy. Like hold on to the wall or else you fall dizzy. And what is with the blue dots you see when you wake up in the morning? I was coughing all the time - which in 2021 is a no-no with COVID. My insomnia was through the roof, so I had to take it during the daytime and not at night as prescribed. I read the reviews about this drug before agreeing to try it. Never again."

• Ale...
• April 28, 2017

For Depression "Negative: took the full dose of 125 mg (Allegron) for 3+ months for depression. No effect whatsoever. Started to taper off about a month ago, went fully off about two weeks ago: very annoying withdrawal side effects: night sweating, and now all of a sudden also stomach problems (minor but very annoying) and mysterious dizziness, uneasy feeling in the whole body, palpitations, and overwhelming fatigue and numbness. Would not recommend at all."

• kik...
• February 4, 2012

For Migraine Prevention "Been taking nortriptyline 75 mg for two years. Went from 2-3 headaches a week to maybe 2 a month. Side effects are loss of balance (yoga practice suffers), urine retention, sleepiness. I take it at night so I sleep pretty well. I'm reading here that some experience weight gain, that's good to know! I was blaming myself for lack of self-control. This week, I had what I think was an afibrillation episode in the middle of the night. I have to now look at whether it's worth it to have heart issues to keep myself from head pain. The head pain was pretty awful though."

• sas...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 9, 2013

For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Severe side effects - extreme dry mouth, extreme dizziness, extreme weakness. No real help for the neuropathy. Could not figure out why I was feeling so poorly until I did some research online and discovered nortriptyline has a negative interaction with four of the other medications I take. Stopped taking nortriptyline and felt so much better almost instantly."

• Kzm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2022

For Migraine Prevention "I was on Pamelor for about two weeks. It did do its job to stop my headaches, and I’m scared to stop because I don’t want them to come back, but I had to stop taking it because it put me in the ER. I had stomach pain for the last 4 days. Every time I stood up from sitting or laying down, I couldn’t see, and it took me a few seconds to come to. I was dizzy, nauseous, feeling like I was going to faint. No energy at all. I never got the dry mouth like most people, but I got everything else. I know everybody’s bodies are different, but I couldn’t bear the side effects. I couldn't do daily tasks because of them."

• bun...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 23, 2021

For Pain "Nortriptyline is not for me! I take it for both cervical radiculopathy and sciatica. Although it helps with some of the pain, for such a low dose of 20 mg, I have so many side effects! Ever since I've been on it, I've been having severe mood shifts between anxiety and depression, uncontrollable panic attacks, insomnia, nightmares, a very dry mouth with excessive thirst, dizziness, nausea, and constipation. I can't get off of it because I'll be in unbearable, screaming pain without it. I let my doctor know that this was happening, and she didn't believe the nortriptyline was causing my mood problems. Someone else told me to wait out the side effects for a couple of months, and it will get better, but it only got worse. Gabapentin made me gain too much weight, causing the sciatica and causing mood problems, so I don't want to get back on that. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place because I've talked to about seven doctors, and no one seems to know what to do."